Go at midday, not sunset, with kids.
We tested the 12 Apostles at 12.30pm in June 2026 with a 5 and 7 year old. The kids had a better time than most sunset visitors.
There was no queue, no pushing for railing space, no waiting. The colours were still magnificent.
Parking is free. You will spend about 1 hour. There is a visitor centre with toilets at the car park.
Is the 12 Apostles worth visiting with kids
Yes. The kids remember it. Our Loti, who was 7, said the limestone stacks looked like giant chocolate chip cookies standing up.
She asked why there were not 12 cookies. She counted 7.
She did not believe the name.
Mei Mei, who was 5, pressed her face against the car window when we pulled into the car park.
She did not want to get out. The wind was strong. The waves were loud.
That moment of Loti asking about the cookies and Mei Mei pressing her face against the glass, that is what you remember.
Why there are not 12 (the kid question we had to answer)
The name is a lie. Or more precisely, a marketing invention from the early 20th century.
The limestone stacks were first called the Sow and the Pigs by George Bass in 1798. Early charts by Superintendent C.J. La Trobe in 1846 listed them under that same name.
When the area was opened up to tourism in the 20th century, the stacks were renamed the Twelve Apostles to attract visitors, despite there only ever being 9 stacks at the time of renaming.
Two stacks have collapsed since:
– July 2005: a 50 metre stack fell, leaving 8
– 2009: another fell, leaving 7 standing today
So when Loti counted 7, she was right. There are 7.
Not 12.
If you stand at the main viewing platform on a clear day, you can see 6 of the 7 stacks clearly.
The seventh is just around the corner of the boardwalk.
From Gibson Steps Beach, you can also see Gog and Magog, two more stacks that may or may not have been part of the original 12.
The honest answer to “why are there not 12?” is: there never were 12.
The name is a 20th century marketing choice. The erosion that formed them continues.
In another few thousand years there will be even fewer. The cliff face that exists today will eventually become new stacks.
The stacks that exist today will eventually become the next “Drowned Apostles” (5 stacks about 6km from the main site that are already submerged under water from the same erosion).
What we actually saw at 12.30pm in winter
We were there in June 2026, mid-winter in Australia. Temperature was about 8 to 10°C with wind chill making it feel colder.
The sun was overhead and slightly behind the cliffs.
The crowd: Almost empty at 12.30pm. We had the boardwalk to ourselves.
Maybe 5 other families. No pushing for railing space.
No waiting for someone to finish their selfie.
The wind: Strong. Cold.
The same wind that comes off the Southern Ocean all year. This is why the cliffs erode. This is why you wear a beanie in summer. This is why parents ask about the wind.
The noise: Just waves and wind. No crowd noise. Mei Mei held my hand the whole time because the wind scared her a bit. That is normal for a 5 year old.
Bring layers. Beanie. Neck warmer. The full winter kit.
Why midday wins for kids
| Time | Colours | Crowd | Kid patience | Sunset factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrise | Cool tones | Empty | Best nap-time slot | Not visible |
| Midday (12 to 2pm) | Grey-blue | Almost empty | Kids are well-rested, alert | Not visible |
| Golden hour (1 hour before sunset) | Golden orange (the famous colour) | Heavily crowded | Kids are tired, pushing for railing | The famous shot |
| Sunset | Orange, fades to pink | Maximum crowd | Kids are asleep or melting down | Visible but 5 minutes of real colour |
The trade-off is the colour. The famous golden orange Twelve Apostles photos you see in marketing are all from the 1 hour before sunset. You will not get that at midday. We did not get that. We got grey-blue. Still impressive. Still worth the trip.
But for a family with kids, midday wins because:
But for a family with kids, midday wins for the boring reasons:
The crowd is maybe 10% of the sunset crowd. You can stand at any railing spot. You can take photos without strangers in the background. You can hear your own kid ask questions instead of fighting the noise. That was the part I underestimated.
Kids are well-rested at midday. After lunch, after the car ride, they have energy. Sunset is when kids have been in the car all day, have fought through the visitor centre, and have just discovered that the ice cream shop is closed. Not a good time.
