Cape Otway: Lighthouse, Great Ocean Walk and Whales

At Cape Otway, a striking coastal location, a long lighthouse history and the Great Ocean Walk come together. The Cape Otway Lightstation sits on high sea cliffs, 90 metres above the meeting point of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean. Here, you can shape your trip around historical discoveries, walking stages and views of whales.

Lighthouse and Coastal Landscape

Cape Otway Lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. Its position on the cliffs gives Cape Otway a distinctive landscape: the place is not only connected with the history of shipping, but is also located where Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean meet. If your main interest is getting to know the coast and its surroundings, you will find a different focus here than on a stay centred on historical sites.

Experience the Great Ocean Walk

The 100 km Great Ocean Walk runs east to west along a rugged coastline. Cape Otway Lightstation is at the centre of the long-distance walking trail; the walk passes through the Lightstation area. This makes Cape Otway a section of a longer route for walkers, rather than just a destination in its own right.

You can start and finish the Great Ocean Walk at different points, depending on the sights that interest you or the time available. This offers different ways to include the trail in your trip without committing to the entire route. When planning, you can therefore decide whether to explore Cape Otway as part of a walk or mainly for its other attractions.

Traces of Telegraphy and Radar

Cape Otway’s history also includes communications and military history. The Telegraph Station was built in 1859. It housed the operators and their families, as well as the rooms used for telegraph operations. Today, the station has been restored and tells the story of the place and the people who lived and worked there.

Another historical episode began in 1942, when the Royal Australian Air Force established a radar station at Cape Otway Lightstation. No. 13 Radar Station operated for four years. During this time, up to 50 RAAF personnel were stationed at Cape Otway. Together, the lighthouse and Telegraph Station offer several different ways to explore the area’s history—from coastal navigation to communications and radar surveillance.

Whales at Different Times of Year

Between May and October, Cape Otway is a whale-watching vantage point. Every year, 25 whale species pass Cape Otway Lightstation. This period is a useful point of reference when planning a trip that combines Cape Otway with whale watching. The Lightstation also has a Whale Interpretive Area that visitors can explore year-round. Seasonal sightings and year-round information are therefore available as separate experiences.

What Kind of Trip Suits Cape Otway?

If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Cape Otway, you can start by considering what you want your stay to focus on: walking stages on the Great Ocean Walk, the history of the Lightstation and Telegraph Station, or whale watching between May and October. These interests can help guide your search without limiting your stay to just one theme. If you would like to combine walking and history, you can include both in your plans; if whales are your particular interest, you can take the seasonal period into account and include the Whale Interpretive Area as a year-round attraction.

Discover More Places

You can also discover Curlewis, Glenrowan, Rochester, Caveat, Wandin North, Burwood, Puckapunyal and Yallambie: Curlewis, Glenrowan, Rochester, Caveat, Wandin North, Burwood, Puckapunyal and Yallambie.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.