Australia
Mount Gambier to Port Campbell: Across the Border and Into the Arch
Today was a big one. I officially crossed the border—passing the “Welcome to Victoria” sign—and made a beeline for the rugged coastline of Cape Bridgewater.
I had to check out the Petrified Forest, which has such a cool backstory. For a long time, people thought an ancient sandstorm had engulfed a coastal forest, turning the trees to stone forever. While that’s a pretty poetic image, the geological truth is just as wild. They’re actually “solution tubes”—hollow limestone pipes carved out by millions of years of rainfall. Basically, water collects in the sand and seeps down, dissolving the limestone and cementing the sand into these trunk-like shapes. Most are about head-height, but some of these “ghost trees” reach up to 20 meters!
After a quick stop at the Cape Nelson Lighthouse—which has been guiding ships since 1884 and still runs on full automation today—I finally hit the legendary Great Ocean Road at Allansford.
The stretch between there and Port Campbell is like a gallery of nature’s power. I stopped at The Grotto and the famous London Bridge. It’s crazy to think that before 1990, London Bridge was a literal bridge you could walk across from the mainland. That all changed on January 15, 1990, when the middle section unexpectedly collapsed into the Southern Ocean. It didn’t just leave a “London Arch” behind; it actually stranded two terrified tourists on the new island! They had to be rescued by helicopter.
It’s a vivid reminder that this coastline is alive. The sandstone cliffs are constantly crumbling and being reshaped by the waves. Give it another hundred years, and this whole region will look completely different again.
I’ve finally pulled into Port Campbell for the night to rest up. Tomorrow is the big one: the 12 Apostles.
Next stop: The most famous pillars in Australia. See you at sunrise!
