- Location: Torquay - Allansford
- Length: 243 km
- Start of construction: 1919.
- Completion of construction: 1932.
- Sightseeing: Wrecking Coast, Port Campbell National Park, Lok-Ard Range, Twelve Apostles, Te-Grotto, London arch
The Great Ocean Road is a 243 km long Australian road that runs along the Pacific coast of Victoria. Its official name is B100. Let's talk about it in more detail.
general information
The road originates in the city of Torquay and, walking along the coast and only occasionally bending into the interior of the continent, reaches Allansford. Along the road there are a number of natural attractions, including 12 apostles - a group of limestone rocks near the coast. It can be said that the Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles are the main attraction of the state of Victoria. And among the sights of all of Australia the road takes the 3rd place in attendance, second only to the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru.
The construction of the road began in 1919, on March 18, 1922, its first section was opened and then closed again - for modifications. November 26, 1932 the construction was completed; travel on it was paid, the money was collected to compensate for construction costs. Since 1936, when the road was donated to the state, it was free of charge.
The Great Ocean Road on the map Australia is the largest military memorial; it was built in memory of Australian soldiers killed on the fronts of World War I, and by Australian soldiers who returned from this war.
Sights of the Great Ocean Road
Along the Great Ocean Road are various natural attractions. The road passes through Port Campbell National Park. It is on its territory that the famous 12 apostles , the London arch, the Gibson-Steps cliffs, the Lok-Ard gorge, named after the striker Lock Ard, the karst geological formation The Grotto ("Grotto") are located. Another attraction is Great ocean road Australia - Coast of shipwrecks, near which more than 630 ships were destroyed.
In addition, while traveling along the road you can see Bells Beach - the most famous of all Australian surfing beaches - unique country houses in Fairhaven, the mouth of the Kenneth River, where koalas sit on trees right above the road, Otway National Park.
The London arch
The age of this attraction is about 20 million years. Until 1990, the appearance of the sights resembled a bridge - and, accordingly, it was called the London Bridge. But after the collapse of the part of the rock connecting the arch with the shore, the similarity to the bridge was lost, and the landmark was given a new name - the London arch.
12 apostles
"Apostles" - limestone cliffs near the coast between Princeton and Port Campbell. In fact, they are not 12, but only 8. Until 2005, there was also the 9th rock, but it was destroyed as a result of the impact of erosion. Such a romantic name was given to the attraction only in the XX century, and before that the rocks were called much more prosaic - "Pig and Pigs", and the island, from which these rocks separated, acted as a pig. One of the most popular services for tourists in Port Campbell Park is circling 12 apostles by helicopter.
Events
Since 2005, the road section from Lorna to Apollo Bay (its length is 45 km) is annually used for a marathon. However, the marathon is not the only sporting event taking place here: also various water sports competitions are held regularly on the coast. In addition, in the cities through which the road passes, various festivals are held, including festivals of wine.
Recommended hotels by directions
Along the road are cities and towns. If you do not want to overcome all the way at once, but are going to admire the sights, you can stay in one of the cities.
The best hotels in Warrnambool were called Quality Suites Deep Blue, Blue Whale Motor Inn & Apartments, Best Western Colonial Village Motel, Comfort Inn Warrnambool International and Best Western Olde Maritime Motor Inn. In Apollo Bay, the best reviews deserve the Sandpiper Motel, Motel Marengo, 7 Falls Apartments, Seafarers Getaway, Apollo Bay Waterfront Motor Inn.
Those who have been to Port Campbell are advised to stop at Port Campbell Parkview Motel & Apartments, Southern Ocean Villas, Daysy Hill Country Cottages, Portside Motel, Bayview No 2, Anchors Beach House. And in Lorne the best accommodation options are Great Ocean Road Cottages, Chatby Lane Lorne, Pierview Apartments, Cumberland Lorne Resort, Lorne World, Lornebeach Apartments. In other cities near the Great ocean road - Torquay, Englesi, Eiris Inlet, Peterborough and others - there are also hotels where you can relax comfortably.
How to get to the Great Ocean Road?
You can buy tickets for a tour of the Great Ocean Road from any tour operator, or you can inspect it yourself. To get to the road from Canberra , you should go by Hume Hwy, and then by National Hwy 31. The journey takes about 9 hours. From Melbourne can be reached in less than 3 hours, you need to go first on M1, then on Princes Hwy and A1.
Pay attention: on the road almost everywhere there are signs that limit the speed of movement - somewhere up to 80 km / h, and somewhere up to 50. This is due to the fact that the road is quite complicated, besides, drivers are often distracted by the surrounding beauty.
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