Cape Otway Lightstation

Cape Otway is where ships out of Europe first met the Australian coast after weeks of open ocean, and getting the turn wrong here was fatal. The lightstation was built in 1848 from local sandstone and worked until 1994, when a smaller automatic light took over nearby. The site now runs as a visitor attraction: the tower is open to climb, the keepers' quarters are furnished, and there is a telegraph station and displays covering shipwrecks and the Gadubanud connection to this coast. From the balcony the shoreline runs off in both directions with nothing built on it. The road in passes through gum forest where koalas are often visible in the roadside trees.

What you actually see

• The 1848 tower - the sandstone lighthouse with its lantern room and outside balcony.
• The keepers' quarters - restored living rooms showing how families worked this posting.
• The telegraph station - the building tied to the first cable laid across Bass Strait.
• The coastal outlook - a long open view over the Southern Ocean and the cliffs either side.

When to go

The cape is exposed and cold through winter, so November to April is the better window. The site closes in the late afternoon and does not suit an evening detour. Weekdays and the first hour after opening are calmest. The drive in from the Great Ocean Road takes longer than the distance suggests, thanks to the winding road and wildlife on it.

Honest expectations

Entry is charged and, for a family, is high for what you get: a tower, some cottages and displays. The site shuts early. Wind on the headland is frequently strong enough to make the balcony unpleasant rather than exhilarating. The koalas along Lighthouse Road are a genuine draw, but numbers have fluctuated and some roadside trees look badly stripped.

Nearby

The Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay and the Otway forest walks are all close.