The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority’s new headquarters were officially opened on Wednesday (8 December), one year after the Authority was established.
Opening the headquarters in Torquay, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio said the Authority was already delivering visitor infrastructure upgrades and gearing up for a “bumper” holiday season.
“The Authority is already delivering improvements to coastal infrastructure that will benefit local communities and visitors,” Ms D’Ambrosio (pictured centre) said.
“This includes upgrades to caravan park facilities, new beach access stairs, walkways, ramps and lookouts,” she said.
“It’s going to be a bumper holiday season for local businesses across the area with bookings at the eight caravan parks managed by the Authority at 100 per cent for the school holidays.”
The Minister said a dedicated parks manager had also been established for the coast and parks along the Great Ocean Road to improve management of the area.
“Before this, management was fragmented across multiple competing Agencies, with no over-arching plan or single authority covering the entire length of the road,” she said.
“The changes mean the area’s special environment will be better protected with a coordinated approach to managing the visitor experience, investment, conservation, visitation numbers and community engagement,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
