Port Campbell
Town
Population 258
This peaceful seaside resort – the base of a small crayfishing industry – is in the centre of Port Campbell National Park on the Great Ocean Road. The Twelve Apostles, one of Victoria's most famous attractions, can be found nearby.
Visitor Information
12 Apostles Visitor Information Centre, 26 Morris St; 1300 137 255
Nearby national parks
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Port Campbell National Park
In the 1800s ships plied this coast on the busy route from Europe to the young colonies of Victoria and New South Wales, but dozens of ships...more -
Great Otway National Park
Tall forests and fern-filled gullies, woodlands and waterfalls, an exceptionally beautiful coastline and the lofty beacon of...more -
Mount Eccles National Park
Mount Eccles National Park is fascinating for its geological history. Around 20 000 years ago, near the end of volcanic activity in...more
Nearby towns
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Terang
Terang is in a fertile dairy-farming district. It is a well-laid-out town with grand avenues of deciduous trees, and is known throughout...more -
Camperdown
Located at the foot of Mount Leura, a volcanic cone, Camperdown is more famous for its natural attractions than for the town itself, being...more -
Warrnambool
Warrnambool lies at the end of the Great Ocean Road on a notorious section of coastline that has seen over 80 shipwrecks. The best known was...more
In Town
Historical Museum: open Wed, Thurs and Sat; Lord St. Fishing: good from rocks and pier; boat charters available.
Nearby
Port Campbell National Park The park is a major attraction on the Great Ocean Rd, with magnificent rock formations jutting out into the ocean. Particularly impressive when viewed at dusk (when penguins can be seen) and dawn, the key coastal features are The Arch, 5 km W; London Bridge, 6 km W; Loch Ard Gorge, 7 km SE; and the world-famous Twelve Apostles, which begin 12 km SE of Port Campbell and stretch along the coast. These spectacular limestone stacks were part of the cliffs until wind and water left them stranded in wild surf off the shore.Other notable features are The Grotto, Bay of Islands and Bay of Martyrs. There are walking tracks throughout the park, and the Historic Shipwreck Trail marks 25 sites along the coast between Moonlight Head and Port Fairy (sites are also popular with divers – a charter company is based in Port Campbell; details from visitor centre). For the ultimate view of this coastline, take an ever-popular scenic flight (details from visitor centre).Mutton Bird Island: attracts short-tailed shearwaters, best viewed at dawn and dusk Sept–Apr; just off coast. Great Ocean Walk: between Apollo Bay and the Twelve Apostles. The 91 km walk offers stunning views; walkers must register to use campgrounds en route; further information available at greatoceanwalk.com.au Timboon: a pretty town in the centre of a dairy district. Timboon Farmhouse Cheese offers tastings and sales of gourmet cheeses, while Timboon Railway Shed Distillery offers a variety of spirits. A scenic drive goes from Port Campbell to the town. It is also on one end of the Camperdown–Timboon (Crater to Coast) Rail Trail. Pick your own berries in season at nearby Berry World; 16 km N. Otway Deer and Wildlife Park: 19 km SE. Gourmet Food and Wine Loop: map from visitor centre.
