Travel, sightseeing and accommodation tips
Around 700km. 7 days - 6 nights
Takes in the Great Ocean Road, Grampians National Park, Goldfields Area and Ballarat, and the Spa Country of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs
The following touring route recommends places to visit, where to stay in clean and comfortable accommodation at a reasonable price, how long it should take at each stop, and things you should not miss along the way.
It is a combination of 4 major touring areas and each one can be seen in greater detail by clicking on the map opposite.
Our representatives travel these routes every few weeks and recommend everything in this synopsis.
DAY !.
For your first day leave Melbourne around 9.00am and travel south along the Mornington Peninsula to Portsea and Sorrento and get the ferry across to Queenscliff. Stay a while here and visit the Maritime Centre, Fort Queenscliff, and other attractions.
Leave Queenscliff and head towards Geelong, calling in to the Adventure Park and Amaze n' Things if you have children on board, then on to Geelong, or take the route from Queenscliff via Point Lonsdale to see the lighthouse and views across 'The Rip', before heading on to Ocean Grave and Barwon Heads (where the ABC filmed Sea Change) and see the buldings used there in the filming, and visit the Jirrahlinga Sanctuary.
You can either take the Barwon Heads Road into Geelong, or travel up to Wallington and call into Amaze'n Things which is also the Information Centre for the Peninsula.
There are dozens of places to visit on the Bellarine Peninsula and you can find out more at the Amaze 'n Things Information Centre at Wallington, or from the well stocked information centre on the Ferry.
Travel into Geelong and book in to either the Kardinia Park Motel opposite the Geelong Football Club home ground, or the Kiloran Motel at Waurn Ponds near the shopping centre, Reading Cinemas and the road to Great Ocean Road. Either one offers excellent value.
DAY 2.
The next day travel on to Apollo Bay, visiting Torquay, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet and Lorne on the way. Overnight at the Marengo Motel just west of Apollo Bay and prepare for the next day journey through the Otway Forest and on to the Port Campbell National Park.
In this section you visit the Maits Rest and Melba Gully rainforest walks, Cape Otway and its Historic Lighthouse, several waterfalls, Moonlight Head and Castle Cove which offer extensive coastal views, Lavers Hill, and arrive at Port Campbell ready to begin exploring the attractions of this unique National Park early the next day
In Port Campbell we stay at the Twelve Apostles Motel which is 3km. along the road directly opposite the 12 Apostles and the new Interpretive Centre, or in Port Campbell, another 12km on, we stay at the new Portside Motel in the main street.
Spend the next day exploring the park until early afternoon and then move on to Warrnambool calling in to the Timboon and Allansford Cheeseries and the Hopkins Falls. Stay overnight at either the Chateau Lodge Motel near the information centre, or at City Central Apartments who have 2 blocks of 6 modern apartments at either end of the city.
DAY 3.
The next day, drive to Tower Hill and Port Fairy before heading north to Penshurst where you can drive to the top of Mt Rouse to see panoramic views over the town and countryside and see the southern Grampians.
From Penshurst, head north to Dunkeld at the foot of the ranges and take the road through the Grampians to Halls Gap where you will overnight at the Kookaburra Lodge, just behind the shopping centre.
On the approach, call in to see Lake Bellfield and take the road around the Wonderland Range to visit some of the lookouts along the top of the range.
DAY 4.
The next morning drive to MacKenzie Falls, Lake Wartook, Reids Lookout and Boroka Lookout before returning to Halls Gap and heading north 30km. to Stawell. Overnight in Stawell at the Motel Stawell and visit the Oval where the Stawell Gift is held each Easter, and Casper's World in Miniature which reflects all the countries of the world in dioramas.
Leave Stawell and travel the 10km. or so to Great Western and visit the champagne cellars and Bests Winery, then on to Ararat and call in to 'J' Ward, the old psychiatric ward which is now open to the public.
From Ararat, continue on the 90km. to Ballarat and enter from the Lake Burrumbeet end, passing the lake and driving along the Avenue of Honour to the Avenue Motel where you will stay the night.
Each evening the Sovereign Hill Historic Park has a lightshow called 'Blood on the Southern Cross' which is very popular and you can get your hosts at the Avenue to book tickets for you to this re-enactment of the Eureka Uprising.
DAY 5.
The next day, drive up Eureka Street to the Eureka Stockade and display, take a trip to Lake Wendouree and the botanical gardens where you will also find the home of poet Adam Lindsay Gordon, and visit the bird sanctuary and galleries south of the town towards Buninyong.
If you have time, call in to Kryal Castle just east of town for a taste of Medieval shenanigans and history.
Ballarat offers an incredible range of attractions and activities and a visit to the Information Centre in Sturt St will give you plenty of ideas.
DAY 6.
The next day head north to Daylesford and Hepburn Springs and visit the Convent Gallery where you will find one of the most attractive collections in Australia in the magnificent old convent building.
Just west of Daylesford is Hepburn Springs, renowned for its healing spa waters and mineral water.
DAY 7.
Stay the night at of the many accommodation places in either Daylesford or Hepburn Springs before moving on the next day to complete your round trip through Ballan, Bacchus Marsh and Melton.
Compiled 16/4/2001. Pete Wilkins