The Twelve Apostles in Australia - Your Ultimate Guide

Discover everything you need to know about the Twelve Apostles before your next trip on the Great Ocean Road.

A rare geological phenomenon that has inspired awe and wonder for generations, the Great Ocean Road’s Twelve Apostles are one of Australia’s most well-known and visited attractions.

A true highlight of a drive along the Great Ocean Road, seeing the monumental rock formations known as the Twelve Apostles is one of those travel ‘must-dos’ that you genuine must do. Standing on the windswept coast of Victoria to take in the extraordinary sight of these ancient landmarks that rise stoically out of the Southern Ocean is worth the 4.5-hour drive along the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne.

Whether you see them at sunrise, dusk or in the middle of the day, you’ll be glad you travelled to see what all the fuss is about. Read on to find out how to make it happen.

What are the Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles are an offshore collection of limestone stacks along the Great Ocean Road. Estimated to be around 20 million years old, this sculpted coastline originated when billions of tiny marine skeletons accumulated on the ocean floor, gradually creating limestone formations. As the ocean retreated, the cliffs were exposed above the sea level.

Twelve Apostles in Australia at sunset — The limestone stacks have been shaped over millions of years. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The wild and wilful Southern Ocean gradually eroded the softer limestone, forming caves in the cliffs, which eventually became arches. When they collapsed, rock islands up to 65 metres high were left isolated from the shore. This process also created a host of other natural features including Pudding Basin Rock, Elephant Rock, Mutton Bird Island, Thunder Cave, Bakers Oven, London Bridge and the Grotto.

The Baker's Oven in Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road — The Baker’s Oven is known for its unique landscape. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Where are the Twelve Apostles

Located on Australia’s southern coastline in the Port Campbell National Park, Victoria, the Twelve Apostles are a popular stop on the iconic Great Ocean Road drive. Just 10 minutes from the town of Port Campbell, if you are driving you will need to park at the dedicated Twelve Apostles carpark and walk to the lookout by following the signs along the path.

a staircase leading to the lookout of the Twelve Apostles at sunset — Walk to the lookout for a better view of the Twelve Apostles. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This is a somewhat isolated location, so come prepared with everything you need. However, there is toilet access and a kiosk here open 7 days a week during the day, offering hot and cold drinks and souvenirs to take home. Otherwise, bring your own snacks or stop in Port Campbell for lunch.

an aerial view of The Baker's Oven in Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road — See other notable features of the rock islands, including the Baker’s Oven. (Image: Visit Victoria)

History of the Twelve Apostles

Until the 1960s the formations were called the Sow and Pigs – Mutton Bird Island being the sow and the stacks the piglets. Then, in a flash of marketing brilliance, they were renamed the Apostles. By some divine intervention, the name soon evolved into the Twelve Apostles – even though you could only see nine at the time.

the Twelve Apostles in winter — In winter, the otherworldy landscape is nothing short of spectacular. (Image: Visit Victoria)

But how many you can count depends on where you stand and what you include. There are actually as many as 30 stacks stretched along the coast, but not all are visible from the viewing areas. It’s a work in progress.

the limestone stacks of Twelve Apostles from above — These magnificent stacks are stretched along the coast. (Image: Visit Victoria)

In 2005, one of the Apostles had its last supper. Onlookers reported that the stack shuddered, fractured and then slid into the ocean. The Twelfth Apostle (known as Judas) went from a magnificent 50-metre stack to a pile of rubble in seconds. Then in 2009, another rock came crumbling down. Although not as dramatic an exit as the Judas, this small formation eroded due to weather conditions. Located out the back near Razorback Lookout, this was the most recent Apostle to have fallen.

Twelve Apostles at sunset — Witness the breathtaking beauty of the Twelve Apostles. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Getting to the Twelve Apostles

If you’re located in Geelong, lucky you! You’ve only got a 2-hour road trip ahead. Travelling from Melbourne? You’ve got a 3-hour drive inland to reach the rocks. If you’re willing to tack on another hour to the journey, take the Great Ocean Road for some spectacular scenic views.

an aerial view of a car passing by the London Bridge, Great Ocean Road — The Twelve Apostles are a popular stop on the iconic Great Ocean Road. (Image: Visit Victoria)

A 10-minute drive from Port Campbell, you will need to park at the dedicated Twelve Apostles carpark and walk to one of the lookouts which can be accessed via a signed pathway. If you’re using a pram or wheelchair follow the signs to access the lower viewing platform.

a scenic landscape of the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road — Take the Great Ocean Road for some spectacular scenic views. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Depending on where you’re located, day tour packages to the Twelve Apostles are a great option if you don’t drive or just prefer sitting back and relaxing instead of downloading directions.

the eucalypt trees at Otway Rainforest, Great Ocean Road — Stop by the ancient Otway Rainforest. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Sightseeing Tours Australia offers a day trip to the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles. With CBD and St Kilda pick-ups, this bus will take you along the breathtaking coastline, stopping at popular beaches, seaside towns, the Otway Rainforest (with the tallest eucalyptus trees in Australia) and of course, the Twelve Apostles before you are whisked back to Melbourne. It’s a big day filled with blockbuster sights – a great option if you’re short on time or prefer not to drive.

Spot the stunning cascades of the Triplet Falls in the Great Otway National Park. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Other ways to experience the Twelve Apostles

If you’re up for an adventure, there are also guided walking tours that head out to the landmark. Book in with the Aus Walking Co. and you’ll get to enjoy a 4-day, immersive walks along the coast, bedding down in a private eco-lodge each night. If you feel comfortable walking up to 7 hours in a day, then you won’t want to do this trip any other way.

the Great Ocean Walk — Take an mmersive walk along the coast. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Prefer to walk and camp without a guide? Great Ocean Road Shuttles offers camping assistance (food and water drops, luggage transfers), camping gear hire and a shuttle service to support your journey.

Twelve Apostles from Gibson Beach — Head to Gibson Beach to see the stacks from a different perspective. (Image: Visit Victoria)

If you want to make the most of this experience and don’t mind splashing a bit of cash, then book yourself in for a scenic flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters to take in the famous landmark from above.

a scenic flight above the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road — Take in the beauty of the rock formations from above. (Image: Visit Victoria)

In just 15 minutes of flight time you’ll be able to see the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, The Sentinel, The Arch and London Bridge from a point of view you’ll never forget.

the London Bridge from above on a scenic flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters — Capture the London Bridge on a scenic flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Discover our guide to the Great Ocean Road.

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.

Geelong cellar door wine bar — Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.

Paddock Bakery andPatisserie — Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

At Paddock , one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand.

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

“A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.

And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.

The rise of a food and wine destination

Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915 . Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco.

The Woolstore , one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.

Woolstore menu — Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

Breathing new life into historic spaces

On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.

“We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.”

Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.

handcrafted pieces — Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”

A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”

Your quick guide to the Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road