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The Victorian government is preparing to introduce a “tourist tax” on the iconic Twelve Apostles, a landmark that sees around 2 million visitors annually, in an effort to ensure its preservation.
Currently, only seven of the original twelve limestone formations remain standing.
Both Australian and international tourists will soon be required to pay an entry fee to access the new Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre, a $126 million project set to launch by the end of the year.
“It’s only reasonable that visitors contribute a small fee to experience this world-class attraction, allowing us to preserve it for future generations,” stated Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos.
“We are committed to investing in the future of the Great Ocean Road region, ensuring that every dollar spent here remains in the area,” he added.
There will also be a new visitor booking system to manage numbers and parking during peak periods.
The price of entry hasn’t been confirmed yet, and will be decided in consultation with local councils, businesses, and traditional owners.
But Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism chairman Andrew Jeffers acknowledged “no one likes being charged for something that was free in the past”.
“This is a fee for the visitor centre that’s being proposed,” he said.
“It doesn’t limit their access to other parts of the Great Ocean Road. There’s no fee being proposed for that.”
Revenue will be collected by the Great Ocean Road Parks and Coastal Authority.
It will fund beach access and visitor facility upgrades in the area, as well as the maintenance of historic landmarks.
Jeffers said some of the money will also go towards upkeep on the recently constructed visitor centre.
A select number of Australians will be exempt from the fee.
Local residents and members of the Eastern Maar community, who are the traditional owners in south-western Victoria, will not be charged.
This isn’t the first natural landmark in Australia to impose a “tourist tax”.
Entry fees also apply at major tourist locations like Kosciuszko National Park in NSW and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the Northern Territory.
Park fees at Kosciuszko National Park start from $29 per vehicle per day in the winter peak, and $17 per vehicle per day during the rest of the year.
A three-day park pass for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is $38.
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