There is much natural beauty to be found within an hour’s drive of Melbourne: Mount Macedon, Ferntree Gully, Yarra valley and the Mornington peninsula to name a few.
With so many choices, attractions that may be too far for a day trip but perfect for a weekend away often get overlooked. The Grampians (Gariwerd), a national park about three hours’ drive from Melbourne, combines almost everything those destinations closer to the city have to offer.
There are stunning mountain ranges, panoramic views, hikes for people of all fitness levels, wineries, boutique cafes, Aboriginal art, rock sites and culture, and a mix of camping grounds and luxury accommodation.
Though it could be tempting to spend a weekend in the Grampians indulging in food and wine, the views seen while walking the 33km Grampians peaks trail are among the most spectacular in the state.
The central section of the trail, or “section one”, is open for spring. You can opt for a hike of three days and two nights and the journey will take you to the ancient rock features of the Grand Canyon, the Pinnacle lookout and views of mountain peaks from the top of Mount Rosea. But there are plenty of shorter walks for those who prefer a couple of hours easy strolling.
Planning and construction is also under way for an extended 144km Grampians peaks trail, which when complete will be a 13-day, 12-night experience connecting some of the park’s most famous peaks, from the massive sandstone outcrops around Mount Zero in the north to Mount Abrupt overlooking Dunkeld and the volcanic plains in the south. This work is expected to be complete in 2019, with staged openings until then.
Friday
11am – arrive at the Halls Gap visitor information centre, 117-119 Grampians Road, Halls Gap
I meet my tour guide for the two-day hike, Billie Radoicic from the Grampians Peaks Walking Company. She’s also a tour guide with Absolute Outdoors, and helps tourists organise canoeing, rock-climbing, camping and mountain-biking.
But Radoicic has some bad news: there is severe weather and hail forecast. Not wanting to be responsible for a journalist perishing in the wilderness, she says there will be no camping tonight. Instead, we’ll tackle a few of the smaller walks, take the 4WD to a couple of waterfalls, and retreat when the weather gets too bad.
I’m told rescues of tourists ill-equipped for the elements or who have taken on a more difficult trail than they were prepared for are fairly common.
And if you do venture out to the trail, don’t forget to register your hike.
12pm – lunch at Harvest Halls Gap Cafe and Provedore, 2 Heath Street
One year ago, Carly Wallman and Richard Flecknoe ditched their corporate city jobs and opened Harvest, a restaurant that brings the great cheese, wine and produce from the region together under one roof to provide locally sourced, fresh food.
Today Harvest has extended its opening hours to include dinner twice a week, has a slightly revamped menu, and two beautifully appointed villas out the back.
All-day breakfast prices range from $7.90 for the toast to $17.90 for the bubble and squeak, which includes poached eggs and ham off the bone on a potato and vegetable hash.
There’s a cheese plate featuring Grampians and Otway sheep and cow’s milk cheeses and spreads ($21) and house-marinated red rock olives ($6.90) to accompany a glass of wine.
I go for the breakfast super salad, which for $16.90 (including added feta) gets you two perfectly poached eggs atop a bed of roasted mushrooms, tomato, rocket, homemade hummus and toasted pumpkin seeds.
1pm – Brambuk cultural centre, 277 Grampians Road, Halls Gap
It’s bucketing with rain so we head to the Brambuk national park and cultural centre, which is owned and operated by Aboriginal people and is the longest running Aboriginal cultural centre in Australia. Aboriginal occupation of the Grampians dates back more than 5,000 years and the area contains rock art sites that are still being discovered today.
The culture of the Aboriginal communities of western Victoria are on display at the centre through multimedia shows, art exhibitions, artefact displays, and cultural talks, and you can attempt the didgeridoo and throw a boomerang.
There’s also a bush tucker cafe for those who want to try kangaroo, emu, and crocodile.
You can do a self-guided tour but today a volunteer, John Rawnsley, offers to take us around the centre.
“People leave here with a totally different attitude towards Aboriginal people after coming through here and learning what they’ve been through for the past couple of hundred of years,” he says.
“A lot of the Dreamtime stories and the culture from the area was lost, not just through slaughter of Aboriginals but through starvation. When the Europeans came with their cattle and sheep, the impact on the land was devastating and took away a lot of their food. The settlers chased the kangaroos away, and a lot of Aboriginals starved to death.
“Aboriginal people were disease-free until the settlers came, and they had no immune system equipped to fight diseases like typhoid. I’ve had English tourists come up to me in tears after touring through Brambuk, and they say: ‘I’m so sorry about what happened.’ ”
3pm – Silverband Falls walk, Silverband Road, Bellfield
Radoicic says although recent heavy rains may not be great for camping, waterfalls throughout the park will be flowing strong. Many of them slow to a trickle or dry up by the time summer hits. From the carpark, Silverband falls is an easy 1.4km return stroll through pristine forest and over a rock crossing.
The chances of spotting wildlife on your treks is high. The park is home to about 40 species of mammals, 30 reptiles, 11 amphibians, and at least 230 birds. And you’ll definitely see plenty of kangaroos and wallabies.
