The track starts as a pathway between fields and coastal scrub. The surface of well-maintained compacted gravel is easy to negotiate.
The path on the Great Ocean Road leads to Gibson Beach’s cliff top through an underpass.
The steps leading to the beach from the cliff are designed to be easily navigable, with handrails and low risers. The gate near the top remains locked during unfavourable conditions for visitors. Be mindful of the warnings at the top of the steps.
The Visitor Centre offers a range of amenities, including car parking, public toilets, a cafe, helicopter flights, and information about the National and Marine Parks.
The Gibson Steps have a notable history
In the late 1800s, Mr. Gibson owned the land at the top of the staircase. He lived near the stairs at the well-known Glenample Homestead. Mr Gibson and his homestead gained fame when the Loch Ard shipwrecked nearby. He assisted in rescuing the two survivors, Tom and Eva. Eva stayed at Glenample Homestead for three months to recover.
Mr Gibson regularly used these steps to access the beach. He employed workers from his farm to improve the staircase for easy fishing and cargo collection.
In addition to cargo transportation by sea, residents’ use of these stairs gradually declined as nearby areas developed better vessel access and unloading facilities.
The Gibson Steps were named after Mr. Gibson, who utilized and contributed to the staircase, though he did not construct the well-known steps leading down to the beach.
Creating the Gibson Steps
The Kirrae Whurrong (Girai wurrung) people inhabited this region extensively before European colonization and shaped the stairs called Gibson Steps.
Before Mr Gibson’s improvements, the staircase was a rough path connecting the cliff top and the beach.
The steps were carved several hundred years ago, with some local Indigenous people claiming it to be even older.
Getting to Gibson Steps
The Gibson Steps on the Great Ocean Road tour can be easily reached from different angles. The most convenient way is parking in the designated car park, which provides direct access to the viewing platform and the steps leading down. The breathtaking views from here should not be missed, so take a moment to admire the beautiful surrounding landscape before descending the 86 carved steps onto the beach below.
Additionally, it is possible to park at the Twelve Apostles car park and proceed on foot along a 1-kilometer route along the rugged cliffs of the Great Ocean Walk to reach the Gibson Steps. This brief walk offers an opportunity to take in the vertical coastal cliffs and breathtaking sea views that are characteristic of the area.
Suggestions for activities
Stroll the Sandy Shore
Additionally, visitors can engage in various activities in the vicinity, including enjoying the breathtaking scenery and strolling along the sandy beach coastline reached through the Gibson Steps.
Catch Your Dinner
The beach is known for fishing and has a variety of colourful fish and sea creatures in its shallow waters. However, swimming may not be advisable due to dangerous reefs, rip holes, and choppy waves.
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