The Great Ocean Road sprawls out for 243km around Victoria, taking in gorgeous views of the coastline and an array of natural wonders.
It’s a hugely popular attraction with tourists who are looking to soak up the beauty of Australia and get to grips with its wild and wonderful landscape. To one side, rainforest sprawls out as far as the eye can see, while quaint beachside towns pepper the sandy shores.
Throughout the route there are a number of landmarks that you can stop off and see, many of which are quirky rock formations and unusual scenes.
One such quirky formation is London Bridge or London Arch. Set amongst the Port Campbell National Park, it is one of the top sights that tourists scramble to see in this area. Why? Well, for starters it’s an incredible sight to see and, secondly, it has an interesting history.
London Bridge on the Great Ocean Road
Before 1990, London Bridge was exactly that – a bridge that connected the arch of land to the mainland. It got its name from its likeness to its namesake, before being later known as the London Arch. All due to its massive structure collapse on 15th of January 1990, with part of the bridge collapsing into the ocean. Leaving behind a chunk of land isolated in the ocean. However, it didn’t just leave the land isolated though, but tragically leave two tourists stranded. Kelli Harrison and David Darrington were sightseeing at the time, and were suddenly cut off from the mainland, having to wait hours before they could be rescued by a helicopter. There are other rumours surrounding this story, with some people saying that the couple were actually conducting an affair and the newsworthy story blew their cover, but it has yet to be confirmed.
The collapse of the London Bridge highlights the everchanging structure of this coast. With the rocky sandstone cliff shoreline slowly crumbling and shifting in structure due to the continuous erosion of weather and sea. Transforming the region into a new sight every century or so.
Top tips for visiting London Arch
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Take your time
So many people whizz around the Great Ocean Road trying to cram it all into one day. Whilst this will certainly get the job done, it doesn’t give you time to appreciate the beauty and admire the views.
London Bridge is situated near the 12 Apostles, one of the most iconic scenes in Australia, and offers lots of stunning views over the surrounding scenery. The site itself boasts two viewing platforms at different elevations. Both are fairly close to the carpark and both are well worth checking out for different perspectives.
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Visit early morning or evening
It goes without saying that sunrises and sunsets provide the perfect lighting for viewing natural wonders so, for the ultimate London Bridge experience, head to the site just as the sun is beginning to rise or set. Most of the crowds come in during the day, so it will also be slightly emptier at the start and end of the day.