Parking is right there at midday. At sunset you may queue 20 minutes for a spot. With kids in the car. After a 1 hour drive. In winter dark. Sian.
The other reason: midday lets you stack the stops. You can do Loch Ard Gorge after, or London Bridge, or The Grotto. At sunset you get one spot, then drive back in the dark. At midday, you can do 3 sites in the same afternoon.
The honest take: if you have only 1 visit with kids, midday. If you have a date-night or a babysitter and want THE golden hour photo, sunset. If you have 2 days, do both. The stacks change colour slowly through the afternoon.
Best time of year
| Season | Weather | Crowd | Family take |
|---|---|---|---|
| June to August (winter) | Cold (5 to 15°C), windy | Lowest crowds, lowest prices | The move for Singaporeans if you can handle the cold. |
| Sep to Nov (spring) | Mild (15 to 22°C), variable | Medium | Sweet spot for weather without peak crowds. |
| Dec to Feb (summer) | Warm (20 to 35°C), school holidays | Maximum crowds, highest prices | Avoid if you can. |
| Mar to May (autumn) | Cool (10 to 20°C), settled | Lower than summer | The secret weapon season. |
For Singaporeans, June is the window. Because school holidays mah.
You will hit the cold. Bring a beanie, a neck warmer, 3 layers, gloves. The kids will not feel the cold if they are dressed for skiing.
You will feel it in the hands holding the camera. Bring hand warmers or accept the cold hands. The trade-off: you avoid the Australian school holiday rush, the peak summer pricing, and the parking chaos.
We dressed Mei Mei and Loti in 3 layers each + a beanie + a neck warmer. Both were fine the full hour. Mama was cold. Papa was cold. The kids were warm. Same as dressing the kids for Snow City in Singapore.
If the kid is comfortable, the parents are not. That is the trade.
How to plan the visit
1 hour at the main site is enough. The boardwalk is short. Mei Mei walked it at 15mins with no problem. The boardwalk is flat, stroller accessible, no stairs. The viewing platform is the climax. There is not much else to do inside the main site itself.
The visitor centre at the car park has toilets, a basic cafe, a gift shop, and some information displays about the stacks and erosion. 15 minutes in the visitor centre is enough.
Use it as a warm-up break if the wind is bad. Then back out to the boardwalk.
Parking, cost, accessibility
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Parking | Free. No ticket required. |
| Entry fee | Free. No ticket booth. |
| Toilets | At the visitor centre, free, clean |
| Cafe | Yes, basic, A$8 to A$12 per coffee |
| Gift shop | Yes, full range of overpriced souvenirs |
| Stroller access | Yes, boardwalk is flat and paved |
| Wheelchair access | Yes |
| Best stroller | Same as anywhere. The wind can blow strollers, hold on. |
Total cost of the visit itself: A$0 for parking + entry. Your only spend is the cafe or the gift shop if you choose.
Where to eat near the 12 Apostles
After the visit, the closest town for lunch is Port Campbell, about 10 minutes drive east.
– 12 Rocks Beach Bar Cafe at Port Campbell is the move for a sit down lunch with kids. They have an outdoor area for kids to run around while you wait for the food. The fish and chips are the highlight, fresh from the local boats.
– Berry World PYO Strawberries is a pick-your-own strawberry farm nearby. The strawberry season is November to December, but if you go outside of season the kids can still see the plants and the farm. Off season berry farms are still worth a stop. The plants are the show.
– Berry Good Thai Restaurant at Timboon is the move for dinner if you are staying nearby. About 15 minutes inland from Port Campbell. If you are driving the Great Ocean Road west, Timboon is the halfway stop between Port Campbell and Apollo Bay. The Thai food is genuinely good. We did not get to try it on this trip because of timing but multiple locals recommended it.
How long to spend
For the 12 Apostles alone: 1 hour at least. Walk the boardwalk. Take the photos. Go to the visitor centre. Use the toilets.
