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Cape Otway Lightstation is Australia’s most important lighthouse. The light established in 1848 is perched on towering sea cliffs 90 metres above where Bass Straight and the Southern Ocean collide.

Experience the thrill of stepping out onto the Lighthouse Balcony for awesome views, and hear the amazing history of tragic shipwrecks on this isolated and rugged coastline from the passionate guides.

Explore the historic telegraph station built in 1859 and discover Australia’s extraordinary secret war history from WWII. Appreciate and understand local indigenous culture at the Aboriginal meeting hut, with storytelling and bush tucker sessions from local guides.

Watch whales at play and soak up the natural beauty and atmosphere for a few hours or stay overnight in the unique historic lightkeeper’s accommodation; great for families, groups, couples, friends and those hiking the Great Ocean Walk.

The Lightkeeper’s Kitchen offers an array of tasty homemade fare; try the famous freshly baked scones and locally roasted coffee.

The Cape Otway Lightstation is located a short drive off the Great Ocean Road, through serene forests where you are guaranteed to see koalas. Entry fees apply.

Location : 1140 Lightstation Road, Cape Otway, Victoria, 3233

Content: Cape Otway Lightstation

Triplet Falls is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Great Otway Park and offers a stunning one hour loop walk through ancient rainforest. View the lower cascades as you follow raised walkways through the forest of Mountain Ash and Myrtle Beech to the main falls. As you leave the forest you can begin to hear the roar of Triplet Falls where a series of elevated viewing platforms provide you with spectacular views of the three cascades. This area is also the site of an original Otways timber mill. The trail runs past the site and displays remnant artefacts from the era.

Location: Great Otway National Park 
Distance: 1.8km
Duration: 1 hour return
Track condition: Good
Grade: Moderate with steep steps in some sections
Start: Triplet Falls car park
Finish: Triplet Falls car park
Nearby: Lavers Hill.

Great Otway National Park, Phillips Track, Beech Forest, Victoria, 3237

Content: Visit Victoria

Otway Fly Treetop Adventures is the ultimate outdoor-nature experience and located only 20 minutes from the start of the Great Ocean Road.

Experience a breath taking birds-eye-view of the magnificent Otway Ranges from the 25 metre-high elevate walkway or fly 30 metres high from tree to tree on the Zipline Tour.

The Treetop Walk is a one hour rainforest walk experience, that is approximately two kilometres in total and features a 600 metre long and 47 metre high steel structured treetop canopy walkway.

The Zipline Eco-Tour is a two-and-a-half hour, fully guided experience including training and simulation, eight cloud stations, six flights and two suspension bridges.

Phone: 03 5235 9200
Website: Visit Website

The Great Ocean Walk in Victoria is a beautiful, rugged, raw, overwhelming and peaceful journey.

The 110km walk traverses beaches, clifftops, rainforests and hinterland. It takes you deep into the Great Otways National Park and the Port Campbell National Park.

Embrace the ultimate eight-day challenge, or select a smaller section of the walk. For a taste, choose a half or full day itinerary. Self-guide and camp, or join a guided tour with accommodation.

Feel the exhilaration of being away from civilisation in some of Australia’s most breathtaking locations only accessible by foot.

See the wildflowers in spring, colorful fungi in autumn and waterfalls in winter.

Make the first footprints for the day on a secluded beach. Watch water cascade high sea-cliffs. Spy a dolphin, orca or whale in winter.

See koalas, wallabies and possums – and wedge-tailored eagles up high. Explore sheltered estuaries and gaze up towards towering grey gums and Mountain Ash.

Breath the fresh air deeply and remember these moments forever

Great Ocean Road Trike Tours offer one of the most exciting ways to explore The Great Ocean Road.

Great Ocean Road Trike Tours a licensed tour operator and have many wonderful packages to choose from, so you can see the renowned and also the secret sites of the beautiful region.

You will on the best motorised trike that money can buy, it is powerful, smooth and extremely exciting, leaving every customer more than satisfied with their tour. It truly is an incredible experience.

Contact details

Phone: 0491 138 885

Email: greatoceanroadtriketours@gmail.com

Once travellers reach Torquay, the Great Ocean Road begins, the Bass Strait finally comes into view and the adventures begin. The road goes past Bells Beach where surfing legends are made then winds on down to the little towns of Angelsea and Aireys Inlet.

It continues all the way for miles and miles along the coast and inland through forests and farmland before reaching the Port Campbell National Park and the 12 Apostles.

Port Campbell is about 12 minutes from the Apostles and then it is less than 20 kilometres further, with a few more sights to be seen before the Great Ocean Road essentially ends near the little town of Allansford and the Bay of Islands.

