The Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles

is a group of limestone cliffs off the coast of Port Campbell National Park. The cliffs are one of the main attractions of the Great Ocean Road. Every year, more than 2 million tourists visit the 12 Apostles, among them many professional photographers. And this is not by chance. You can spend hours watching how amazingly and uniquely the rocks change their color depending on the lighting. The most spectacular views open at dawn and dusk, when the sun’s rays paint the coast and rocks with bright colors, and then everything plunges into twilight. And on calm sunny days, the Twelve Apostles become magnificent sand-colored monuments.

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Video: The Twelve Apostles

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History and Journey

The rocks are about 20 million years old. “Apostles” were formed by erosion: wind and waves gradually eroded the soft limestone, forming caves in the cliffs, which then turned into arches, and those, in turn, collapsed, leaving behind cliffs up to 45 meters high. Scientists believe that the erosion process will continue and there will be several more “apostles” in the future.

From the rocky cliff to the sandy shore you can go down the Gibson Steps, where next to the giant rocks every traveler will feel small.

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There are several interesting stories associated with the Twelve Apostles.

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First of all, when you visit this place, you will count only 8 rocks. No, you don’t miss anything. There were originally only 9 rocks in the group, one of which collapsed in 2005. So why the “Twelve Apostles”?

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Originally, the rock group was called “Pig and Piglets”. In the 1950s, the name was changed to “The Twelve Apostles”, evoking more pleasant associations in order to attract more tourists.

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The helicopter tour of the rock group overflight is particularly popular. The bird’s-eye view of not only the cliffs but also the Great Ocean Road with its rainforests, gorges and sandy beaches is spectacular.

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