For the full Shipwreck Coast cluster: 3 to 4 hours.
– 12 Apostles: 1 hour
– Gibson Steps (beach level): 30 minutes
– Loch Ard Gorge (the Blowhole, the Razorback, the Tom and Eva lookout): 1 hour
– London Bridge (drive by, no longer walkable after 1990 collapse): 15 minutes
– The Grotto: 30 minutes
This is a half-day from Apollo Bay (1 hour drive east) or a half-day from Warrnambool (1 hour drive west). With kids, plan it as a stand-alone half-day, not a “squeeze it in between meals” stop.
Common questions
Is the 12 Apostles free?
Yes. Entry and parking are free. The site has been free since opening and is funded by the Victorian state government.
How many of the 12 Apostles are left?
7. Two have collapsed (2005 and 2009) due to erosion. The name is a 20th century marketing choice. There never were 12. There are 7 now. The view is still magnificent.
Can you walk down to the beach?
At the 12 Apostles itself, no. The boardwalk is at cliff level. For beach-level access, drive 5 minutes to Gibson Steps and walk down the staircase.
How long is the drive from Melbourne?
About 4 hours to Port Campbell. We split it into Apollo Bay to Port Campbell on Day 2 of the Great Ocean Road drive, which is the recommended way. Drive from Melbourne directly without stops is 3.5 to 4 hours.
Is the 12 Apostles accessible for strollers and wheelchairs?
Yes. The main boardwalk is flat and paved. The visitor centre is step-free. The toilets are accessible.
Are there toilets at the 12 Apostles?
Yes, at the visitor centre. Clean, free, with baby change facilities.
Can you fly a drone at the 12 Apostles?
No. Drones are prohibited in Port Campbell National Park without a permit. If you want the aerial shot, helicopter scenic flights operate from a base near the 12 Apostles visitor centre. We have not done the helicopter flight (A$165 per person) but other families on our trip did and said it was worth it once but not twice.
What kids actually react to (ages 5 to 8)
The kids do not care about the colour of the stacks. They care about four things and four things only.
The wind. Mei Mei held my hand the whole time because the wind was strong. Not the cold. The wind. That was her experience of the 12 Apostles. The wind.
The cookies. Loti called them giant chocolate chip cookies standing up. She asked why there were not 12. We walked the boardwalk counting. She counted 7 and declared it was wrong. The name is wrong. She figured it out at 7.
The boardwalk railing. Kids lean over. They want to see down. They want to drop a pebble. Hold their hand. The railing is safe but the wind will try to push them. Watch the small ones.
The visitor centre displays. There are hands-on exhibits about erosion. The kids did not read them. They pressed the buttons. That was the exhibit. Same as the Science Centre, except the science is real and the kids are outside.
If your kid is under 3, this is too much standing-still-and-looking. Under 3, you would enjoy the Gibsons Steps beach more. Sand. Water if calm. The 12 Apostles boardwalk is a 4 and above activity. Mei Mei at 5 was fine. A 2 year old would have lasted 5 minutes then wanted to run.
If your kid is under 3, this is too much standing-still-and-looking for them. Under 3, you would enjoy the Gibsons Steps beach more (sand, water if calm). For 4 and above, the 12 Apostles boardwalk is perfect.
The Move
The 12 Apostles are the most famous natural attraction in Victoria. There are 7 of them, not 12. The colour is best at sunset but the crowd is also best at sunset. With kids, midday wins. Go in winter if you are a Singaporean who can dress for cold. Spend 1 hour. Walk the boardwalk. Skip the sunset if it means a 3 hour drive back in winter dark with kids in the car.
Go midday. Free. Stroller accessible. Windy. Bring a beanie.
For the full Great Ocean Road itinerary (Melbourne to Werribee via Apollo Bay and Johanna Farm), see the Great Ocean Road with Kids: 7 Days from Melbourne to 12 Apostle to Werribee full article.
For the umbrella recap of the entire 15 day Sydney to Melbourne + Great Ocean Road trip, see the 15 Days From Sydney to Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road quick guide.