The Twelve Apostles is a collection of limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

 stacks

Stack (geology)

A stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, isolated by erosion. Stacks are formed through processes of coastal geomorphology, which are entirely natural. Time, wind and water are the only factors involved in the...

 off the shore of the Port Campbell National Park

Port Campbell National Park

Port Campbell is a national park in Victoria, Australia, 190 kilometres south-west of Melbourne.-Features:The Port Campbell National Park is a protected national park in Victoria, Australia, 190 kilometres south-west of Melbourne; featuring an array of sheer cliffs overlooking offshore...

, by the Great Ocean Road

Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road is a stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, and is the world's largest war memorial; dedicated to casualties of World War I...

 in Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. Their proximity to one another has made the site a popular tourist attraction

Tourist attraction

A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....

.
The Twelve Apostles is a collection of eight miocene

Miocene

The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...

 limestone rock stacks jutting from the water in Port Campbell National Park

Port Campbell National Park

Port Campbell is a national park in Victoria, Australia, 190 kilometres south-west of Melbourne.-Features:The Port Campbell National Park is a protected national park in Victoria, Australia, 190 kilometres south-west of Melbourne; featuring an array of sheer cliffs overlooking offshore...

, between Princetown

Princetown, Victoria

Princetown is a coastal village in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Ocean Road, east of the Twelve Apostles, in the Corangamite Shire.-General:...

 and Peterborough

Peterborough, Victoria

Peterborough is a town on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia; approximately three hours drive from Melbourne.-History:The town was believed to have been founded when the schooner SS Schomberg was wrecked in the middle of the 19th century, though the town was not sufficiently populated to...

 on the Great Ocean Road.

Tourism activities (including helicopter tours) are conducted from a visitor centre, situated on the inland side of the Great Ocean Road; with parking and viewing areas.