Cape Otway

Cape Otway is a prominent headland on the southern coast of Victoria, Australia, located where the Southern Ocean meets the Bass Strait. It forms part of the coastal scenery along the Great Ocean Road and lies within Great Otway National Park.

The cliff-top Cape Otway Lighthouse, first lit in 1848, is the main attraction and includes visitor information and displays. The surrounding coastline features rugged cliffs, beaches and native coastal vegetation and is used for wildlife watching including seasonal whale movements.

The lighthouse was established in the mid 19th century to warn shipping on one of Australia’s hazardous southern approaches. The area has long been noted for maritime navigation and for shipwrecks off the southern Victorian coast.

Situated on the southwest coast of Victoria, the cape lies along the Great Ocean Road corridor and is accessed via park roads from nearby coastal towns and tourist routes.

• Lighthouse date and visitor info: The lighthouse on the cape was first lit in 1848 and is a major local heritage feature with interpretive displays for visitors.
• Whale watching season: The cape is a noted vantage point for southern whale migration sightings during the cooler months.

What to See #

• Cape Otway Lighthouse: A cliff-top lighthouse first lit in 1848 that marks the headland and is one of the earliest mainland Australian lighthouses. The site includes a small interpretive area for visitors.
• Great Otway National Park coastline: Coastal sections of Great Otway National Park that include heathland, cliffs and beaches along the Southern Ocean and Bass Strait.