Hey so I'm Dean, long time friend of Emma and Thom, and nearly a year into my new photography hobby. Emma asked me to write a blog post for The Pinnacles on Phillip Island, so here it is! As a disclaimer, I've never written a blog post before, so please excuse me if it's not up to Emma's standard. BUT, if you bare with me and make it through, hopefully I can leave you with some information about this awesome little corner of Victoria! 

As two people who have some of the most expensive hobbies going round, we really could have done with one that didn't involve expensive equipment, regular upgrades or heaps of flights. Unfortunately we have not succeeded at all. We jumped on the new photography must-have and bought ourselves a drone! After seeing hundreds (maybe thousands) of amazing aerial photos on Instagram there was no question when it came to what I wanted for my birthday; a drone please!

One of the world's most scenic coastal drives is without a doubt the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. With towering cliffs, iconic surf breaks, misty waterfalls and native Australian wildlife, you can find everything around the Great Ocean Road. The drive is long and windy, and can take several hours, so if you have the time it is best to commit a few days to exploring, to make sure you cover everything! Here is a quick guide to what you can't miss along the Great Ocean Road!

If you've read any guide book or article about the best places to visit in Australia, The Twelve Apostles in Victoria has no doubt been high on the list! Located approximately four hours from Melbourne in Port Campbell National Park along the Great Ocean Road are these incredible limestone rock stacks standing tall in the Southern Ocean. It took me 24 years to get down to the Twelve Apostles and I can not believe I hadn't ventured down their earlier. 

It's no secret that Melbourne is known for it's unique, quirky street art. You can find it all over the city, really interesting dynamic graphics all over the place. Hosier Lane is definitely one of the best places in Melbourne to really get a feel for Melbourne's street art culture. Located off Flinders Street between Swanston and Russell Street, the bluestone cobbled laneway has become a celebrated landmark in Melbourne due to it's sophisticated urban art. 

Melbourne can be particularly cold in winter. Okay, I'm being nice. I positively freeze in winter. I am not really a massive fan of the cold, wind and rain, and often Melbourne's winters can feel like they go f o r e v e r. Especially compared to the rest of our beautiful warm country who don't suffer nearly as much of a cold spell. However, it often likes to surprise us! And in the same way we can go through four seasons in one day, we do sometimes get some absolutely beautiful winter days. A few weekends ago the sun decided to show her beautiful face in Melbourne, so I thought I would take advantage of the weather and take a stroll around the city! It was still freezing, but such a lovely day to enjoy my home city!

I have never been as speechless walking into a restaurant as when I walked into No 35 at the Sofitel on Collins in Melbourne's CBD. Coming off a morning of hot air ballooning across the city, I didn't think the views or the morning could get any better. I was wrong. I have to say, without a doubt, No 35 is my favourite breakfast location ever. There was not one thing I could criticize about it and I haven't stopped talking about it since. Let's break it down. 

A couple of weeks ago it was my 24th birthday and it had the best start to my 24th year that I could imagine. Thom had an awesome idea for a present, hot air ballooning over Melbourne's CBD! It's something we had both been talking about for ages, but it's just so expensive that we have always had too many other things going on. I mean, you could fly three people to Bali and back for the price of these hot air balloon rides! But it was so worth it! We got up super early - about 4am to drive into the city and meet the tour guides at the Sofitel on Collins. We were then driven about 20 minutes to Moorabbin, which would be our take off place.

It was hard to believe we were still in Melbourne when we were standing at the Pillars at Mount Martha. Only a 45 minute drive from the CBD, Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula seemed like a beach straight out of Europe with it's crystal clear water, steep cliffs and pebble beaches. After seeing pictures of the Pillars on Instagram I dragged a group of friends down to experience Melbourne's very own secret cliff beach for ourselves. It was amazing! With no signs indicating it's location, no parking area, and absolutely no view of it from the road, you would never know it was there unless you were looking for it. 

There was only a very tiny path leading from the road to the edge of the cliffs, and then you had to climb down the face of the rock. Scary! But it was spectacular, and definitely worth the struggle and the grazes! The water was beautifully crystal clear, and the thrill seekers jump from the highest possible platforms, plunging into the ocean. After jumping you have to climb back up the rock to get out of the ocean. It is absolutely one of Melbourne's hidden treasures, with minimal people and plenty of space to yourself to enjoy the day and the endless scenic views. Very impressive Melbourne. 

Without a doubt, the most beautiful and breathtaking views of Melbourne are from the Eureka Skydeck. I am ashamed to admit that despite living in Melbourne for my whole life, it took me 8 years to go up the Eureka Skydeck. And when I finally got to go I wasn't even prepared! It was spur of the moment and unexpected, and I only had my iPhone with me unfortunately!