One of the world’s greatest coastal beauties recently turned 80 years-of-age and badly needs help.
Despite National Heritage and National Landscape status the Great Ocean Road is having trouble coping with the seven-million-plus tourists and locals who travel its winding curves each year.
The road spans 243 kms from Torquay to just short of Warrnambool and is loved by locals and visitors from far and wide. It is one of the world’s greatest coastal drives, drawing visitors from all corners.
Sadly, our wonderful road is not as healthy as it might look.
The pressures of ever increasing traffic volumes, a daily stream of tourist coaches, and the constant weathering of its foundations, surfaces and verges is taking an inevitable toll.
The road winds along rugged yet fragile cliffs which are constantly subjected to the pounding of ferocious storms swirling up from Bass Straight and the Southern Ocean.
The road is maintained, but is visibly deteriorating in many areas. The $3-4 million spent annually on maintenance by the Victorian government just isn’t enough.
And the federal government provides NO direct funding to maintain the road.
A minimum of $10 million-a-year is needed to maintain the road adequately. See estimated breakdown.
The road needs our help. And it needs it before the deterioration becomes a major concern.
Already the road has had to be temporarily closed due to rock slides and similar maintenance issues on occasions.
Our Great Ocean Road helps earn the region $2.1 billion in tourism income, yet governments between them can't find $10 million-a-year towards maintenance.
The road is not only a tourism focus, it's the access and supply line for thousands of people who live nestled around its curves.
Those facts alone should prod into action those of us who love this 80-year-old road! So that's what the campaign is about.
Check photographic evidence of the deterioration of the road surface along the Great Ocean Road on our campaign Facebook page - click here.
How you can help
We need your support to convince our state and federal governments that they must adequately fund the Great Ocean Road.
The OMGreatOceanRoad! campaign aims to:
- have the Great Ocean Road accepted by the federal government as part of the National Land Transport Network (that means making it a road of national importance and, therefore, eligible for federal assistance), and
- gain commitments to minimum funding of $10 million-a-year for five years from the state and federal governments to ensure the road is upgraded and maintained to a standard we all expect.
PETITION - show your support by 'signing' our on-line petition to state and federal government ministers - click here to go to the petition. Hard-copy petition forms are also available, at the various Geelong Otway Tourism Visitor Information Centres along the Great Ocean Road.
TELL YOUR FRIENDS - let friends know about the petition and have them come to this site – www.OMGreatOceanRoad.net
CAR BUMPER STICKER - visibly show your support with a OMGreatOceanRoad! – Fund the Great Ocean Road car bumper sticker, available from Visitor Information Centres along the length of the road, or by phoning 1800 620 888.
FOLLOW US - on Twitter and Facebook for campaign updates.
Funding Needs
We are seeking a minimum funding commitment of $50 million ($10m-a-year x 5 years) to upgrade and improve the Great Ocean Road. The $10 million per annum would be broken down roughly as follows:
| Infrastructure | Funding Required |
|---|---|
| Road surface maintenance | $1.7 million |
| Improve roadside cuttings | $1 million |
| Road pavement rehabilitation | $3.25 million |
| Drainage | $0.3 million |
| Resurfacing | $2.6 million |
| Contingencies | $1.15 million |
| Total | $10 million |
Letters to Ministers
G21 – Geelong Region Alliance has written to the Victorian Minister for Transport, the Honourable Terry Mulder MP, seeking his government’s support to ask his federal equivalent the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport to include the iconic Great Ocean Road in the National Land Transport Network. Read the letter to Minister Mulder.
G21 has also written to the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport seeking inclusion of the Great Ocean Road in the National Land Transport Network and federal funding towards upgrade and maintenance of the road. Read the letter to Minister Albanese.
Media contacts
Elaine Carbines - CEO, G21 Geelong Region Alliance, W 03 5227 4000 M 0437 202 300
Roger Grant - Executive Director, Geelong Otway Tourism, W 03 5223 2588 M 0417 373 318
Content on this site is authorised by Elaine Carbines on behalf of G21 – Geelong Region Alliance, 199 Moorabool Street, Geelong 3220.