Fishing spots near town
Peterborough 11 km
Peterborough has beach and estuary fishing. The estuary system is Curdies River, a noted bream river with fish to 1.5 kg common. The best place to access the river is upstream at a place called Boggy Creek – a name... Find out moreGellibrand River 17 km
A little further west from Aire River are Castle Cove and Johanna Beach; both produce fishing similar to the beach at Aire River. There is also good beach fishing at Princetown, at the mouth of the Gellibrand River. ... Find out moreLake Purrumbete 43 km
The bulk of the serious trout-fishing action in Victoria is in the Western District crater lakes. Of these, Lake Purrumbete near Camperdown ranks in the top half a dozen trout lakes in the state in terms quality,... Find out moreLake Bullen Merri 43 km
Lake Bullen Merri at Camperdown is less than 20 mins drive from Lake Purrumbete. A deep, volcanic lake with saline water, it is stocked with brown and rainbow trout, Atlantic and Chinook salmon, and Australian bass.... Find out moreAire River 46 km
This area comprises estuary, surf and freshwater on the west side of Cape Otway. Aire River nestles in a valley along the foothills of the Otways. To get there, follow the Great Ocean Road past the Cape Otway turn-off,... Find out moreWarrnambool 51 km
Warrnambool is a big, tidy city. It’s a great place to take the family for a holiday, particularly if you have fishing on your mind. All forms of angling are available, but the most popular water is the Hopkins... Find out moreApollo Bay 61 km
Apollo Bay has a diversity of angling options, including river, estuary, surf and offshore. You can also fish from the rocks or in the sheltered harbour. Anglers who come here seek everything from brown trout and bream... Find out morePort Fairy 70 km
Port Fairy is an unimposing historic seaport between Warrnambool and Portland. While it might come across as a sleepy, seaside resort, Port Fairy always seems to attract exciting piscatorial headlines. During the 1960s... Find out moreLorne 86 km
On the way into Lorne is a popular ledge known as Jump Rock. It consistently produces salmon, silver trevally, barracouta, pinkies and mullet. The drive into Lorne will also take you across the Erskine River, a small... Find out moreLake Bolac 99 km
One of my favourite fishing activities after a hot summer day is to wander along the banks of the Barwon River in Geelong, casting lures for redfin. Redfin are feisty, competitive fish that bite readily and taste great.... Find out moreEco-friendly activities around town
Picnicking at Lake Pertobe Reserve 52 km
Lake Pertobe Reserve on Warrnambool’s foreshore is known as one of the best adventure playgrounds around, with plenty for kids of all ages. There are paddleboats and canoes, a maze and flying fox, free barbecues... Find out moreSea-kayaking in Marengo Marine Sanctuary 61 km
In an exciting two-hour guided paddle, head out from Apollo Bay to Marengo Marine Sanctuary to get a close-up view of an Australian fur-seal colony. The seals often come out to swim around the kayaks.... Find out moreCanoeing on Lake Elizabeth 66 km
For a fantastic dawn or dusk paddle in which you have a 95 per cent chance of seeing a platypus, join Otway Eco Tours on Lake Elizabeth. Half-day trips to this remote lake in the ranges depart from the small hamlet of... Find out moreMount Eccles National Park 110 km
At Mount Eccles you can walk for 2 kilometres around the rim of a volcanic crater then descend for a swim in the lake at its heart. It is a great spot for a picnic, with koalas and kangaroos, and the camping facilities... Find out moreBrisbane Ranges National Park 137 km
With a vibrant koala population, this relatively small national park only 80 kilometres west of Melbourne has picnic areas, walking tracks through rocky gorges and a basic camping area.... Find out moreGolden Nugget Discovery Tours, Ballarat 140 km
This carbon-neutral business in Ballarat runs small, personalised tours of no more than six people in the Goldfields region, with three themes – wild nature, gold history and heritage, and food and wine.... Find out moreMarine Discovery Centre, Queenscliff 151 km
Primarily set up to educate school children about the marine environment, this government-run facility also has an interesting holiday program and an interactive aquarium and touch tanks. Holiday activities include... Find out moreSwim with dolphins, Sorrento 155 km
In the warmer six months of the year, the eco-accredited Moonraker Charters will help you get in the water, swimming alongside Australian fur-seals and bottlenose dolphins. Of course, swimming is not compulsory on the... Find out moreGrampians National Park 159 km
