The draft plan has echoed calls from lobbyists and civic leaders who've for years pushed for major upgrades to the south-west's public infrastructure.

Government adviser Infrastructure Victoria has asked the state government to commit to clear levels of service for each type of regional road and bridge within two years, and then dedicate an ongoing program to fund the commitments.

The strategy calls for the government to "immediately" allow national parks to grant leases of up to 49 years for infrastructure proposals under a criteria that it says ensures environment and heritage values are maintained.

It also recommends that the state government partner with traditional owners to develop a Victorian Aboriginal tourism strategy in the next five years to guide future Aboriginal tourism investments.

The report highlights the economic benefits of upgrading to three-phase power in Tyrendarra, Cape Bridgewater and the state's far south-west, at a cost of $8.7 million which the strategy says will deliver $2 million each year in gross regional product.

The proposed Lookout alcohol and drug residential rehab centre at Dennington did not receive funding in last month's state budget but the strategy calls for "residential detoxification and rehabilitation facilities" to be built in the region within five years.

Also in Warrnambool, a background study highlights that people at-risk of social exclusion including young people, residential university students, seniors, people with disability and Indigenous communities would benefit from improved public transport.

In the surrounding areas, the strategy highlights just nine per cent of Moyne and Corangamite shire residents have access to public transport.

South West Coat MP Roma Britnell encouraged the state government to adopt Infrastructure Victoria's recommendations.

"These recommendations all make sense, they are all evidence based and have been developed by experts in the field," Ms Britnell said.

"They are investments that would create jobs and strengthen liveability in regional areas. The government needs to look really closely at them and start adopting these recommendations.

"People saw during the pandemic that living in rural and regional areas had significant advantages. The Andrews government now has the strategy and the recommendations to help encourage people to move to regional areas, to help alleviate the population pressures on Melbourne and help Victoria be a state of cities, not a city state."

SOUTH-WEST roads should receive funding based on a transparent hierarchy that takes into account their economic importance, a new strategy to the state government says.

A draft 30-year strategy by government advisor Infrastructure Victoria makes 95 recommendations and flags south-west roads among the state's top infrastructure needs.

Infrastructure Victoria strategy and policy manager Llewellyn Reynders said the case to improve the region's roads was based on the value of agriculture and tourism to the state.

"Without good roads in the region the economy suffers," Mr Reynders said.

"The earlier you do maintenance of roads the better it is, when they get really damaged it's very expensive to repair them."

The independent body has recommended within two years the state government should create a hierarchy of each type of regional road and bridge.

It says each regional road should be allocated a level of service based on its intended purpose and desired condition, with funding based on improving safety, decreasing vehicle emissions, and lifting economic productivity.

"Part of the reasoning behind setting a hierarchy is to make it really clear to everyone what the expectation is for roads," Mr Reynders said.

"You can help the community have a reasonable expectation of the standard roads will be maintained to.

"What we do see in the Great South Coast is the additional criticality of the road network to the economic productivity of the region."

The strategy highlights roads have deteriorated statewide, particularly in the south-west, northern and eastern regions.

Those claims are based on a 2017 Auditor General report, which found south-west road roughness and rutting increased between 2005-06 and 20015-16 while cracking remained high.

The Auditor General also found the south-west had the highest average annual daily traffic of all regions outside Melbourne.

"VicRoads advises that the increase in poor and very poor roads in the south-western region is because the roads were designed for vehicles much smaller than those currently using the roads," the 2016 report said.

South West Coast MP Roma Britnell said funding certainty for rural and regional roads using a planned approach, with a hierarchy system for upgrades and maintenance "just makes sense".

"The Auditor General has previously called for this and this is the second report Infrastructure Victoria has called for a different approach to regional roads," she said.

"The Andrews Labor government must start to listen."

GREAT Ocean Road tourism leaders say longer leases for national park land would bring certainty to private businesses that upgrade infrastructure under strict criteria.

Infrastructure Victoria made a draft recommendation this week to lengthen the maximum 21-year lease period the state government currently offers to 49 years.

Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism general manager Liz Price said the policy change could create innovative partnerships between government and private sector.

"Victoria's natural attractions are a key driver for visitation but we need to explore new ways to ensure we have the level of funding required to maintain and renew them," Ms Price said.

The Cape Otway Lighthouse's Matt Bowker is currently unable to extend a 21-year Parks Victoria lease for the site beyond mid-2022 and says the lighthouse is at-risk of closing.

"I'm not advocating all national parks should be opened up to 49-year leases. But for a place like the lighthouse you need a long-term lease for people to be able to invest and get a return," Mr Bowker said.

He said his company had invested millions of dollars to maintain and restore the site during the lease.

"If you have your own money in it, obviously you are invested in the success," Mr Bowker said.

"At the end of the day, national parks should be run for conservation values, the state shouldn't be trying to make money out of it, if they want to commercialisation they should go to outside parties."

Infrastructure Victoria has recommended that the government only grant long-term leases if the development or maintenance is substantial, in the public interest, supported by traditional owners and broader community and complements environmental and heritage values.

The draft Infrastructure Victoria strategy is open to public feedback at www.infravic.com/30yearstrategy