ROUTE	DISTANCE	TRAVEL TIME
Melbourne to Torquay	104.5 kilometres/ 65 miles	90 minutes
Torquay to Lorne	46 kilometres / 28.5 miles	50 minutes
Lorne to Apollo Bay	47.3 kilometres / 29 miles	60 minutes
Apollo Bay to Lavers Hill	51.4 kilometres / 32 miles	50 minutes
Lavers Hill to 12 Apostles	40 kilometres / 25 miles	45 minutes
12 Apostles to Port Campbell	11.2 kilometres / 7 miles	10 minutes
Port Campbell to Colac	77.6 kilometres / 48 miles	60 minutes
Colac to Melbourne	152 kilometres / 94.5 miles	2 hours
TOTAL TIME		8 HOURS DRIVING

This area is simply awesome, just a 5-minute drive from the 12 Apostles. The walks to the well known ‘Razorback’ formation, past ‘Tom and Eva’ along a path to Shipwreck lookout and down into Loch Ard Gorge and the beach are the most popular, if you have time, walk on to the small cemetery, Mutton Bird island viewing platform, Thunder Cave and down to the Sherbrook River where it meets the southern ocean.

Loch Ard Gorge, a fabulous beach. Swimming is at your own risk, waves and currents can be extremely strong and it is not patrolled.

Tips:

• No toilets or visitor facilities at Loch Ard Gorge
• Swimming is allowed on the beach at Loch Ard Gorge, though at your own risk.
• Do not swim on the beach at the Sherbrook River as the current is extremely strong and dangerous.
• Watch out for snakes, do not approach if you see any, leave them alone and they’ll generally leave you alone too.

To do all the walks at Loch Ard Gorge it takes a few hours and covers about 8 km of trails, but is one of the most spectacular places to visit.

We spent over three hours here recently, taking our time to see every lookout, walking down to the Sherbrook River to watch the waves crashing in.

SAFETY WARNING

Never underestimate the power of currents and waves and never overestimate your own strength and abilities. The seas can be dangerous and it takes a split second to get into trouble and be swept off rocks or the beach and out into the ocean. Even going in just waist-deep can be catastrophic.

On the 21st April 2019, two volunteer lifesavers from Port Campbell, a father, and son lost their lives trying to save a tourist who was swept into the sea from this area. The rescue boat overturned in a 2-meter swell, a third rescue volunteer survived and the tourist was winched to safety.

 is amazing to finally see these famous rock stacks from the viewing platform, but how about from above?

• Scenic helicopter flights leave from near the 12 Apostles visitor centre behind the car park.
• Or how about a flight from Apollo Bay? These trips follow the coast, passing the Cape Otway Light Station and parts of the coast that you can’t see or access from the road. Apollo Bay Aviation provides a variety of trips, read more on their website.

This is the first stop when arriving at the Port Campbell National Park from the Melbourne direction, and one of the best beaches to visit for dramatic scenery.

It is not safe for swimming, though surfers can often be seen there. 88 steps lead down the cliff face to the ocean and two of the famous rock formations, known as Gog and Magog,  can be seen.

High above the beach at the western end, one of the 12 Apostles viewing platforms can be seen. The steps were hand-carved into the cliff over a century ago but were concreted for safety in the 1990s.

When the tide is extra high, the steps are closed off as there can be very little of the beach available to walk on, otherwise, it is a fabulous spot to relax and view the limestone cliffs from sea level.

Parking is very limited at Gibson’s Steps, if it is busy, drive 2 km’s to the large parking area at the Apostles visitor centre and follow the 2 km coastal path back, it is signposted clearly and a lovely, easy hike.

Twelve Apostles Marine National Park

In 2002 the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park was established.

75 km sq. and covering 17km of the Victorian coastline, the spectacular formations are not just to be found above the waterline. Incredible underwater scenery with arches, fissures, and reefs make up much of the spectacular environment beneath the Southern Ocean.

What are the Twelve Apostles in Australia?

The 12 Apostles are an Australian icon. The Ocean Road drive is likened to the coastal road of California and often ‘declared’ the best road trip in the world, rather overstated perhaps, is there any such thing as ‘the best road trip’ in the world? It is fabulous, it is dramatic and it is worth visiting though.

Limestone pillars, once connected to the cliffs of the Port Campbell National Park, rise out of the sea. Carved out over many thousands of years through the natural forces of nature, firstly as caves, then into arches and eventually becoming the limestone stacks we see today.

Further along the coastline, ‘The Arch’, ‘London Bridge’ , ‘ The Grotto’ and ‘Bay of Martyrs’  are more reminders of how the coast constantly changes.

Where are the 12 Apostles?

The 12 Apostles are located within the Port Campbell National Park, Victoria. The distance from Melbourne: 227.5 km / 2 hours 50 minutes on the fastest possible route or 277 km / 4 hours 25 minutes on the scenic coastal drive (definitely the best option). These times are driving only, without any stops.

How many of the 12 Apostles are left?

There are now six of the 12 Apostles rock formations that can be seen from the main viewing platform.

From the other end of the viewing area, two more stacks can be seen along Gibson’s Beach, but these are not part of the ‘official’ count as they are known as Gog and Magog.

We do not actually have Twelve Apostles, it is all a bit confusing as to which ones are ‘officially’ called the 12 Apostles as opinions differ.

The crumbled remains of two of the rock stacks can be seen from the viewing platform and some are out of sight.

It goes without saying that the experience is still amazing regardless and a trip down the Great Ocean Road to the 12 Apostles is certainly worthwhile and the most popular road trip in Australia.

There are more of the limestone rock stacks along what is known as ‘The Shipwreck Coast’, including some smaller ones in the Bay of Islands Coastal Park further along towards the town of Warrnambool.