Gibson Steps

We used to live within a stone's throw of some of the most spectacular scenery in the country. When something is only an hour or so down the road, I think it's pretty easy to take it for granted.

Recently, I was going through some old hard drives, trying to clear some space because I'm slowly running out of it, and came across these shots I took a couple of years ago.

They were taken at Gibson Steps along the Great Ocean Road.

Before we moved up to almost-always-sunny Noosa, we lived in Torquay. I was the official photographer for both Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism and Parks Victoria, which meant I spent a lot of time travelling around Victoria photographing the incredible places and National Parks.

And this place still hits differently.

The giant rock stacks rising out of the ocean are pretty spectacular. There's a scale and power to them that makes you feel very small.

The place itself is wild.

If it's windy (which is pretty normal around here), walking down the steps to the beach can feel like you're entering a completely different world. The wind hits you, the ocean is roaring and suddenly you're reminded that you're not really in control down here.

The ocean is usually furious. Actually, I don't think I've ever seen this place completely calm.

This stretch of coastline is known as the Shipwreck Coast, and once you're down on the beach, it's easy to understand why.

You need to keep an eye on the tide as you walk. The water can come in quickly and suddenly the path you've just walked along is no longer an option.

The tide is basically the gatekeeper.

If you make it around the corner before it closes the door, you're rewarded with those incredible formations rising out of the ocean.

There's really nothing quite like it.

Well, not that I've seen anyway.

Looking back at these photographs, I think I probably took this place for granted too.

Funny how that happens when something beautiful is just an hour down the road.

P.S. You can actually see these formations from the lookout at the top without making your way down to the beach. But where's the fun in that? Live a little. Get down to sea level and experience the full power of feeling very, very small and powerless.

by Belinda Van Zanen