There are many, many reasons to go to this remarkable 1680-square-kilometre national park: its spectacular spring wildflowers, its dramatic cliffs and sandstone features, its bushwalking, the stunning views from its... Find out moreDiving and snorkelling, King Island 163 km
King Island is a renowned diving destination and you can dive through kelp forests or near the local seal colony with King Island Dive Charters.... Find out moreGolf courses around town
Port Fairy Golf Club 69 km
An endearing quality of the great links layouts of Britain and Ireland is their natural setting. Wild, windswept holes rolling between sand dunes that have stood tall for centuries are the norm. The links of Port... Find out moreThe Sands, Torquay 123 km
Sands by name . . . Sands by nature. It doesn’t take long to figure out the overwhelming feature of a round at Torquay. Standing on the 1st tee of this Stuart Applebydesigned layout, a blanket of white is... Find out moreThirteenth Beach Golf Links (Beach Course) 133 km
After all the accolades Tony Cashmore received for his design work at The Dunes, on the Mornington Peninsula, he must have felt some pressure to produce an equally fine layout when it came time for his next project:... Find out moreThirteenth Beach Golf Links (Creek Course) 133 km
Sir Nick Faldo won six major titles, playing himself into winning positions on the back of strong shot-making, a trait that is highly prized on the courses he now designs. The Creek course at Thirteenth Beach, created... Find out moreBarwon Heads Golf Club 135 km
From the moment you pull up at the car park in front of the Barwon Heads clubhouse, it is as if you have travelled back in time to a more genteel era. The old-world charm is present not only in the architecture of the... Find out morePortsea Golf Club 153 km
Portsea Golf Club has long been regarded one of the best-kept secrets on the Mornington Peninsula. Although it is a private club, the public is welcome at most times to experience this visually striking layout across... Find out moreThe Dunes Golf Links 161 km
If you are looking for true links golf in the tradition of the great courses of Scotland and Ireland, you can satisfy your desires here. The Dunes has become one of the most popular courses on the golf-rich Mornington... Find out moreSt Andrews Beach 163 km
When it comes to quality golf courses and how to design them, American Tom Doak is a learned man. His second and most recent Australian creation – St Andrews Beach, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula... Find out moreMoonah Links (Open course) 164 km
When Australian golf’s governing body decided in 1998 to shift its operations to a custom-built facility on some Mornington Peninsula farmland, many golfers reckoned it an ambitious move. But the Australian Golf... Find out moreMoonah Links (Legends Course) 164 km
The Legends course might have been the second course built at Australian golf’s new home, but it was so well received by golfers that today it is regarded as the better of the two. The course officially opened... Find out moreCafes & restaurants around town
This family-friendly pub offers great value for money. There are good, big meals under $20 and also a children’s menu. Even the scotch fillet steak with your choice of sauce won’t break the bank. The crayfish... Find out more
Timboon Railway Shed Distillery
This distillery is run by the owners of Timboon Ice Cream. Housed in a beautifully renovated railway station, the venture is in part an ode to the local characters that ran bootleg whisky operations hereabouts. The smell... Find out moreNearby breweries
Purrumbete Brewing Company (Red Duck) 44 km
Scott and Vanessa Wilson-Browne are another couple of ‘ale changers’ who swapped busy Melbourne careers to move to the country, bring up their young family, and brew and market craft ales. Along the way, they... Find out moreFlying Horse Brewery 48 km
Whales and ales are now the twin attractions for the pretty seaside Victorian city of Warrnambool, following the development of the sprawling Flying Horse Bar & Brewery complex by joint owners Matt Monk, Matt Stewart... Find out moreOtway Estate Brewery 53 km
Located 12 kilometres from Colac, Otway Estate Winery was established in 1983, specialising in cool-climate wines; a microbrewery was added in 2007. Head brewer Luke Scott oversees the production of up to 15 different... Find out moreRed Hill Brewery 178 km
Becoming hop farmers wasn’t part of their business plan when David and Karen Golding first applied to develop a microbrewery and cafe from their Mornington Peninsula property. Ultimately, though, they were advised... Find out moreHolgate Brewhouse 194 km
