The Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet is accessible only via residential streets and for many years AIDA has been concerned about the influx of large buses (and other long vehicles) into the lighthouse precinct. The gravel roads in this area are simply not designed for use by these types of vehicles. Over a decade ago the Surf Coast Shire erected signs allowing access of buses over 6.0m in length only via Inlet Crescent South and solely during non-school holiday periods. Entry was for drop-off purposes only. Two new parking spaces for long vehicles were provided along the Great Ocean Road (GOR) in the vicinity of the Skate Park and the toilets at the western end of Inlet Crescent South. Access of buses to the precinct from the GOR via other entry points is prohibited throughout the year.
Unfortunately, relentless marketing campaigns to attract domestic and foreign visitors to the GOR tourist route have meant that ever increasing numbers of day tourists travel in large buses along the GOR, like parcels on a conveyor belt, seeing little of, and spending nothing in, the communities through which they pass. Like most if not all areas of the Surf Coast, our coastal communities of Eastern View, Fairhaven, Moggs Creek and Aireys Inlet have limited capacity to accommodate long vehicles without degrading the natural environment and diminishing the amenity and experience of residents and tourists alike. In recent years bus numbers entering the Lighthouse Precinct have skyrocketed and tourist bus owners, operators and drivers have been ignoring the regulatory signs and parking illegally within the precinct near the intersection of Inlet Crescent and Reserve Road – refer to photographs taken over the last year and a half. Adjacent parkland is used by both local residents and visitors for passive recreation and for pedestrian access to the inlet and the beach. The risk of an accident occurring between large buses whilst manoeuvring and parking and family groups (including small children and babies in pushers) accessing the beach appears to be very high. The risk is exacerbated by the fact that many bus drivers ignore the 40 kph speed limits in the precinct (especially along the straight section of Inlet Crescent South) and that the tourist bus visitations occur over a total of approximately five hours each day – from about 9:30 to 11:30 in the morning for buses travelling from Melbourne to the Twelve Apostles along the GOR and returning via the inland route, and from about 3:00 to 6:00 in the afternoon for buses making the circuit in the opposite direction.
Members of AIDA and local residents have been interviewing bus drivers about this issue, particularly over the 2024 Christmas and New Year holiday period. They have had a variety of responses (some rude but mostly amicable) about the situation. We highlight these responses as follows:
- Most drivers accepted that they had entered the Lighthouse Precinct by ignoring the Others pretended that they had not noticed the signs.
- Some drivers said they had to disobey the signs because their passengers had been promised a visit to Aireys Inlet (Split Point) Lighthouse in the advertising of their Great Ocean Road trip.
- Two drivers said that Inlet Crescent was not a suitable place for bus drop off and parking. They also said that they could get blocked and often had to perform awkward or dangerous manoeuvres to park and to leave the precinct.
- Drivers appeared to understand the Lighthouse Precinct access rules but agreed that they rarely followed them and always parked in Inlet Crescent for about 30 minutes while their passengers visited the lighthouse.
- They also accepted that they often had to park their buses illegally, g. parking on the wrong side of the road; parking too close to (or on) the corner of an intersection; blocking part of the road or parking across the intersection; parking across residents’ driveways; taking up most or all of the designated visitor car parking spaces in Inlet Crescent.
- Several drivers indicated that they were not worried about entering and parking in the Lighthouse Precinct because parking officers and the police were rarely seen there and the fines are
AIDA has corresponded with the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) and the Surf Coast Shire on this matter over several years. We understand that they will be conducting a joint traffic management review of the Lighthouse Precinct in 2026, which is a very long time to wait in the current circumstances. On the advice of the shire we wrote in January to provide the above information to the Director of Transport Safety at Safe Transport Victoria, but have not yet heard back from them. In the meantime, the morning and afternoon procession of large buses entering and parking within the Lighthouse Precinct continues unabated.
We hope that before too long tourist buses will be completely prohibited from entering the precinct. Until then, we believe that tourist bus owners, operators and drivers should be instructed to comply with all Aireys Inlet Lighthouse Precinct access, speed limit and parking regulations to allow safe access to the lighthouse, Inlet Beach and parkland for all residents and visitors and to avoid the likelihood of a serious accident occurring in the near future.
Mary-Jane Gething and Ian Laging