Our Story
Our role
The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (the Authority) was established on 1 December 2020 to deliver better protection and management of the iconic coast and parks of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.
In partnership with the Traditional Owners, our role is to manage, protect and foster resilience of the natural, cultural and heritage values of coastal Crown land and marine waters along the Great Ocean Road.
Simplifying the complex and fragmented governance of the Great Ocean Road was a key priority issue for establishing the Authority. Prior to the reforms, there were 30 responsible organisations with accountabilities along the Great Ocean Road. This management model created challenges in planning and delivering for the future in a coordinated manner.
The reforms have expanded our functions and powers to manage public land of all types within the Great Ocean Road coast and parks. Our role is to simplify these fragmented and conflicting management arrangements and deliver on a shared vision for the future of the entire Great Ocean Road region.
This includes:
- Guiding sustainable tourism, supporting local employment, and enhancing the visitor experience
- Strengthening the protection of land and seascapes from the impacts of climate change
- Improving economic development for a prosperous and liveable region.
As a public land manager for the Great Ocean Road coast and parks, we manage a wide variety of public land from National Parks to coastal beaches and town foreshores.
All revenue raised through our commercial endeavours is reinvested back into the coast to ensure the Great Ocean Road region can be enjoyed now and for generations to come.
Our work
Our identity and framework
This is the essence of who we are. Our Board and staff collaborated using the Great Ocean Road and Environs Protection Act 2020 Act to form our Values, Vision, Objectives, and Principles – this reflects our core ethics and guides the work we do and how we do it.
Our Coast and Parks Principles
The Great Ocean Road and Environs Protection Act 2020 requires the Authority to adhere to the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Protection Principles. These include General and Economic, Aboriginal Inclusion, Environmental and Social Principles.
We take a strategic and practical approach to protecting the Crown land and marine waters we are responsible for, including the management of coastal erosion, visitor safety and coastal infrastructure. Our primary purpose is to protect, conserve, enhance and manage these iconic natural landscapes and the State-owned infrastructure that sits upon them.
We bring a coordinated approach to supporting the sustainable use and management of the Great Ocean Road coast and parks to ensure they can be enjoyed by all.
Our brand
The development of our brand was a thorough and deeply collaborative process over several months, involving strong engagement and collaboration with the Traditional Owners, our Board members, stakeholders and staff – all groups contributed their knowledge and insights to help inform the brand strategy and logo creation.
Our Authority and caravan park logos incorporate the stories and desires of the Traditional Owners and highlight the Authority's diverse responsibilities and expanding portfolio
The short animation below explains the story of our logo and how it has been brought to life. You can find out more about our new caravan parks logo here.