Quick answer: The old kiosk at the Twelve Apostles is no longer where you finish. Since 16 October 2026, visitors have been directed to the new Keerray Woorroong Visitor Centre, a large boomerang-shaped building set in native gardens. Inside you’ll find new toilets, a café, a gift shop, an information desk, a sensory room, a baby change room and exhibits on Eastern Maar culture. There’s a coffee kiosk just outside and a garden you can walk over on the roof. For Great Ocean Walk walkers, it’s the new place to freshen up, grab a coffee and meet your ride.
What’s changed at the Twelve Apostles?
For years, the end of the walk went like this. You came up off the Great Ocean Walk, went through the underpass, and walked up to the Twelve Apostles viewing platforms. Then you went out through the old kiosk, which had the toilets and the pickup point, with its door facing the car park.
That’s changed. The old kiosk will eventually become offices. Visitors now head to the new Keerray Woorroong Visitor Centre, which opened on 16 October 2026. The name, Keerray Woorroong, is the name of both the Country and the Language of the First Nations people of this area.
The first part of your finish stays the same. You still come up through the underpass and out to the viewing platforms, and that first look at the Apostles after 104km is every bit as good as it always was. It’s what happens next that’s new.
Don’t miss the Saddle Lookout
While you’re at the viewing platforms, make sure you go out to the Saddle Lookout too. It’s a platform that reaches right out towards the Apostles, a little further along from the main Twelve Apostles Lookout. It opened in June 2024 and is one of the real highlights here, with views that make for a great, memorable photo.
The design was led by the Eastern Maar community and is shaped like two clapsticks. Its colours reflect two cockatoos that are important totems for the Eastern Maar: the sulphur-crested cockatoo and the red-tailed black cockatoo. The paths are wide and the viewing areas are accessible, so it’s easy going even on tired legs.
You can even spot it from Gibson Steps beach, just along the coast. Look up at the clifftop and you’ll see it reaching out over the edge.
Where do you go after the viewing platforms?
Here’s the route, step by step:
- From the viewing platforms, walk back up the path and through the underpass under the Great Ocean Road.
- You’ll come out by the old kiosk. Don’t stop here.
- Turn right and follow the path along the edge of the grass, with the road on your right.
- You’ll pass big sandstone blocks spelling out TWELVE APOSTLES. They make a great spot for a finishing photo.
- Keep going and the path brings you up to the visitor centre.
We’ve marked the route with arrows on the map below.
Map © Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA). Arrows added by Walk91.
Where will Walk91 pick you up on our supported walks?
If you’re walking with us, you don’t need to worry about any of this. We organise all the bookings at the Twelve Apostles for you, so there’s nothing for you to book. On our supported walks we look after your accommodation, luggage transfers and meals too, so you can walk pack-free.
We’ll go through it all at the private walk briefing we give you when you arrive. Then on the morning of your last day, your driver will check in with you, so you’re clear on the pickup plan before you set off.
On the day, you walk in from the Great Ocean Walk, take your time at the viewing platforms and the new centre, and we pick you up from the Twelve Apostles car park. Our pickups are matched to your pace, so there’s no clock to race on your last day.
Do walkers arriving on foot need to book if walking unsupported?
Yes. Even if you walk in from the Great Ocean Walk, you still need a booking. The only way out is by vehicle through the car park, which is behind boom gates, so whoever collects you, whether it’s a shuttle, a taxi or a friend, has to book a time slot to drive in at twelveapostles.org.au.
And you do need someone to collect you. There’s no hiking track beside the Great Ocean Road to Port Campbell, and walking along the road isn’t safe, so please don’t plan to walk out.
To find the visitor centre, follow the arrows on the route map above, past the TWELVE APOSTLES stones.
If you’re walking with Walk91, you don’t need to think about any of this. We organise all the bookings and meet you there.
Do you need to book if you’re driving in?
Yes. Anyone driving into the Twelve Apostles now needs to book a time slot on the official Twelve Apostles website before they arrive, and the booking also holds you a car park. It’s fairly flexible: GORCAPA says you can arrive up to an hour either side of your booked time, and there’s no time limit once you’re there.
