State finds $5 million for Shipwreck Coast

THE state government has tipped in another $5 million for early works on the Shipwreck Coast Master Plan.

The funding will cover initiatives to improve and better manage the flow of traffic and safety for pedestrians, and comprehensive planning for a vastly improved arrival experience at the 12 Apostles Marine National park, such as a Park and Ride shuttle service over the medium term.

Making the announcement at the 12 Apostles last week, Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford said Labor had already invested $9.8 million to deliver stage one of the Shipwreck Coast Master Plan, which will create 120 new jobs and boost the regional economy by $12 million a year over the next 20 years.

Stage one will be delivered by 2020 and includes new lookouts at the 12 Apostles and “The Blowhole”, a new pedestrian bridge over Campbell’s Creek, new connecting trails, improved telecommunications and a digital interpretation platform focused on the 12 Apostles.

Ms Pulford said maximising tourism opportunities were the keys to the economic success of the Great South Coast region.

“The region attracts 2.6 million visitors a year but the average visitor stays less than 40 minutes and spends only 18 cents.

“We’re ready to turn the tide on that and maximise that potential.”

The recent investments – including joint state and federal announcements for maintenance and upgrades to the Great Ocean Road – are still a long way short of the $1 billion over the next decade that Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism (GORRT) has repeatedly called for in its strategic masterplan.

GORRT chair Wayne Kayler-Thomson said increasing high visitation along the road at key sites, especially the 12 Apostles, had highlighted the issues of managing the growing mass visitation congestion and the failure to meet visitor expectations. He said the 12 Apostles had more than 11,700 visitors on New Year’s Eve, and there were similar numbers there for the Chinese New Year (January 28).