What are the Twelve Apostles in Victoria?
The Twelve Apostles are a group of limestone sea stacks off the Great Ocean Road in Port Campbell National Park, Victoria. They rise up to about 45 metres from the Southern Ocean.
The stacks formed as waves eroded the soft limestone cliffs, creating caves, then arches, and finally stacks when the arches collapsed. The process continues today, slowly changing the coastline.
Despite the name, there have never been twelve stacks visible from the main lookout. They were once called the Sow and Piglets, and the name was changed in the 1920s to attract tourists. In 2005, one stack collapsed.
Visiting the Apostles
Lookouts and boardwalks give views of the stacks, especially at sunrise and sunset. Helicopter flights offer a bird's-eye view of the coastline.
The visitor centre is about 275 kilometres from Melbourne by the Great Ocean Road. Gibson Steps lets visitors walk down to the beach nearby.
Nearby features include The Arch, London Bridge, which lost its link to the mainland in 1990, and The Grotto. All are reached by short walks from car parks off the road.
Did You Know?
Erosion of the coast is estimated at about two centimetres per year.