Opening in 2026, the Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre redevelopment will soon deliver a world-class visitor experience along one of Australia’s most sought-after coastal destinations and natural landmarks. The significant upgrade on Eastern Maar Country is set within an area of profound cultural significance to Eastern Maar peoples.

From the outset, Biosis was selected to play a critical role in collaborating with Eastern Maar, Grimshaw Architects and Development Victoria across the pre-approval and on-site phases of the project. Biosis consultants are experts in Cultural Heritage Management Plans for large-scale multi-partner developments and known for their strong record in positive community facilitation.

Biosis led the preparation of the Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP), working in close partnership with the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC) to ensure the respectful treatment of cultural values across the main areas of development.

On the ground, Biosis, in collaboration with EMAC, conducted site investigations to identify and map culturally significant places to inform the co-design process. Biosis worked closely with Grimshaw Architects and Development Victoria to adapt site layouts and building footprints to avoid cultural impacts where possible.

Where full avoidance was not feasible, Biosis facilitated negotiations between EMAC and the design team to determine respectful mitigation strategies, ensuring cultural heritage was treated with the highest level of care while still achieving the project’s objective.

This collaborative approach underscores the project’s commitment to protecting Country and embedding Eastern Maar knowledge in the development process.