Loch Ard Gorge, Great Ocean Road, Victoria: Why visit?

Loch Ard Gorge on the Great Ocean Road is one of the most impressive rock formations on the Shipwreck Coast near Port Campbell. But is it a must-see tourist attraction? Nope.

What is Loch Ard Gorge?

Loch Ard Gorge is a rock formation on the Shipwreck Coast section of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. It is horseshoe-style canyon, best enjoyed from the beach beneath the cliffs.

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The two sections of the Great Ocean Road

Driving the usual east to west direction, the Great Ocean Road in Victoria splits somewhat into two sections. The first half is all surf towns such as Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay. These are generally backed by rainforest, waterfalls and national parks such as the Great Otway National Park behind Lorne.

The second half of the Great Ocean Road, from Cape Otway to Warrnambool, is much more tempestuous. The cliffs are higher on the Apollo Bay to Warrnambool drive, the whales breach off the shore, and a series of rock formations line what is known as the Shipwreck Coast.

7 fantastic Great Ocean Road experiences
1. Crowd-beating reverse direction tour. 2. Surfing lessons in Anglesea. 3. Split Point Lighthouse climb. 4. Shockwave Zip-Coaster. 5. Guided wildlife walk. 6. Budj Bim National Park tour. 7. Great Ocean Road by motorbike.

Great Ocean Road rock formations

The most famous of these rock formations is the Twelve Apostles. These are found just outside the Victorian town of Port Campbell. A Great Ocean Road helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters is the best way to see them. That’s partly because you can get the full panorama, but mainly because the scenic flight ties in several of the other rock formations down the coast. These include the Sentinel, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge.

Loch Ard Gorge on the Great Ocean Road is one of the highlights of the Shipwreck Coast. Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria.

Of these, Loch Ard Gorge is probably the most interesting to visit in its own right.

Loch Ard Gorge is part of the Port Campbell National Park, a three minute drive west of the Twelve Apostles.

Pick the right Great Ocean Road tour from Melbourne

For wildlife and nature focus: One day tour with koalas and guided forest walk.
To beat the crowds: Reverse direction Great Ocean Road day tour.
For adventure: Two day camping and surfing trip.
For backpackers: One day highlights tour aimed at younger travellers.
For exclusivity and flexibility: Private tour where you can pick the sights you want to see.
For an extended trip: Three day Melbourne to Adelaide tour.

Loch Ard Gorge beach

Loch Ard Gorge is the place to look at the Shipwreck Coast from a different angle.

It’s much more impressive from down on the beach than from the clifftops. It’s a horseshoe-esque canyon, with the yellow cliffs and deep blue waters providing dazzling colour contrast.

Loch Ard Gorge walks

Steps lead down to the beach, but there are also a series of easy-going walks to tackle. The geology walk is most informative, explaining the natural forces that shape the coastline.

The shipwreck walk tells the story of the Loch Ard shipwreck that gave the gorge its name. And the Living on the Edge walk is all about the shearwaters that live on nearby Muttonbird Island.

Must-sees on the Great Ocean Road

Loch Ard Gorge on the Great Ocean Road is undeniably impressive, but is it a must-see? Well, the secret of the Great Ocean Road is that nothing along it is a must-see. There’s no one single stand-out attraction. But it has a heavy concentration of 7 out 10 attractions clamouring for attention next to each other.

Loch Ard Gorge is one of them. Unless you’re in a real hurry, there’s little point in NOT visiting Loch Ard Gorge. And if you’re travelling the Great Ocean Road so fast that you’ve not got time, you’ve got travelling the Great Ocean Road horribly wrong.