The Twelve Apostles is a collection of
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
stacks off the shore of
Port Campbell National Park
The Port Campbell National Park is a national park in the south-western district of Victoria, Australia. The national park is situated approximately south-west of Melbourne and approximately east of Warrnambool. The park is located adjacen ...
, by the
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Allansford. Built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932 and dedicated t ...
in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
,
Australia.
Their proximity to one another has made the site a popular
tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement.
Types
Places of natural ...
. Seven of the original eight stacks remain standing at the Twelve Apostles viewpoint, after one collapsed in July 2005.
Though the view from the
promontory by the Twelve Apostles never included twelve stacks, additional stacks—not considered part of the Apostles group—are located to the west within the national park.
Formation and history
The limestone unit that forms The Twelve Apostles is referred to as the
Port Campbell Limestone, which was deposited in the Mid-Late
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
, around 15 to 5 million years ago.
The Twelve Apostles were formed by
erosion
Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is dis ...
. The harsh and extreme weather conditions from the
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...
gradually erode the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then become arches that eventually collapse, leaving rock stacks up to high. The stacks are susceptible to further erosion from
waves
Waves most often refers to:
*Waves, oscillations accompanied by a transfer of energy that travel through space or mass.
*Wind waves, surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water.
Waves may also refer to:
Music
*Waves (band) ...
. In July 2005, a stack collapsed, leaving seven standing at the Twelve Apostles viewpoint.
Due to wave action eroding the cliffs, existing headlands are expected to become new limestone stacks in the future.
The stacks were originally known as the Pinnacles, and the Sow and Pigs (or Sow and Piglets, with Muttonbird Island being the Sow and the smaller rock stacks being the Piglets), as well as the Twelve Apostles.
The formation's name was made official as the Twelve Apostles, despite only ever having had eight stacks.
In 2002, the Port Campbell Professional Fishermens Association attempted to block the creation of the
Twelve Apostles Marine National Park at the Twelve Apostles site. The association approved of a later decision by the Victorian government to prohibit
seismic exploration
Reflection seismology (or seismic reflection) is a method of exploration geophysics that uses the principles of seismology to estimate the properties of the Earth's subsurface from reflected seismic waves. The method requires a controlled seismi ...
at the site by Benaris Energy, believing such exploration would harm marine life.
See also
*
Gibson Steps
The Gibson Steps are an area of cliffs on the south coast of Australia, located at . The cliffs are the first sightseeing stopoff in Port Campbell National Park for travellers heading West along the Great Ocean Road, located about 2 minutes dri ...
*
London Arch
London Arch (formerly London Bridge) is an offshore natural arch in the Port Campbell National Park, Australia. The arch is a significant tourist attraction along the Great Ocean Road near Port Campbell in Victoria. This stack was formed by a ...
(formerly London Bridge)
*
Loch Ard Gorge
The Loch Ard Gorge is part of Port Campbell National Park, Victoria, Australia, about three minutes' drive west of The Twelve Apostles.
History
The gorge is named after the clipper that was shipwrecked on 1 June 1878 near the end of a three ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Twelve Apostles, The
Stacks of Australia
Landmarks in Australia
Rock formations of Victoria (Australia)
Tourist attractions in Victoria (Australia)
Cliffs of Australia
Great Ocean Road