General News
12 March, 2025
Report reveals GOR value
THE first ever Environmental-Economic Account (EEA) for Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks has been released, which reviews the area’s ecosystem assets and quantifies the economic value they contribute to Victoria.
The EEA looks at the overall area, location and condition of assets such as flora, fauna, and biodiversity, infrastructure like walking and bike tracks, and recreation and tourism within the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks through an economic lens.
It estimates the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks ecosystems are worth over $100 million a year to the economy or over $700 million per year to the community for the group of ecosystem services assessed.
The area is made up of 128,000 hectares of marine habitats, 40,000 hectares of national parks, nature and conservation reserves, and over 36,000 hectares of forests.
They store the equivalent of 35.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks are under threat from high and increasing levels of tourism and consequences of climate change.
Some areas are becoming more dangerous due to the risk of coastal erosion caused by sea level rise.
A Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) spokesperson said it is critical the coastline is preserved.
“The coast and parks along the Great Ocean Road are so important to Victoria and it is critical we do as much as we can to protect them for future generations to enjoy,” the spokesperson said.
“Land management, planning and investment decisions for the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks will be informed by the latest research including this EEA to ensure a consistent and holistic approach.
“The EEA directly attributes 3.9 million tourism visitors each year, valued at $520 million annually, to the existence of the ecosystems of the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks and highlights its significance for the Victorian economy.”
The EEA will assist the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA), which is the dedicated park manager for the coast and parks of the Great Ocean Road, with evidence to inform its strategy, planning and investment decisions.
This work by DEECA aligns with the United Nations (UN) System of Environmental Economic Accounts – Ecosystem Accounts (SEEA - EA) guidance (UN, 2021).
The UN SEEA is a framework for reporting on links between the environment and the economy using internationally agreed accounting concepts.
For more information and to view the EEA visit https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/accounting-for-the-environment.
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