Victoria · Attraction
Gibson Steps
Sand and stacks at cliff base
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Gibson Steps is the only point along the Shipwreck Coast where visitors can descend from the clifftops to stand on the beach directly beneath the limestone stacks. Eighty-six carved steps lead down from the clifftop car park to a wild, wave-swept beach flanked by towering cliffs. The views back up to the eroded headlands, and across to the nearby Twelve Apostles, are extraordinary.
The steps were originally hand-cut into the limestone cliff face in the early 20th century by local farmer Hugh Gibson, giving him beach access from his clifftop property. Today the site is managed by Parks Victoria as part of Port Campbell National Park, and the short descent opens up a perspective on the Shipwreck Coast that no clifftop lookout can match. The scale of the limestone cliffs, rising up to 70 metres from the surf, is visceral when experienced from sea level.
The beach itself is not safe for swimming due to unpredictable surf and undertows, but it is a spectacular place to walk, photograph the stacks at dawn, and appreciate the raw power of the Southern Ocean. The site is only a few kilometres east of the Twelve Apostles and is usually visited as part of the same stop. A ramped walkway provides accessible access to the clifftop lookout, and toilets are available at the car park.
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Scenic views
