View source for The Twelve Apostles (Victoria)

{{Short description|Limestone stacks in Australia}}
{{Distinguish|Apostles in the New Testament|Twelve Apostles (mountains)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox islands
| name             = The Twelve Apostles 
| image_name       = The Twelve Apostles 2011.jpg
| image_caption    = 
| map              = Australia Victoria Corangamite Shire
| map_alt          = 
| map_width        = 
| map_caption      = Location within [[Shire of Corangamite]] and, inset, Victoria
| map_relief       = 
| label            = 
| label_position   = left
| location         = Near [[Port Campbell|Port Campbell, Victoria]]
| coordinates      = {{coord|38|39|57|S|143|06|16|E|region:AU}}
| country          = Australia
| country_admin_divisions_title   = State
| country_admin_divisions         = [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = [[Local government in Victoria|LGA]]
| country_admin_divisions_1       = [[Shire of Corangamite]]
}}
'''The Twelve Apostles''' are a collection of [[limestone]] [[stack (geology)|stacks]] off the shore of [[Port Campbell National Park]], by the [[Great Ocean Road]] in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]].

<!-- note: "On 25 September 2009, it was thought that another of the stacks had fallen, but this was actually one of the smaller stacks of the ''Three Sisters'' formation." - https://web.archive.org/web/20091001164816/http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/sister-not-apostle-crumbles-into-sea-20090928-g87j.html "Sister, not apostle, crumbles into sea" -->
Their proximity to one another has made the site a popular [[tourist attraction]]. Despite their name, it is possible that there were never 12 rock stacks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Twelve Apostles |url=https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/port-campbell-national-park/things-to-do/twelve-apostles |website=Parks Victoria |publisher=Victorian Government |access-date=28 January 2025}}</ref> Seven of the original nine stacks remain standing. Six of them are visible from the most popular viewpoint, while the seventh is located several metres away from the corner of the main viewing platform.

==Name==
The stacks were originally known as the Pinnacles; the Sow and Pigs (or Sow and Piglets, with Muttonbird Island being the Sow and the smaller rock stacks being the Piglets); and the Twelve Apostles.<ref name="ParksVic">{{cite web |title=Twelve Apostles |url=https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/port-campbell-national-park/things-to-do/twelve-apostles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822005845/https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/port-campbell-national-park/things-to-do/twelve-apostles |archive-date=22 August 2014 |access-date=10 March 2019 |website=parkweb.vic.gov.au |publisher=Parks Victoria Information Centre}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197306730/21475286
|title=A picturesque resort
|page=36
|date=1 January 1898
|author=Biunv
|newspaper=[[Leader Community Newspapers|The Leader]]
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108072747/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197306730/21475286
|archive-date=8 November 2016
|url-status=live
|access-date=8 November 2016
}}</ref> The formation's name was made official as the Twelve Apostles, after the [[Apostles in the New Testament|Apostles of Jesus]], to attract more tourists,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twelve Apostles {{!}} Rock Formation, Australia, Description, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Twelve-Apostles-rock-formation-Victoria |access-date=29 March 2024 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> despite only ever having had nine stacks.<ref name="ParksVic"/>

==Formation and history==
<!-- see note in lead section about mistaken news item from 2009 -->
The limestone unit that forms The Twelve Apostles is referred to as the [[Port Campbell Limestone]], which was deposited in the Mid-Late [[Miocene]], around 15 to 5 million years ago.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Tassone|first=David R.|last2=Holford|first2=Simon P.|last3=Hillis|first3=Richard R.|last4=Tuitt|first4=Adrian K.|date=2012|title=Quantifying Neogene plate-boundary controlled uplift and deformation of the southern Australian margin|url=http://sp.lyellcollection.org/lookup/doi/10.1144/SP367.7|journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications|language=en|volume=367|issue=1|pages=91–110|doi=10.1144/SP367.7|issn=0305-8719|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The Twelve Apostles were formed by [[Coastal erosion#Wave action|erosion]]. The harsh and [[extreme weather]] conditions from the [[Southern Ocean]] gradually eroded the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then become arches that eventually collapse, leaving rock stacks up to {{cvt|50|m}} high. The stacks are susceptible to further erosion from [[Wind wave|waves]].

=== Modern history ===
In July 2005, a {{convert|50|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} stack collapsed, leaving eight standing. Another collapsed in 2009, leaving seven remaining stacks. Due to wave action eroding the cliffs, existing headlands are expected to become new limestone stacks in the future.<ref>Porter, Geoff (2006). ''Little Bites of Australia.'' Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Pu. p. 203.</ref>

In 2002, the Port Campbell Professional Fishermen's Association attempted to block the creation of the [[Twelve Apostles Marine National Park]] at the Twelve Apostles site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200204/s531471.htm |title=Port Campbell bid to block marine national park |access-date=17 June 2010 |date=15 April 2002 |website=abc.net.au |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518062604/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200204/s531471.htm |archive-date=18 May 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The association approved of a later decision by the Victorian government to prohibit [[Reflection seismology|seismic exploration]] at the site by Benaris Energy,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200310/s969092.htm|title=Fishermen welcome decision against national park seismic exploration |access-date=17 June 2010 |date=17 October 2003 |website=abc.net.au |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629004823/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200310/s969092.htm |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> believing such exploration would harm marine life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200310/s971651.htm |title=Otway Basin seismic survey work set to start |access-date=17 June 2010 |date=21 October 2003 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |website=abc.net.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629004907/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200310/s971651.htm |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In March 2023, the [[Federal Court of Australia]] ruled in favour (under the [[Native Title Act 1993|Native Title Act of 1993]]) of formally recognising the Eastern Maar people as [[traditional owners]] of 8,578 km<sup>2</sup> of land located in south-west Victoria, including the Twelve Apostles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Austin on behalf of the Eastern Maar People v State of Victoria [2023] FCA 237 |url=https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2023/2023fca0237 |access-date=29 March 2023 |website=www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Twelve Apostles are back in Aboriginal hands after Vic's first native title determination in 10 years |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/the-first-victorian-native-title-in-10-years-has-put-the-twelve-apostles-back-in-blak-hands/fq9ghuo8p |access-date=29 March 2023 |website=NITV |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Latimore |first=Jack |date=28 March 2023 |title='Arduous road' leads to native title ruling that returns Victorian land to traditional owners |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/first-native-title-ruling-in-decade-returns-victorian-land-to-traditional-owners-20230322-p5cucc.html |access-date=29 March 2023 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=28 March 2023 |title=Emotions run high as traditional owners secure land rights after more than a decade of petitioning |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-28/eastern-maar-native-title-formal-determination-warrnambool/102153426 |access-date=29 March 2023}}</ref>

{{multiple image
| align     = center
| direction = horizontal
| total_width       = 400
| image1    = Apostles 3 GOR.JPG
| caption1  = 2003 before the collapse
| image2    = Twelve Apostles, East view 20230218 2.jpg
| alt2      = A pair of images showing the difference before and after the 2005 collapse
| caption2  = 2023 after the collapse
}}

== See also ==
* [[Gibson Steps]]
* [[London Bridge (Victoria)|London Bridge]]
* [[Loch Ard Gorge]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Twelve apostles (geography)|The Twelve Apostles (Victoria)}}
* {{Official website|http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/port-campbell-national-park/things-to-do/twelve-apostles}}

{{Great Ocean Road}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Twelve Apostles, The}}
[[Category:Stacks of Australia]]
[[Category:Landmarks in Australia]]
[[Category:Rock formations of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Cliffs of Australia]]
[[Category:Great Ocean Road]]