MELBOURNE: The Victorian government will introduce a booking system and an entry fee for tourists visiting the Twelve Apostles precinct on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road when a new visitor centre opens in late 2026, shifting the site to a paid model for the first time. The government said the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority will operate the new Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre and oversee the booking and fee arrangements as part of broader management of the coast and parks along the route.
Revenue from the fee will be used to cover the costs of operating and maintaining the visitor precinct and to provide an ongoing funding source for reinvestment along the Great Ocean Road coastline, the authority said. It said reinvestment would support visitor infrastructure and environmental conservation across the coast and parks, including upgrades to beach access and facilities, repairs to historic landmarks, and coastal protection and conservation works tied to community use of public land.
The booking and fee model is linked to a wider redevelopment of the Twelve Apostles precinct, a project described by state agencies as a A$126 million investment funded through the Geelong City Deal. Project information released by the authority describes the visitor centre as a gateway facility with interpretive experiences, outdoor spaces and rooftop areas, alongside retail and food and beverage offerings to support visitors. The authority has previously cited an estimate of about 2.2 million guests visiting the site each year.
Booking system details
Under the model, visitors would be required to book a time to visit the Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre, with the authority saying timed bookings are designed to manage peak demand and reduce congestion. The authority said a booked visit would provide a parking spot for a specified time and support a safer, more orderly experience on viewing platforms, walkways and access roads. It said the approach is intended to balance access with protection of a nationally significant coastal environment at one of the Great Ocean Road’s busiest stops.
The authority said detailed ticket prices and booking rules have not been set and will be shaped through targeted stakeholder engagement before the centre opens. It said consultation would include the tourism sector, local government, tour operators and local communities, and that fees would be set at levels consistent with other nature based attractions that charge entry. It also said the definition of who qualifies as a local, including any local access arrangements, will be determined through that process, while Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos has said local residents and Eastern Maar community members would not be charged.
What changes and what does not
The authority said the new arrangements apply only to the visitor centre at the Twelve Apostles and do not change public access at other nearby locations, including Gibson Steps and Loch Ard Gorge. Visitors will still be able to travel the National Heritage listed Great Ocean Road, a 243 kilometre coastal route, and access other public lookouts and beaches along the Shipwreck Coast under existing settings. The Twelve Apostles, a group of limestone sea stacks off the Port Campbell National Park coastline, remains the anchor attraction for many visitors to the region.
Political and community reactions emerged soon after the announcement, with state opposition leader Jess Wilson criticising the plan and saying the landmark should remain free to see. Local representatives have also raised questions about how revenue will be allocated between built infrastructure and broader park needs, alongside concerns about how the system will operate during peak periods. The government and the coast and parks authority have said all revenue from the model will be reinvested into the Great Ocean Road’s coast and parks, with pricing and booking details to be finalised through engagement ahead of the late 2026 opening. – By Content Syndication Services.