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So your planning to explore the amazing Great Ocean Road? Awesome. We've listed 9 interesting Great Ocean Road facts that will help you plan your trip. The information here will definitely change your travelling life, as Great Ocean Road can be seen as one of the top must-sees in Australia.
Great Ocean Road facts that will help you plan your trip
All questions you might have about the Great Ocean Road and driving it, will be answered below.
1. How old is Great Ocean Road?
Great Ocean Road is over 80 years old!
The whole project was finished in November 1932. The Eastern section of the road was completed in March 1922 and then the final section from Lorne to Apollo Bay was finished in November 1932.
The Great Ocean Road was first planned during the end of WW1 when Country Roads Board chairman William Calder wanted to create jobs for returning soldiers. Construction began in 1919 and was done by hand by more than 3,000 soldiers.
They built the road as a war memorial for their fellow soldiers and servicemen who had died in the war, a road which took more than 10 years to complete. Because of the dangerous nature of the work which involved working with explosives, several workers were killed on the job and the road has gone down in history as one of the most perilous projects of the 20th Century.
2. What is special about the Great Ocean Road? Why is it famous?
When you are driving on Great Ocean Road, you are driving on the world's largest war memorial. It was built by returned soldiers to remember the fallen soldiers during World War I. This fact and the amazing views will guarantee a memorable road trip.
3. When was Great Ocean Road built?
It was built between 1919 and 1932 by returned soldiers to remember those that gave their lives fighting for freedom in World War I.
4. Where does Great Ocean Road start?
Great Ocean Road starts at Torquay and travels westward to finish at Allansford.
This stunning stretch of coastline is an Australian National Heritage listed road in the state of Victoria. The road will take you from your starting point in Torquay to Anglesea, to Lorne and then Apollo Bay, through the enchantingly beautiful Great Otway National Park, along the coast to Port Campbell before finishing at your final destination of Allansford.
5. How long is Great Ocean Road?
Great Ocean Road is exactly 243 kilometres (or 151 miles) long.
6. How long will it take to drive Great Ocean Road?
It’s possible to drive the entire length of the Great Ocean Road in a day. But who wants to do that when there are so many awesome things to see and do along the way? If you’re strapped for time and need a drive that will be a day or less, this route is totally doable.
If you’re here to make the most of your Australian road trip we would recommend setting aside at least a couple of days. Then you can stop often and enjoy some of the coastal towns and a spot of sightseeing. To get hands-on like the locals and to throw yourself into the deep-end with water sports, outdoor activities and hiking, we recommend at least 3 whole days.
7. But can you do the Great Ocean Road in one day?
Yes, you can drive it in one day... But why would you want to do that? You'll be missing out on a lot of the things to do and see. It is best to take your time and to stop often.
8. Is it easy to drive the Great Ocean Road? Is it dangerous?
The road of Great Ocean Road is two-lane (one in each direction). The speed limit ranges from 50 km/h to 100 km/h.
The Great Ocean Road isn’t the easiest of roads to drive on. If you’re not an experienced driver, you may find the winding lanes and sharp turns quite challenging. The road can become dangerous during poor weather conditions such as rain or snow, so keep your wits about you! If you really don’t fancy driving on the road the whole way, you can drive along the freeway which is just a few miles away from the coastal road.
9. What is the best time to visit the Great Ocean Road?
It all depends on what is more important to you when planning your road trip: best season or the cheapest season? When weather is more important than summertime (December to February) is the best time for you to visit Great Ocean Road. It's the time of the year with the lowest amount of rainfall on that route.
If price and fewer tourists are more important then wintertime (June - August) is the best time for you to visit Great Ocean Road. If you are worried about roadtripping in Australia in winter no need to, winter in our country is different. Have a look at this blog post about how awesome and how different a winter road trip is.
London Arch (formerly London Bridge) - one of the must-sees on your Great Ocean Road trip
Planning your Great Ocean Road trip?
We could have listed so much more Great Ocean Road facts. It is an awesome drive. But it really is something that you have to experience. So stop reading and start planning. To help you plan the best Great Ocean Road trip, we have listed all the amazing stops and must-see places on GOR in a blog post so you won't miss any of the amazing sights and the beautiful scenery.
And for all travelling foodies, we have created a list of all the places foodies must visit on Great Ocean Road to taste amazing craft beer, fantastic wines, local cheeses and even super-creamy chocolate and ice cream. It'll be a super tasty road trip.