The State Government has announced $53 million for the Great Ocean Road, after landslides plagued the route over the past few months.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Roads Minister Luke Donnellan made the announcement at Wye River almost a year after fires devastated the area during Christmas.
“It’s just not good enough to lock out tourists and locals every time there’s an extreme weather event,” Mr Andrews said.
“We’re doing the work to make sure this beautiful part of our state is always open for business.”
The announcement comes after heavy rain caused hundreds of landslides on the road during September, forcing closures up until this week.
Federal Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson has called on the state to match a Commonwealth investment of $25m since August.
The Commonwealth investment was on top of a joint $50m investment from the federal and state governments, which began in 2012.
On 18 November Mr Donnellan’s office told the Indy that the State Government would match the new funding, and this latest amount was further funding, his office confirmed.
The investment will fund urgent repairs on the iconic 240km road, including new rock fall netting, retaining walls and armour stone to prevent wave erosion.
Mr Donnellan said the funding would safeguard the national heritage-listed icon and residents and business owners who depend on the road for their livelihoods.
“It will also ensure communities along the Great Ocean Road remain connected during an emergency such as a bushfire or flood,” he said.
He said the investment would improve the surface of the road and reduce the risk it would be closed in the future due to landslides.
The government will also install traffic management technology – including electronic signs, CCTV monitoring devices and real-time traffic counters to help tourists and residents in an emergency.
This week work concluded on the State Government’s $2m concrete wall to stabilise the embankment between Wye River and Separation Creek.
The project will allow VicRoads two open lanes to be opened to traffic today after three months of closure, Mr Donnellan said.
“We’ve been working hard to keep it open and accessible to tourists and the local community.“
“We will keep working to support local residents, communities and businesses right along the Great Ocean Road as they continue the recovery process.”