Paul and Natasha Holgate have travelled a decidedly different path to most other craft-brewery operators over the past decade or so. They started brewing ales from a shed adjacent to their family home in Woodend in the... Find out more2 Brothers Brewery 196 km
A microbrewery is not exactly what you might expect to find tucked away among panel-beaters and sheet-metal fabricators in the industrial estates of Moorabbin, 20 minutes south-east of Melbourne. While the location may... Find out moreFoster's Group (Abbotsford Brewery) 197 km
Re-branded as the Foster’s Group in the 21st century, Carlton & United Breweries was formed in 1907 through an amalgamation of the city’s six largest beer-makers: McCrackens City Brewery, Victoria... Find out moreMountain Goat Brewery 198 km
Kicking off in 1997, home-brewer Dave Bonighton and music industry booking agent Cam Hines proved that two good mates can start a successful microbrewery with no money, but with unlimited enthusiasm, dogged perseverance... Find out more3 Ravens Brewing Company 202 km
This microbrewery began operating from the basement of the successful Thornbury-based engineering company Zetkin and has proved to be an interesting diversion or sideline for the principal business. Some of the company... Find out moreMatilda Bay Garage Brewery 203 km
Previously operating as the Stockade Brewery, this South Dandenong-based microbrewery was acquired by the Foster’s-owned Matilda Bay Brewing in 2004 and re-badged as their ‘garage’ brewery. Then head... Find out moreCampsites around town
Great Ocean Road Tourist Park 10 km
Situated at Peterborough on the Great Ocean Road, 12 km west of Port Campbell and within easy reach of the Twelve Apostles, is the Great Ocean Road Tourist Park. It’s next to the becalmed Curdies Inlet, which... Find out morePrincetown Recreation Reserve 16 km
This campground has its fair share of peace and quiet, but the main reason for staying near Princetown is the fact that the beautiful Twelve Apostles are only a few minutes to the west of the tiny settlement by car.... Find out moreJohanna Beach camping area 36 km
This large campground is nestled behind the dunes at Johanna Beach, a popular surfing spot to the north-west of Cape Otway. There are two ways to reach it. The first is to turn off the Great Ocean Rd onto Red Johanna Rd,... Find out moreLake Purrumbete Caravan Park 41 km
Lake Purrumbete is a prime destination for anglers chasing chinook salmon and rainbow and brown trout, as attested to by the heavy-duty boat ramps and jetties at the caravan park. The park is on the foreshore at the... Find out moreAire Crossing camping area 43 km
Just north of this riverside campground is the magnificent Triplet Falls, cascading down through untrammelled old-growth forest. Also in the vicinity is the walk to Little Aire Falls, which weaves through rainforest to... Find out moreCamperdown Lakes and Craters Holiday Park 44 km
This scenic park is wedged between a pair of extinct volcano craters. Part of one crater has been flooded by Lake Bullen Merri, which is perfect for watersports such as sailing, waterskiing and swimming. The scenery is... Find out moreAire River West camping area 46 km
This camping area on the western side of the Aire River, near the mouth of the watercourse, is big, flat and open, making it ideal for large groups. You can reach it by travelling 5.3 km down Sand Rd (seasonal access);... Find out moreAire River East camping area 46 km
This shady campground is about half the size of the camping area on the other side of the river, and so may afford a little more peace and quiet. It’s accessed via Horden Vale Rd, signposted south off the Great... Find out moreWarrnambool Holiday Park 50 km
Filled with amenities, this holiday park is situated 2 km east of the centre of Warrnambool, on the corner of Raglan Parade and Simpson Street. Within its confines you’ll find a reasonable number of sites shaded by... Find out moreCaravan parks around town
Great Ocean Road Tourist Park 10 km
Situated just off the Great Ocean Road at the mouth of the Curdies River, this park is popular with those keen on fishing. It is just a short walk from the centre of town and the beach and has good facilities. Bookings... Find out moreCamperdown Lakes and Craters Holiday Park 44 km
Perched on the rim of a crater lake high above Camperdown and adjoining the botanical gardens, this park has a fabulous outlook. It offers basic facilities at a budget price. Bookings are required at Christmas and... Find out moreFig Tree Holiday Village 51 km
Centrally located about 600 metres from main shopping precinct, this is a very good quality and good value park in a quiet off-highway position. It has a heated indoor pool and a tennis court but cannot fit big rigs.... Find out moreSurfside Holiday Park – Warrnambool 51 km
