The Great ocean Road near Lorne

The Story of the construction of the Great Ocean Road is as fascinating as the drive along its length. Early comunication and trade between Geelong, Melbourne,and the small settlements which had sprung up along the western coast were by sea, or arduous, rough-hewn and unreliable tracks across the Otway Ranges. Whale-processing and timber-cutting outposts were almost totally dependent on passing ships to get their goods to market. In the 1870s a railway link had been established between Geelong and Winchelsea with a connecting track and coach to Lorne, and a rough track over the Otways to Wye River and its timber mills was usually impassable after heavy rain. A road along the coast was first discussed in the 1880s but it was put on hold as too expensive, too difficult, and of less priority to other programmes. It was not until the end of World War 1 that serious thought again turned to the road. Around this time considerable thought was being given to what work could be found for returning soldiers. The Chairman of the Country Roads Board, Mr W. Calder. proposed that funds be allocated by the State War Council for the repatriation and employment of soldiers on roads in rural areas. He submitted a plan suggesting a road from Barwon Heads, around the coast via Cape Otway, and on to Warrnambool, which he published in 1917. This received support from the then Geelong Mayor Howard Hitchcock who vowed to organise support for its construction suggesting it also be a memorial to those who lost their ives during the war. A 'Great Ocean Road Trust' was initiated in May 1918 and it was decided to begin the first stage from Lorne to Cape Patton, and survey work began in August. The survey took over 12 months to complete due to harsh weather conditions and the rugged terrain. Work on building the road began on September 19th. 1919, using thousands of returned soldiers, with the detonation of a charge near Lorne by the then Premier of Victoria, H.S.W. Lawson, and the section opened in 1922. For the next 10 years the servicemen worked with picks, shovels and horse-drawn carts linking Lorne with Anglesea to the east and Cape Patton to the west. During this time the Country Roads Board was completing the section from Cape Patton to Apollo Bay and the complete route was opened on November 26th. 1932, by the then Lieutenant Governor, Sir William Irvine. A procession of 40 cars moved along the road lined with schoolchildren and Apollo Bay rose to the occasion with sports on the foreshore while the Colac band travelled to Wye River to entertain visitors. In the early years there was a toll on the road with gates at Eastern View where the Memorial Arch now stands. It cost two shillings and sixpence (25 cents) for drivers, and one shilling and sixpence for passengers (15c). The toll was abolished in October, 1936, when the road was handed over to the State Government by the Trust. It was only in the late 1980.s the last section of the extended road through the Otway National Park between Apollo Bay and Lavers Hill was finally bitumised.

© Copyright Peter W. Wilkins 2001