The Great Ocean Road Concierge is your new FREE digital guide to the Great Ocean Road. Take it with you to get tips on what to do, what to see, where to eat - see stories and videos and much, much more.
Erwin Babington, at just 10 years old, worked on the construction of the Great Ocean Road with his father as timber suppliers.
Erwin recounts the treacherous nature they were surrounded by when camped at Cumberland River.
“The camp was at Cumberland River where a huge bushfire raged from the mountain top and at night trees and logs burnt and rocks exploded over the mountain cliff.
It was a sight to see!
The timber was to be delivered to a site where the whole road slipped away near Mt Defiance after very heavy rains.”
– Erwin Babington, timber supplier for Great Ocean Road construction
Another camp set up not far from here was where the first surveyors set up camp in 1919 at Sheoak River:
“The weather has been very bad and have had great difficulty trying to make the tents stand against the storms; the Rivers rose to a great height and after being cut off from Lorne for 3 days had to swim the Rivers to get provisions.” – John Hassett, one of the original surveyors of the Great Ocean Road
Cumberland River, the secret seaside spot where you can tune out, or take in all that nearby Lorne has to offer.
Set between the sparkling waters of Loutit Bay and the majesty of the Otway National Park, Lorne is a spectacular and refreshing place.
Explore the seaside tiny towns along the most picturesque stretch of the Great Ocean Road.
Sign up to get the latest deals, tours & events along the Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