This is a large, very good-quality council-owned park right on the beachfront. Great for a family beachside holiday, the park has good facilities and is just 1 km from the city centre and close to Flagstaff Hill.... Find out moreDiscovery Holiday Parks – Warrnambool 52 km
Across the road from the beach, this wellkept park is ideal for a holiday or just a few days away. With its excellent facilities, including a popular undercover camp kitchen and a movie room, the park can be busy.... Find out morePisces Holiday Park 61 km
With a range of accommodation and a great outlook, this quality park is on a rise overlooking the sea. It is 1.5 km to the town centre and only a short stroll to the beach. Bookings are required in peak periods, with a... Find out moreMarengo Holiday Park 61 km
This park is situated on an absolute beachfront property, 1.5 km south of the Apollo Bay township, off the Great Ocean Road. It is budget-priced, especially considering the location. Bookings are required in peak... Find out morePort Fairy Gardens Caravan Park 71 km
This is a large council-owned park about 5 minutes’ walk from the town centre and just 200 metres from the beach, with level grassy sites, good amenities and a tennis court. Bookings are required at Christmas,... Find out moreBelfast Cove Caravan Park 72 km
This is a lovely boutique park with magnificent gardens. It has very good facilities including a tennis court and a boat parking area. Bookings are required at Christmas, Easter and long weekends, with a minimum-stay... Find out moreHotels, motels & B&Bs around town
Sixteen of the 17 bright and clean motel rooms have views of Port Campbell’s pocket-size bay. Eight apartments – some at the front, the side and the rear of the property – are almost the size of a small... Find out more
On Port Campbell’s main thoroughfare, these apartments are only some 50 metres from the beach. The complex is built on a corner; some of the beachside apartments have balconies overlooking the horseshoe bay, others... Find out more
Eco-friendly places to stay around town
Cape Otway Centre for Conservation Ecology 51 km
There are not many better-thought-out ecotourism ventures than this superb multi-award-winning facility on Cape Otway. It has its own 66-hectare wildlife refuge and doubles as a shelter for injured and orphaned wildlife,... Find out moreApollo Bay Youth Hostel 61 km
This relatively new hostel was built with an eco-friendly design, including thermal storage banks and other passive solar heating and cooling. It also has solar hot water, rainwater tanks, a worm farm, drought-tolerant... Find out moreGrampians Eco YHA 170 km
At this eco-hostel you sleep under roof tiles that are actually solar panels. Any extra power generated is fed back to the electricity grid. The passive solar building, featuring rammed earth walls, also has solar... Find out moreAlto Hotel on Bourke 193 km
Although it is not doing anything radical, this plush hotel on Bourke Street is one of the most ecologically aware in Melbourne, and should be commended for its power-saving measures, garbage sorting, supply of... Find out moreMillDuck, Harcourt North 220 km
This strawbale house won a Most Energy Efficient Home award (North West Region) when it was built. More than 1000 trees have been planted on the property since it was purchased, and it is now an alpaca stud. The B&B,... Find out moreRest areas around town
Peterborough Park Area 10 km
Middle of town Parking area on the foreshore just off the highway. Good facilities. GPS: S38 36.25 E142 52.45 ... Find out moreTwelve Apostles Park Area 11 km
86 km W of Apollo Bay (R) or 10 km E of Port Campbell (L) Large parking area just off the highway area at the interpretive centre near the lookout. GPS: S38 39.41 E143 06.19... Find out moreJohanna Beach Camp Area 37 km
T/O 38 km W of Apollo Bay (L) or 57 km E of Port Campbell (R) Large open grassed area near the beach 5 kilometres south of the highway via Red Johanna Road in Otway National Park. GPS: S38 45.43 E143 22.45 ... Find out moreAire River West Camp Area 47 km
T/O 24 km W of Apollo Bay (L) or 71 km E of Port Campbell (R) Open area located over the bridge 1 kilometre past Aire River East campground in Otway National Park. GPS: S38 48.06 E143 28.39 ... Find out moreAire River East Camp Area 47 km
T/O 24 km W of Apollo Bay (L) or 71 km E of Port Campbell (R) Large area among trees 5.5 kilometres south of the highway via Hordern Vale Road in Otway National Park. Limited shade. GPS: S38 47.59 E143 28.56 ... Find out moreApollo Bay Park Area 61 km
