Twelve Apostles visitors to be charged entry fee to see natural wonder | Victoria
Tourists will soon have to pay entrance fees to see the Twelve Apostles on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.
The Victorian government will on Monday announce a fee for tourists to visit the $126 million Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre, which is scheduled to open in late 2026.
Only seven of the original 12 limestone piles now remain, as erosion caused many of them to collapse over time.
The entry cost to see the natural wonder is not yet known and will be decided after consultation with stakeholders. The government said people living near the facility and members of the Eastern Maar Indigenous community will not be charged.
The government said a visitor booking system would also be in place to manage visiting numbers and guarantee parking at peak times.
Environment minister Steve Dimopoulos said the funds raised would support improvements to beach access and visitor facilities and ensure the preservation of historic landmarks.
“The Twelve Apostles are visited by more than two million people every year and the Great Ocean Road is visited by more than six million people – and we want even more people to come and enjoy it,” he said.
“We are investing in the future of the Great Ocean Road region and ensuring that every penny spent in the region stays there.
“It’s only fair that visitors to the region pay a small fee to visit this world-class destination, so we can pass it on to future generations.”
Corangamite Shire Council and the Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Board issued a joint statement in September calling on the state government to introduce a user-pay model to visit the site to coincide with the opening of the visitor centre.
At the time, they said a fee of $10 to $20 would help manage crowds and protect the coastal environment.
The government said the charges were already in place to ensure the protection of other popular, world-famous destinations across Australia, including Uluru-Kata Tjuta national park, Kosciuszko national park and Wineglass Bay Lookout.
