A number of national parks and reserves along the iconic Great Ocean Road will no longer be primarily managed by Parks Victoria, with the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) taking on that role from the start of next month.
Parks Victoria says the change will help to bring the management of these extremely well-visited coastal places under a single organisation, and will therefore support a more coordinated approach to protecting the environment, caring for cultural values, and to managing ever-increasing visitor numbers.
It says there will be no change to public access, and that parks, attractions and visitor sites along the Great Ocean Road will remain open and operating as usual.
The Great Ocean Road is a massive drawcard for tourists. PIC: Valeriia Miller / Pexels
National and coastal parks that will soon be managed by GORCAPA include: parts of the Great Otway National Park (remaining areas will stay with Parks Victoria); Port Campbell National Park; Bay of Islands Coastal Park; and Melba Gully.
Parks Victoria will continue to manage parks and reserves across the rest of Victoria.
From July 1, bookings for some campgrounds along the Great Ocean Road will then move to the GORCAPA website.
Bookings for Parks Victoria‑managed campgrounds will continue to be available through the Parks Victoria website.
Parks Victoria says that anyone planning a trip should make sure to check which campgrounds are managed by which organisation.
Land management responsibilities in the region have been progressively transitioning to GORCAPA since 2020. Â Parks Victoria says it has been working closely with GORCAPA to build the knowledge and skills to help address the challenges of high and increasing visitation, environmental processes, and the impacts of severe weather events and climate change.
It says GORCAPA’s sole purpose is to protect, conserve, enhance and manage the Great Ocean Road coast and parks from Point Impossible in Torquay to Hopkins River in Warrnambool.
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