Port Campbell Things to Do

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Included as a part of the Twelve Apostles Marine Park and the Port Cambell National Park, this extraordinary gorge is named after the unfortunate three-masted square-rigged iron-hulled clipper Loch Ard which foundered off Mutton Bird Island in 1978. Captain Gibb was trying to enter the western entrance of Bass Strait during heavy fog which was known as “threading the eye of a needle”. Two members of the 55 person crew survived by clinging on to parts of the floating wreckage that fortuitously washed up into a protective gorge that now bears the ill-fated clipper’s name. There are some spectacular arches along this section of coast along with a blowhole, several caves, and of course a gorge. There are four walking trails that range from 900m to 3.2kms.

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This is the beginning section of the Great Ocean Road from the west. This spectacular bay is dotted with island rock stacks that are constantly battered by huge waves even on calm days. There are four viewing platforms and 1.8kms of walking trails. Notice the water filled sink holes along the trails. They contribute to the engineering of future islands. Easy access from the Great Ocean Road. The nearest town is Petersborough but Port Cambell may make a more suitable base.

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This is a classic example of the erosional forces of sink holes. The Grotto was created when multiple pools wore away and dissolved the limestone below it until they met creating a natural arch. Easy access from the Great Ocean Road by paved areas and stairways.

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TORQUAY
22km from Geelong (GL), both tours drove passed this seaside town without a stop. The beach here is popular with families. It is also a Fishermans Beach where you will find boating, sailing & windsurfing. Lifesavers patrol available during summer.

BELLS BEACH
The 1st stop with Gowest Tours is Bells Beach, 30km from GL, for a 20 mins toilet stop.

Bells Beach is a world-famous surf beach. It is a venue for the world surfing titles: Cliff-flanked sandy beach with large ocean swells. Only for the experienced.

I arrived on a bright and sunny but windy morning and standing on the cliff-face, I could see surfers out on the brownish-hue beach, challenging the elements. Amazing stuff!

The toilets here are amazing: came highly decorated with aboriginal motiffs. A sight to behold as well!

ANGLESEA
37km from GL, this is a 0.5 hour stop with the Greyhound Tours for morning Billy Tea & Lamington cakes. Truth be told, the site of stoppage is not next to the beach but for folks who wishes to know, Anglesea has a popular beach which is excellent for swimming and surfing. Large vegetation-covered sand dunes protect the beach. Lifesavers patrol available during summer.

LORNE
This was an unexpected stop for 40 mins with Gowest Tours as my coach ran into engine trouble. I relished the chance to stretch my legs and to enjoy the spectacular scenary. Lorne is one the most popular resort towns on the GOR. Plenty of beautiful holidaying houses littered the road. There is a wide sandy beach on Loutit Bay with gentle surf and is safe for swimming and surfing. Again there are lifesavers patrol during summer. Lorne is 65km from GL.

APOLLO BAY
The last major beach is at Apollo Bay, 105km from GL for the lunch stop.

It is a wide crescent-shaped sandy beach. The protected waters make it popular with families. There are lifesavers patrol in summer.

I spent about 30 mins on the beach (since I had to wait for my fish & chips anyway) on my first foray. The crescent shaped bay makes for great photography.

The Shipwreck Coast takes its name for the many ships wrecked on this treacherous stretch.

Lord Ard Gorge is perhaps most famous for a shipwreck story which happened at this spot almost 120 yrs ago. (I even has the fortune of sitting through an Australian movie made on the topic while travelling with Greyhound tours)

In summary: 52 people died after the sailing ship, "Loch Ard", rammed into the sheer cliffs of Muttonbird Island in stormy weather on 1 June, 1878, just days from completing a three-month voyage from England to Melbourne. 2 survivors, apprentice crewman Tom Pearce and young passenger Eva Carmichael, both 18 years old, made their way into the gorge and onto the beach.

Tom was washed away while trying to launch the lifeboat while Eva survived, despite being washed into the sea with only a life-belt by grabbing hold of a floating chicken coop.

Tom rescued Eva from the waves and both made their way to the cave in the cliff behind the beach. They found a case of brandy and drank a bottle.

Tom climbed the precipitous cliffs and met a party from nearby Glenample homestead. Eva was soon rescued and taken back to the homestead to recuperate.

You can descend a staircase to the beach and see where Tom and Eva struggled to survive, as well as visit the cave where the teenagers collapsed, exhausted. Take a walk along the headlands and overlook the very spot where the Loch Ard smashed into the sheer cliffs. Storyboards on the paths explain the Loch Ard story. A path also leads to the small cemetery where there is a monument to the Carmichael family and where the few bodies that were recovered are buried.

Muttonbird Island, sitting near the entrance of the long, narrow gorge, by the way, was the "Sow" in "Sow & The Piglets", the original name of the 12 Apostles. (The piglets were the stacks of the current 12 Apostles)

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Natures way of carving a pretty picture out of the coastline by the sea, the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles, also known as "The Sow and piglets" would have to be one of the most photographed sites in Australia, Victoria and the most popular picture of the Great Ocean Roads fantastic coastline. Though well known and touristy, even with people snap happy away the scenery will not dissapoint as these stunning pieces of Rock are definately worth seeing. Especially with the likelyhood of them crumbing every day, as one of them did recently. Mind you, with the constant change in terrain to the coastline, who knows, maybe the ocean will carve a replacement some day too?

The stone towers of the Twelve Apostles stand as high as 45metres and are the central feature of the Port Campbell National Park. It is natures way of showing us something incredible, as this masterpiece has taken over 20 million years to form a site that today is quite simply a work of art. Beautiful at Sunrise and sunset the Apostles are a great spot for a romantic picture and a must see if you are driving along the Great Ocean Road of Victoria.

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Being such a windswept rocky outcropped coastline, the oceans off the great ocean road have never been a safe place to sail. Many shipwrecks having occurred along this coastline, part of which is even known as "The Ship Wreck Coast".

The most famous of these ship wrecks occured here. The Loch Ard Gorge has been named after the incident involving the on-hulled clipper ship that was lost in 1878 while sailing from England to Melbourne called "The Loch Ard".

The ship was caught in continuous fogs that helped it's captain mistakenly thinking he was some 50 miles out from the treacherous rocks and cliffs. When in reality the Loch Ard was a little closer to land. On June the 1st 1978 the Loch Ard struck Mutton Bird Island to the east of Port Campbell. Attempts to save the 1700-tonne ship failed. Only two people from the 54 passengers and crew survived. A cabin boy called Tom Pearce helped save a young woman Eva Carmichael, who had been washed on wreckage into the cove. Spending the night in a cave Pearce climbed the gorge's cliffs and eventually found help.

Also located near Loch Ard Gorge the Blow hole is one of the many caves in this area to view. If you come at the right time of day when the tide is right watch the blow hole in action as it throws up huge sprays of water.

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The Arch formation shows just how the pinacles that are the the 12 Apostles were formed. As holes driven into the rock face from water of the coastline develop into caves; the caves form into arches. Eventually as the arch collapses, islands of rock are stranded in the sea forming pinnacles of Limestone which dot the coastline, eventually these too will worn down by the sea. It is amazing to see the work of the ocean and natural erosion along the whole of the Great Ocean Road.