“Great Ocean Road towns are forecast to lose almost $40 million in tourism earnings in their busiest period of the year due to the bushfires driving holidaymakers away.
“Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism chairman Wayne Kayler-Thomson estimated the Surf Coast and Colac-Otways shires, from Torquay to past Cape Otway, would see a 30 per cent drop in business after the Christmas day fire.
“He said the two shires roughly received a combined $200 million from tourists in January – almost a third of their annual takings.
“While the fire ravaged towns of Wye River and Separation Creek remain closed, nearby Lorne and Apollo Bay are open for business.”
Read more at The Age
