This Just In: An Iconic Victorian Landmark Will Soon Be Locked Behind an Entry Fee
The Twelve Apostles will soon start charging visitors to support a new multi-million visitor centre.
Visitors along Victoria's legendary Great Ocean Road who are planning to swing by the famous Great Apostles will soon have to have a card or cash ready — the legendary coastal landmark is enacting an entry tax for visitors in a controversial new decision from the Victorian government announced on Monday.
Attached to the upcoming Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre, a construction project costing $128 million that's set to open up at the end of the year, the new entry fee is intended to go towards the centre's upkeep, as well as funding ongoing upkeep and restorations to beaches and other landmarks in the Great Ocean Road region.
Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos explained that "We're investing in the future of the Great Ocean Road region and making sure every single cent spent in the region stays there," adding that "It's only fair that visitors to the region pay a small fee to visit this world-class destination so that we can maintain it for future generations."
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The exact cost of the new fee is yet to be determined, but will be decided in consultation with local councils, traditional owners and businesses throughout southwest Victoria. Locals and members of the Eastern Maar community will not be charged. To help mitigate the flow of visitors (according to the ABC, on average, two million of the Great Ocean Road's typical six million tourists visit the Twelve Apostles), a new booking system will also be enacted to guarantee parking at peak times.
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Chair, Andrew Jeffers, said "Managing visitation at the Twelve Apostles will help protect the landscape, support local communities, reduce congestion and ensure visitors have a much better experience when they come to see one of Australia's most iconic natural attractions," adding that many natural landmarks around Australia and the world now charge entry fees.
Expectedly, many are unhappy about the change. When The Guardian shared the news, one commenter wrote "I don't mind a fee for visitors, like most National Parks in the USA and Canada charge, but I think Victorian residents should be exempt," while one user in 9 News Melbourne's comments section added pointedly "I'm only paying if I can see all 12 of them."
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