Melbourne to Grampians Road Trip

The Grampians road trip is the road trip with it all, but one you’ve probably never done before, writes Phil Hawkes. Melbourne (or Adelaide) to the Grampians is a drive that offers delicious mix of cute historic towns, wineries, luxury experiences and plenty of the great Australian outdoors too.

Looking for a short break from Melbourne or Adelaide? Done the Ocean Road before? Driven Gippsland? It’s time to head to the Grampians.

That was my situation. The result: four days’ and three nights’ touring through Victoria’s Western Districts of flat grazing lands, straight roads followed by curvy hilly terrain with craggy peaks and verdant valleys to admire.

It’s an easy drive, with many options for breaks along the way, and a variety of interesting accommodation choices on offer. There’s much to see and do. Here are my highlights:

Ballarat

1. The ideal first stop if you’re leaving from Melbourne. Well known for its Gold Rush history, heritage-listed Victorian buildings, beautiful parks and gardens, and Lake Wendouree.

2. Great coffee (this is Victoria), many choices. Aim for Lydiard Street and Sturt Street. Try a chilli hot chocolate at Harvest Food Store and Café.

3. Historic Craig’s Royal Hotel for lunch in the Victorian-era Gallery Bistro. Or try the legendary high tea.

4. The Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka for a history lesson, especially if you have kids. They’ll appreciate the interactive displays and the original Eureka flag.

5. Fill up with fuel on the outskirts of town – it’s much cheaper than where you’re going!

Next: Ballarat to Glenthompson 90 mins

Glenthompson

1. This quiet Glenelg Highway town is worth a break from the long, straight road.

2. The murals of St Peter’s Church are described, rather optimistically, as Victoria’s answer to the Sistine Chapel.

3. Try Grampians Pure Sheep Dairy for the best sheep cheese and yoghurt around. Talk to enthusiastic young farmhands Daniel or Ryan.

Haloumi at Grampians Pure Sheep Dairy — Haloumi stop: Grampians Pure Sheep Dairy (photo: Nicole Tujague).

Next: Glenthompson to Dunkeld 15 mins

Dunkeld

1. Be sure to explore the back streets of Dunkeld – you might be surprised at what you’ll find.

2. The Old Bakery serves genuine French pâtisserie and bread baked in the original 1886 oven. The chocolate croissants are to die for.

3. Dining at the highly awarded Royal Mail Hotel is a culinary experience to be savoured, especially the degustation menu.

Next: Dunkeld to Hamilton 30 mins

Hamilton

1. The region’s biggest city, centre of the agricultural industry, was once known as “the wool capital of the world".

2. Ideal for an overnight stopover in one of several B&Bs. Try Mourilyan House in town or Pierrepoint Winery just south of the city.

3. Hamilton Art Gallery is rated as one of Australia’s finest regional collections, including the watercolours of famous English artist Paul Sandby.

4. The impressive William Guilfoyle-designed Botanic Gardens is an ideal spot for a picnic lunch or tea.

Next: Hamilton to Halls Gap 75 mins

Halls Gap – the heart of the Grampians

walking in the Grampians — Walking in a the Grampians wonderland.

Now known by its traditional Indigenous name Gariwerd, the Grampians National Park attracts visitors from all over the world for its natural beauty, plentiful wildlife and adventure sports.

Pinnacle Halls Gap Grampians National Park — Pinnacle eye’s view of Halls Gap, Grampians National Park.

1. Stop at the Brambuk Cultural Centre on arrival for park information, accommodation bookings and interactive displays of Indigenous and Colonial history.

2. Book a tour to some of Australia’s best rock art sites, such as Bunjil’s Shelter, and several other caves.

3. There are more than 160km of walking trails, including a 33km trek with overnight camping facilities. (We managed the 2km walk to Venus baths easily, but our more adventurous friends went on to Mackenzie Falls, which they said was spectacular).

4. Try canoeing, fishing, horse riding, quad biking. Kayaking on Lake Wartook is a special adventure for kids, and there are many abseiling sites for more extreme exertions.

5. A wide range of accommodation is available, from campsites to five-star luxury at Boroka Downs Retreat (in total seclusion, 6km from town, south west along Ararat-Halls Gap Road).

