Explore Australia

Historic buildings: include the mechanics institute in Lloyd St and the Victoria Hotel, a grand 2-storey structure with grapevines hanging from the verandahs (cnr Wimmera and Victoria sts). Walking track: follows a scenic stretch of the Wimmera River. The track can be followed all the way to the Horseshoe Bend camping ground in the Little Desert National Park 7 km away; details of walks from visitor centre.

Little Desert National Park This park covers 132 647 ha. The eastern block (the section nearest to Dimboola) has picnic and camping facilities and good walking tracks. The park does not resemble the typical desert – it contains extensive heathlands and, during spring, more than 600 varieties of wildflowers and over 40 types of ground orchids. The park is home to the distinctive mallee fowl, and the large ground-nests built by the male birds can be seen during breeding season. Kangaroos, possums and bearded dragons are just some of the other wildlife that inhabit the park. 6 km SW. See also Nhill.Pink Lake: a salt lake that reflects a deep pinkish colour, particularly impressive at sunset, but has dried up in recent years; 9 km NW. Ebenezer Mission Station: founded in 1859 in an attempt to bring Christianity to the local Aboriginal people. The site contains fascinating ruins of the original buildings, a cemetery and a restored limestone church; off the Dimboola–Jeparit Rd; 15 km N. Kiata Lowan Sanctuary: the first part of Little Desert National Park to be reserved, in 1955. Home to the mallee fowl; Kiata; 26 km W.

Dimboola 1 km

At first sight the Wimmera River didn’t look special. Barely flowing, it consisted of sandbars and fallen trees interspersed with shallows and a few deeper holes below the timber. I was fishing with local anglers... Find out more

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Lake Wartook 78 km

Drought and changes to irrigation have left dry many of Victoria’s former favourite fishing lakes. Drive through the cropping plains of the Wimmera and you come across once-famous lakes, including Toolondo,... Find out more

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Konong Wootong Reservoir 120 km

Coleraine in the Western District is in the heart of prime wool- growing country. The small town is famous for its chocolate factory, but less well known is the trout fishery in the picturesque 60 ha impoundment just out... Find out more

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Lake Bolac 159 km

One of my favourite fishing activities after a hot summer day is to wander along the banks of the Barwon River in Geelong, casting lures for redfin. Redfin are feisty, competitive fish that bite readily and taste great.... Find out more

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Swan Hill 186 km

From Mulwala to Swan Hill there are excellent fishing opportunities. Some of the top spots along this stretch include Barmah, Echuca and the famous Torrumbarry Weir. The huge Murray cod mounted near the park in Swan... Find out more

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Nelson 199 km

The Glenelg River is situated at Nelson near the border with SA. The long river is one of the state’s premier fisheries for bream to 1.8 kg, estuary perch and mulloway to about 20 kg. Victoria has some excellent... Find out more

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Boyanda 199 km

The red ochre cliff near the Boyanda grape farm is a popular launch site for anglers fishing the Murray River midway between Robinvale and the small horticultural town of Wemen. A track follows the river from Happy... Find out more

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Portland 212 km

‘I reckon Portland is Victoria’s best kept angling secret,’ local angler Bob McPherson told me in 2004. At the time, I believed he was right. Within two years Portland was no longer a secret, becoming... Find out more

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Tol Tol 214 km

I made my first serious Murray cod trip on the Murray River near Robinvale and for years was asked not to write about such a special stretch of river that produces a higher-than-average proportion of big cod. It... Find out more

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Port Fairy 215 km

Port Fairy is an unimposing historic seaport between Warrnambool and Portland. While it might come across as a sleepy, seaside resort, Port Fairy always seems to attract exciting piscatorial headlines. During the 1960s... Find out more

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Little Desert National Park 44 km

This park contains one-fifth of all flowering plant species in Victoria. The elusive mallee fowl and rare scrub robin live amid the 600 kilometres of tracks that go out to remote sections of the park near the South... Find out more

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Indigenous tours, Grampians National Park 90 km

