The Great Ocean Road runs along a stretch of coastline along the southwest coast of the state of Victoria in Australia.  It runs for 243 kilometers along cliff tops, headlands, beaches, river estuaries, and rainforests between the city of Torquay, just south of Geelong, and the city of Allansford, just east of Warnambool.http://www.visitvictoria.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.00009762-ED40-1A7D-805680C476A90000/?utm_source=Exp&utm_medium=Region&utm_campaign=LearnMore 

Several tourist attractions are dispersed throughout the road. Such sites include Shipwreck Coast, a hazardous area of coast which has claimed over 180 ships including the Marie Gabrielle and the Fiji.  There are also several lighthouses available to visit, including one on the point of Cape Otway that is open for the public to climb to the top for an aerial view of the road or to take photographs.

Prior to the building of the Great Ocean Road, communication and trade between coastal villages was subject to travel on an area of hazardous ocean inlets.  In 1918, a committee called the Great Ocean Trust set about to build a scenic road to attract tourists to Victoria, and construction of the road began in 1919 and lasted 14 years until its completion in 1932.http://www.bunyiptours.com/great-ocean-road/history.html 

Visitors to the road can expect to drive along a coastal stretch which will take them past many points of interest including mountain ranges, beaches, rainforests, whale lookouts, limestone stacks jutting out of the ocean, and national parks. Some notable stopping points include Shipwreck Coast and the lighthouse located at the point of Cape Otway.http://www.australia.com/destinations/icons/great_ocean_road.aspx