While the cost of camping may be a bone of contention for many grey nomads, there is no doubt that taking the Great Ocean Road is a ‘must-do’ on most Big Lap itineraries.
More than a million tourists visit the cliffs along the iconic route every year … but a new report has slammed the region as a tourist destination, saying it “over-promises and under-delivers”.
The Shipwreck Coast Master Plan, a guide for increasing tourism to the area around the Twelve Apostles, has proposed $178 million in investment from the public and private sectors over 20 years to pay for upgraded cycling paths, camping facilities, pest control and revegetation.
The plan aims to add $214 million per annum to the regional economy and create 884 new local jobs within the next tow deracdes.
Many travellers will be relieved to hear that the Victorian Government has also just announced it will spend $4.4 million to solve the public toilet ‘problem’ at the Twelve Apostles. With just 25 toilets to cope with the massive numbers of visitors, and overflow issues which have resulted in several  sewage leaks, the money will fund a new sewer pipeline connecting the toilets to the treatment facility at Port Campbell.
“This is such a critical area for our tourism industry in Victoria, and we do want to grow visitations,” Environment Minister Lisa Neville told the ABC. “Access to a good working toilet that’s safe and reliable is so important to being able to grow numbers and this will deliver that.”
The Shipwreck Coast Master Plan says a key aim for the 12 Apostles should be to encourage more tourists to stay overnight in the region rather than just visiting for the day.
“People visiting the area place significant demands on infrastructure and the environment, but leave little in the way of a contribution to the regional economy,” it said.
The report noted that there was a stark and widening gap between what people were looking for as a world-class experience and what was currently being offered by way of park infrastructure, accommodation, access to local produce, the logistics of getting to the coast, navigating and interpreting it.
* How do you rate the Great Ocean Road as a grey nomad experience? Comment below.
Scenery was superb. The condition of the road was appalling – full of potholes. We have travelled a fair bit of the country towing our van and the Great Ocean Road was the only place we broke crockery. There needs to be more large areas for vans to pull off safely.
Nothing’s changed in 40 yrs. it’s time there was some serious money spent on the road. The view as always is stunning
We travelled the Ocean Road also and I have to say it was the worse road I have travelled with the 18,5 Road Star. Talking to Travellers over 10 ears we had been told it was getting fixed and getting fixed and getting fixed. Not to happen. The big bus companies miss out a lot because they can not take their buses along it. it is not permitted as it is classed as dangerous and through this a lot of our tourist miss out..Great country yet not allowed to be shown one of our beautifulest of spots. I drive and have to say I was glad when I got to the end of the road..
Kind Regards Karen
Now Camping at Mulwala NSW…..Near Yarrawonga..
Just over the VIC/NSW Boarder
The Marketing has been very successful, as you say they get millions of visitors every year I live near The Great Ocean Road, and will state as fact, they are one of the most unfreindly lot of towns along any australian coastline, very regimented with the rules and regulations and also do nothing for Van or RV travellers,, In short ! Scenery Fantastic, but Attitude sucks, !!
Did the ocean road trip earlier this year, very disappointed in the condition of the roads. Last visited 30 years ago things have certainly changed, and I don’t necessarily think for the better. We were unable to access some of the major sites with our rig in tow and found some of the facilities bellow standard, neither of us felt like backtracking after unhitching the van at our next stop. After reading the previous post it’s not only the locals attitude that suck but the attitude of some of the tourists as well (not all, some tourists are very friendly and delightful).