Sunday, 21 June 2009

Great Ocean Road – Port Compbell 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. Below are stunning scenery we saw along the Port Compell:
Gibson’s Steps
Take 86 steps down to be dwarfed by a 70m vertical wall. The two rock stacks are Gog and MaGog and the cliff top formation at the western edge is called Castle Rock. As a general principle it is unwise to swim in these very dangerous waters.


Twelve Apostles
The mighty Twelve Apostles are world-recognised icons of the Great Ocean Road. These giant rock stacks soar from the swirling waters of the Southern Ocean and are a central feature of the spectacular Port Campbell National Park that extends from Princetown to Peterborough. The dramatic and imposing limestone cliffs that are the backdrop to the Apostles tower up to 70 metres, while the tallest of the rock stacks is around 45 metres high. The Apostles had their beginnings up to 20 million years ago with the forces of nature attacking the soft limestone of the Port Campbell cliffs. The limestone was created through the build up of skeletons of marine creatures on the sea floor. As the sea retreated, the limestone was exposed. The relentess, stormy Southern Ocean and blasting winds gradually eroded the softer limestone, forming caves in the cliffs. The caves eventually became arches and when they collapsed, rock islands up to 45 metres high were left isolated from the shore. This has created the Twelve Apostles and a host of other stunning natural features along this truly remarkable stretch of coastline. While anytime of day provides great views, sunrise and sunset are particularly impressive for the blazing hues created. The extensive boardwalks and viewing platforms ensure visitors experience sweeping, awe-inspiring vistas at all times. 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.



Loch Ard Gorge
Standing on top of the cliff, youll be amazed at the sheer size of the cliffs and the narrow opening out to sea. In rough weather the crashing waves put on quite a show. Take the steps down to the beach and you will feel engulfed by the cliffs. A fantastic view. Four trails link this amazing site and be sure to stay for the muttonbirds at dusk (September - May) .
Geology walk - Level crushed rock surface this 900m walk includes The Razorback and Island Archway. Unfortunately, on June 11th 2009, the bridge of Island Archway, which at least 10m across, collapsed. You won't be able to call it Island Archway now.
Wreck Lookout - Flat access from the car park to the lookout 380m
Wreck of the Loch Ard - 1.4km slight inclines on crushed rock.
Living on the Edge - 3.2 km sealed with inclines. Thunder Cave lower platform has steps.
A BRIEF HISTORY :Fifty-two people died after the sailing ship, the iron clipper Loch Ard, rammed into the sheer cliffs of Muttonbird Island in stormy weather on 1 June, 1878. The island lies near the entrance to the long, narrow gorge. It was this gorge and its tiny beach that were the lifesavers for apprentice crewman Tom Pearce and young passenger Eva Carmichael, both 18 years old.



The bridge of Island Archway collapsed a few days later.

London Bridge

Historically the London Bridge formation was a natural archway and tunnel in an offshore rock formation caused by waves eroding away a portion of softer rock. However it collapsed on 15 January 1990 and became a bridge without a middle. Two people were on the bridge at the time but no one was injured. Artificial burrows have been built to encourage the nesting of fairy penguins. There is no access to the beach. It is located 7 km south of Port Campbell and has good parking facilities and plenty of vantage points where visitors can inspect the formations and take photographs.



The Grotto

About 2 km west of London Bridge, via the Great Ocean Road, is a turnoff on the left which leads to a lookout over 'The Grotto' - a geological formation created when sinkholes in the limestone cliffs met with a receding cliff line.The still water of the Grotto is often in stark contrast to the boiling waters of the Southern Ocean beyond.



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