Port Campbell National Park

Famous for the Twelve Apostles and historic shipwrecks, Port Campbell National Park contains the most significant areas of vegetation and fauna native to south-western Victoria. The diverse range of coastal environments includes woodlands, dunes, wetlands, coastal cliffs, limestone stacks and arches.

The Twelve Apostles are stacks are made of rock formed up to 20 million years ago, and are created by the sea gradually eroding the soft limestone cliffs. The coast is slowly changing and there are frequent small rock falls. There are also infrequent major events, the most recent occurred on Sunday 3 July 2005 when a large stack collapsed.

Things to Do

• Scenic drives along the Great Ocean Road, stopping at points of interest.
• Three self-guided walks at Loch Ard Gorge that introduce shipwreck history, geology, and coastal ecology.
• Watch the thousands of Muttonbirds (Short-tailed Shearwaters) that fly in to their nest burrows from the sea each evening in summer.
• Call at the National Park Information Centre in Port Campbell.
• Try the Port Campbell Discovery Walk that heads west from the township.
• Swim or surf at Port Campbell.
• Snorkelling and scuba diving tours available.

Heritage

Aboriginal people cut steps down the sheer cliffs along the coast to gain access to marine food sources.

European explorers soon realised the dangers of the coastline and gave it a wide berth, but shipwrecks still occurred, earning it the title of 'The Shipwreck Coast'. Early settlement was based on pastoral runs such as Glenample, and a small fishing port developed at Port Campbell.