By Melissa Meehan
Visitors to the Great Ocean Road will soon have to pay to see the region’s natural wonder, with a new visitor centre set to enforce an entry fee and booking system.
The VictorIan government is on Monday set to announce plans to introduce an entrance fee for access to the Twelve Apostles, turning the landmark into a paid attraction for the first time.
A new booking system will also be introduced to manage visitation numbers and guarantee parking at peak times.
Just how much it will cost visitors to the area is unknown, but the fees are set to be introduced to coincide with the opening of a new $126 million visitor centre at the end of 2026.
Locals and members of the Eastern Maar Indigenous community will not be charged to access the area.
Regional tourism board Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism said in a statement on Monday the change would ensure visitors have a better experience at the natural wonder.
“The 12 Apostles is one of Australia’s most iconic natural attractions, introducing a booking system and entry fee will protect the landscape, manage congestion and ensure visitors have a much better experience,” the board said.
“It will support encouraging visitors to slow down and spend more time exploring more of the region.”
The decision follows a push by the Corangamite Shire Council and Great Ocean Road Tourism Board in September, urging the state government to seize the opportunity to introduce a user-pays model.
The Twelve Apostles is a popular tourism destination, despite just seven limestone stacks of the original 12 remaining.
A Development Victoria report said 2.8 million people visited the site in 2019 and the figure was forecast to reach four million by 2026.
Proudly Australian owned and operated