The Great Ocean Road Community Network (GORCN) had its inaugural Zoom meeting on Tuesday 18th August 2020. The network was formed to facilitate communication and coordinated action among established community groups in towns along the GOR and its hinterland. As the GOR evolves to be a designated visitor destination under the GOR Coast and Parks Authority (GORCPA), GORCN allows its member organisations to advocate for their shared interests guided by the principles of environmental sustainability, community benefit and socially responsible tourism.
The network’s twenty member groups come from Geelong to Port Campbell. It meets on an ‘as needs’ basis and has quarterly meetings with GORCAPA’s senior management.
The GORCN Climate Change & Coastal Erosion Series:
In late 2021, GORCN organised a four-part webinar series to explore the implications and government responses to climate change and coastal erosion along the GOR. The on-line series had over 700 registrations from around Australia and overseas. To access the series, follow this link Youtube.com. Please note the webinars are in reverse order with the first listed last (on the right hand side of the page if viewing on a computer and at the bottom of the list if viewing on a mobile device).
Forthcoming GORCN Tourism Series:
Globally, many places around the world are coming to understand that the model traditionally used by the tourism sector has had many unintended consequences and is no longer sustainable in its current form.
Tourism is a major influence on the liveability and conservation values of the GOR. Recognising this, GORCN is organising a hybrid tourism series to help us understand what a change in the tourism model might mean for our community’s stewardship of the Great Ocean Road and for the sustainability of the GOR.
GORCN welcomes GORCPA’s statement that its purpose will be achieved by the Authority managing, protecting, rehabilitating and fostering resilience of the natural, cultural and heritage values of coastal Crown land and marine waters along the Great Ocean Road. There was agreement that all the member organisations have become convinced that a strong platform for the articulation of their GOR voices will be critical, as GORCAPA progressively takes over management of the GOR and public lands.
Network foundational principles
Groups in the network share common ground, in that all are committed to:
- Coastal and bush protection and regeneration
- Thriving, diverse local communities
- Limitations on tourist numbers
- Community involvement with relevant decision-making
- Recognition of climate change, the need to act to mitigate its causes and to address its risks.
- Protection of local character
- Nature-based and regenerative tourism
- Analysis and communication of tourism’s invisible costs
- Evidence-based research to establish the carrying capacity of the GOR and an agreed set of indicators to monitor GOR conditions
- Appropriate infrastructure provision consistent with the above
Network organisational principles
There is general agreement that:
- This will be an informal, co-operative and open network, with the minimal organisational structure necessary to achieve its purposes;
- It will seek where desirable to create a stronger, unified voice for the communities of the GOR and its hinterland;
- It facilitates communication and other support; and
- It enables reciprocal publicity and support for key events as appropriate
Advocacy
- Any published statement/position from the network will have sign-off from all network groups;
- GORCN is a network of community groups, not individuals;
- Where consensus cannot be achieved, it is acknowledged that advocacy might not be feasible; and
The need for a simple procedure for making combined responses in an agile and timely way will necessitate a rotating Chair to be the contact point in first instance.