4pm – Venus baths loop, Halls Gap
This is an easy 2.3km circuit that starts from the main carpark and follows the Venus baths rock pools. It also takes you through the quirky, art-filled botanical gardens.
You can slide down rock formations (at your own risk) in this natural water park, and you are likely to stumble upon Aboriginal rock art among the rock pools. There are some pretty spectacular sandstone cliffs too.
5.30pm – check-in at Boroka Downs, 51 Birdswing Road, Halls Gap
My disappointment at not camping under stars evaporated pretty quickly when I was taken to my alternative accommodation for the next two nights, Boroka Downs. I was allocated one of the five-star and secluded residences on the property, nestled among the bush about a 10-minute drive from the national park.
Floor-to-ceiling windows allow an uninterrupted view to the mountains, while birds and wallabies meander outside. The award-winning villas are eco-friendly and feature a whirlpool and fireplace, with fresh kindling left with the daily newspaper each morning.
My rough and rugged outdoor experience nestled among nature had turned into a luxurious getaway in seclusion. This is easily the nicest accommodation I have ever stayed in. It’s not suitable for children so the peace and quiet is totally uninterrupted. Would I pay the $350-$400 a night to stay here again? I’m already saving.
7.30pm - fireplace, spa, and a home-cooked dinner at Bokoka Downs
I’m pretty tired after a day of driving and hiking and I want to make the most of this ridiculously gorgeous villa and its mountain views. I cook up a basic spag bol and get some rest before the longer trek tomorrow morning.
Saturday
9am – Halls Gap to Bugiga walk
This 8.6km, roughly five-hour walk starts from the carpark in Halls Gap. We follow signs to the walking track near Stony creek and follow the creek along the formed track to Venus baths. Just before the rock pools at Venus baths, there is a track that heads towards Splitters falls. A small detour takes us to them.
We return to the main track and climb up through a rocky gully to the Grand Canyon. This climb is a lot of fun, and we have to watch our step on the rocks still slippery from the wild weather overnight.
At the top of the steps we turn left, and follow the signs up to the rocky platforms. The winds pick up, the weather gets colder and the rain starts to fall again. We climb and through the rocky corridor of Silent Street until we finally reach the glorious pinnacle lookout. From up here we can see Mount William, Halls Gap and Fyans valley.
From here we follow the Grampians peaks trail signs south to Lakeside lookout and then to the Sundial carpark. From Sundial carpark there is a roughly 250m track that heads towards the lookout. Eventually we hit the Bugiga link track which leads to the sustainable Bugiga campsite, high in the Wonderland range and with views of Mount Rosea. This is where we would have stayed last night if not for the dangerous weather.
Advance bookings are required for Bugiga, a series of 12 circular camping platforms, each with room for a small two-person tent. There are toilets, but no showers, and fires are not permitted. One night will set you back just $31.60 for two.
2pm – lunch at Livefast Lifestyle Cafe, 5/97 Grampians Road, Halls Gap
Livefast is the place to stop for a bite if you’re vegan or have food allergies, and if you like to wash your lunch down with some beer or wine.
Prices range from $5 for a bowl of fries to $17 for the lamb back-strap strips. I opt for the zucchini, yellow squash and parmesan fritters with smoked salmon and creme fraiche ($16).
4pm – drive to Boroka lookout
About 10 minutes’ drive from Halls Gap and up Mount Difficult Road is Boroka lookout. There are two lookout platforms with 180-degree views of western Victoria, looking out over Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield. It’s an easy five-minute stroll from the carpark and is ideal for those with limited mobility.
As if on cue the rain clears and a rainbow emerges as we step on to the platform.
You can also cycle there – a roughly 15km ascent from the intersection of the Grampians and Mount Victory roads. And it would be pretty spectacular at sunrise.
5pm – Harvest Halls Gap Cafe and Provedore, 2 Heath Street
I return to Harvest and select wine, cheeses and produce for dinner. I return to my accommodation armed with a cabernet sauvignon from the nearby Fallen Giants vineyard, a pungent mountain man soft cheese, a pre-made meal of braised lamb shanks and a big slice of gluten-free lemon tart.
8pm – live music at Livefast Lifestyle Cafe, 5/97 Grampians Road, Halls Gap
Later I head for some live music as part of a jazz and blues festival. Pubs and cafes are hosting intimate shows throughout the festival, and tonight we drink red wine and watch Bendigo-born blues musician Bill Barber belt out some classics on the acoustic.
Sunday
10am – checkout and drive to Great Western for a winery tour at Best’s Wines, 111 Bests Rd, Great Western
Great Western is a quaint township about 30 minutes’ drive from Boroka Downs on the road o Melbourne. It was first settled in the 1840s by sheep graziers, rapidly developed through the discovery of gold, and today is known as a historic wine region.
Best’s Wines is one of Australia’s oldest continually family owned and operated wineries, founded in 1866. This year it celebrates its 150th anniversary. It has a reputation for producing top shiraz, a sample of which goes down a treat before hitting the road back to Melbourne.
• The author stayed in the Grampians courtesy of Grampians Tourism. Travel expenses covered by the writer.
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