Mr Tehan met with Victorian Industry Support and Recovery Minister Martin Pakula on Monday to push for work on the Shipwreck Coast Master Plan to be expedited this year.

"We are both invested in the Twelve Apostles precinct and the new visitors centre there," Mr Tehan said.

"It would be great in the next 12 months to really see rapid progress there while we are waiting for international tourism to return."

Official figures show that at least 1.4 million fewer people had visited the Twelve Apostles last year due to COVID-19, compared with 2019.

The federal and Victorian government jointly committed $108.15 million to deliver priority projects in 2018, including an all-weather amphitheatre and viewing deck at the Twelve Apostles and upgrades at Gibson's Steps.

Mr Pakula said he planned to meet with the newly formed Great Ocean Road Authority in coming weeks to discuss the Twelve Apostles project.

"There's a lot of complexity in terms of construction in a pristine environment, but between myself, my colleague (Environment Minister) Lily D'Ambrosio, the authority, and the Commonwealth, we will look to get that work under way as soon as possible," he said.

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Mr Tehan said the region's economy had shown "remarkable resilience".

"We are seeing housing prices increase and employment levels reach as they reach pre-COVID," he said.

Mr Tehan said the region was in an "incredibly strong position" ahead of JobKeeper winding down in March.

"We always said that those measures were targeted and time specific, we can't just keep on spending money, we have a responsibility to future generations to make sure we don't burden them with huge debts," he said.

"But now - and this is something we do so well in country communities - it's time to get back standing on our own two feet and make sure what we are doing economically is sustainable for the future."