fbpx

KidsKonnect

Great Ocean Road Facts & Worksheets

The Great Ocean Road is not just a usual road; it is considered and listed as an Australian National Heritage.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Geography /Landmarks & Sights /Great Ocean Road Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Great Ocean Road Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

The Great Ocean Road is not just a usual road; it is considered and listed as an Australian National Heritage. Stretching 243 kilometers along the southeastern coast of Australia, the Great Ocean Road connects the Victorian cities of Torquay and Allansford.

See the fact file below for more information on the Great Ocean Road or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Great Ocean Road worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • The first planning of The Great Ocean Road began at the end of the First World War.
  • Its planning began when William Calder, chairman of the Country Roads Board, asked the State War Council for funds to be provided to returned soldiers to work on sparsely populated areas in the Western District.
  • The necessity to build a road was due to the fact that Victoria was only accessible only by sea or a rough bush track at that time.
  • The road was, of course, seen as the solution to connect isolated areas and settlements on the coast, thus, becoming an effective and integral link for transport, mainly for the timber industry, and a track for tourism as well.
  • Road surveying started in 1918, and it was tentatively named the South-Coast Road. It was initially surveyed to start from Barwon Heads, then follow west around Cape Otway and near Warrnambool.
  • In the same year, The Great Ocean Road Trust was formed as a private company, under the ruling of its president Howard Hitchcock.
  • The Great Ocean Road Trust managed to secure £81,000 capital from private subscription and borrowing.
  • Their president, Hitchcock, contributed £3,000 himself.
  • The money was repaid by charging drivers a toll-fee until the debt was cleared, after that, the road would be gifted to the state.

CONSTRUCTION

  • Construction of the Great Ocean Road began on September 19, 1919.
  • Approximately 3,000 returned soldiers or servicemen worked to build it.
  • Returned servicemen built the road as a war memorial for fellow soldiers who were killed during World War I.
  • Construction of The Great Ocean Road was done by hand, using explosives, pick and shovel, wheelbarrows, and small machines.
  • The construction of The Great Ocean Road was, at times, a dangerous task.
  • Several working men died on the job due to accidents.
  • The most dangerous areas to work on were the final sections along the steep coastal mountains.
  • According to 1282 ABC archives, workers would rest the detonators on their knees as it is considered to be the softest spot to ride.
  • As a result of that tactic, some explosives would detonate accidentally.
  • The soldiers received a modest pay of 10 shillings (former currency of Australia) and sixpence for a working day of eight hours, and a half-day’s work on Saturdays.
  • Throughout the construction, tents were used to accommodate the workers, and the soldiers made use of a communal dining marquee and kitchen.
  • The workers had access to a piano, a gramophone, games, newspapers, and magazines.
  • The section from Eastern View to Lorne was opened with celebrations on March 18, 1922.
  • However it was closed again on May 10, 1922 for further construction, and was reopened on December 21, with tolls to compensate the construction costs.
  • The section from Lorne to Apollo Bay was finished in November 1932, bringing the Great Ocean Road construction to its completion.
  • Victoria’s Lieutenant-Governor Sir William Irvine officially opened The Road in its grand opening ceremony which was held near Lorne’s Grand Pacific Hotel.

THE ROAD’S OPENING

  • The Great Ocean Road was acknowledged as the World’s Largest War Memorial.
  • Sadly, The Great Ocean Road Trust’s President, Howard Hitchcock, did not get to see the road’s completion, for he had died from heart disease on August 22, 1932.
  • The road, at that time, was only comfortable for one vehicle at a time.
  • Areas with sheer cliffs would be the most hazardous.
  • On October 2, 1936, the road was handed to the State Government.
  • It was also the time that the tolls were removed.
  • In 1962, The Great Ocean Road was deemed by the Tourists Development Authority as one of the world’s Great Scenic Roads.
  • In that same year, sections of the road were widened between the Lorne Hotel and the Pacific Hotel to improve traffic.

THE GREAT OCEAN WALK

  • The Great Ocean Walk opened in 2004, a walk connecting 104 kilometers of walking trails that follow the coastline near The Great Ocean Road, stretching from Apollo Bay to the 12 Apostles.
  • In 2011, The Great Ocean Road was added to the Australian National Heritage List.

Great Ocean Road Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Great Ocean Road across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Great Ocean Road worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Great Ocean Road which is not just a usual road; it is considered and listed as an Australian National Heritage. Stretching 243 kilometers along the southeastern coast of Australia, the Great Ocean Road connects the Victorian cities of Torquay and Allansford.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Great Ocean Road Facts
  • True or False
  • Great Road Map
  • Great Stopovers
  • Construction History
  • News: Road Opened!
  • Highlight Match
  • Picture Postcard
  • Roads Around The World
  • Wanted: Signs
  • Plan A Road Trip!

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Great Ocean Road Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 14, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources