The Twelve Apostles Marine National Park covers 7500 hectares and is the second largest Marine National Park in Victoria. The park protects a diverse range of species that can be found in the shallow and intertidal reefs and which have been found to have the Victoria’s greatest diversity  of invertebrates on limestone reefs.  

While the Park is most well known for its amazing rock formations, under the water there is a whole world waiting to be discovered. There are limestone reefs interspersed by large areas of soft sediment covered by often turbulent water providing a diverse range of habitats for many species of marine flora and fauna.  

Twelve Apostles Marine National Park represents habitats of the cooler waters of western Victoria, and is a high-energy environment with the constant pounding of waves from the Southern Ocean. From the cliffs you can see thick brown fronds of Bull Kelp attached to the rocks near the low tide mark, swirling in the ocean swell. Underwater, extensive beds of kelp sway as far as the eye can see. In some locations Giant Kelp forms mini-forests reaching the surface from 10 metres below.  

Species such as Magpie Perch and Blue Throated Wrasse abound in the turbulent waters while Port Jackson Sharks and Southern Rock Lobsters seek shelter on the sea floor and in the limestone crevices.   

The shipwreck of the passenger ship Loch Ard wrecked in 1878 after crashing into Mutton Bird Island with only two survivors also lies within the Marine National Park.  

Due to the often large swells and difficult sea conditions diving in this area should only be undertaken by experienced divers with extensive local knowledge.