in 1892. The town plan indicated that Pascoe Street would be the main thoroughfare, but the erection of several buildings on Collingwood Street meant that it became Apollo Bay's commercial centre. With the upgrade of the road to the town in 1927, and then the completion of the Great Ocean Road in 1932, the area became a tourist destination and an important fishing port. On 10 July 1932 the coastal steamer Casino sank while attempting to berth at the town jetty. Ten people died. Many earlier shipwrecks had occurred along the Cape Otway coastline. In 1936 a submarine telegraph and telephone cable from Apollo Bay to Stanley provided the first telephone connection to Tasmania from the mainland. The Apollo Bay Telegraph station closed in 1963 and is now a museum. Climate Apollo Bay has an oceanic climate (Cfb) with mild summers and damp winters. Events and festivals in Apollo Bay Events and festivals held in Apollo Bay include: Winterwild Great Ocean Road Running Festival Apollo Bay Seafood Festival Apollo Bay and Otway District Show The Apollo Bay Music Festival (first held in 1993 and last held in 2013). A poster for the festival of 1999 by Jeff Ragus was featured on a postage stamp issued by Australia Post in 2006. Sport The Apollo Bay Surf Lifesaving Club was established in 1952 as a result of a meeting held on the foreshore by interested townspeople and Surf Lifesaving Victoria officials. The Apollo Bay SLSC became the ninth club to be affiliated with Surf Lifesaving Victoria. It is now affiliated with the new amalgamation between two Victorian lifesaving organisations: Life Saving Victoria. () The Apollo Bay Sailing Club aims to provide a wide range of opportunities in sailing to a diverse range of abilities and age groups. Apollo Bay Golf Club is on Nelson Street- (website) and Apollo Bay Pony Club - (website). The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Colac & District Football League. See also Sports & Recreation on the Apollo Bay Community Website Apollo Bay has hosted overnight stops on the Great Victorian Bike Ride six times (1991, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2016), including serving as the host for the rest day on the last four of those visits. People born or raised in Apollo Bay Neil Melville – an actor born in Sydney, but spent his childhood in Apollo Bay Sid O'Neil, Ted