When it comes to world culture, Australia is comparatively young. At the very least, the influence of European culture on the Australian continent is quite young. While the indigenous peoples of Australia are among the oldest on the planet, they have not experienced the technological or architectural advancements of other world cultures, such as the Incas, Romans, Aztecs, or Greeks. Thus, sites that have been labeled as having a historical significance are roughly mere hundreds of years old.
The types of noted historical sites within the country are easily dividable into categories, such as settlements, gold rush sites, political sites, and even those related to infamous felons. While many of these sites are comparatively new when compared to the indigenous culture, their “historic” label mainly relates to society’s view of the site, and the fact that many of these sites have been ravaged by fires, the push to have a sustainable maintenance program in place for future preservation remains high priority. Genuine historical sites in Australia tend to be honored by the indigenous tribes themselves, and not necessarily open to the public or visitors.
That said, the Great Ocean Road is one of Victoria, Australia’s most important and most-visited destinations. It is not just popular among both visitors and locals, but it significantly has had an impact on Victoria’s history.
Victoria was one of the first settlements in Australia by those of European descent. Ships would port at Victoria, and eventually settlements began to take hold. The Great Ocean Road was once the scene of many a shipwreck during those earliest days. It is most famous, however, for the twelve megalithic monuments that jut out of the ocean, known as The Twelve Apostles. While restoration efforts are in the works, these structures are quickly eroding at the hands of the sea.
Glenrowan is the nearest settlement to the Great Ocean Road. In Glenrowan you’ll find amazing old world lighthouses, ocean foods, rural farming products, and some of the best wine in the world.
In folklore amongst Australians, Glenrowan also has stories from bushranger days, when people like Ned Kelly became infamous for things like stealing horses and robbing banks. Kelly himself was a bank robber who wore a metal suit to evade death at the hands of a quick-thinking bank teller. In the end, however, he met his demise at the end of a noose when townsfolk finally captured him and made him pay for his many crimes.