N.B. You might recognise this photo from the official Twelve Apostles website. It’s one of us at Walk91, taken on the beach at Gibson Steps, and I’m one of the three walkers in it! (It was a perfect day!)
Tip: This photo was taken at low tide, so if you want to walk on the beach, check the tide times before you go. The gate to the beach will be locked if the tide is high or there’s a large swell.
How much does entry cost to the 12 Apostles?
Right now, booking is free at the 12 Apostles car park. A fee is due to start in April 2027, with the money going back into caring for the Great Ocean Road coast and parks. The price hasn’t been set yet, and locals are expected to be exempt, though who counts as a local is still being worked out. We’ll update this page when we know more.
The official map below shows the car parks, the coach pick-up and drop-off area, and the visitor centre’s layout inside. (This free map is available at the centre).
Map © Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA).
Loch Ard Gorge and Gibson Steps aren’t affected. Access there stays the same.
What’s inside the new centre?
It’s a big step up from the old kiosk. Here’s what you’ll find, roughly in the order you’ll come to it.
On the left as you walk in
First up is a gift shop. Besides local and Twelve Apostles souvenirs and a selection of books on the area, you can make your own printed t-shirt.
Next to it is a small information desk, and next to that is the new café. Walk through to the back and you’ll find lovely views out over the gardens. You can sit down and order a proper meal, much like a restaurant. It’s a big space, with 160 seats inside and 68 more on the terrace, and it’s run by a Victorian caterer working with Timboon Distillery and Timboon Fine Ice Cream from just up the road.
The menu is wider than you might expect. When we ate there, I had teriyaki chicken with rice ($32.95) and my friend had the chicken pho ($28.95). There are several main meals to choose from, as well as breakfast options, prawn and lobster rolls, kids’ meals, toasties (from $13.90), cakes, teas, coffees and a good selection of drinks, so there’s something for most tastes. The menu also offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and nut-free dishes. You can see the full menu on the café’s website, though it may change.
You don’t have to order a meal to sit in the café, though. If you’d rather just grab a coffee and enjoy the view out over the gardens, that’s fine too.
In the middle
Look up. A big skylight in the centre of the ceiling connects to Sky Country, explaining the stars and what they mean to the Keerray Woorroong.
Around the foyer are big wooden pieces shaped like rocks. They have little drawers you can pull out and read, covering things like the Eastern Maar seasons and the story of the land.
On the right
This is where you’ll find the toilets. There’s also a sensory room, a quiet, calm space for anyone who needs a break from the noise and crowds.
For families there’s a large baby change room. It’s well set up, with partition curtains, comfortable chairs and plenty of room for pushchairs.
Where can you get a coffee if you’re short on time?
If you’ve got a ride waiting or just want something quick, there’s a walk-up coffee kiosk just outside the main door of the new centre, on the left. The coffee’s good, too.
We’ve heard there may also be a vending machine added outside the old kiosk, for anyone who’d rather not walk over to the centre. The centre is roughly a 5 to 10 minute walk from the old kiosk.
Can you walk on the roof?
Yes, and it’s worth doing. The roof is a garden called the Great Ocean Lookout, and you can walk right over the top of the building.
Up there the view is different from the coast. You look out over the countryside and the farmland around it, with a glimpse of the ocean in the distance. You can’t see the Apostles from the roof, though. There are spots to sit and rest along the way, which your legs will thank you for at the end of a long walk.
The gardens around the building have been planted with native plants. They’re still young, so give them a few seasons and they’ll really fill out. Keep an eye out for the Kooyang (short-finned eel) artwork woven through the landscaping.
Head round the back of the centre too. Look out past the farmland and you’ll see the sea in the far distance.
Learn about the Traditional Owners
The Eastern Maar are the Traditional Owners of this Country. Their knowledge helped shape how the whole precinct was designed and named, and the centre was built in partnership with the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation.
When you come out of the toilets area, turn right. You’ll walk out to the interpretive rooms, with information on the Traditional Owners and how they lived in this amazing landscape.
When is the visitor centre open?
