Port Campbell named most welcoming town in Australia

An iconic town in Victoria’s southwest has been crowned the most welcoming in Australia. Find out why it has topped the list.

A popular tourist town in the southwest has been crowned the most welcoming town in Australia.

Port Campbell, a small seaside town along the Great Ocean Rd, is most well-known for the 12 Apostles attraction - a collection of limestones off the shore of the Port Campbell National Park.

Port Campbell has iconic tourist attractions and coastal trails people can experience across the bay. Picture: Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism

But Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism industry development Manager Jo Birley said there were also many other “spectacular sites” in the Port Campbell National Park and neighbouring Bay of Islands National Park.

“Port Campbell is the closest town to visit for those who come to the famous 12 Apostles,” Ms Birley said.

Although the town is small, it offers various activities and camping options to visitors. Picture: Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism

“Along with the coastline and its trails, lookouts and beaches, Port Campbell Bay itself is very picturesque – the protected Bay has a lovely beach, jetty and pedestrian bridge,” she said.

Ms Birley said the Port Campbell Bay would be connected by a 14km cycling and walking trail to around Timboon later in 2023.

“Port Campbell is small but offers visitors plenty of varied accommodation options from camping through to luxury villas,” she said.

“There are a variety of dining options and you’ll notice a very strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, with locals who are clearly completely enamoured with their landscape – they want visitors to feel the same.”

Ms Birley said the local tourism business group chose not to invest in traditional marketing to get visitors to come to the town and instead chose to invite visitors to “treasure the land we love” with a campaign designed to invite those who shared the values of locals to stay and have a more “immersive” and “responsible” visitor experience.

“The Port Campbell Cray Fest (this year being held on March 26) celebrates the local sea bounty and is led by a team of community volunteers.

“Come along on this weekend to see the best Port Campbell has to offer,” she said.

Booking.com announced the small seaside town Port Campbell was on top of its “most welcoming” list this week.