Poombeeyt Koontapool has officially opened at Loch Ard Gorge Blowhole, giving Great Ocean Road visitors a new lookout experience.
An $8 million platform at Loch Ard GOrge Blowhole along the Great Ocean Road has officially opened today. Poombeeyt Koontapool means ‘Breath of the Whale’ in the Keerray Woorroong language, connects visitors to the area’s cultural heritage while they experience one of the coast’s natural phenomena.
Built within Port Campbell National Park, the new lookout will handle thousands of monthly visitors as part of their Great Ocean Road adventures. Previous viewing options were limited and potentially unsafe for the growing number of tourists exploring this stretch of coastline.
Poombeeyt Koontapool – Great Ocean Road
- Where: Loch Ard Gorge Blowhole, Port Campbell National Park
- Cost: $8 million investment
- Name meaning: ‘Breath of the Whale’ in Keerray Woorroong language
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Construction delivered a sculptured viewing platform anchored into the blowhole’s edges, plus barnacle-themed seating and upgraded pathways. These improvements create safer and more accessible experiences for tourists and locals wanting to witness the blowhole’s dramatic water displays.
Victorian government also launched its First Peoples Tourism Plan for Victoria 2025–2030 during the opening ceremony on 12 September. This plan supports First Peoples’ participation in the state’s $40 billion tourism sector while creating deeper cultural engagement opportunities for visitors.
First Peoples tourism already draws significant numbers, with more than 511,000 visitors participating in these experiences during 2023. Those tourists spent a total of $1.3 billion as part of their Victorian travels, demonstrating strong demand for authentic cultural experiences alongside natural attractions.
Poombeeyt Koontapool represents growing recognition of Indigenous connections to Country along popular tourist routes, combining cultural education with improved infrastructure for one of Victoria’s most visited coastal destinations.
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