Window arch at Loch Ard Gorge at dawn, Port Campbell National Park, Victoria

© David Noton/Minden Picture

History worth diving into

Though the world-famous Twelve Apostles is only a few minutes’ drive away, Loch Ard Gorge (part of Port Campbell National Park) is steeped in its own Australian history. The site itself is named after a famous 1878 shipwreck, where the Loch Ard crashed into the nearby Mutton Bird Island. Out of a crew of 54, only two teenagers survived - Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael - who managed to safely get themselves to the beach inside Loch Ard Gorge. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated case, with many other wrecks scattered along the Great Ocean Road.

These days, many visitors come to learn the local maritime history, while also exploring nearby blowholes, offshore limestone stacks and several scenic trails. Be there around dusk and you’ll even be able to see short-tailed shearwaters (also known as muttonbirds) make their journey home.