Victoria’s dream coastal road trip: Melbourne to Lakes Entrance

Lee AtkinsonBy Lee Atkinson
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Heading to Mallacoota? Take a road trip detour to discover these special spots along the way.

Golden sandy beaches that stretch forever, ferny forests, fabulous food, amazing wildlife and some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the country are all par for the course on this epic coastal road trip between Melbourne and Mallacoota. As far as road trips go, they don’t get any better than this.

Wilsons Promontory (226km from Melbourne)

There are a hundred good reasons why Wilsons Promontory (aka The Prom) is Victoria’s favourite national park– family-friendly camping and cosy cabins, wild walks, granite peaks, secluded beaches, wildflowers, wombats and whales leap to mind– but for sheer wow factor, take the 5.5-hour Wilsons Promontory Ultimate Day Cruise with Wanderer Adventures .

Wilsons Promontory, Coastal Views, VIC, Australia
The Prom is Victoria’s favourite national park.

A highlight is a visit to Skull Rock (officially it’s called Cleft Island, but it’s spookily shaped like a 60-metre-high bird’s skull and looks like it’s come straight out of a James Bond movie). Wildly inaccessible, it’s been explored by fewer people (nine) than have walked on the moon (12). Oh, and expect to see plenty of birds and, if you’re lucky, a whale or two along the way.

Skull Rock, Wilsons Promontory, VIC, Australia
A highlight is a visit to the spookily shaped Skull Rock.

On the way:

Stop for a spot of shopping in the galleries and art studios of Fish Creek . The art deco pub does great lunches – you can’t miss it, there’s a giant mullet on the roof.

Stay:

Tidal River Wilderness Retreat

Wilsons Promontory, Gippsland, VIC, Australia
Exploring ‘The Prom’ is always a good idea.

Tinamba (200km from the Prom)

Tina-where? This tiny Central Gippsland dairy town of 500 or so is worth the detour because it’s home to one of Gippsland’s best dining destinations. Tinamba Hotel has won a swag of awards including Pub of the Year, Best Regional Restaurant and a coveted Chef Hat in the 2022 Australian Good Food Guide Awards. Almost everything on the menu is locally grown, caught or made, including the wine: think Gippsland jersey ricotta and beef, blue-eye trevalla, Snowy River black garlic and Windsong Farm honey. It’s open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through to Saturday, and Sunday lunch – book ahead.

Tinamba Hotel Exterior, VIC, Australia
The Tinamba Hotel has been recognized with multiple awards.

On the way:

Stretch your legs on the magical Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk though ferny glens and glades to Cyathea Falls in Tarra Bulga National Park.

Stay:

The Ret reat at Mewburn Park Homestead , Maffra

Tinamba Hotel Pink Lemonade Macaron, VIC, Australia
Foodies absolutely need to try the food at Tinamba Hotel.

Paynesville (80km from Tinamba)

Time to face the water. Perfectly positioned in the middle of one of the largest expanses of inland waterways in the country, pretty Paynesville is the type of place you’ll never want to leave, so think about spending an extra day or two. Hop aboard the free ferry to Raymond Island and wander through the koala colony – sightings are pretty much guaranteed. Take a long walk on Ninety Mile Beach (maybe not the whole way), then treat yourself to a long lunch at Sardine Dining, where Mark Briggs, the former head chef of Vue de monde, transforms the catch of the day into something truly memorable.

Captains Cove, Paynesville, Gippsland, VIC
You will never want to leave Paynesville.

On the way:

You’re on Gunaikurnai land, so visit Krowathunkoolong Keeping Place in Bairnsdale to uncover 30,000 years of culture.

Stay:

Captains Cove Waterfront Apartments , Paynesville

Sardine Dining, Paynesville, VIC, Australia
Treat yourself to a long lunch at Sardine Dining.

Metung (44km from Paynesville)

As the crow flies (or boat glides) it’s fewer than a dozen kilometres across the lake to Metung . By road it’s about 40 minutes, a lovely drive beside the Tambo River. Sleepy and laid-back, the good life here is all about strolling on boardwalks, maybe dropping a fishing line from a jetty, and definitely enjoying wraparound water views from one of the many restaurants in town – those at the Metung Hotel overlooking Bancroft Bay are hard to beat. It won’t be long before the opening of Metung Hot Springs will make getting wet in winter something to really look forward to.

Sunset View of Metung Jetties, Gippsland, VIC, Australia
Drop a fishing line from a jetty in Metung.

