The Twelve Apostles
After Cape Otway, the road comes back out to the coast, and this is the part everyone drives the Great Ocean Road for: the Twelve Apostles. Giant limestone stacks standing in the surf, cut off from the cliffs by thousands of years of waves.
Fun fact: there aren’t twelve of them, and there never were. The sea keeps wearing them down, and every now and then, another one collapses. So see them while they’re still standing.
It was windy, the waves were huge, and the sun kept coming out from behind the clouds and lighting up the cliffs. Even with all the tourists, it was one of those views that really is as good as the photos.
Loch Ard Gorge
A few minutes further along is Loch Ard Gorge. In 1878, the ship Loch Ard was wrecked just off this coast. Out of 54 people on board, only two survived, two teenagers called Tom and Eva, who were washed into this gorge. Tom pulled Eva out of the water, and they sheltered in a cave until help came.
Today you can walk down the stairs onto the beach inside the gorge. It’s sheltered from the wind, with golden cliffs on both sides and the sea coming in through the gap.
Lunch in Port Campbell
Lunch was in Port Campbell, the little town nearby, at Grassroots Deli Cafe: a slice of cake and a toasted sandwich.
The afternoon was for the rest of the coast: London Bridge, the Grotto and the Bay of Islands.
Information About the Twelve Apostles
A boardwalk from the visitor centre leads to the lookouts over the stacks. Loch Ard Gorge is a few minutes' drive further on, with its own car park and paths down to the beach.