Stretched along Australia’s southern coast is one of the most scenic drives in the world, the Great Ocean Road. The Great Ocean Road is one of the best road trips we’ve ever experienced, great for a two day Great Ocean Road trip. With roads winding along stunning cliffs, sandy beaches and wonderful seaside towns, it is no wonder that this is one of Australia’s top destinations. And one of the best “wow” moments of this trip is when you round a corner to find columns of limestone towering out of the sea. These are the Twelve Apostles seas stacks. With this twelve apostles guide we’ll help you make the most of your time exploring this beautiful part of Victoria, Australia.
The Twelve Apostles are one of the most photogenic places in Australia. And somehow these beautiful photos don’t do justice to the shear impressiveness of these geologic wonders. It’s no wonder so many people visit this section of Australia. So what are the twelve apostles?
At one point these sea stacks were attached to the limestone cliffs that make up Australia’s southern coast. However, after years of erosion by the ocean, the cliffs faded and offshore sea stacks were born. For tourism reasons, all of these sea stacks were grouped together and coined The Twelve Apostles. Located in Port Campbell National Park and Twelve Apostles Marine National Park, these sea stacks are still being beaten by the ocean. Today, you’ll only be able to spot eight remaining apostles as the sea has reclaimed four. The Southern Ocean continues to chip away at the remaining apostles. So continue reading our twelve apostles guide so you can start planning your trip before this wonder of Australia is lost forever.
Top Things to Do at the Twelve Apostles
Visitor’s Centre
The Visitor’s Centre is right next to the main car park. Here you can learn about the history and geology of the Twelve Apostles. Once you read up on this natural site, you can follow the accessible path to the edge of the cliffs. The viewing platforms here give you the best views of the Twelve Apostles. Here you’ll see the most iconic panoramic views of the ocean’s awesome power. So stop to enjoy the views.
Know that this area is almost always filled with visitors. People are pretty respectful about taking turns at the best viewing spots. However, be aware that you may have to get creative to get the exact shots you want.
Gibson Steps
Visit the Gibson steps at low tide so that you can walk along the base of the cliffs and spot the sea stacks from below. The steps here are steep and can get wet so be cautious on your walk down. This beach is beautiful but is for viewing only. The waves here are dangerous and are known to snatch people from the shore. So keep an eye on the waves while you’re taking all of your photos and don’t attempt to take a dip.
Depending on time of day, parking for the Gibson steps can be crowded. So if you’re fit and don’t mind walking, it’s only a 2 km from the Visitor’s Centre along the Great Ocean Walk. We’d recommend just parking at the Visitor’s Centre and walking to avoid the stress of finding a parking spot.
Loch Ard Gorge
The Loch Ard Gorge area is part of Port Campbell National Park and is just a bit further down the road. This was one of our favorite stops because it had several very different viewing areas. From here, you can walk along the beautiful sandy beach in Loch Ard Gorge. This beach is nestled in a cove and provides a very relaxing spot for a picnic. You can swim here but be cautious as currents are strong.
From the Loch Ard Gorge parking area, you can also spot the Razorback formation and, our favorite, Thunder Cave. From the main parking area there are around 8 km of walking trails to the different sights. These trails are fun to walk and explore. There are also several smaller parking areas throughout this section of the national park that can help you to get closer to main attractions so you don’t have to walk too many trails.
London Bridge
London Bridge did in fact fall down in Australia. And now this area is known as London Arch. This easily accessible viewing platform gives you a view of the island arch that was once connected to the mainland via another arch. However, this interior arch collapsed in 1990 making this bridge an arch.
The Arch and the Grotto
Take the short walk from the car park to the viewing platform to see this small arch just off the coast. A bit further along the Great Ocean Road, you’ll find the parking area for the Grotto. Another quick hike to the coast and down to the sea and you’ll get views of this cave-like formation.
Walk the Great Ocean Walk
Walk the Great Ocean Walk to explore the Twelve Apostles at a slow pace. This walk often goes along the beach and allows you to spot some fun bird and animal life as well. You can explore the whole walk, just the 16 km Twelve Apostles section, or just a short section between viewing areas. Whatever you choose to do, we recommend stretching your legs on this beautifully maintained trail.
