Travel Guides and Stories

We left Cape Otway Lighthouse and headed straight for Port Campbell.

The first lookout was Gibson Steps. You walk down about 70 meters of steps from the cliff to the beach to view the Twelve Apostles from sea level.

The shot below was taken while walking down the steps. Note: the Chinese writing and the crude doodle on the rock weren’t done by me.
A quick tip:

The sand down there is very fine. If you want to walk barefoot, switch to flip-flops before you go down. The 70-meter staircase feels long, and the climb back up is tiring.

We even saw some blonde guys and girls in bikinis and swim trunks surfing and having fun in the water.

Twelve Apostles

Twelve Apostles

After you climb back up, knock the sand off your shoes—no need to track it into the rental car. It’s a pain to clean.
Next up after the Twelve Apostles was Loch Ard Gorge. It was already 4 pm. Worried we’d miss the helicopter the next day, we skipped Loch Ard Gorge for now and went for a scenic flight instead.

Twelve Apostles

Twelve Apostles

Twelve Apostles

Twelve Apostles

Twelve Apostles

Twelve Apostles

Helicopter prices came in three tiers: 15, 30, and 50 minutes. We did 15 minutes at 145 AUD per person.
I think the 30-minute one was close to 300 AUD per person, and the 50-minute option was around 440 AUD.
After doing it, I felt 15 minutes was plenty. Worth it? Depends on the person. It was my first helicopter ride, so for me, yes. And for such a spectacular place, seeing the Twelve Apostles from every angle was awesome.
 
We finished around 6 pm. I rushed to the hotel worried reception would be closed.
Turns out I didn’t need to rush—Daysy Hill Country Cottages is run by an elderly Aussie couple. “Reception” is basically their own room. As long as you don’t arrive too late and disturb them, you’re fine.
The place is super cozy—had to share a few photos.

This is the view from our balcony.

We stayed on the left side of the second floor. This courtyard has just one two-story block (four rooms in total). The rest are standalone cottages.

We were so tired back at the hotel that we lingered too long and missed sunset at the Twelve Apostles—such a pity.
Here’s my sunset tip:
Around Port Campbell in February, the sun starts setting after 7 pm.

I recommend getting to Loch Ard Gorge before 7 pm if you want to catch the Twelve Apostles at sunset.

We headed out at 8 pm and it was already pitch-black by the time we arrived,

though a few people were still there with tripods and DSLRs. Still, better not go after 8—it gets pretty eerie there.
 
On Feb 15, to make up for missing Loch Ard Gorge, we checked out at 9 am (normal checkout is 10). Just drop the keys at reception and go. It’s about a 7–8 minute drive from the hotel to Loch Ard Gorge. There you can get closer and see the Apostles from multiple lookouts; plan for over an hour to see it all.
 
Now for some shots from that morning at Loch Ard Gorge:

Loch Ard Gorge

These aren’t DSLR shots, so they don’t quite capture the grandeur—but none of the photos are edited; just an amateur’s honest snaps.

Of the entire Great Ocean Road, this is the highlight. If you can fly straight into Port Campbell by helicopter, you could skip a lot of the driving. Ideally, stay here two nights and see the Twelve Apostles at different times of day—that’s the ultimate Great Ocean Road experience.
 
After Loch Ard Gorge it was a little after 11. We fueled up and set off for stop K on my route: BALLARAT WILDLIFE PARK.
   That’s it for today. I’ve been writing from 11 am to 9 pm. Upload speeds are painfully slow. I want to get this down while it’s fresh—hope it helps with your Australia DIY planning.