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Shock fee coming to Aus tourist destination
Visitors to the Twelve Apostles will pay an entry fee with a booking system to manage 4 million annual visitors and fund site maintenance and upgrades.
- On Monday, the Victorian government announced it will charge admission at the new Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre, which is due to open at the end of this year, with consultation starting Monday.
- Rising visitor forecasts prompted Corangamite Shire Council and Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism to urge a user-pays model, as fees will cover operating costs and fund infrastructure and conservation.
- A visitor booking system will manage numbers and guarantee parking during peak times, while local residents and members of the Eastern Maar community will be exempt.
- Victorian opposition leader Jess Wilson said the plan is a `tourist tax` drawing criticism, while Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism and local tourism operators argue the fee will boost the local economy and visitor experience.
- The move places the site among Australian attractions charging entry, including Uluru‑Kata Tjuta National Park and Kosciuszko National Park, while many global destinations levy fees to share infrastructure costs.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources15
Leaning Left8Leaning Right4Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution61% Left
Bias Distribution
- 61% of the sources lean Left
61% Left
L 61%
R 31%
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