See the Twelve Apostles from the Heavens
Something we didn’t do that came highly recommended was seeing the Twelve Apostles from the air. Our own Twelve Apostles guide (aka our Bed and Breakfast host), highly recommended that we take a helicopter flight to view the cliffs. We didn’t do this, but after seeing them from the shore, I wish we had taken extra time to see them from the air.
Helicopter tours leave from the Twelve Apostles Visitor’s Centre and Apollo Bay. These flights cost from $145-600+ AUD, depending on the length of the flight.
Go Underwater at the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park
If you want another view of this coast, explore it underwater. There are a few tour operators out of Port Campbell that will allow you to scuba or snorkel the coast line, including several famous shipwrecks. However, as the ocean can be unpredictable here, make sure to hire your own twelve apostles guide before exploring the waters here.
When to Visit
The Twelve Apostles are one of the most popular attractions along the Great Ocean Road. So no matter when you visit, you’ll experience crowds. Summers (December-February) and holidays will be busiest. Also, with tour buses arriving from Melbourne, midday will be the busiest time with lots of people also congregating around sunrise and sunset.
All that being said, the park is pretty spread out. So with the exception of some of the main viewpoints and the visitor’s centre, you should be able to explore the coast without having too many views interrupted.
Getting There and Around
The Twelve Apostles are only 3.5-4.5 hours from Melbourne by car. Of course, if you take the longer scenic route, you’ll probably need more time to explore everything. We recommend taking two days to explore the Great Ocean Road. However, as this is just a short drive from Melbourne, you can easily drive there in a day and complete this Twelve Apostles guide to have a fabulous day trip.
There are also several day trip companies that operate out of Melbourne. These are great if you would like a convenient experience and maybe are a little nervous about driving on the wrong side of the road (don’t be!). However, these trips do tend to be a bit more rushed. Prices for day trips range from $100-200 AUD.
Whatever mode of transportation you choose, you’ll need a vehicle to get around. If you’re going to drive yourself, there are plenty of free parking areas at all of the viewing areas. If you’re going to be renting a car, make sure to research what the requirements are for rentals if you’re visiting from a different country.
For the ambitious, there is a bike and walking trail that winds its way along the Great Ocean Road. Viewing the Twelve Apostles by foot or bike will require a significant amount of time dedicated to walking or biking and will take away from your time vista-ing.
Where to Stay
Port Campbell is the closest town and you’ll find plenty of places to stay and places to eat in town. However, don’t plan on being out too late at night; many places close around sundown. If you’re planning on driving the Great Ocean Road, we recommend staying in Port Campbell if you’re following our two day itinerary.
What to Budget
I just love Australian parks. Parking and Admission into Port Campbell National Park are free. ~ Australia, you should really charge us tourists for these cool things. ~ However, while Australia is being kind, enjoy this beautiful destination on the cheap. You need not pay for anything other than transportation, food and accommodations (if you choose to stay overnight).
We ate in Port Campbell and found the prices reasonable at $20 USD/meal for a mid-range lunch. If you choose to stay overnight, accommodations average around $150 AUD/night.
Whether you’re exploring the Twelve Apostles as part of your epic Great Ocean road trip or as a single day trip, we think it is an amazing destinations and one of our favorite spots in Australia. We hope that this Twelve Apostles guide has helped you to plan your trip to this amazing natural geologic area. For further things to explore in Australia, read our Australian blog posts here.
I did the GOR on a spontaenoueous decision and I wished I had factored in more time rather than three days. Especially the final stage with the 12 Apostels and the other formations it was quite the impression heavy day. Cape Otway was beautiful and if I (and I will) do the GOR again, I would stretch it to 5-6 days and also do the Grampians on the way back to Melbourne.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
We did it in three days too. It was our first Australia visit and we were cramming everything in but I think 4 days would have been perfect for us. We also did tons of planning so that definitely helped. One thing we didn’t think of was how slow we would be driving because of the twisty road 😉
This looks amazing! I would love to visit here in the future, great post with lots of details!
Thanks! Definitely worth adding to the bucket list 😉