6. Its well-appointed chalets have log fires, spa bath, first-class breakfasts – and inquisitive wildlife at your door.

Next: Halls Gap to Great Western 30 mins

Brambuk Cultural Centre Grampians' — The Brambuk Cultural Centre for all your Grampians’ info needs.

rock art Bunjil's Shelter The Grampians — Preserved rock art, Bunjil’s Shelter, The Grampians (photo: Nicole Tujague).

Great Western

With wineries dating back to the mid-1800s, this pioneer village is known as the birthplace of Australia’s sparkling wine industry. You’ll find many opportunities for local wine and cheese tastings in the area. Top choices include:

1. Best’s Winery, still a family-run business producing classic drops including award-winning Shiraz blends.

2. Seppelts Great Western , with labyrinthine cellars to explore and then taste the famous bubblies.

3. Grampians Estate , voted Best Small Cellar Door for wine and cheese tastings plus great coffee.

Next: Great Western to Beaufort 45 mins

Beaufort

On the Western Highway, it’s a pleasant village dotted with cafes and craft shops.

1. One of the state’s most picturesque wineries is nearby at Mt. Langi Ghiran . Taste the fragrant pinot noir.

2. Overnight in a restored 1850s country manor at Eurambeen Homestead with its three-acre garden designed by Edna Walling. The farmhouse roast dinners alone are worth the trip.

Finish: Back past Ballarat to Melbourne to edit the hundreds of photographs or videos you’ve accumulated…

Exploring Grampians rock formations (photo: Nicole Tujague).

More: Planning you next road trip? See Australia’s best driving holidays

The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

The Mornington Peninsula can be the kind of place where salt-tangled hair feels like a badge of honour – proof you’ve been somewhere wild, raw and real. Peel back the layers and you’ll discover stories that anchor this region to something other than its famed food and wine.

This land is the traditional Sea Country of the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people. Long before grapevines were planted and artisanal goods were crafted, the Bunurong Traditional Owners lived in deep connection with the land and sea. Today, places such as Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary echo that tradition, with families exploring its rockpools in search of colourful sea stars and crabs at low tide and learning how these fragile ecosystems have been cared for across countless generations.

a group of people visiting the Port Nepean National Park — Take in the rugged coastal landscape at Port Nepean National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

A visit to Point Nepean National Park feels like stepping back through time. The fort, built in 1882, protected the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay until the end of the Second World War. It was here that the first Allied shot of the First World War was fired – at a German cargo ship trying to escape just hours after war was declared. Nearby, the old Quarantine Station, one of Australia’s first permanent quarantine facilities, established in 1852, still stands. Walking through the hospital and disinfecting complex evokes stories of those who arrived from faraway shores.

Not far from here is a story of survival that inspired the Aussie phrase ‘you’ve got Buckley’s chance’. In 1803, escaped convict William Buckley vanished into the bush near what’s now Sorrento. Everyone thought he had no hope of surviving, but he reappeared 32 years later, having lived with local Aboriginal people.

Even the waters here hold history. The infamous stretch known as The Rip, just three kilometres wide at the entrance of Port Phillip Bay, is among the most treacherous waterways. Countless ships were lost here in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in 1967, Australia’s own Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming off the coast, never to be found.

a seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay — A seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

But for all its danger, the sea here also holds extraordinary beauty. Dolphins are often seen near Sorrento’s cliffs, while below the surface, seagrass meadows and rocky reefs teem with life. Marine tours offer a viewing to this underwater wonderland, while back on terra firma, walking trails lead along beaches, through coastal scrub, and over rock pools.

And if you think you’ll forget about the Mornington Peninsula once you’ve left? You’ve got Buckley’s chance.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

the suite interior at InterContinental Sorrento — Luxury interiors at the historic InterContinental Sorrento. (Image: Greg Elms)

Point Nepean Discovery Tents is immersive glamping beside the historic Quarantine Station. Or upgrade to luxury at the 1875-built InterContinental Sorrento .

Playing there

an aerial view of Cape Schanck Lighthouse — Make your way to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

Bayplay Adventure Tours offer eco-adventures from snorkelling with sea dragons to kayaking with dolphins and cycling Point Nepean. Cape Schanck Lighthouse is fascinating to explore on a guided tour, which takes you into the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage.

Eating there

Portsea Hotel is a beautifully restored 1876 Tudor-style pub right on the beach, serving seasonal local fare.

How to do the great Grampians road trip