Overhaul urged for Ocean Rd

A NEW agency needs to be created to oversee the management of the Great Ocean Road, a Government-appointed body has found.

With 14 public agencies all juggling responsibilities for the famous coastal route, the Great Ocean Road Taskforce recommends co-ordinating the work from a central organisation.

In an issues paper to be released today, it also proposes a 20 to 25-year strategy covering the entire length of the road and action to secure funding.

The Andrews Government invested $1.3 million last year to set up the taskforce, which is led by former ministers Peter Batchelor and Terry Mulder.

G21 chief executive Elaine Carbines and five local council CEOs are also on the taskforce, which has worked with nearly 40 organisations and groups.

Taskforce co-chair Terry Mulder said authorities needed to acknowledge the Great Ocean Road belonged to all Victorians.

“We need to get the balance right between accessibility and sustainability, amenity and liveability, and the economy and the community,” he said.

The State Government said it would consider the taskforce’s recommendations after a public submissions process ends late next month.

“A century on, Victorians still love the Great Ocean Road,” Planning Minister Richard Wynne said.

“We need to act to ensure we don’t love it to death.

“We have to get the planning right to protect it for generations to come. We’re having a good look at the most appropriate management model.”

The Great Ocean Road region attracts twice as many visitors as the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru combined, generating $1.3 billion in visitor expenditure and creating about 9200 jobs.