Tourist taxing the Twelve Apostles
The iconic Victorian natural wonder will soon have an entry fee to visit it.
Between the gusts of fresh crisp air, the salty bite of the sea mist and swirls of foam that collect onshore stand the Twelve Apostles.
This natural landscape heralds millions of visitors from all over the world, and an upcoming change for these Australian and international tourists is the introduction of an entry fee to visit the new Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre.
Worth $126 million, the centre is set to open its doors by the end of 2026.
During university breaks, students often consider budget friendly holiday activities.
However, with this ticket tax coming into place, it may put the Twelve Apostles lower on those bucket lists due to the economic barrier.
Monash Bachelor of Arts and Science student, Selin Duran, said she doesn’t think the tourist tax is a fair situation to be put in when these natural landscapes are already there for people to enjoy.
“All natural and tourist areas should be free. It’s part of our Australian culture,” she said.
Monash Bachelor of Business and Media Communications student Chris Hall was unaware of the tourist tax and questioned how much the ticketing would be.
“I don’t think it’s inherently bad to charge people to go to some of these popular natural places,” he said.
For places as popular as the Twelve Apostles, Hall questioned how the money from the tourist tax will be spent.
“Is that money going to be spent on conservation? I think that’s probably a good thing.”
Clearing doubt on the tourist tax
Victorian Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos has announced this tourist fee will go towards conservation of the environment and the surrounding area.
The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority also stated the fee would help manage visitation and overcrowding, with each ticket securing a parking space at a specific time and scheduling arrivals to ease peak hours.
The fee does not apply to the Eastern Maar peoples and locals of the area, and the tourist fee-system has been compared by Dimopoulos to the tourist charges at other popular attractions such as Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Kakadu and Kosciuszko national parks.
The entry cost will be decided collectively amongst residents, local government, stakeholders and tourism managers.
The Apostles continue to stand in the loud and rioting Southern Ocean. Where once there were nine, now only seven remain in their weathered magnificence.
They used to be part of mainland Australia, and are physical monuments to the great age of this country.
For those who have the Twelve Apostles on their free-to-go bucket list, now might be the time to see them!
