As I've mentioned before, sis, bil and I are leaving here in early October for an exploration of Victoria, and returning home via the southern coast of NSW.

So tell me, my GN friends, what shouldn't be missed? We've had several suggestions, but I'd like to have them all on the same thread so I can make a list.

Thanks Rosie. A few of those were on the list, thanks for the extras.

Jan, hadn't decided on the Grampians, so thanks for that.

We'll be going through Daylesford on our way to Ballarat, so we''l have a look. Don't know about the pampering though.

Sale region is on the list thanks Chris.

Most of these names are totally unknown to me, so having to have the google map window open as I read.

Thanks Nicholstones, duly noted.

We don't have to be home until mid December, so hopefully we can pack in a lot of sightseeing, before school holidays start.

Geez  , I dunno y I keep puttin my foot in It 

Th MAIN road out , I usually find th best part of Vic 

Richo 

Warnambool - Port Fairy - the Great Ocean Road - The Ottway Fly - Bright - Mount Hotham - Echuca - Sorrento - city of Melbourne - Eureka Tower - over the West Gate Bridge, and under the Yarra River - Flinders Street Station - anywhere around the bay - Frankston, St Kilda, and the list is just endless - you might need a year to see it all!!!!!!

I think Victoria is a lovely place to travel around - just got to watch the weather. But here we are in Townsville, trying to run away from Queensland rain!!!!!

I should tell you our basic route plan is to come down from Hay on the Cobb Hwy,

Echuca,

Greens Lake,

rellies around Bendigo,

Ballarat, then west to Hamilton, and down to Portland.

We'll then follow the Great Ocean Road east. We thought we'd base ourselves around the outer area of Geelong to look around that side of Melbourne.

Then east along the Princes Hwy, rellies in Ferntree Gully and Pakenham, so we'll base ourselves at Akoonah Park, Berwick, to go north and south on day trips. And basically just keep heading east along the Princes Hwy, finding a base, and heading off on day trips.

Oh yes! Vic markets! I went there when I was 16!

Hopefully the weather will be kind.

jules47 wrote:

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There is a good Sunday market at Arkoonah Park in Berwick, Beth - lots of "everything".

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 So I've heard Jules. Depends what day we're there I guess.

Hi Beth,

I'm at Lake Burrumbeet CV Park just a tad west of Ballarat and Highly recommend it, If you recall in one of your previous posts Ozjohn mentioned it so I thought I would give it a go. Great view over the lake and nice grass sight.

Dougwe wrote:

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Hi Beth,

I'm at Lake Burrumbeet CV Park just a tad west of Ballarat and Highly recommend it, If you recall in one of your previous posts Ozjohn mentioned it so I thought I would give it a go. Great view over the lake and nice grass sight.

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 Yes Doug I do remember. I've written it down too.

Daylesford and Hepburn Springs is very nice if the weather is good you can have a day of pampering

Evie n Rhys wrote:

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Great free camp spot just outside Daylesford, Mt Franklin. Don't forget the great things to do IN Melbourne. Camberwell Markets, Sunday morning, has one of everything...... Footscray if you love Asian food. Great cheap eating and wonderful supplies for the van also v cheap. there is a great site, Free things to do in Melbourne. Although I'm NSW born n bred I have to say Victoria as a state has far more to offer and the best thing is its all so close together. Weather wise, I lived outside ACT but in NSW for 25yrs, and the weather in Victoria has nothing to answer for believe me.

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Haven't been myself so thought I'd look up Mt Franklin and found this info, thought it would be a great help for you Beth, I think I might head up there myself when the weather starts to improve, its a lovely area

 http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/313802/Park-note-Hepburn-RP-and-Mt-Franklin-Reserve.pdf

Last year we enjoyed our time at Glen Cromie caravan park near Drouin in West Gippsland. In the previous 2 years the park had been ravaged by bush fires and inundated by floods but staff had worked miracles in restoring it. Lovely bush setting with abundant birdlife, bush walks, wonderful scenic drives in the area, nearby historic towns and less than 100 km from Melbourne. If interested this is a link to the blog we did at the time. Enjoy your trip!
Ken
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kingstravel/6/1299701240/tpod.html

Gday...

Since my family moved to Melbourne in 1960 (when I was 13) I have lived in, and travelled around, Victoria for probably 35 of the intervening 52 years.

I would certainly recommend all the places mentioned previously. However, it has taken me all of those 35 years to "see it all" - and I still haven't seen it all.

The only thing wrong with Victoria is the weather - but if you are willing, and prepared, to experience all the four seasons - often in the same day - then you will find Victoria a fantastic state to travel around.

Everything is close, roads are very good - even the minor roads usually.

If I were planning a two month journey through Victoria (given a fortnight from QLD and a fortnight back again), I would just plan a route to follow and then Google myself to almost death researching EVERYTHING within cooee of that route.

Some things will take less than a day (because you may be disappointed) and other places will suck you in for a week. The Otways or the Victorian High Country or Wilsons Prom to name but three of many.

Just remember the first rule of "Grey Nomading" ... take ya time, smell the flowers, absorb the scenery and relax. You'll love it.

Sorry for rambling on

Cheers - John

Thanks Evie n Rhys, inner city anywhere is not normally my cup of tea, but in saying that, we probably will at least to get an idea of Melbourne life. And I like the sound of the free camp and the area of Daylsford etc.

Gillyb, thanks for the link. It looks a great spot doesn't it.

And John, rambling is acceptable.

A bit of background on me too...our Dad was born in Swan Hill, one of 8 children, him being 3rd eldest. He met Mum in Brisbane near the end of the war. She was from Mungallala in Western Qld. After they married they lived in Nyah West for two years, but decided to move back to Qld. So nearly all our rellies from Dad's side are in Victoria. Only he and one sister moved away.

Dad & I flew down 7 years ago as a surprise for his sisters anniversary. We had a couple of weeks in the Bendigo/Eaglehawk area, with a trip down memory lane for him when we hired a car and toured Swan Hill, Nyah West etc. (Hence why we're skipping that area this time.)

Also on that trip, I had a few days with my daughter-in-laws parents in Sunbury. She took me on a day trip....picked me up in Eaglehawk, down through Ballarat to Port Campbell, along the Great Ocean Road and back to Sunbury, all in one day. Phew! But it did give me an apertiser to go back and see more. (They also took me into Crown Casino.)

Other than that, I've been there 3 times, all when I was quite young and I only remember snippets.

So we don't know our Victorian cousins very well, and we look forward to seeing them.

I know we're not going to see everything, but I'm just going to follow my sister & bil's lead...they're the experts as far as I'm concerned, and I know they'll take their time and relax.

Pam wrote:

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If you are traveling hay to Echuca. Then stop at the peppin heritage centre in deniliquin. Well worth the look for just a gold coin donation. What dates are you down this way ?

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 The only time span we have is that we leave here in the first week of October and have to be home around early to mid December.

I will be posting as we go along, so you'll all be able to keep track of where we are and when.

Rod, thanks for that. I don't want to do steep climbs.

KenK wrote:

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Last year we enjoyed our time at Glen Cromie caravan park near Drouin in West Gippsland. In the previous 2 years the park had been ravaged by bush fires and inundated by floods but staff had worked miracles in restoring it. Lovely bush setting with abundant birdlife, bush walks, wonderful scenic drives in the area, nearby historic towns and less than 100 km from Melbourne. If interested this is a link to the blog we did at the time. Enjoy your trip!
Ken
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kingstravel/6/1299701240/tpod.html

-- Edited by KenK on Saturday 14th of July 2012 04:44:42 PM

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 Thanks KenK, I've taken note of this one too.