The+Great+Ocean+Road

The Great Ocean Road ( [] ): Many years before the white settlers, the Great Ocean Road (as it is now called),was home to two aboriginal tribes called the Wathaurong and the Gadabanud. These tribes lived along the coast and used the pathway to widen their diet (from just fish to bush foods as well). This peace and prosperity was disrupted forever with the arrival of white settlers in late 1801. The settlers were late due to the harsh weather surrounding the bay, ‘but on February 14th, 1802 Lt. John Murray “took possession” for Britain, in honour of Captain Arthur Phillip’ who landed the first fleet from England to Australia. By the 1840s, pastoralists had taken a large amount of land in the Otway ranges and timber cutters had settled around what later became Lorne and Apollo bay. Fisherman plied their trade in bountiful ocean waters. Then on March 22 in 1918, The Great Ocean Road Trust was officially formed. Howard Hitchcock was elected as the chairman and the budget was set at 150,000 pounds ($300,000) for a road that would run for 100 miles (160K/M). The road was made using prison labour and as a great employer for returned servicemen from world war one. This was especially important as the building was done during the years of the depression and provided a job and income for many people who would otherwise have been unable to find employment. Then, after 13 years of hard work and labour and a little extra money, the Great Ocean Road was officially opened in 1932. What followed were a few long parties and celebrations. The last celebration party was on Friday October 2nd, 1936.