National parks are usually large areas of land that are protected because they feature pristine unspoiled landscapes and a diverse number of native plants and animals. Port Campbell National Park – the most photographed scenic stretch of the Great Ocean Road, is no exception. One of Australia’s over 500 national parks, Port Campbell, is a popular tourist destination and a nature lover’s paradise.
Stretching some 30 km along the southern Victoria coastline and covering an area of around 4,400 hectares, the amazing Port Campbell National park is where there is no shortage of diverse range of coastal environments, including wetlands and woodlands, strangely shaped limestone stacks and arches, wave-sculpted coastal cliffs and dunes, add to this historic shipwrecks and significant areas of flora and fauna.
What to See?
The ‘must see’ tourist attractions in the gorgeous Port Campbell National park include:
Twelve Apostles
Visible from the Great Ocean Road, the 12 Apostles, originally named ‘The Sow & Piglets,’ are a series of majestic rock stacks rising some 65 m from the Southern Ocean on Victoria’s dramatic coastline, which have been formed by constant erosion of limestone cliffs over the last 20 million years. If you happen to be visiting the Twelve Apostles after sunset, you are likely to see bands of Little Penguins on their way to the burrows on the beach. Come and experience the spectacular beauty of these ever-changing formations that will take your breath away!
Be prepared to pay about $10 a minute for a scenic helicopter flight over the Twelve Apostles.
Loch Ard Gorge
Only a few kilometers past the famous 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge is another popular attraction in the Campbell National Park, named after the famous Loch Ard – an iron-hulled clipper ship that was on a non-stop voyage from London to Melbourne and sank on the 1st of June 1878, taking the lives of 52 people. The two lone survivors were Tom Pearce, a member of the crew and the emigrant girl Eva Carmichael, who was traveling with her family.
Loch Ard Gorge is a fantastic sea cave that has been shaped over time by wind and the sea with much to offer the visitors. From exploring the network of short walks taking visitors around the gorge to a series of viewpoints, including the Blowhole to learning more about the shipwreck history, geology and coastal ecology, this is a place worth a visit.
London Arch
This is a natural arch on Victoria’s coast formed by erosion that was previously called London Bridge, due to its close resemblance of the double arches to the actual bridge in England. In 1990 the first arch, which was closer to the shoreline, unexpectedly collapsed becoming a bridge without a middle, hence its name was changed into London Arch.
Other key attractions you should not miss out are the Bay of Islands – an impressively large collection of mammoth rock outcrops; the Gibson’s Steps – named for the series of steps leading down to Gibson’s Beach; the Grotto – a small pool beneath and archway with crashing waves in the background, Bay of Martyrs and more.
Port Campbell is a truly good place for sightseeing and tourist drive, promising a picture-perfect and memorable holiday experience!
