ements ▁to ▁Old ▁Coast ▁Road ▁started ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁but ▁with ▁little ▁progress ▁made ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁when ▁the ▁Main ▁Ro ads ▁Department ▁approved ▁£ 1 0 0 0 ▁worth ▁of ▁works . ▁The ▁name ▁" Old ▁Coast ▁Road " ▁was ▁formally ▁adopted ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁January ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁and ▁a ▁se aled ▁road ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁Per th ▁to ▁Ger ald ton ▁ ▁Brand ▁Highway ▁began ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁network ▁of ▁roads ▁between ▁D ong ara ▁and ▁G ing in , ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁increased ▁development ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁Early ▁surve ying ▁of ▁the ▁road , ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁was ▁undert aken ▁from ▁within ▁a ▁light ▁aircraft ▁flying ▁over ▁the ▁area . ▁This ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁times ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia ▁that ▁this ▁technique ▁was ▁used . ▁W ide ▁road ▁res erves , ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁in ▁width , ▁were ▁acquired ▁from ▁crown ▁land ▁and ▁past oral ▁le ases . ▁This ▁allowed ▁native ▁wild flow ers ▁to ▁surv ive ▁and ▁fl our ish ▁on ▁public ▁land , ▁providing ▁a est het ically ▁ple asing ▁and ▁interesting ▁views ▁to ▁reduce ▁road ▁hyp nos is ▁and ▁driver ▁fat igue . ▁The ▁road ▁would ▁also ▁be ▁made ▁sa fer ▁by ▁removing ▁natural ▁road side ▁obst acles , ▁and ▁replacing ▁them ▁with ▁shr ubs ▁and ▁more ▁wild flow ers . ▁ ▁Const ruction