Loch Ard Gorge

Loch Ard Gorge is a sheltered sandy beach and dramatic gorge within Port Campbell National Park on Victoria's Great Ocean Road, about 10 km west of Port Campbell in Corangamite Shire. Formed by erosion of limestone cliffs, it is famous for the 1878 wreck of the clipper Loch Ard, of which only two of 54 people survived. The site features towering cliffs, clear water, rock formations and walking trails with lookouts.

Visitors can expect a narrow sandy beach enclosed by steep limestone cliffs and accessed via stairs, with turquoise water and eroded rock formations. The area includes clifftop lookouts, short walking trails, interpretive signs about the shipwreck, and views of offshore stacks including the Razorback and the collapsed Island Archway. The setting is exposed coastal landscape with walking paths, viewing platforms and a car park above the gorge.

Named after the clipper Loch Ard which wrecked on 1 June 1878 near Mutton Bird Island after a voyage from England to Melbourne. Of 54 people on board, only two survived - apprentice Thomas Pearce and passenger Eva Carmichael - who sheltered in the gorge. The gorge and nearby cemetery commemorate the wreck, which is one of Victoria's most famous shipwreck stories.

Located within Port Campbell National Park on Eastern Maar Country. The coastline holds cultural significance for Eastern Maar Traditional Owners. The gorge is a major natural landmark and interpretive site along the Great Ocean Road, representing the region's maritime heritage and coastal geomorphology.