Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch

Standing sentinel where the iconic Great Ocean Road begins its serpentine journey along Victoria's wild southern coast, the Memorial Arch at Eastern View is more than a photo stop—it's a tribute to the returned soldiers who carved this 243-kilometre road into the cliffs between 1919 and 1932. This timber arch, rebuilt after bushfires in 1983, frames the road ahead and invites travellers to pause and reflect on the human effort behind one of Australia's greatest drives.

Highlights & What to See

• View the Arch & Interpretive Panels: Read about the road's construction by 3,000 returned servicemen—a moving piece of Australian history that gives deeper meaning to the journey ahead.
• Photo at the Arch: Capture the classic shot with the arch framing the coastal road. Go early or late in the day to avoid crowds and catch soft light.
• Lookout over Bass Strait: Just steps away, a small lookout offers your first sweeping view of the Southern Ocean crashing against the limestone cliffs—a foretaste of the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge.
• Nearby Eastern View Beach: A short walk leads to a quiet beach where you can stretch your legs and feel the salty wind before hitting the road.

Suggested Time to Spend

Allow 15–30 minutes for a meaningful stop—enough to read the panels, snap a few photos and take in the coastal vista. This is a quick, essential pause at the gateway to the Great Ocean Road; most travellers spend less than an hour here before continuing west towards Lorne, Apollo Bay or the Shipwreck Coast.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Sovereign Hill – A living-history gold-mining town in Ballarat, perfect for a day trip before or after your coastal drive.
• Torquay – Just 10 minutes east, the surf capital of Australia with Bells Beach and great cafés.
• Anglesea – A laid-back beach town with a golf course roamed by kangaroos, 15 minutes west.
• Lorne – The quintessential Great Ocean Road resort town, 40 minutes west, with waterfalls and swimming beaches.

Please check official sources for current details.