Our Story

Who We Are

The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority is a State Government entity established by the Great Ocean Road and Environs Protection Act 2020 (GOREP Act) as the dedicated land manager for the Great Ocean Road coast and parks.

We exist to protect, conserve, enhance, and manage public land within the Great Ocean Road coast and parks so that they can be enjoyed by all, now and for generations to come.

We commenced operation on 1 December 2020 as the land manager for ~950 hectares of coastal reserves between Point Impossible and Marengo and are undergoing a significant scale-up of our operations and functions.

We will have responsibility to protect and manage visitation of the coast and parks along the full length of the Great Ocean Road, enabling a holistic approach to addressing the impacts of increasing visitation, environmental processes, severe weather events, and climate change.

By 1 November 2025, we will be responsible for managing 170,000 hectares of parks and coastal reserves along the Great Ocean Road including 355 kilometres of coastline (from Point Impossible to the Hopkins River), several National Parks, coastal town foreshores, high visitation sites such as the Cape Otway Lightstation Tourism Precinct and the Twelve Apostles Visitor Experience Precinct, and marine land to the edge of Victorian waters.

We report to the Minister for the Environment to deliver on our priorities and functions as outlined in the GOREP Act 2020 and the Statement of Expectations issued by the Minister on 28 February 2022. The Statement of Expectations sets out the priority areas for our performance and functions; cultural competency and self-determination, transformation and transition to our end state, Great Ocean Road coast and parks protection, community engagement, visitor experience, and financial sustainability.

The Hon. Steve Dimopoulos is the responsible Minister for the Environment.

From its commencement, the Authority has had existing revenue streams from the public land that it manages, including several caravan parks. The Authority invests all revenue it raises back into the land it manages.

The Authority also receives Government funding for its activities. Since its commencement on 1 December 2020, the Government has provided the Authority with additional funding to improve visitor facilities, coastal protection works and erosion preparedness, and conservation projects.

Our Purpose

We exist to protect, conserve, enhance, and manage the coast and parks traversed by the Great Ocean Road so that they can be enjoyed by all, now and for generations to come.

Our Vision

Our vision for the Great Ocean Road coast and parks is to thrive as one living and integrated natural entity.

COLLABORATION

EVIDENCE

LEADERSHIP

TRUST

Our Purpose

 Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Protection Principles as guided by the Great Ocean Road and Environs Protection Act 2020.

GREAT OCEAN ROAD COAST AND PARKS AUTHORITY PRINCIPLES as instituted by the board.

	GENERAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT The Great Ocean Road coast and parks, including its natural features, character and appearance, should be protected and enhanced through the effective integration of environmental, cultural, social and economic considerations.
	ABORIGINAL INCLUSION Aboriginal cultural values, practices, heritage, knowledge and the Traditional Owners’ intrinsic connection to Country should be acknowledged, respected, protected and promoted through partnership and involvement in policy development, planning, and decision-making.
	SOCIAL CONSIDERATION AND ENGAGEMENT Recognition of the heritage of the Great Ocean Road and post-European settlement communities, and community consultation should play an essential and effective role in the protection, improvement and promotion of the Great Ocean Road coast and parks.
	ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY Natural, cultural and ecological values should be protected, and cumulative impacts on the environment should be considered in decision-making to ensure a net gain for the environment arising out of land use.
	INTERGENERATIONAL EQUITY Equitable access for all people, now and for generations to come.
	CONNECTEDNESS Kayap-Ngeerrang. A Gunditjmara phrase which means one mother, the principle of connectedness through Mother Earth, or in Aboriginal terms, Country or Place.

Current Progress

Significant progress has been made in the Victorian Government’s landmark reforms to establish the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (the Authority) as the dedicated parks manager for the Great Ocean Road coast and parks.

Fragmented management of coastal reserves along the 355 km of coastline from the Thompson River to the Hopkins River has been reduced with the transfer of management responsibilities for coast and parks to the Authority from 11 different entities.

To date, management responsibility for almost 60,000 hectares of land - including Coastal Reserves, Protected Forests, Recreational Parkland, and National Parks – in the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks has transferred to the Authority.

The Authority will continue to scale up its reserves and park management operations over the next two years with the next phase of the reforms involving the transfer of management responsibilities for a further 110,000 hectares of reserves and parks, and to ensure environmental conservation obligations are met and cultural values protected.

Continuing The Story

The National Heritage-listed Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most scenic and iconic coastal touring routes and Victoria’s most significant tourism asset. The Great Ocean Road is an icon steeped in cultural values and history.

The coastal and forested landscapes along the Great Ocean Road are of high cultural, ecological, and economic importance to the Wadawurrung and Eastern Maar people who have known the lands and waters for thousands of years.

With 243 kilometres of limestone cliffs, rainforest, shipwreck history, and world-class surf breaks, the Great Ocean Road connected isolated communities when it was constructed by returned servicemen between 1919 and 1932 to honour their fellow soldiers and sailors from World War I.