Back
Sometimes a road is just a road. Other times a road is something more. On the Victorian coast of Australia, there's one road that's a destination in its own right.
A handmade memorial
The Great Ocean Road is the world's largest war memorial. As World War I drew to a close, Australian officials proposed construction of the road as an opportunity to offer reparation and re-employment for returning soldiers.
Starting in 1918, thousands of veteran warfighters descended with picks, shovels and horse-drawn carts to build a coastal route through the southern Victoria coastline.
The soldiers finished their own drivable memorial in 1932, and the 150-mile road from Torquay to Allanford ended the isolation of southern coastal communities.
A scenic wonder
The steep limestone cliffs and distinctively rugged Victorian coastline inspired one wartime road advocate to declare the proposed route an attraction to rival the French Riviera.
The Great Ocean Road certainly holds its own in comparison to other seaside drives, but don't just pass the coastline by. The region is perfect for water sports like surfing, kayaking and scuba. Inland attractions feature wildlife, nature walks and cultural heritage experiences.
What not to miss
Perhaps the most iconic attraction on the Great Ocean Road is the Twelve Apostles. Located between Princetown and Port Campbell, limestone pillars thrust up from the surf to loom 150 feet over the waves. Only eight of these magnificent spires remain, and boardwalks are set up on the shoreside cliffs, leading to a variety of viewing platforms.
Also stop at Otway National Park for the Triplet Falls walk. Named for its three roaring cascades, Triplet Falls is accessible from a comfortable one-hour hike through towering ferns and trees of the Great Otway rainforest.
Whether your locum tenens assignment allows you an afternoon, a week or several months, these sights and more await along the Great Ocean Road.