Committee For Lorne: Protecting and Growing the Great Ocean Road

The 243-kilometre, National Heritage listed, Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most scenic and iconic coastal touring routes.

Its sheer limestone cliffs, pockets of rainforest, shipwreck history, and world class-surfing breaks make the Great Ocean Road one of Australia’s most popular destinations for visitors and Victoria’s most significant tourism asset.

The Great Ocean Road connected isolated coastal communities when it was constructed between 1919 and 1932. It was built by returned servicemen to honour their fellow soldiers and sailors from World War I, the coastal and forested landscapes along the road are of high cultural, ecological and economic importance to the Wadawurrung and Eastern Maar people who have known this country, and cared for it, since the beginning. The coastline also includes rare polar dinosaur fossil sites, the best-known one being Dinosaur Cove. Fossils collected from numerous sites along the coast continue to yield important scientific information.

Today the Great Ocean Road governance arrangements involve many different organisations that operate across a range of geographical scales, timeframes and jurisdictional boundaries. There are more than 17 responsible public entities with accountabilities from strategy development and implementation: land-use planning, management and administration, infrastructure delivery, asset maintenance, emergency management, investment facilitation, destination promotion and brand stewardship. Responsibility for managing contiguous coastal foreshore, public open spaces and parklands along the Great Ocean Road is also fragmented.

An expert taskforce charged with the job of protecting and growing Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road has released an issues paper for public feedback.

The Governance of the Great Ocean Road Region identifies proposals for better coordination between the key agencies responsible for the road and the tourist destination, so that they are working in tandem with the one common goal – protecting and growing the Great Ocean Road.

Last year, the state government invested $1.3 million to establish the Great Ocean Road Taskforce, and appointed former Victorian Ministers for Public Transport Peter Batchelor and Terry Mulder as its co-chairs.

It also features G21 chief executive Elaine Carbines, former chair of Victorian Coastal Council Diane James, Great Ocean Road Tourism chair Wayne Kayler-Thomson and the chief executives from five local councils. The Taskforce has worked closely with nearly 40 relevant organisations and local groups.

The issues paper notes that although more than 14 public agencies have responsibilities in the region, they’re often disconnected from one another – and don’t have clearly defined partnerships with Traditional Owners.

Other proposals in the issues paper include the establishment of a lead agency, action to secure funding sources for the plan, and a 20 to 25-year strategy covering the entire length of the Great Ocean Road, to ensure the iconic tourist destination reaches its full potential.

The Great Ocean Road region attracts twice as many visitors as the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru combined – generating $1.3 billion in visitor expenditure and creating about 9,200 jobs.

The Government will consider the Taskforce’s recommendations after the community has had its say. Submissions can be lodged before the end of April. The discussion paper can be viewed at engage.vic.gov.au/great-ocean-road

Have your say on the future of the Great Ocean Road

The Victorian Government is calling for public submissions on the future management of the Great Ocean Road following the recent release of an issues paper.

The Governance of the Great Ocean Road Region highlights key challenges and opportunities for the region and recommends the establishment of a lead agency and a 20 to 25-year strategy covering the entire length of the Great Ocean Road.

For those in Lorne, the session will take place at Lorne Community House, on April 21 from 4-6pm.