NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road is a 273km stretch of road along the South Eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Geelong and Warrnambool. The road was constructed as a Memorial to the First World War. It is one of Australia's great scenic coastline drives. Image File history File links Australian_Alphanumeric_State_Route_B100. ... Image File history File links Australian_Alphanumeric_State_Route_M1. ... The Princes Highway is a segment of Australias Highway 1 that extends from Sydney to Adelaide, via Melbourne. ... Belmont is a residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. ... This article is about the Victorian city; the name may also refer to City of Geelong or Geelong city centre. ... View from Point Danger, looking towards the Torquay surf beach. ... Anglesea, including the tidal river mouth, seen from the Great Ocean Road. ... Aireys Inlet is a small coastal inlet and town located on the Great Ocean Road, South-West of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... Lorne is a seaside town on Louttit Bay in Victoria, Australia. ... Apollo Bay is a coastal town in southwestern Victoria. ... Lavers Hill is a town in Victoria, Australia, located 47km inland from Port Campbell and 49km from Apollo Bay. ... Port Campbell (38Â°37â€²S 142Â°59â€²E) is a coastal town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Ocean Road, west of the Twelve Apostles, in the Corangamite Shire. ... Peterborough is a small town on the historic Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, about 3 hours drive from Melbourne. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Princes Highway is a segment of Australias Highway 1 that extends from Sydney to Adelaide, via Melbourne. ... Allansford (38Â°23â€² S 142Â°35â€² E) is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. ... Warrnambool is a regional city of around 32,000 people on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia, located in the municipality City of Warrnambool. ... VIC redirects here. ... This article is about the Victorian city; the name may also refer to City of Geelong or Geelong city centre. ... Warrnambool is a regional city of around 32,000 people on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia, located in the municipality City of Warrnambool. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

Location

The Great Ocean Road starts at Torquay and travels westward to the outskirts of Warrnambool. The road forms about 90% of B100 (previously designated as State Route 100), the remaining 10% known as the Surfcoast Highway which joins Geelong to Torquay. View from Point Danger, looking towards the Torquay surf beach. ...

History

The Great Ocean Road was built by 3000 returned servicemen (or "Diggers") as a war memorial for fellow servicemen who had been killed in the First World War.

The idea for the road had been suggested as far back as 1864. Surveying started in 1918 and actual construction took place between 1919 and 1932.

Parts of the Great Ocean Road run around steep coastal mountains. These were the trickiest and the final sections to be built.

In 1932 the section from Lorne to Apollo Bay was finished, thus completing the entire road.

Coastal Sections

Much of the road hugs tightly to the coast, offering outstanding views of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean. Map of Australia with Bass Strait marked in light blue Bass Strait (IPA: ) is a sea strait separating Tasmania from the south of the Australian mainland (Victoria in particular). ...

Between Anglesea and Apollo Bay is a particularly scenic stretch of road which passes through many towns where mountains meet the sea. Anglesey or Anglesea (Welsh: Ynys Môn pronounced Uh-niss Mawn), is an island and county in north-west Wales. ... Apollo Bay is a coastal town in southwestern Victoria. ...

The section near Port Campbell provides access by foot or helicopter to some of the most scenic coastline in the world, because of its striking and dramatic natural limestone and sandstone rock formations. These formations have been created by erosion from waves and rain and include Loch Ard Gorge, the Grotto, London Bridge (renamed to London Arch in recent years after the 'bridge' partially collapsed), and most famously The Twelve Apostles. Port Campbell is a small town on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. ... For other uses, see Helicopter (disambiguation). ... Loch Ard Gorge panorama, July 2005 The Loch Ard Gorge () is part of Port Campbell National Park, Victoria, Australia, about 5 minutes drive west of The Twelve Apostles. ... The Grotto The Grotto is a geological formation known as a sink hole which can be found on the Great Ocean Road just outside of Port Campbell. ... London Arch London Arch is a natural arch in the Port Campbell National Park, Australia. ... The Twelve Apostles are a collection of natural limestone stacks standing just off shore in the Port Campbell National Park, on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. ...

Mountain and Forest Sections

Between Apollo Bay and Gellibrand Lower, the road passes through the Great Otway National Park, which includes some of the last surviving temperate rain forests in the south of Australia. A walk at Mait's rest, located directly on the Great Ocean Road, offers the opportunity to view spectacular tree fern and Myrtle Beech trees. Apollo Bay is a coastal town in southwestern Victoria. ... Great Otway National Park is a national park in Victoria (Australia), 162 km southwest of Melbourne. ... Binomial name Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook. ...