Brambuk, the Grampians National Park and Cultural Centre, houses an Aboriginal cultural centre explaining much of the history and stories associated with the area. There is also a bushfoods cafe, where you can try emu,... Find out more

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Grampians National Park 95 km

There are many, many reasons to go to this remarkable 1680-square-kilometre national park: its spectacular spring wildflowers, its dramatic cliffs and sandstone features, its bushwalking, the stunning views from its... Find out more

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Mount Eccles National Park 182 km

At Mount Eccles you can walk for 2 kilometres around the rim of a volcanic crater then descend for a swim in the lake at its heart. It is a great spot for a picnic, with koalas and kangaroos, and the camping facilities... Find out more

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Picnicking around Mount Gambier 189 km

Mount Gambier has some extraordinary picnic spots around collapsed caves that are now beautiful sinkhole gardens. Try Cave Gardens or the stunning Umpherston Sinkhole, which has free barbecues and good facilities.... Find out more

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Golden Nugget Discovery Tours, Ballarat 204 km

This carbon-neutral business in Ballarat runs small, personalised tours of no more than six people in the Goldfields region, with three themes – wild nature, gold history and heritage, and food and wine.... Find out more

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Picnicking at Lake Pertobe Reserve 218 km

Lake Pertobe Reserve on Warrnambool’s foreshore is known as one of the best adventure playgrounds around, with plenty for kids of all ages. There are paddleboats and canoes, a maze and flying fox, free barbecues... Find out more

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Wine-tasting - Robinvale 218 km

Robinvale Wines, near Robinvale, produces a wide variety of wines, certified organic and biodynamic, with no chemicals used.... Find out more

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Brisbane Ranges National Park 248 km

With a vibrant koala population, this relatively small national park only 80 kilometres west of Melbourne has picnic areas, walking tracks through rocky gorges and a basic camping area.... Find out more

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Murray Downs Golf & Country Club Resort 188 km

What follows is one of the success stories of golf along the Murray River. Set in the heart of Kidman Reid’s historic Murray Downs sheep station, the Murray Downs Golf & Country Club Resort was constructed... Find out more

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Port Fairy Golf Club 212 km

An endearing quality of the great links layouts of Britain and Ireland is their natural setting. Wild, windswept holes rolling between sand dunes that have stood tall for centuries are the norm. The links of Port... Find out more

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Flying Horse Brewery 219 km

Whales and ales are now the twin attractions for the pretty seaside Victorian city of Warrnambool, following the development of the sprawling Flying Horse Bar & Brewery complex by joint owners Matt Monk, Matt Stewart... Find out more

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Purrumbete Brewing Company (Red Duck) 227 km

Scott and Vanessa Wilson-Browne are another couple of ‘ale changers’ who swapped busy Melbourne careers to move to the country, bring up their young family, and brew and market craft ales. Along the way, they... Find out more

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Holgate Brewhouse 244 km

Paul and Natasha Holgate have travelled a decidedly different path to most other craft-brewery operators over the past decade or so. They started brewing ales from a shed adjacent to their family home in Woodend in the... Find out more

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Horseshoe Bend camping area 5 km

Horseshoe Bend is on the eastern boundary of Little Desert National Park, on the Wimmera River opposite Wail State Forest. North of here is the Pomponderoo Hill Nature Walk, which takes in a scenic lookout and some of... Find out more

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Ackle Bend camping area 5 km

Ackle Bend is on the Wimmera River in the eastern block of Little River National Park, just south of Horseshoe Bend. The walk north along the river yields some great views. Other leisurely pursuits available here include... Find out more

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Kiata camping area 21 km

Kiata campground is in the eastern block of Little Desert National Park. It’s at the end of Kiata South Rd, which runs off the Western Hwy between Nhill and Dimboola. Head to the nearby picnic area to take the... Find out more

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Natimuk Lake Caravan Park 30 km

Four km north of the township of Natimuk is its namesake lake, reached via Lake Rd from the Wimmera Hwy. The caravan park sits at its southern tip. When the lake isn’t dry it attracts attention from fishing folk... Find out more

