Tourists visiting the Twelve Apostles to pay an entry fee from later this year

Tourists visiting the Twelve Apostles will soon need to pay an entry fee, as the popular tourist destination is set to open a new $126 million visitor centre later this year.

The decision follows recommendations from Corangamite Shire Council and the Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism Board, who said a user-pays system would help manage visitors and protect the coastal environment.

Visitor numbers are expected to rise from 2.8 million in 2019 to around four million by 2026.

The fee for tourists has not yet been set, and the state government will begin consulting stakeholders from today.

“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,” said Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos.

Local residents and members of the Eastern Maar Indigenous community will be exempt from charges for visiting the new centre, which has been funded by state and federal governments.

Board chairman Andrew Jeffers added that the fee could also encourage tourists to stay longer in the region, rather than just making day trips from Melbourne, boosting the local economy.

Corangamite Shire chief executive David Rae said introducing a charge would make maintaining the site financially sustainable: “Individuals benefiting from that experience should pay for it.”

Even with natural erosion reducing the limestone stacks to seven, the Twelve Apostles remains one of Australia’s most popular tourist attractions, but like many of Australia's most popular destinations it is under increasing pressure.

In January, Lincoln Rock in the Blue Mountains, one of the region's most popular viewpoints, was forced to close following an influx of visitors, with proposals to limit numbers being considered currently.