The story of this place
Loch Ard Gorge is named after the clipper ship Loch Ard, which wrecked on Muttonbird Island just outside the gorge in 1878. The gorge provides a more intimate seascape than the Twelve Apostles, with accessible limestone formations at water level. The gorge's narrow entrance frames the Southern Ocean perfectly for wide-angle compositions. Steps descend to the beach where you can photograph from inside the gorge looking out. The nearby Thunder Cave produces explosive wave surges. Sunset light from the west illuminates the golden limestone walls. Island Arch, visible from the gorge, collapsed in 2009, leaving two rock stacks now known as Tom and Eva.