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Wimmera Lakes Caravan Resort 36 km

The Wimmera Lakes Caravan Resort is out on the Western Highway about 4 km south-east of Horsham. While the comfort and amenities offered by the park are already reasons to stay, the best rationale is that the spectacular... Find out more

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Four Mile Beach camping ground 37 km

Four Mile Beach has more facilities than any of the other campsites around Lake Hindmarsh, including powered sites and a kiosk selling basic foodstuffs; the trade-off is that this is the only place in the reserve where... Find out more

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Centenary Park camping area 37 km

The only camping site at Mt Arapiles, Centenary Park is accessed via Centenary Park Rd off the Wimmera Hwy – the spacious campground is about 2 km from the turn-off. Some sites require you to carry your gear in... Find out more

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Picnic Point Beach camping ground 39 km

Picnic Point Beach, which lies just north of where the Wimmera River empties into Lake Hindmarsh, is a good place for some solitude. From the Nhill–Jeparit Rd, detour onto unsealed Lake Rd, which runs up along the... Find out more

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Schulzes Beach camping area 48 km

This campground is located on the western shore of Lake Hindmarsh, where it has some impressive red river gums for company. South of here, at Antwerp on the road to Dimboola, you’ll find what’s left of the... Find out more

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Bush camping 54 km

Bush camping is allowed in the central and western blocks of the national park. You’ll need a 4WD to tackle the terrain away from the established campgrounds and picnic areas. Consult the park ranger about... Find out more

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Horsham Caravan Park 33 km

Located on the banks of the Wimmera River, close to the town centre, this good quality park is council owned but operated by the YMCA. Bookings are required in peak periods and a minimum-length stay applies.... Find out more

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Wimmera Lakes Caravan Resort 36 km

This is a spacious park on the fringe of Horsham, 4 km south-east of town on the Western Highway. It has a range of facilities including a tennis court and spa. It is a good base for exploring the local area. Bookings... Find out more

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Nhill Caravan Park 37 km

This is a convenient park on the Western Highway, on the western outskirts of Nhill. It has good basic amenities and is conveniently located midway between Melbourne and Adelaide.... Find out more

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Kaniva Caravan Park 72 km

This is a budget-priced, council-owned caravan park with no full-time attendee. Take a site and the caretaker will call by. The park, with basic facilities and nice grassy sites, is situated next door to the town pool;... Find out more

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Parkgate Resort 87 km

This is a very good quality tourist park less than 1.5 km from Halls Gap. With great recreational facilities including a tennis court, this is a popular holiday destination and a great base from which to explore the... Find out more

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Halls Gap Caravan and Tourist Park 88 km

We find this large park ideal for a holiday at any time of the year and regularly stay here. Located in the centre of town, it is within easy reach of most of the area’s attractions and makes a good base for... Find out more

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Lake Fyans Holiday Park 93 km

This is a spacious waterfront park on the shores of Lake Fyans, a popular watersports area to the south-west of Stawell. The park has a cafe and also canoes for hire. It is just a short drive to nearby Halls Gap and is... Find out more

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Bordertown Caravan Park 114 km

This is a very tidy park with good facilities, right in the heart of town. It is budget priced and easily accessible from the Western Highway.... Find out more

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Lake Boga Caravan Park 182 km

Squeezed between the Murray Valley Highway and the shores of Lake Boga, this is ideal for an overnight stop or a restful few days; sailing, water-skiing and swimming are popular activities. The park has good basic... Find out more

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Swan Hill Riverside Caravan Park 185 km

Within walking distance to the centre of town, and with large expanses of green lawn and a long frontage to the Murray River, this place boasts a heated pool, undercover barbecues and a well-stocked shop. Bookings are... Find out more

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Pomponderoo Bush Retreat, Dimboola 3 km

With solar power, rainwater tanks and tree planting to offset carbon emissions, these three self-contained timber cabins are a great accommodation option near the north-eastern edge of Little Desert National Park.... Find out more

