Editing The Twelve Apostles (Victoria) (section)

==Formation and history==
<!-- see note in lead section about mistaken news item from 2009 -->
The limestone unit that forms The Twelve Apostles is referred to as the [[Port Campbell Limestone]], which was deposited in the Mid-Late [[Miocene]], around 15 to 5 million years ago.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Tassone|first=David R.|last2=Holford|first2=Simon P.|last3=Hillis|first3=Richard R.|last4=Tuitt|first4=Adrian K.|date=2012|title=Quantifying Neogene plate-boundary controlled uplift and deformation of the southern Australian margin|url=http://sp.lyellcollection.org/lookup/doi/10.1144/SP367.7|journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications|language=en|volume=367|issue=1|pages=91–110|doi=10.1144/SP367.7|issn=0305-8719}}</ref>

The Twelve Apostles were formed by [[Coastal erosion#Wave action|erosion]]. The harsh and [[extreme weather]] conditions from the [[Southern Ocean]] gradually erode the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then become arches that eventually collapse, leaving rock stacks up to {{cvt|50|m}} high. The stacks are susceptible to further erosion from [[Wind wave|waves]]. In July 2005, a {{convert|50|m|ft|adj=mid|-tall}} stack collapsed, leaving eight standing. Another collapsed in 2009, leaving seven remaining stacks. Due to wave action eroding the cliffs, existing headlands are expected to become new limestone stacks in the future.<ref>Porter, Geoff (2006). ''Little Bites of Australia.'' Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Pu. p. 203.</ref>

The stacks were originally known as the Pinnacles, and the Sow and Pigs (or Sow and Piglets, with Muttonbird Island being the Sow and the smaller rock stacks being the Piglets), as well as the Twelve Apostles.<ref name="ParksVic">{{cite web |title=Twelve Apostles |url=https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/port-campbell-national-park/things-to-do/twelve-apostles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822005845/https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/port-campbell-national-park/things-to-do/twelve-apostles |archive-date=22 August 2014 |access-date=10 March 2019 |website=parkweb.vic.gov.au |publisher=Parks Victoria Information Centre}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197306730/21475286
|title=A picturesque resort
|page=36
|date=1 January 1898
|author=Biunv
|newspaper=[[Leader Community Newspapers|The Leader]]
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108072747/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197306730/21475286
|archive-date=8 November 2016
|url-status=live
|access-date=8 November 2016
}}</ref> The formation's name was made official as the Twelve Apostles, after the Apostles of Jesus, to attract more tourists,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twelve Apostles {{!}} Rock Formation, Australia, Description, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Twelve-Apostles-rock-formation-Victoria |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> despite only ever having had nine stacks.<ref name="ParksVic"/>

In 2002, the Port Campbell Professional Fishermen's Association attempted to block the creation of the [[Twelve Apostles Marine National Park]] at the Twelve Apostles site.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200204/s531471.htm |title=Port Campbell bid to block marine national park |access-date=17 June 2010 |date=15 April 2002 |website=abc.net.au |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518062604/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200204/s531471.htm |archive-date=18 May 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The association approved of a later decision by the Victorian government to prohibit [[Reflection seismology|seismic exploration]] at the site by Benaris Energy,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200310/s969092.htm|title=Fishermen welcome decision against national park seismic exploration |access-date=17 June 2010 |date=17 October 2003 |website=abc.net.au |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629004823/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200310/s969092.htm |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> believing such exploration would harm marine life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200310/s971651.htm |title=Otway Basin seismic survey work set to start |access-date=17 June 2010 |date=21 October 2003 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |website=abc.net.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629004907/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200310/s971651.htm |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In March 2023, the [[Federal Court of Australia]] ruled in favour (under the [[Native Title Act 1993|Native Title Act of 1993]]) of formally recognising the Eastern Maar people as [[traditional owners]]' of 8,578 km<sup>2</sup> of land located in south-west Victoria, including the Twelve Apostles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Austin on behalf of the Eastern Maar People v State of Victoria [2023] FCA 237 |url=https://www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/judgments/Judgments/fca/single/2023/2023fca0237 |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=www.judgments.fedcourt.gov.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Twelve Apostles are back in Aboriginal hands after Vic's first native title determination in 10 years |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/the-first-victorian-native-title-in-10-years-has-put-the-twelve-apostles-back-in-blak-hands/fq9ghuo8p |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=NITV |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Latimore |first=Jack |date=2023-03-28 |title=‘Arduous road’ leads to native title ruling that returns Victorian land to traditional owners |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/first-native-title-ruling-in-decade-returns-victorian-land-to-traditional-owners-20230322-p5cucc.html |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-28 |title=Emotions run high as traditional owners secure land rights after more than a decade of petitioning |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-28/eastern-maar-native-title-formal-determination-warrnambool/102153426 |access-date=2023-03-29}}</ref>  

{{multiple image
| align     = center
| direction = horizontal
| total_width       = 400
| image1    = Apostles 3 GOR.JPG
| caption1  = 2003 before the collapse
| image2    = Twelve Apostles, East view 20230218 2.jpg
| alt2      = A pair of images showing the difference before and after the 2005 collapse
| caption2  = 2023 after the collapse
}}