Out on Cape Dombey, the ruins of Robe's original jailhouse are slowly eroding under the sun and salt. Built from local limestone in 1861, it wasn't the most secure of lock-ups: two prisoners escaped by tunnelling through the walls with a metal hook. The walls were subsequently reinforced with metal plates salvaged from shipwrecks.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Limestone Coast attractions

1. Obelisk

0.19 MILES

After there were 30 shipwrecks in Guichen Bay in 1835 alone, this iconic red-and-white turret was erected atop the cliffs on Cape Dombey. From here,…

2. Customs House

0.49 MILES

Heritage-listed stone buildings dating from the late 1840s to 1870s litter the streets of Robe, including the upstanding little 1863 Customs House, now a…

3. Robe Town Brewery

2.37 MILES

Riding the crest of Australia's craft beer wave, Robe Town uses old-fangled methods to produce its hearty Shipwreck Stout and an excellent amber ale …

4. Little Dip Conservation Park

7.04 MILES

Little Dip Conservation Park runs along the coast for about 13km south of town. It features a variety of habitats including lakes, wetlands and dunes, and…

5. Cape Jaffa Wines

7.79 MILES

Producing epic shiraz, Cape Jaffa Wines is the pick of the wineries in the emerging Mount Benson Wine Region (www.mtbensonwineregion.com.au). There's a…

6. Woakwine Cutting

22.54 MILES

Just off the highway 12km north of Beachport is this unbelievable feat of human endeavour – a 28m-deep, 1km-long crevasse gouged through the middle a hill…

7. Beachport Conservation Park

25.01 MILES

There are some great walking tracks in this 710-hectare park, sandwiched between the coast and Lake George 2km north of town, taking you past Aboriginal…

8. Old Wool & Grain Store Museum

26.75 MILES

In a stately, two-tier National Trust building on the main street you'll find relics from Beachport's whaling and shipping days, rooms decked out in 1870s…