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Little Desert Nature Lodge, Nhill 33 km

Set on 117 hectares of bushland beside Little Desert National Park, the lodge has 24 rooms with ensuite bathrooms, or 16 bunkrooms with shared facilities. By staying here, you are helping support projects such as the... Find out more

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Grampians Eco YHA 87 km

At this eco-hostel you sleep under roof tiles that are actually solar panels. Any extra power generated is fed back to the electricity grid. The passive solar building, featuring rammed earth walls, also has solar... Find out more

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MillDuck, Harcourt North 207 km

This strawbale house won a Most Energy Efficient Home award (North West Region) when it was built. More than 1000 trees have been planted on the property since it was purchased, and it is now an alpaca stud. The B&B,... Find out more

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Coorong Wilderness Lodge 245 km

Opened early in 2009, the five beautiful cabins here on a limestone cliff on Aboriginal lands have 180-degree views over the Coorong, with pelicans, ducks and other birds flying past at window height. The cabins have... Find out more

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Horseshoe Bend Camp Area 5 km

T/O at Dimboola Large area located 7 kilometres south of the highway on the banks of the Wimmera River with good facilities and shade in a natural bush setting in Little Desert National Park. NOTE: Access road part... Find out more

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Ackle Bend Camp Area 5 km

T/O at Dimboola Large area located 6 kilometres south of the highway on the banks of the Wimmera River with good facilities and shade in a natural bush setting in Little Desert National Park. NOTE: Access road part... Find out more

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Wimmera River Rest Area 6 km

32 km E of Nhill (L) or 6 km W of Dimboola (R) Large open area just off the highway near the river. Good shade and facilities. GPS: S36 25.07 E141 58.53  ... Find out more

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Wail Rest Area 9 km

10 km SE of Dimboola (L) or 26 km NW of Horsham (R) Small area just off the highway near the railway overpass. Reasonable shade. GPS: S36 30.25 E142 06.18  ... Find out more

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Kiata Camp Area 21 km

T/O at Kiata: 14 km E of Nhill (R) or 24 km W of Dimboola (L) Large open area situated 12 kilometres south of the highway in a pleasant natural bush setting among numerous small trees in Little Desert National Park.... Find out more

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Native Waterhole Rest Area 22 km

16 km E of Nhill (R) or 22 km W of Dimboola (L) Small area just off the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S36 22.02 E141 49.08 ... Find out more

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Burnt Creek Rest Area 39 km

7 km SE of Horsham (L) or 60 km NW of Stawell (R) Large area just off the highway among a few large trees. Good shade. GPS: S36 45.38 E142 15.00  ... Find out more

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Lake Green Rest Area 43 km

12 km SE of Horsham (R) or 55 km NW of Stawell (L) Large parking bay adjacent to the highway overlooking Lake Green. Limited shade. GPS: S36 47.05 E142 17.38  ... Find out more

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Camerons Reserve Rest Area 48 km

26 km E of Kaniva (R) or 14 km W of Nhill (L) Large area just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S36 23.19 E141 30.34 ... Find out more

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Brim Rest Area 54 km

20 km N of Warracknabeal (L) or 41 km S of Hopetoun (R) Large secluded area located among numerous small trees 1 kilometre off the highway via the main street of Brim. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S36 04.32 E142... Find out more

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Lake Hindmarsh Camp Area 58 km

T/O 36 km N of Warracknabeal (L) or 25 km S of Hopetoun (R) via Rainbow Large area in the scrub on the shores of the lake 16 kilometres south-west of Rainbow. Reasonable shade. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS:... Find out more

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Stapylton Camp Area 61 km

T/O 18 km SE of Horsham (R) or 49 km NW of Stawell (L) Large area located 15 kilometres south of the highway via Northern Grampians Road and Plantation Road in a natural bush setting in Grampians National Park. Good... Find out more

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Troopers Creek Camp Area 71 km

