Cape Otway Lightstation

On Victoria's southwest tip, this ticketed heritage precinct is built around a lighthouse first lit in 1848—the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. Make time for more than the tower: the grounds also hold keepers' buildings, an 1859 telegraph station and a World War II radar bunker. From Apollo Bay, allow about 30 minutes for the inland drive. From the main entry, the lighthouse is about 400 metres along a gravel path with gentle ups and downs. Check the current admission schedule before you turn off; when the precinct is closed, the lighthouse can only be seen from a distance along the Great Ocean Walk.

The 21-metre tower stands about 91 metres above sea level where Bass Strait meets the Southern Ocean. When it is open, reaching the lantern means climbing 78 steps and then a steeper metal ladder. The classic photo is from the fenced approach, with the white tower at the end of the path and the ocean behind it. The gravel and grass paths can be uneven or boggy after rain. Visitors with limited mobility can ask about parking closer to the lighthouse and cafe; an accessible toilet is outside at the car park, but there is no accessible toilet within the precinct.

The Cataraqui wrecked off King Island in 1845, killing 400 of the 409 people aboard. The disaster renewed calls for a light to guide ships through Bass Strait. Charles La Trobe made three overland attempts to reach Cape Otway before succeeding in 1846. Stone for the tower was cut at Parker River, about five kilometres east, then hauled by oxen. Seventy workers spent ten months shaping it so the tower could be assembled without cement. Its lamp was lit on 29 August 1848.

The first light used 21 parabolic reflectors and sperm-whale-oil lamps. A revolving lens replaced them in 1891; incandescent kerosene followed in 1905, electricity in 1939, and mains power in 1962. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1994, when a solar-powered beacon took over.

The 1859 Telegraph Station was built for a planned 388-kilometre cable between mainland Australia and Tasmania. The cable came ashore at Parker River, about six kilometres away, but Bass Strait weather repeatedly damaged it and the project was abandoned after two years. The building later served as a signal station, school, post office, naval signal station, wartime lookout and keepers' quarters.

The precinct's other stops include the 1850s Keepers' Quarters and Workshop, the WWII radar bunker and whale interpretation. History talks are included with admission, and the gift shop and Lightkeeper's Cafe are inside the ticketed grounds. The cafe serves tea and coffee, slices, and scones with jam and cream. Overnight stays are available in heritage accommodation. Dogs are not allowed except accredited assistance dogs; barbecues and drones are prohibited.

Koalas are often spotted in the tall gums along the approach road, though a sighting is never guaranteed. King parrots, possums, gliders and yellow-tailed black cockatoos are also reported around the wider headland.

Cape Otway is on the lands of the Gadubanud People, part of Eastern Maar Country. The headland includes coastal scrub and dune grassland as well as its historic buildings.