The centre is open every day of the year:
- 8am to 8pm during daylight saving (last arrival 7pm)
- 9am to 5pm during standard time (last arrival 4pm)
The car park opens a little longer, for sunrise and sunset visitors: 6am to 9pm during daylight saving, and 7am to 6pm during standard time. Cars can leave at any time. You need a booking whatever time you come.
Since most walkers are out on the trail between September and May, you’ll usually be finishing in the longer daylight-saving hours. Just keep the shorter winter hours in mind if you’re walking early or late in the season.
The centre is on the Great Ocean Road at Booringa Road, Princetown, about 7km east of Port Campbell.
A few things to know before you finish the Great Ocean Walk
- The finish itself hasn’t moved. Underpass, viewing platforms, then the Apostles. Only the place you go afterwards is new.
- Don’t miss the Saddle Lookout. It’s right by the main viewing platforms.
- Don’t stop at the old kiosk. Turn right and follow the path past the TWELVE APOSTLES stones to the new visitor centre.
- The roof gives you country views and a glimpse of the ocean. You can’t see the Twelve Apostles from the roof of the centre, so go to the viewing platforms for the full ocean and Apostles views.
- Give yourself time. There’s a lot more to see than there used to be. If you can, leave a little room at the end of your last day to enjoy it.
Finish the walk with someone who knows it
Ending at the Twelve Apostles is one of the Great Ocean Walk’s many highlights, and it’s good to know exactly where you’re going once you get there. We live here, and we keep up with changes like this so you don’t have to.
Plenty of our walks finish right here at the Twelve Apostles:
- The whole walk, from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles: the 4-Day, 5-Day, 6-Day and 7-Day Whole Walk, and the 10-Day Leisurely Hike. The 6-Day is our most popular, at a comfortable pace from one end to the other.
- A shorter walk with the same finish: the 12 Apostles 3-Day walk.
- The highlights of the trail: the 4-Day Wild Walk.
You can see all our self-guided walks here.
For the latest on the centre itself, visit the official Twelve Apostles website. And if you’ve got any questions at all, just get in touch. We’re always happy to help you plan.
Frequently asked questions
The Keerray Woorroong Visitor Centre. It opened on 16 October 2026 and replaces the old kiosk.
No. Visitors are now directed to the new visitor centre, and the old kiosk building will eventually become offices.
No. Visitors are now directed to the new visitor centre, and the old kiosk building will eventually become offices.
Yes. Everyone needs a booking now, including walkers, since the only way out is by vehicle through the car park. Booking is free for now. A fee is due from April 2027, but the price hasn’t been set.
Yes. The only way out is by vehicle through the car park’s boom gates, so whoever picks you up has to book a time slot to drive in. If you’re walking with Walk91, we organise all the bookings for you. If you’re walking independently and a shuttle, taxi or friend is collecting you, make sure they’ve booked.
8am to 8pm during daylight saving (last arrival 7pm), and 9am to 5pm during standard time (last arrival 4pm), every day of the year.
Inside the new centre, on the right as you walk in. There’s also a large baby change room. The older toilets are also currently open.
Yes. The new centre has a café with 160 seats inside and 68 on the terrace, and garden views. It serves breakfast options, several main meals, prawn and lobster rolls, kids’ meals, toasties, cakes, teas and coffees, and the menu marks vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and nut-free dishes. There’s also a walk-up coffee kiosk just outside the main door.
Yes. The rooftop garden, called the Great Ocean Lookout, has views over the countryside and places to sit and rest.
Yes. The centre has a sensory room, a quiet, calm space for anyone who needs a break from the noise and crowds.
Walk91 walkers are picked up from the Twelve Apostles car park, after they’ve enjoyed the viewing platforms and the new centre (optional). We organise it, and the timing is matched to your pace.
CONTACT US to start planning your Great Ocean Walk Adventure!
T: +61 3 5237 1189 Or BOOK A CALL Email: info@walk91.com.au
About the Author
Walk91 is a locally owned Great Ocean Walk operator based in Apollo Bay, Victoria. Our team lives and works on the Great Ocean Road and provides self-guided Great Ocean Walk support throughout the walking season, drawing on first-hand knowledge of trail conditions, logistics, and safety planning.
