May Squares #24 The Port Campbell Discovery Walk, Part One

Postcards from The Great Ocean Road ~ Joining Becky for May Squares, featuring scenes along Victoria’s  iconic Great Ocean Road.

#SquaresRenew ~ moving forward, reconstructing, renewing or burgeoning

The heritage listed Great Ocean Road follows the coast of south-eastern Victoria from Torquay to Allansford for 241 kilometres, past beautiful sandy beaches and bays, through lush rainforests and over rugged limestone cliffs. Built by soldiers returned from World War One between 1919 and 1932, and dedicated to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, the road is the world’s largest war memorial. Construction of the road provided employment for more than 3,000 returned servicemen, giving them purpose and providing much needed rehabilitation after the horrors of war. The Great Ocean Road linked towns along the coast previously only accessed by sea or tracks through the bush and created a route now acknowledged as one of the most scenic tourist drives in the world. 

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Port Campbell

From the centre of town, the Port Campbell Discovery Walk goes in two directions. We decided to do the longer section of the walk first, up onto the western headland. 

To get there we had to cross the tidal flats of Campbell’s Creek and climb 191 steps to the top of the hill.

As we went up expansive views of the creek and the bridge, the town and Port Campbell Bay opened up before us. 

At the top, the track led through dense coastal heath. At times the slope dropped away dramatically, revealing views of the southern ocean and the sheer limestone cliffs of the headland. 

Looking eastwards we could see Sentinel Rock just off the coast and, in the distance,  Loch Ard Gorge and the Twelve Apostles.

Closer was the eastern headland. Do you see that person, standing at a viewing platform? That’s where we went next. 

Also joining Jo for Monday Walks