Gumbo’s Pic of the Day, October 6, 2014: The Twelve Apostles – Victoria, Australia

The famous Twelve Apostles is Australia’s second most popular tourist attraction; the first being the Sydney Opera House. It is one of my favourite places in the world which always has me in awe and with a feeling of being at one with nature whenever I visit.

The Twelve Apostles is a collection of limestone stacks off Port Campbell National Park which is along the Great Ocean Road in the Australian state of Victoria. They were formed by erosion when constant extreme weather conditions from the Southern Ocean gradually eroded the soft limestone to form caves then cliffs which then became arches that eventually collapsed over time with the harsh weather conditions. What was left was a set of rock stacks. These stacks eventually became known as “apostles” and are up to 45m in height. The stacks are still famously called the  “Twelve Apostles” despite there only being eight left today.

It is a picturesque drive along the Great Ocean Road, passing numerous beautiful beaches and quaint towns on the way to the Port Campbell National Park and the Twelve Apostles. It remains an absolutely breathtaking area with views of nothing but ocean to take in and the perfect spot to admire sunset’s true beauty. Harsh weather conditions continue to erode the stacks even today making people wonder which of the eight will be the next one to go.

12 Apostles1

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10 years ago

Great picture MAD TD. I have visited this place on many occasions and never tire of it (being raised a VICTORIAN I’m a tad biased, of course). It’s such a magical place and a joy to photograph. I remember when the “apostle” in the foreground of the first picture collapsed not so long ago. One person that was there said “one second it was there and the next it was gone”. The power of nature!

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10 years ago

MAD, that’s one of the most stunning pictures I’ve seen, and one of the best, I think, we’ve had as a Gumbo Picture of the Day. The subject itself, and the shading of light and surface, remind me of the Impressionists’ paintings along the Normandy coast. Thanks for sharing!

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