Canadians travelling to Australia will soon have to pay fee to visit popular tourist spot

Travellers from Canada planning a trip to Australia will soon need to budget a little extra to visit a popular tourist attraction.

If you're planning to travel from Canada to Australia to take in the sights, and the famous Twelve Apostles is on your list, you might want to do that before the new fee kicks in. To access the site, tourists will have to pay an entry fee to enter the new Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Centre, set to open at the end of 2026, reports The Guardian.

Authorities will also introduce a booking system to manage crowds and ensure there's enough parking during peak times. The final amount is still under discussion.

The Twelve Apostles is a year-round attraction of seven limestone rock stacks that can be viewed from a viewing platform. According to Parks Victoria, despite its name, there were originally nine instead of 12 rock stacks. The rock formations are a slowly eroding natural wonder as they're continuously shaped and destroyed by rough ocean waves.

In 2019, Development Victoria stated that the limestone formations drew 2.8 million visitors, and it expects to reach four million visitors this year. However, its popularity has caused frustration for locals who have to deal with congestion in the area.

The money raised will go towards upgrading beach access and visitor facilities, as well as maintaining landmarks.

Steve Dimopoulos, Victoria tourism, sports, and major events minister, said that locals have been calling for visitors to make a contribution for years.

"And the government has now decided that that's a fair and reasonable thing to do," he said. "We want to make sure the Great Ocean Road is there for the next 100 years. We cannot be the generation that lets it fall away."

Australia isn't the only one implementing a fee to visit a popular landmark.

Tourists in Rome have to pay €2 (C$3.14) to visit the iconic Trevi Fountain.