Ocean road in ‘collapse fear’

Erin Pearson
THE GREAT Ocean Road could eventually “collapse” without at least $500 million in repairs, according to the region’s tourism boss.
Geelong Otway Tourism director Roger Grant said landslips that closed the road after months of drenching rain had exposed the international icon’s crumbling infrastructure.
Further deterioration could leave the route dangerous and impassable, isolating Surf Coast townships along the road.
“The real issue is the continual Band-Aid approach applied every time there is rain or flooding,” Mr Grant said.
“The road was built 75 plus years ago with gravel and shovels.
“There needs to be serious resources and planning put in place to repair and restore it because these issues aren’t going away and are more likely to get worse.”
Mr Grant acknowledged a full-scale restoration would cause “temporary inconvenience” to residents and businesses but warned that without repairs the road would continue crumbling.
“It seems to me that the Commonwealth Government hasn’t really embraced and recognised that the Great Ocean Road is a major international tourism route,” he said.
“It (repairs) would be challenging from an engineering point-of-view, especially between Lorne and Apollo Bay.”
Victoria Tourism Industry Council’s Todd Blake said 12 major landslips on the road over the past month had cost between $50,000 and $100,000 each in repairs.
“The Great Ocean Road is a vital piece of tourism infrastructure that attracts eight million visitors annually who spend $1.6 billion in the local economy,” he said.
“Real investment must be made in ensuring the road is stabilised to withstand extreme weather. A conservative estimate puts the cost of upgrading the road at $500 million.”
VicRoads regional director Robin Miles said a full assessment of damage to the road was underway.
“Once these assessments have been made we’ll be able to determine the costs involved in these repairs and whether minor or major maintenance is required.
“The road is currently open to traffic, although it’s restricted to one lane with reduced speed limits in four locations.”
Victorian Transport Minister Terry Mulder had not responded to the Independent’s call for comment before the paper went to press.