London Bridge, The Grotto and The Arch

5 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

West of Port Campbell the coast breaks into a series of stacks, arches and inlets. On London Bridge Road near Peterborough, one section of Port Campbell National Park holds three stops close together: the lookout over London Bridge, The Grotto and The Arch. The site has a car park, viewing platforms and walking tracks. The park authority lists no entry fee or opening hours, and the new booking system at the Twelve Apostles does not apply here.

London Bridge since 1990

London Bridge was once connected to the mainland. In 1990 part of it collapsed, and two visitors were left stranded on what had suddenly become an island until a helicopter rescued them. Today the remaining arch stands alone in the sea, and the lookout faces it from the clifftop.

The collapse is a reminder of how quickly this coast changes. Keep to the platforms and marked tracks, even where the ground looks firm.

The Grotto

The Grotto is the second stop on the same stretch: a natural window in the rock. The park authority gives no walking time or distance for it. It is not listed as closed.

The Arch is closed for now

The third formation is The Arch. At the time of writing, its viewing area and day visitor site are closed for public safety because of unstable cliffs and track erosion, and the park authority gives no date for reopening. London Bridge and The Grotto are not affected. If The Arch matters to your plans, check the park authority's page shortly before you travel. The closed area can still be seen from the air on helicopter flights from the Twelve Apostles.

Along the coast from Port Campbell

If you drive yourself, the stretch between the Twelve Apostles and London Bridge is easy to break into short stops. The Port Campbell Discovery Walk runs from the town of Port Campbell to Two Mile Bay. Near Loch Ard Gorge, the blowhole Poombeeyt Koontapool has a viewing platform and accessible paths. The Bay of Islands, also on the helicopter routes, belongs to a separate coastal park with its own pages.

Wind and showers come in quickly off the Southern Ocean. At Cape Otway, the nearest long-term weather station, rain falls on 13 to 16 days a month from May to September, so carry a waterproof layer on a winter visit. For questions about closures, the park authority answers on 1300 736 533, and dangers on the road can be reported to VicRoads on 13 11 70.

Whales and penguins

In winter, according to the park authority, southern right and humpback whales can be seen passing along this coast. Further west at Logans Beach in Warrnambool, southern right whales come to calve almost every year between June and September. Neither is guaranteed on any given day. At dusk, little penguins return to the beach below London Bridge. In June the sun sets at about 5:15 pm, which brings dusk within reach of a day tour; in December it sets after 8:30 pm.

Getting here on a tour

London Bridge lies beyond the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge for anyone coming from Melbourne, so it is the first stop to drop when a day runs late. Several coach tours solve that by season. From October to April they spend up to 90 minutes at the Twelve Apostles, where a helicopter flight can be added at extra cost. From May to September, when the evenings are short, they drive on to London Bridge instead, with a chance of seeing the sunset there.

Reverse tours from Melbourne include London Bridge all year. One route lists ten stops, among them London Bridge, Loch Ard Gorge, the Razorback and the Twelve Apostles, with lunch next to the Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park (entry extra) and an optional helicopter flight. Expect a long day of around 12 to 13 hours either way. Reviews of the coach tours listed here mention fast driving through the bends and a return to Melbourne around 10 pm.

From the air

The shortest flight by 12 Apostles Helicopters covers about 45 km in about a quarter of an hour. It passes the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Bakers Oven, Sentinel Rock, Port Campbell, Two Mile Bay and The Arch before turning at London Bridge. A longer flight continues to the Bay of Islands, about 90 km in 25 minutes. Our page on helicopter flights covers the options.