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Port Campbell Headland & Port
PORT CAMPBELL VIC 3269 - Property No L10293

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Statement of Significance
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?

Port Campbell's foreshore, port, bay and headland which includes Point Sturgess and Beacon Point, parts of which are located within the Port Campbell National Park; and the viewshed to the bay's western cliff and Two Mile Reef, which frames views to and from the area, and associated features.

(See Plates 1-5: Map & Photographs for a clearer statement of area involved).

How is it significant?

Port Campbell headland and port is highly significant for archaeological, historic, social, aesthetic and scientific reasons at a State level.

Why is it significant?

Port Campbell headland and port is significant for the presence in the immediate landscape of features illustrating the layering of history from many million years to less than a century ago. In one small area highly significant features demonstrate: the underlying geology of the region; archaeological sites associated with Aboriginal occupation; remnants of the pre-European settlement vegetation; associations with early maritime exploration followed by port development and pastoral settlement; and the subsequent nineteenth and early twentieth century expansion of tourism and the surfing industry to the area. Most recently the port has played an important role in the study of maritime archaeology and marine protected areas and the exploration and development of offshore gas resources.

Port Campbell headland's dramatic limestone cliffs and underlying sea caverns have been designated as a nationally significant coastal landscape and geological feature. The vegetation on the headland retains a highly significant remnant of endangered coastal heathland, which supports several highly significant faunal species.

There are numerous highly significant archaeological features associated with coastal Aboriginal culture present prior to European settlement, including steps cut into the coastal cliff, middens and artefact sites.

Relict structures associated with port activity, including the unique Rocket Pavilion and Rocket Apparatus, and Beacon Steps cut into the high cliff face and the Jetty Cutting in the Port Campbell Limestone, illustrate the maritime heritage of exploration and the nineteenth century settlement. The port was developed in response to Australia's most famous shipwreck, the Loch Ard disaster, and it remains the only access point the Loch Ard and many other Commonwealth and State protected heritage shipwrecks. The port is also the sole safe boat access to the Twelve Apostles Marine National Parks and Arches Marine Sanctuary, and is also of high significance as it was used for the recent development of the nearby Geographe and Thylacine off shore gas fields.

Port Campbell is highly significant as a place associated with early and current coastal tourism in Victoria and the nominated area has many features linked to this, such as the Great Ocean Road and Norfolk Island Pines. It retains its compact form of the earlier village.

Classified: 26/7/08

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