Twelve Apostles Marine National Park, Marine national park on the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia

Twelve Apostles Marine National Park is a marine reserve on the Great Ocean Road along Victoria's southern coast. The area spans several thousand hectares of ocean and displays towering limestone columns rising from the Southern Ocean, shaped by constant wave action and weathering over time.

The marine reserve was established in 2002 to protect sensitive coastal ecosystems from human impact. This decision came as awareness grew about safeguarding Victoria's southern ocean environment from commercial and recreational activities.

The coast was the country of Aboriginal groups: the Kirrae Whurrong lived west of the Gellibrand River and the Gadubanud east of it. The park's name comes from the Twelve Apostles rock stacks offshore, among Australia's most photographed formations.

The main access point is Port Campbell, where visitors find viewing platforms positioned along the coastline. The paths can be uneven and exposed to weather, so sturdy shoes and protective clothing help make the visit more comfortable.

The park protects the wreck of the clipper Loch Ard, which struck Mutton Bird Island in 1878. Underwater it also shelters kelp forests, sponges and the greatest diversity of invertebrates on limestone reefs in Victoria. Southern right whales can be seen from the shore between June and October.