In anticipation of a potentially disastrous cliff collapse, authorities have sealed off one of Australia’s most popular natural tourist destinations.
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In anticipation of a potentially disastrous cliff collapse, authorities have sealed off one of Australia’s most popular natural tourist destinations.
The Great Ocean Road’s beach steps at Loch Ard Gorge have been closed off by Parks Victoria after a rock fall that left a break in a nearby cliff face.
Authorities installed a temporary fence next to the steps to keep people out while geotechnical engineers evaluated the location because to the “significant safety risk” to visitors.
According to Michael Smith, the area chief ranger for Parks Victoria, a cliff collapse “could cause serious injuries, and even deaths, if people were in the area.”
“As a responsible land manager, we have to take a safety-first approach and close access when there’s a known risk of a landslip or cliff collapse,” he said in a statement.
The gorge is located just northwest of Melbourne along the magnificent Great Ocean Road, more over four and a half hours’ journey from the city’s famed Twelve Apostles.
Additionally, the Island Archway, which famously collapsed in 2009, is close by.
The Great Ocean Road attracts millions of visitors each year, and the gorge is one of the most well-liked stops along the road thanks to its smooth harbour, turquoise waves, and rippling, golden rock sides punctuated by patches of greenery.
The location has the name of the shipwrecked Loch Ard, which ran aground close to Mutton Bird Island in 1878 and eventually beached there after hitting with a rock reef.
Only two of the 54 people on board managed to survive: Eva Charmichael, a 19-year-old travelling with her family, and Tom Pearce, a 19-year-old apprentice seaman.
They now have their names engraved on the two remaining pillars of the destroyed Island Archway.
Construction on Saddle Lookout at the Twelve Apostles was halted for the winter before the closure. Parks Victoria, in picture
Construction on Saddle Lookout at the Twelve Apostles was halted for the winter before the closure. Parks Victoria, in picture
The brief shutdown comes only days after the winter break in work on the eagerly anticipated Saddle Lookout location near the Twelve Apostles.
A “better, safer, and more accessible experience” for viewing the famous sites will be offered by the new Saddle Lookout, which will take the place of viewing locations that “no longer cater to visitor numbers” in the region.
Since 2021, the area has been off-limits while the new overlook was built.
The project, according to Parks Victoria, is anticipated to be finished by the end of this year after the last significant sections were transported and craned into place before the winter break.
In addition, the closure of Loch Ard Gorge comes as Parks Victoria starts reviewing bids for the building of a second lookout over the Loch Ard Blow Hole, which is anticipated to commence later this year.
Mr. Smith, a ranger for Parks Victoria, advised visitors to use caution if and when they enter the closed area.
