Loch Ard Gorge
Cliffs, Caves, and a Shipwreck Story
schedule 1 min read / Updated Apr 2026
A narrow limestone gorge along the Great Ocean Road, named after the clipper Loch Ard which ran aground here in 1878. Of the 54 people aboard, only two survived. The cliffs, caves, and sea stacks framing the gorge are among the most dramatic on the Victorian coast.
Loch Ard Gorge is named after the iron-hulled clipper Loch Ard, which struck rocks just offshore in fog on the night of 1 June 1878. Of the 54 people aboard, only two survived: Tom Pearce, a 19 year old apprentice, and Eva Carmichael, an 18 year old passenger whose entire family had drowned. Pearce reached the gorge first, sheltered briefly, then climbed the cliff to raise the alarm.
The gorge sits within Port Campbell National Park along the Great Ocean Road. The surrounding cliffs and stacks are part of the same Miocene-era limestone formation as the Twelve Apostles, weathered by the constant Southern Ocean swell. Two of the original three large stacks at the gorge's entrance, known as the Razorback and Mutton Bird Island, still stand. Island Archway collapsed in 2009.
A short walking loop links the gorge, the Loch Ard cemetery, and the Blowhole. The car park is signposted off the Great Ocean Road just west of the Twelve Apostles viewing area.
Where to stay
Holiday parks near Loch Ard Gorge.
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On the itinerary
Trip plans that include Loch Ard Gorge.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Loch Ard Gorge.
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Attribution
Sources & credits
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Images (3)
- Loch Ard Gorge. Aust.jpg · Bernard Spragg. NZ · CC0
- Peterborough (AU), Port Campbell National Park, Worm Bay --... · Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Port Campbell (AU), Port Campbell National Park -- 2019 -- 0... · Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0
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