A stunning new lookout is set for the Twelve Apostles thanks to a $9.2 million upgrade
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15.09.2021

A stunning new lookout is set for the Twelve Apostles thanks to a $9.2 million upgrade

A new lookout will deliver a new way to indulge in the picturesque limestone stack formations.

Hailed one of the bucket list places to visit in the region and sprawling out for 243km around Victoria, the Great Ocean Road is one of nature’s most marvellous creations and a place you have to set out to visit at least once in your life, and included in that is the famed Twelve Apostles.

Attracting over 1.2 million visitors annually, the seven remaining rock formations (there was an eighth, but it succumbed to erosion in 2005) are a must-see sight along the Great Ocean Road and are best viewed at dawn or dusk when the coastline is bathed in pastel light.

While already incredibly popular, and stunning of course, visitors to the Twelve Apostles will soon enjoy a stunning new experience of the coastal landscape thanks to a new lookout funded by the Victorian Government.

The key takeaways

  • Visitors to the Twelve Apostles will soon enjoy a stunning new experience of the coastal landscape thanks to a new lookout funded by the Victorian Government.
  • A $9.2 million upgrade to the lookout intends to cater for increased visitor numbers
  • Parks Victoria partnered with Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation on the design, which was also discussed during community consultation in 2018.

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Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced a $9.2 million upgrade to the lookout to cater for increased visitor numbers as tourism flourishes in regional Victoria.

The new lookout will provide a safer and more accessible experience for visitors – supporting the regional economy and helping to future-proof the iconic destination. Perched on the clifftop, the lookout will consist of two tilted, rectilinear blocks, one of which lies on the ground with the slope of the land while the other tilts in the opposite direction and cantilevers over the cliff edge.

This new lookout will provide an unforgettable visitor experience by unveiling a spectacular view of the iconic Twelve Apostles. The view is hidden when visitors enter and, as they continue through the lookout, the unrivalled views of the coastline are revealed.

The new lookout is situated on Kirrae Wurrung Country. The two “clapsticks” of the structure are the colours of Ngayook (Sulphur Crested Cockatoo) and Ponponpoorramook (Red Tailed Black Cockatoo), which are primary totemic species to the Eastern Maar peoples, the sites’ Traditional Owners with Indigenous history in the area dating back roughly 80,000 years.

Parks Victoria partnered with Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation on the design, which was also discussed during community consultation in 2018.

“This exciting project on Kirrae Wurrung Country will improve visitor experiences and support new opportunities for jobs and the local economy,” says D’Ambrosio.

“This is a special natural and cultural landscape and one which this Government is protecting and improving for future generations.”

Local artist Vicki Couzens’ new design for the Twelve Apostles’ Saddle Lookout was revealed in 2018.

The project will be the second delivered as part of the Government’s $16.5 million investment in stage one of the Shipwreck Coast Master Plan. The first, a new pedestrian suspension bridge connecting the Port Campbell National Park with Port Campbell, was completed last year.

Stage one projects are expected to support approximately 120 ongoing jobs, add $12 million to the regional economy and increase the annual visitor spend by $14 million.

It’s believed that improved visitor infrastructure such as elevated walkways and viewing platforms will protect the integrity and environmental values of the coastline well into the future, while improved information will enable visitors to fully appreciate the compelling story of the natural environment, the region’s traditional owners and European settlement.

Across the state, the Government’s Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan is investing $633 million over four years to strengthen Victoria’s tourism offering by developing new experiences, products and infrastructure.

Find out more here