LAKES & CRATERS COUNTRY

The Lakes and Craters district is that part west of Geelong along the Hamilton and Princes Hwy and north of the Great Ocean Road. It is so named because it contains dozens of lakes from the large Lake Corangamite near Colac to smaller lakes dotted across the countryside. The Craters refer to the many extinct volcanos which will be found throughout this fascinating touring area.
At Mortlake you can see volcanic 'bombs' remaining from an eruption of nearby Mt Shadwell and on display in a shop window of the main street,
Camperdown, Colac, Terang and Winchelsea are large towns along the Princes Hwy with Colac the largest. In the north, Lismore and Cressy are found along the Hamilton Hwy and Derrinallum is a centre for exploring Mt Elephant.
This is stark sheep and dairy country with dozens of small towns servicing the primary and agricultural industry. It gives an insight into the rural workings of Victoria and is a pleasant break with a difference. It is also central to the Great Ocean Road, Grampians and Goldfields area around Ballarat, all within a 100km or so drive.
A suggested round trip is marked in orange on the touring map.

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