Discover Cape Otway

Cape Otway between coast and history

Cape Otway combines a coastal setting, a long-distance walking trail, whale watching, and history. Cape Otway Lightstation stands on high sea cliffs, 90 metres above the meeting point of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean. It is the oldest surviving lighthouse on the Australian mainland. This location and the lighthouse shape Cape Otway’s geographical and historical character.

Great Ocean Walk: long-distance trail and individual sections

The Great Ocean Walk is a 100-kilometre long-distance trail that runs from east to west along a rugged coastline. Cape Otway Lightstation lies at the centre of the trail, which passes through the Lightstation area. Walkers can join and leave the Great Ocean Walk at different points. The sections you choose depend on the sights you want to see or the time available. This offers both the full long-distance route and the option to choose individual sections for different types of trip planning.

The figures also refer to different things: 90 metres describes the Lightstation’s position above the meeting point of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean, while 100 kilometres is the total length of the Great Ocean Walk. They therefore represent the coastal elevation and the scale of the route, not two measurements of the same distance.

Whale watching and the Whale Interpretive Area

From May to October, Cape Otway is a whale-watching viewpoint; actual sightings vary. Twenty-five whale species pass Cape Otway Lightstation each year. The Lightstation has a Whale Interpretive Area, open year-round, where visitors can learn about whales. The time references answer different questions: May to October is the seasonal timeframe for whale watching, while the Interpretive Area is available year-round. When planning your trip, you can therefore distinguish between the season when sightings are possible and the year-round opportunity to learn about whales.

Telegraph Station and radar station

The Telegraph Station was built in 1859. It housed the operators and their families, as well as the rooms used for telegraph operations. The restored station preserves the history of the building and its people. Its technical function is thus connected with the history of the operators and their families.

Another period in history is represented by No. 13 Radar Station. The Royal Australian Air Force established a radar station at Cape Otway Lightstation in 1942. It operated for four years; during that time, up to 50 RAAF personnel were stationed at Cape Otway.

The two facilities represent different roles and periods: the Telegraph Station brings together telegraph operations, operators, and families, while the radar station is associated with the RAAF’s service and the personnel stationed there. The years 1859 and 1942 accordingly mark two distinct historical periods in Cape Otway.

Discover more destinations: Maffra, Bundoora, Yackandandah, Creswick, Drung, Pomonal, Nathalia, Yarrambat.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.