If you have limited time on the Great Ocean Road and can only choose one place to spend for an extended period of time, the Cape Otway Lightstation is it.
What made me want to choose this as our Sunday activity was the likelihood of seeing koalas and wallabys. We saw 2 wallabys when we entered and several koalas on the way out.
Entry to the Lighthouse and surrounding property is $19.50 AUD per adult. You are given a map and all the time you want to walk around.
The first stop on the map is a “Dinosaur Hut.” Several fossils were found by the Lighthouse which proved that Dinosaurs did in fact live this close to the South Pole. My favorite building was the Telegraph Station built in 1859. It housed the first submarine telegraph cable which linked Tasmania to the mainland.
Inside where many artifacts including the history of the families who lived here.
The Cape Otway Lighthouse is the most significant in Australia. It has been operating since 1848 and it towers 90 meters above a sea cliff where the Bass Strait and Southern Ocean collide.
Light from the tower can be seen 48km aways and was built after many shipwrecks occurred around this point. It was a dangerous journey as ships sailed a 90k gap between Cape Otway and King Island to save 5-6 days at sea.
Otway Point is the second most southern point in mainland Australia. With amazing views it is quite windy.
The light for the lighthouse was first fueled by whale oil and rotated by light keepers. It was then updated to kerosene and then electricity in 1939.
Open from 9am-5pm don’t be afraid to eat a late breakfast or early lunch at the cafe. With veggie and vegan options, great barista coffee and wifi, it is a place to seek shelter from the windy breeze coming off the water.
After a short snack we headed to the WWII Radar Bunker. The first bunker built in Victoria, this station saw both the German and Japanese vessels sinking US ships and seaplanes.
There are some art installations to keep an eye out for. Since you can see whales in the ocean during whaling season (May-October), these sculptures depict the size of these gentle giants.
Toward the back of the property, and through somewhat of a nature walk, you see more art installations and come to a Aboriginal Hut. Here you learn more about the tribes that inhabited this land and the cultural & spiritual importance.
On our way out we saw people pulled over looking up at koalas. We finally knew what to look for and saw a handful, even a mother and baby, before exiting the park. The Otway Lighthouse Station is a sure way to see the best of wildlife, learn about the history of the region & see stunning landscapes of the Cape.
TIP: Bring a pair on binoculars to see the koalas in the trees up close.
Do you like spotting wild life when you travel? What is the coolest animal you have seen?