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

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. (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 .

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.

How to do the great Grampians road trip