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Twelve Apostles of Victoria Facts & Worksheets

The Twelve Apostles are a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell National Park, by the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.

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The Twelve Apostles are a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell National Park, by the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. The Twelve Apostles were formed 20 million years ago. Now, they are a popular tourist attraction due to the proximity of the stacks to one another. Unfortunately, one apostle or stack of limestone collapsed in 2005, but eight remain standing.

See the fact file below for more information on the Twelve Apostles of Victoria or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Twelve Apostles of Victoria worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

GENERAL FACTS

  • The Twelve Apostles are a perfect example of how the earth is naturally transforming, as the components of these limestone stacks have existed ever since their inception.
  • The limestone rocks at Port Campbell that make up the Twelve Apostles are estimated to be 15 to 20 million years old.
  • Currently there are eight rock stacks.
  • Despite the name, the Twelve Apostles started as a collection of nine rock stacks.
  • The Twelve Apostles are recorded on a map dating back to 1846, when there were many more than twelve rock stacks on the site.
  • To view the imposing 70-meter high vertical cliff line, the beach should be accessed via Gibson Steps.
  • The beauty of the Twelve Apostles is seen under a full sun at sunrise and sunset as the rock formations turn a sandy yellow and orange color.
  • Because of their structure and beauty, approximately 1.7 million people visit the Twelve Apostles every year.
  • The formations on the Twelve Apostles we now see are relatively young – they have taken shape over approximately the last 6,000 years.
  • The Great Ocean Road, the road where the Twelve Apostles can be seen, is a breath-taking feature in itself with its dramatic, rugged cliffs carved from the sea and its panoramic views.

FORMATION AND HISTORY

  • The Twelve Apostles were formed by erosion.
  • The Southern Ocean harnesses harsh and extreme weather conditions that cause the soft limestone to gradually erode to then form caves in the cliffs. The caves in the cliffs then become arches that eventually collapse.
  • After the arches collapse, rock stacks are left. These rock stacks are up to 50 m (160 ft) high.
  • The rock stacks are exposed and prone to further erosion due to the waves.
  • In July 2005, a 50-meter-tall (160 ft) stack collapsed, leaving seven standing at the Twelve Apostles viewpoint.
  • The existing headlands are expected to become new stacks.
  • New limestone stacks are expected due to wave action that causes erosion to the cliffs.
  • The stacks have had many other names. They were originally known as the Pinnacles, and the Sow and Pigs or Sow and Piglets.
  • Muttonbird Island, which stands at the entrance to Loch Ard Gorge, is referred to as the Sow, and the numerous rocks are referred tp as the Piglets.
  • The Twelve Apostles is just one of the names the monument has had.
  • The formation’s name was made official as the Twelve Apostles, despite only ever having had eight stacks.
  • In 2002, the Port Campbell Professional Fishermen’s Association tried to stop the creation of the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park at the Twelve Apostles site.
  • The Twelve Apostles Marine National Park is a protected marine national park located on the south-west coast of Victoria, Australia.
  • The marine park is 7,500 hectares (19,000 acres) wide. It is located near Port Campbell.
  • It is named after the Twelve Apostles rock stacks.
  • It contains the wreck of the Loch Ard, a clipper, or a type of mid-19th century merchant sailing ship designed for speed.
  • The Loch Ard wrecked on Muttonbird Island in 1878.
  • The marine park is surrounded by Port Campbell and Great Otway National Parks.
  • The association approved a later decision by the Victorian government to prohibit seismic exploration at the site as this type of exploration is believed to harm marine life.

SURROUNDING AREAS

  • Here are the significant areas that surround the Twelve Apostles:
    • Great Otway National Park — a rainforest that has diverse native animals, foliage and vegetation. The Great Otway National Park has walking trails and cascading waterfalls.
    • Loch Ard Gorge — situated in the Port Campbell National Park three minutes from the away from the formation of the Twelve Apostles and the site where Loch Ard wrecked.
    • Gibson Steps — an area of cliffs and the first sight-seeing stop-off in Port Campbell National Park for travellers heading West along the Great Ocean Road. It is only 2 minutes away from the Twelve Apostles formation.

Twelve Apostles of Victoria Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Twelve Apostles of Victoria across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Twelve Apostles of Victoria worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Twelve Apostles which are a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell National Park, by the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. The Twelve Apostles were formed 20 million years ago. Now, they are a popular tourist attraction due to the proximity of the stacks to one another. Unfortunately, one apostle or stack of limestone collapsed in 2005, but eight remain standing.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Twelve Apostles of Victoria, Australia Facts
  • Twelve Blanks
  • Truth or Bluff?
  • Timeline of the Apostles
  • Former Name Search
  • Drawing the Apostles
  • Area Map
  • Sea Stacks Around The World
  • The Bible’s Twelve Apostles
  • Great Ocean Road Trivia
  • Visiting Victoria

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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