With the sheer drop of the hills into the sea, Mount Defiance, rising over 300 metres, was one of the most difficult natural obstacles to the building of the road.
The Mount Defiance lookout was built in 1934 and commemorates the ex-servicemen who worked on the Great Ocean Road.
The wall was dedicated to Howard Hitchcock, a civic leader, business man and the main driving force behind the construction of the road.
His vision and constant fundraising through the Great Ocean Road Trust made the road a reality between Anglesea and Cape Patton. Sadly, Hitchcock died just three months before the road was officially opened.
Mt Defiance section of the road in 1930 Reference and photo: Historical Drivers Guide to the Great Ocean Road, Ross J Bastiaan
John Hassett, a surveyor in January 1919, expresses the difficulty of the Mt Defiance section of the road. “[Mt Defiance] is a very heavy job, the side slope ranges from 30° to 45° and covered with dense scrub.” – John Hassett.
Cumberland River, the secret seaside spot where you can tune out or take in all that nearby Lorne has to offer.
Where bush meets the beach. 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.
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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.