T/O 42 km SE of Horsham (R) or 25 km NW of Stawell (L) Small area located 17 kilometres south-east of the highway via Roses Gap Road in a natural bush setting in Grampians National Park. Good facilities and shade. ... Find out more

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Cherrypool Rest Area 74 km

82 km N of Hamilton (R) or 50 km S of Horsham (L) Large area just off the highway on the banks of the river. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S37 06.33 E142 11.11  ... Find out more

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Western Beach Camp Area 76 km

T/O at Hopetoun Large area among trees on the shore of the lake, 47 kilometres west of Hopetoun via Albacutya in Albacutya Regional Park. Good shade and facilities. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS: S35 46.48... Find out more

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Yaapeet Beach Camp Area 77 km

T/O at Hopetoun Large area among trees on the shore of the lake, 35 kilometres west of Hopetoun via Yapeet in Albacutya Regional Park. Good shade. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS: S35 46.00 E142 00.23... Find out more

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Plantation Camp Area 80 km

T/O at Stawell to Halls Gap Large area located 10 kilometres north of Halls Gap via Mt Zero Road in a natural bush setting in Grampians National Park. Good facilities and shade. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS:... Find out more

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Smith Mill Camp Area 80 km

T/O at Stawell to Halls Gap Small area located 16 kilometres north of Halls Gap via Mt Victory, Lake Wartook and Old Mill roads. Good facilities and shade in a natural bush setting in Grampians National Park. NOTE:... Find out more

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Lake Watchem Camp Area 81 km

T/O 20 km S of Birchip (R) or 34 km N of Donald (L) Large area around a few trees on the edge of the lake 1 kilometre west of Watchem. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S36 08.51 E142 50.52 ... Find out more

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Donald Park Area 85 km

North side of town Parking area at Richardson River. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S36 22.03 E142 58.44... Find out more

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Hynes Reservoir Camp Area 86 km

T/O 68 km N of Hamilton (L) or 64 km S of Horsham (R) Large secluded campground located 9 kilometres west of the highway near the reservoir. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S37 13.29 E142 06.18  ... Find out more

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Canadian Gully Bushland Reserve Rest Area 86 km

57 km SE of Horsham (L) or 10 km NW of Stawell (R) Large area just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S37 00.21 E142 42.30 ... Find out more

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Hopetoun Camp Area 87 km

On the shores of Lake Lascelles Large area well off the highway on the shores of Lake Lascelles. Good facilities. Limited shade. NOTE: Powered sites available for a fee. Showers available (donation requested). GPS:... Find out more

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Buandik Camp Area 91 km

T/O 65 km N of Hamilton (L) or 67 km S of Horsham (R) Small secluded area located 9 kilometres east of the highway in a pleasant bush setting in Grampians National Park. Good facilities and shade. NOTE: Access road... Find out more

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Birchip Park Area 95 km

South side of town Small area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. Good facilities. GPS: S35 59.23 E142 54.53... Find out more

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Victorian-South Australian Border Rest Area 96 km

18 km E of Bordertown (R) or 25 km W of Kaniva (L) Large area just off the highway among the trees at the state border. Good shade and facilities. GPS: S36 20.40 E140 58.10... Find out more

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Borough Huts Camp Area 96 km

T/O at Stawell to Halls Gap Small area located 11 kilometres south of Halls Gap via Grampians Road in Grampians National Park. Good facilities and shade in a natural bush setting.  GPS: S37 06.28 E142 25.24 ... Find out more

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Wonga Camp Area 96 km

T/O at Hopetoun Large and open area scattered with a few large trees 43 kilometres west of the highway in Wyperfeld National Park. Good facilities. Limited shade. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS: S35 35.12... Find out more

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Great Western Rest Area 105 km

13 km S of Stawell (L) or 17 km N of Ararat (R) Large area just off the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S37 08.41 E142 50.33  ... Find out more

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Wooroonook Lake Camp Area 107 km

T/O at Charlton via Borung Highway Large camp area on shores of the lake 14 kilometres west of Charlton. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S36 15.37 E143 11.44 ... Find out more

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