Situated in the heart of the Great Ocean Road’s iconic attractions Peterborough is a great family friendly destination with a shorefront playground and children’s riding loop.
A great shorefront playground and children’s riding loop immediately marks Peterborough as a family friendly destination. The tennis courts are often alive with family challenge matches until the smell from the BBQ draws everybody from the court.
Place names around Peterborough are often tied to nearby shipwrecks. Look for names like Newfield bay, Halladale Point, Antares Rock and Schomberg Reef.
There are approximately 638 known shipwrecks along Victoria’s coast, although only around 240 of them have been discovered.
Beaches to the immediate west of Peterborough township are characterized by sheltered coves, grottos and offshore stacks. The constant twisting and turning of the shoreline means you can find relative shelter in most conditions. Try Wild Dog Cove, Bay of Martyrs, Worm Bay and Crofts Bay. Make use of the walking trail linking beaches between the golf course and the Bay of Martyrs car park.
Peterborough is also home to a magnificent 9 hole Golf Course. Set right on the the shoreline, with views of the battered coast and the London Arch (formerly London Bridge), an offshore formation in the Port Campbell National Park.
A short course with a par of 64, which is quite easy although a pleasant day & a good score could unravel very easily! A great fun course!
A wonderful cliff top trail from Peterborough Golf Course through to Halladale Point where you will experience the power of the Southern Ocean, skilled surfers and the site of an infamous shipwreck, explore Worm Baybeach under the watchful gaze of wildlife such as wallaby and shy bandicoots. A favourite walk from dusk to dawn.
Head to the upper western or lower eastern viewing platforms at London Bridge and take in sweeping views of the great Southern Ocean.
Originally a natural archway and tunnel in an impressive offshore rock formation, London Bridge collapsed in 1990 and became a bridge without a middle. Before the collapse, visitors to the site were able to walk across ‘the eastern bridge’ that stretched across to the mainland.
Time your visit for the end of the day to see the small population of little penguins returning home.
Falls of Halladale (1908)
The Falls of Halladale is best known for her spectacular demise in a shipwreck near Peterborough. On the night of 14 November 1908 she was sailed in dense fog directly onto the rocks due to a navigational error.
The crew of 29 abandoned ship safely and all made it ashore by boat, the ship as she gradually broke up and then sank in the shallow water. Today the Falls of Halladale is a popular destination for recreational divers.
Schomberg (1855)
The SS Schomberg, a clipper carrying large cargoes and steerage passengers was regarded as the most luxurious and well-built clipper of the period. Named after Captain Charles Frederick Schomberg R N., the Emigration Commissioner for Liverpool, an influential man when it came to securing government contracts for the carriage of emigrants.
The ship was launched in Aberdeen, Scotland, on 7 April 1855, and sunk on her maiden voyage in 1855 off the coast at Peterborough. Attempts to refloat her were unsuccessful, and she eventually broke up on 6 January 1856.
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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