Adjacent the information centre Small town park on the foreshore. Good facilities. GPS: S38 45.19 E143 40.10 ... Find out moreColac Park Area 61 km
Middle of town Small parking area just off the highway. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S38 20.16 E143 35.41 ... Find out moreMortlake Park Area 62 km
Middle of town Small parking area adjacent to the highway. GPS: S38 04.836 E142 48.541 ... Find out moreKillarney Beach Camp Area 67 km
T/O at Killarney Small grassy campground located 2 kilometres east of the highway behind the dunes at the beach. GPS: S38 21.17 E142 18.27 ... Find out moreLake Tooliorook Camp Area 76 km
T/O 98 km W of Geelong (L) or 51 km E of Mortlake (R) Large grassed area around trees on the edge of the lake 5 kilometres south of Lismore. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S37 58.653 E143 17.079... Find out moreDerrinallum Park Area 77 km
East end of town Parking area adjacent to the highway. GPS: S37 56.874 E143 13.442... Find out moreDeep Lake Camp Area 78 km
T/O at Derrinallum Large grassed area around trees of the edge of the lake 4 kilometres north of the highway. GPS: S37 55.887 E143 10.611... Find out moreLismore Park Area 80 km
Middle of town Parking area adjacent to the highway. GPS: S37 57.230 E143 20.596... Find out moreWinchelsea Park Area 84 km
On the riverbank Large grassed area just off the highway. Very good shade and facilities. GPS: S38 14.19 E143 49.18 ... Find out moreLorne Park Area 86 km
East side of town Small town park on the foreshore off the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S38 31.51 E143 58.48 ... Find out moreEast Beach Camp Area 100 km
T/O 3 km E of Lake Bolac (R) or 48 km W of Skipton (L) Large camp area located 3 kilometres south of the highway on the shores of the lake. GPS: S37 43.275 E142 52.706... Find out morePicnic Point Camp Area 100 km
T/O at Lake Bolac township Small campground on the shores of the lake 2 kilometres south-east of the highway. Good shade. GPS: S37 43.266 E142 51.081 ... Find out moreUrquharts Beach Park Area 101 km
6 km SW of Anglesea (L) or 23 km NE Lorne (R) Small area located 500 metres off the highway on the foreshore. NOTE: Access road unsealed. GPS: S38 26.10 E144 07.49 ... Find out moreFishermans Point Camp Area 102 km
T/O 3 km E of Lake Bolac (R) or 48 km W of Skipton (L) Large area 500 metres south of the highway on the shores of the lake. Limited shade. GPS: S37 42.127 E142 52.386... Find out moreLake Bolac Rest Area 103 km
2 km E of Lake Bolac (R) or 49 km W of Skipton (L) Large area just off the highway under some tall trees on the shores of the lake. Limited shade. GPS: S37 41.977 E142 51.755... Find out morePenshurst Park Area 103 km
Middle of town Parking area just off the highway adjacent to the caravan park. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S37 52.438 E142 17.509... Find out moreWickliffe Park Area 106 km
Middle of town Parking area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities. GPS: S37 41.446 E142 43.381... Find out moreAnglesea Park Area 107 km
West side of town Large area adjacent to the road on the west side of town. Good facilities. GPS: S38 24.33 E144 11.19 ... Find out moreLeigh River Rest Area 110 km
27 km W of Geelong (R) or 122 km E of Mortlake (L) Large grassed area just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S38 05.945 E144 03.855 ... Find out moreLake Surprise Camp Area 113 km
T/O at Port Fairy Large campground located 48 kilometres north of the highway (9 kilometres east of Macarthur) in a pleasant open forest setting near Lake Surprise in Mount Eccles National Park. Good facilities and... Find out moreFitzroy River Rest Area 116 km
35 km SE of Heywood (R) or 48 km W of Port Fairy (L) Large area just off the highway near the river. Limited shade. GPS: S38 13.15 E141 45.48 ... Find out moreNine Mile Creek Rest Area 118 km
41 km E of Hamilton (R) or 33 km W of Lake Bolac (L) Small area just off the highway under some large trees. GPS: S37 38.141 E142 28.953... Find out moreWoady Yaloak Creek Rest Area 119 km
26 km E of Skipton (L) or 6 km W of Smythesdale (R) Large secluded area surrounded by scrub just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S37 40.692 E143 38.337 ... Find out moreTorquay Park Area 121 km
Middle of town via Gilbert Street Small town park on the Esplanade. GPS: S38 19.51 E144 19.38 ... Find out moreThe Sawpit Camp Area 122 km
T/O at Narrawong Large secluded area located 3 kilometres north the highway in the forest among numerous large trees. Good shade and facilities. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS: S38 14.06 E141 41.14 ... Find out moreWhat's on around town
Market: Lord St; each Sun in summer and Easter.