After Lavers Hill is Melba Gully which includes a 40 minute walk through tree ferns, Myrtle Beech, Australian Blackwood, a giant Otway Messmate, and beautiful river cascades. If you return at night with a search light you will see millions of glowworms known as Arachnocampa. Binomial name Acacia melanoxylon F.Muell. ... Binomial name Eucalyptus obliqua LHÃ©r. ... Photo of a glowworm on a stick. ... Species Various - see text Arachnocampa is a genus of four fungus gnat species which are, in their larval stage, glowworms. ...

Speed limits

The road's speed limit varies from 80km/h (50mph) to 100km/h (62mph) out of urban areas. However, its sharp curves make it impossible to reach those speeds in most places. It is a two lane roadway (one lane in each direction).

Gallery of sights and tourist landmarks

See also

Aside from being Mayor of Geelong, Victoria from 1917 to 1922, philanthropist Howard Hitchcock (1866 to 1932) organized the funding and construction of Australias Great Ocean Road. ... Highways of eastern Victoria The Highways in Victoria are the highest density in any state in Australia due to its historical, population and economic reasons. ... Loch Ard Gorge panorama, July 2005 The Loch Ard Gorge () is part of Port Campbell National Park, Victoria, Australia, about 5 minutes drive west of The Twelve Apostles. ... The Grotto The Grotto is a geological formation known as a sink hole which can be found on the Great Ocean Road just outside of Port Campbell. ... London Arch London Arch is a natural arch in the Port Campbell National Park, Australia. ... The Twelve Apostles are a collection of natural limestone stacks standing just off shore in the Port Campbell National Park, on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. ... The Great Ocean Walk is a walking trail located on Victorias south-east coast in Australia. ...

External links

Visitor attractions on the Great Ocean Road

Attractions: Bay of Islands Coastal Park | Bells Beach | Gibson Steps | Great Otway National Park | The Grotto | Loch Ard Gorge | London Arch | Port Campbell National Park | The Twelve Apostles Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Bay of Islands Bay of Islands Coastal Park is a 32 kilometre long coastal reserve located on the Great Ocean Road between Peterborough and Warrnambool in Australia. ... Bells Beach Bells Beach ( ) is an internationally famous surf beach in Victoria, Australia, located 100 km south-west of Melbourne, on the Great Ocean Road near the towns of Torquay and Jan Juc. ... The Gibson Steps looking west The Gibson Steps looking east The Gibson Steps are the first sightseeing stopoff in Port Campbell National Park for travellers heading West along the Great Ocean Road, located about 5 minutes drive away from The Twelve Apostles. ... Great Otway National Park is a national park in Victoria (Australia), 162 km southwest of Melbourne. ... The Grotto The Grotto is a geological formation known as a sink hole which can be found on the Great Ocean Road just outside of Port Campbell. ... Loch Ard Gorge panorama, July 2005 The Loch Ard Gorge () is part of Port Campbell National Park, Victoria, Australia, about 5 minutes drive west of The Twelve Apostles. ... London Arch London Arch is a natural arch in the Port Campbell National Park, Australia. ... Port Campbell is a national park in Victoria (Australia), 190 km southwest of Melbourne. ... The Twelve Apostes circa December 2006 The Twelve Apostles are a collection of natural limestone stacks standing just off shore in the Port Campbell National Park, on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. ...

Towns: Aireys Inlet | Anglesea | Apollo Bay | Cape Bridgewater | Jan Juc | Lavers Hill | Lorne | Peterborough | Port Campbell | Torquay | Warrnambool | Wye River Aireys Inlet is a small coastal inlet and town located on the Great Ocean Road, South-West of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... Anglesea, including the tidal river mouth, seen from the Great Ocean Road. ... Apollo Bay is a coastal town in southwestern Victoria. ... Cape Bridgewater is a town in Victoria, Australia. ... Jan Juc is a coastal town of Victoria, Australia, adjacent to Torquay, Victoria. ... Lavers Hill is a town in Victoria, Australia, located 47km inland from Port Campbell and 49km from Apollo Bay. ... Lorne is a seaside town on Louttit Bay in Victoria, Australia. ... Peterborough is a small town on the historic Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, about 3 hours drive from Melbourne. ... Port Campbell (38Â°37â€²S 142Â°59â€²E) is a coastal town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Ocean Road, west of the Twelve Apostles, in the Corangamite Shire. ... View from Point Danger, looking towards the Torquay surf beach. ... Warrnambool is a regional city of around 32,000 people on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia, located in the municipality City of Warrnambool. ... Wye River is a small town in Victoria, Australia. ...

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