On the way:

Take the long way there and head up into the hills to Bruthen , where you’ll find a brewery, wineries, galleries, antique shops and a cracker of a rail trail.

Stay:

Lakeview Retreat , Metung

Soaking in tubs, Metung Hot Springs, Gippsland, VIC
Soak in the views at the Metung Hot Springs, Gippsland. (Image: Rikki-Jo Molinaro)

Lakes Entrance (20km from Metung)

If you’ve been doing this road trip right you’ll be well into the rhythm of things by now, and 20 kilometres in a day is more than enough when the scenery is this good. Lakes Entrance might be best known for its watery wonders – it’s the largest lake system in the southern hemisphere – but it’s even better in cooler weather, when you can curl up beside a roaring fireplace in a cosy retreat or restaurant with a glass of something local, admiring the water views from the inside out. Try a local craft beer at The Slipway before tucking into some very special seafood at Sodafish .

Octopus, Sodafish, Lakes Entrance, VIC
Fresh seafood on the balcony at Sodafish, Lakes Entrance.

On the way:

If you’re road tripping in winter, take a detour west along the Great Alpine Road . From surfing Gippsland to skiing Mt Hotham in a day, it doesn’t get much cooler than that.

Stay:

Lakes Entrance Waverley House Cottages

Aerial view, Lakes Entrance, Australia
See Lakes Entrance from above.

Marlo (72km from Lakes Entrance)

If you can find a place more relaxed than Marlo , where the famous Snowy River seeps into the sea, we’d really like to know about it. Follow the Snowy River Estuary Walk from the centre of town to Mots Beach; Brad Farmer, Tourism Australia’s beach ambassador, reckons it’s one of Australia’s top 20 beaches of 2022. Just make sure you’re back before dark, because the sunset view from the verandah of the Marlo Pub is a knockout. They’ve been serving cold drinks since 1886 and we can vouch for the Lakes Entrance flathead tacos.

Corringle Slips, Marlo Beach, Gippsland, VIC, Australia
Visit one of Australia’s best beaches.

On the way:

Take a side trip into the hills and down into an underground wonderland at Buchan Caves .

Stay:

Marlo Caravan Park & Motel

The Captain, Marlo, VIC, Australia
There’s no better place to relax than in Marlo.

Mallacoota (146km from Marlo)

It might be the end of the road on this epic coastal road trip, but as far as endings go it’s a happy one. Surrounded by Croajingolong National Park , Mallacoota really is a secluded paradise. What’s not to love about a place that combines wild beaches, expansive lakes, forested wilderness and fabulous seafood? And don’t leave town without sampling the dumplings and hand-made noodles from Lucy’s. Walk, kayak, cruise or pedal; there are so many ways to explore this beautiful place.

Rising canoes and kayaks, Mallacoota, Gippsland, Australia
There are so many ways to explore this beautiful place.

On the way:

Take a short side trip out to Cape Conran on the coast. You can marvel at wildflowers blooming in the banksia forests that have re-grown since the 2020 bushfires, and explore the rock pools and deserted beaches.

Stay:

Karbeethong Lodge , Mallacoota

Afternoon Jetty fishing, Mallacoota, Gippsland, VIC
Mallacoota, it doesn’t get much more idyllic.
Plan your dream coastal road trip at visitgippsland.com.au/do-and-see/drives.
Lee Atkinson
Lee Atkinson has been writing about her adventures on and off the road for newspapers, magazines and travel guides since 1991. A self-confessed road trip junky who loves getting away from the crowds in some of Australia’s most wild and remote places, she is the author of Ultimate Road Trips Australia and 13 other travel books.
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Meet the makers shaping Ballarat’s new era of creativity

    Margaret BarcaBy Margaret Barca
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    Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

    Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

    “Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

    Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten , the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

    heritage buildings in Ballarat
    Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

    Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

    Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

    Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery
    Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

    For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

    You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery , a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

    How Ballarat is preserving the past

    artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat
    The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

    While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades .

    The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

    artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat
    Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

    Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

    A city steeped in food and flavours

    Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho
    Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho , José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

    The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

    a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat
    Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits . At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

    the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat
    The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

    The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

    one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat
    The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

    Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

    Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Getting there

    It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

    Staying there

    Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial , which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

    a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat
    Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

    Eating there

    dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat
    The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

    Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

    Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

    dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat
    Dining at Grainery Lane.

    Playing there

    a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat
    An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

    a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery
    Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

    The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections .

    Dalwhinnie Wines in the Pyrenees
    Dalwhinnie Wines in the Pyrenees.

    Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle , ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.