Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
undercutting and carving out a fascinating series of rock stacks, gorges, arches and
blowholes.
None of the beaches along this stretch are suitable for swimming because of strong cur-
rents and undertows.
HOW MANY APOSTLES?
The Twelve Apostles are not 12 in number, and, from all records, never have been. From the viewing platform
you can clearly count seven Apostles, but maybe some obscure others? We consulted widely with Parks Victoria
officers, tourist office staff and even the cleaner at the lookout, but it's still not clear. Locals tend to say 'It de-
pends where you look from', which really is true.
The Apostles are called 'stacks' in geologic lingo, and the rock formations were originally called the 'Sow and
Piglets'. Someone in the '60s (nobody can recall who) thought they might attract some tourists with a more ven-
erable name, so they were renamed 'the Apostles'. Since apostles tend to come by the dozen, the number 12 was
added sometime later. The two stacks on the eastern (Otway) side of the viewing platform are not technically
Apostles - they're Gog and Magog (picking up on the religious nomenclature yet?).
The soft limestone cliffs are dynamic and changeable, constantly eroded by the unceasing waves - one 70m-
high stack collapsed into the sea in July 2005 and the Island Archway lost its archway in June 2009. If you look
carefully at how the waves lick around the pointy part of the cliff base, you can see a new Apostle being born.
The labour lasts many thousands of years.
Sights & Activities
NATURAL FORMATION
Twelve Apostles
(Great Ocean Rd; visitor centre 9am-5pm) The most iconic sight and enduring image for most
visitors to the Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles provide a fitting climax to the jour-
ney. Jutting out from the ocean in spectacular fashion, these rocky stacks stand like
they've been abandoned to the ocean by the retreating headland. Today only seven
Apostles can be seen from a network of viewing platforms connected via timber board-
walks around the clifftops.
There's pedestrian access to the viewing platforms from the car park at the Twelve
Apostles Visitor Centre (more a kiosk and toilets than info centre) via a tunnel beneath the
Great Ocean Road.
The best time to visit is sunset, not only for optimum photography opportunities and to
beat the tour buses, but to see little penguins returning from ashore. Sightings vary, but gen-
erally they arrive 20 to 40 minutes after sunset. You'll need binoculars, which can be bor-
rowed from the Port Campbell Visitor Centre ( Click here ) .
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