The Arch

The Arch is a limestone sea arch on a rock platform in Port Campbell National Park. Two viewing platforms look toward it and the Twelve Apostles, making this a short scenic stop rather than a walk that takes you far from the road. If you’re already stopping for the Apostles, this gives you another angle on the same wave-cut coast.

Southern Ocean swells shape and erode the limestone. The arch sits on a rock platform and is still being worked by the water; watch the surf curl through the opening and break around the shelf below. That motion is the detail to notice beyond the shape of the arch itself.

The walk from the car park is short, and visitors generally treat this as a brief stop. The viewing area is small and can feel crowded, so it may not be a place to linger. Dogs aren’t allowed in the day visitor area.

From the platforms, set the arch against the water and leave room for the surf breaking around the limestone shelf. The wider panorama takes in the Twelve Apostles, though trees and platform placement can make a clean shot of the arch tricky.