The Great Ocean Road Australia is a 243-kilometre (151 mile) length of road running between Torquay and Warrnambool in Victoria. On a map it is identified as the B100 highway, the Great Ocean Road became part of the Australian Heritage List this year. Soldiers returning from World War I build this famous road between 1919 and 1932. Now, this historic two-lane road is dedicated to those WWI casualties and is a popular route for tourists.
Commissioned During the War
The Great Ocean Road was constructed using £81,000 in funds from the State War Council and contributions from the Victoria Country Roads Board. The area was, at that time, only accessible by water or bush track. It was meant to be both a monument to the people who died in the war and a much-needed transportation source to connect coastal settlements and help out the timber industry. The road was treacherous to build, with most of it built by hand.
Famous Tourist Attractions Line the Road
While the road itself is a tourist attraction, it runs alongside some other famous places including the stunningly beautiful rainforest, beaches and cliffs. Along the way are the towns of Anglesea, Apollo Bay, Lorne and Port Campbell. The last one of these is home to some must-see natural limestone formations such as the Loch Ard Gorge, the London Arch, The Grotto and the 12 Apostles.
The Great Ocean Road was voted as the area’s top tourist attraction in the Victoria 101 survey conducted by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria. There is an annual marathon held on a section of the road between Lorne and Apollo Bay called the Great Ocean Marathon. This has been held since 2005.
Great Ocean Walk
Near the Great Ocean Road is another must see tourist attraction – the Great Ocean Walk, which was opened in 2004. It is a walking trail of 104 kilometers in length of parks, and. It passes through the Otway National Park and allows for walkers to camp overnight in designated locations.
Hardy hikers can complete the whole walk in an estimated 8 days. If you want to try this beautiful walk, you must first register with Parks Victoria and book the campsites. Hikers will thrill at seeing wildlife like koalas, wallabies, birds, and even Whales along the coastline in September.
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