About 7 km west of Port Campbell is a turnoff on the right which leads to Loch Ard Gorge which was named after the iron clipper the Loch Ard which left England (carrying 17 passengers and a crew of 37), bound for Melbourne in March 1878 and was shipwrecked here on 1 June that same year.

As the ship travelled along this dangerous stretch of coast it entered a heavy mist near Port Campbell. Visibility, combined with huge waves and strong winds, drove the ship towards land. It hit Muttonbird Island so violently that the mast collapsed ... (more)