A word from the Chairman – March 1, 2018

What a magnificent influx of international visitors we have seen for the annual Chinese New Year celebration along the Great Ocean Road and hinterland, some visiting us for the first time while others returning and bringing friends and family. I’m not sure what’s attracted more attention, the numbers or the issues we have experienced on our roads. There’s one thing for certain and that is it’s fair to say that the focus has certainly moved from cyclists to road users in general.

A Geelong Advertiser article earlier this week further highlighted the local problems and the lack of initiatives that failed to be implemented following recommendations from a road awareness program 20 years ago – but rest assured we are not alone. Over the past week I have been privileged to be enjoying the Hawaiian island of Maui.

My journey led me to the Hana Highway on East Maui’s north shore to travel the 67 kilometre route from Paia to Hana, embedded along the coastline and revealing the most breathtaking, panoramic, ocean views in the Pacific. Along the way are jungle-enclosed swimming holes, tropical flowers, lava tubes, ancient tide pools and the world’s most majestic water falls.

But these jaw dropping sights didn’t come effortlessly, especially with one raw Aussie driver getting in the “passenger seat” to control the vehicle and then being required to drive on the “wrong side” of the road! Add to this no more than 56 one lane bridges, 617 hairpin curves, thousands of international tourists, locals looking for their fastest times to work and all of a sudden my thoughts for our local visitors was so much more sympathetic than before.

I was proud to say that I completed the journey unscathed albeit I think my wife may have been exposed to some language she may have preferred not to have heard. It appears that wherever we are, the problems we face with increased numbers of visitors is spread across the world and it’s only going to get worse.

I read with interest that at the January 2018 World Economic Forum the number of Chinese passport holders would grow to 240 million by 2020. As of today, approximately 120 million Chinese citizens hold passports, about 8.7 per cent of its population.

It is further predicted that the potential market of Chinese outbound tourists will effectively double in only two years and this means only one thing and it doesn’t matter whether it be the cliff top Hana Highway on Maui or my No.1 ranked world drive, the Great Ocean Road, traffic numbers are growing exponentially.

Our real challenge is how can we make the experience safer for all road users in years to come as, just like our international visitors, I received no education or insight into the vehicle, the road laws or how to handle the conditions I was to encounter – “Houston we have a problem”!

Don’t forget, our next Lorne Community Luncheon has been set down for Friday the 9th of March at the View at the Lorne Hotel. As always, please ensure you RSVP to [email protected], with guest speakers to be announced over the coming weeks.

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne