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Natimuk

Courthouse, Tourism Victoria

Population 445

Natimuk is popular for its proximity to Mount Arapiles, a 369-metre sandstone monolith that has been described as 'Victoria's Ayers Rock'. The mountain was first climbed by Major Mitchell in 1836, and today is a popular rock-climbing destination with over 2000 marked climbing routes.

Visitor Information

National Hotel, Main St; (03) 5387 1300

Nearby national parks

  • Little Desert National Park

    The soil is poor, there is little water and low rainfall, yet Little Desert National Park supports a surprising wealth and diversity of...more

  • Grampians National Park

    The weathered ranges that form the Grampians rise abruptly from the sweeping Wimmera plains, protecting a remarkable landscape of peaks and...more

  • Wyperfeld National Park

    In the state’s arid north-west, Wyperfeld is a vast park of open plains and spreading mallee eucalypts. The usually bone-dry bed of...more

Nearby towns

  • Horsham

    Horsham is an important centre for the Wimmera district. Prior to European settlement, Horsham and its surrounds were occupied by the...more

  • Dimboola

    Dimboola, on the Wimmera River, is a key access point to the Little Desert National Park. The area was home to the Wotjobaluk Aboriginal...more

  • Nhill

    The name of this town is derived from the Aboriginal word 'nyell', meaning 'white mist on water'. Nhill is exactly halfway between Melbourne...more

In Town

Arapiles Historical Society Museum: housed in the old courthouse; open by appt; Main St. Arapiles Craft Shop: features local arts and crafts; Main St. The Goat Gallery: showcases works of local and regional artists; Main St. Self-guide heritage trail: details from visitor centre.

Nearby

Mt ArapilesTooan State Park This park is divided into 2 blocks, the larger Tooan block and the smaller Mt Arapiles block; Mt Arapiles offers rock climbing and is by far the most popular. Mitre Rock presents a smaller climbing challenge if required. Should you choose not to scale one of the various rock faces, great views are still available from the walking tracks, or you can drive to the summit. Nature study is another possibility – a huge 14% of the state's flora is represented in the Mt Arapiles section alone. Contact Parks Victoria on 13 1963; access is from the Wimmera Hwy; 12 km SW.Banksia Hill Flower Farm: 10 km E. Duffholme Museum: 21 km W.

Fishing spots near town

Dimboola 31 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


Lake Wartook 59 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


Konong Wootong Reservoir 87 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


Lake Bolac 137 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


Nelson 167 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


Portland 180 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


Port Fairy 185 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


Warrnambool 190 km

Warrnambool is a big, tidy city. It’s a great place to take the family for a holiday, particularly if you have fishing on your mind. All forms of angling are available, but the most popular water is the Hopkins... Find out more


Lake Bullen Merri 196 km

Lake Bullen Merri at Camperdown is less than 20 mins drive from Lake Purrumbete. A deep, volcanic lake with saline water, it is stocked with brown and rainbow trout, Atlantic and Chinook salmon, and Australian bass.... Find out more


Lake Purrumbete 205 km

The bulk of the serious trout-fishing action in Victoria is in the Western District crater lakes. Of these, Lake Purrumbete near Camperdown ranks in the top half a dozen trout lakes in the state in terms quality,... Find out more


Eco-friendly activities around town

Little Desert National Park 40 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


Indigenous tours, Grampians National Park 70 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


Grampians National Park 70 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


Mount Eccles National Park 150 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


Picnicking around Mount Gambier 159 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


Picnicking at Lake Pertobe Reserve 188 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


Golden Nugget Discovery Tours, Ballarat 193 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


Diving and snorkelling - Port Campbell, Peterborough and Warrnambool 228 km

Best known in diving circles for its multitude of shipwrecks, most of which are reached by boat dives, this area also has some great snorkelling and shore dives. Recommended spots include the Port Campbell jetty, Wild... Find out more


Brisbane Ranges National Park 236 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


Golf courses around town

Port Fairy Golf Club 182 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


Murray Downs Golf & Country Club Resort 215 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


Nearby breweries

Flying Horse Brewery 190 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


Purrumbete Brewing Company (Red Duck) 204 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


Otway Estate Brewery 237 km

Located 12 kilometres from Colac, Otway Estate Winery was established in 1983, specialising in cool-climate wines; a microbrewery was added in 2007. Head brewer Luke Scott oversees the production of up to 15 different... Find out more


Holgate Brewhouse 240 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


Campsites around town

Natimuk Lake Caravan Park 3 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


Centenary Park camping area 9 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


Wimmera Lakes Caravan Resort 24 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


Ackle Bend camping area 27 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


Horseshoe Bend camping area 28 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


Toolondo Caravan Park 28 km

The Toolondo Reservoir is due west of Grampians National Park, on the other side of the Henty Hwy. On its south-eastern bank is a caravan park with an earthen boat ramp. There can be excellent fly-fishing here, depending... Find out more


Kiata camping area 35 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


Stapylton camping area 45 km

This large campground has a mixture of sheltered and open sites, and is situated in the far north of the national park. You can take a short, self-guided walk to Ngamadjidj Shelter, a one-time Aboriginal campsite where... Find out more


Cherrypool Highway Park 46 km

Handy for an overnight stop between Horsham and Hamilton, this rest area is on the Henty Hwy, 50 km south of Horsham. Sitting beside the Glenelg River, perhaps with a line in the water, makes a welcome change from... Find out more


Fulham Streamside Reserve camping area 47 km

A 4WD vehicle is needed to reach this camping area. The access road is signposted off the Natimuk–Hamilton Rd, just south of Kanagulk. There are no facilities to speak of, but the campground’s pleasant... Find out more


Caravan parks around town

Horsham Caravan Park 23 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


Wimmera Lakes Caravan Resort 24 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


Nhill Caravan Park 52 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


Parkgate Resort 67 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


Halls Gap Caravan and Tourist Park 68 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


Kaniva Caravan Park 75 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


Lake Fyans Holiday Park 76 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


Bordertown Caravan Park 116 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


Kalganyi Holiday Park 156 km

This is a very good park set in a quiet, treed area on the northern outskirts of Mount Gambier. It has extensive facilities including ensuite sites. This is a good base from which to explore the Mount Gambier region.... Find out more


Blue Lake Holiday Park 161 km

Located south of the city centre, this wellshaded quality park adjoins the golf course and is adjacent to Mount Gambier’s premier attraction, the spectacular Blue Lake. This is a fabulous base for exploring the... Find out more


Eco-friendly places to stay around town

Pomponderoo Bush Retreat, Dimboola 30 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


Little Desert Nature Lodge, Nhill 40 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


Grampians Eco YHA 67 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


MillDuck, Harcourt North 209 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


Coorong Wilderness Lodge 247 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


Rest areas around town

Ackle Bend Camp Area 27 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


Burnt Creek Rest Area 27 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


Horseshoe Bend Camp Area 28 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


Wail Rest Area 30 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


Lake Green Rest Area 32 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


Kiata Camp Area 35 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


Wimmera River Rest Area 36 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


Native Waterhole Rest Area 43 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


Stapylton Camp Area 44 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


Cherrypool Rest Area 46 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


Troopers Creek Camp Area 53 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


Camerons Reserve Rest Area 55 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


Hynes Reservoir Camp Area 56 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


Smith Mill Camp Area 59 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


Plantation Camp Area 62 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


Buandik Camp Area 64 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


Canadian Gully Bushland Reserve Rest Area 74 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


Borough Huts Camp Area 75 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


Brim Rest Area 85 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


Cavendish Rest Area 87 km

North side of town Large area 300 metres off the highway among the trees adjacent to the recreation area. Good facilities and reasonable shade. Fees payable to caretaker for overnight stay. GPS: S37 31.22 E142 02.46... Find out more


Lake Hindmarsh Camp Area 88 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


Great Western Rest Area 92 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


Victorian-South Australian Border Rest Area 98 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


Black Cockatoo Bush Camp 101 km

T/O at Naracoorte Large campground in a natural bush setting 14 kilometres north-east of Naracoorte via Cadgee Road and Chapples Road. Good facilities and shade. Some powered sites and other accommodation available.... Find out more


Donald Park Area 101 km

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


Nigretta Falls Camp Area 102 km

Henty Highway, Portland to Calder Highway - T/O 8 km N of Hamilton (L) or 124 km S of Horsham (R) Glenelg Highway, Princes Highway to Ballarat - T/O 46 km E of Casterton (L) or 17 km W of Hamilton (R) Large open... Find out more


Wannon Falls Camp Area 104 km

Henty Highway, Portland to Calder Highway - 16 km W of Hamilton via Glenelg Highway Glenelg Highway, Princes Highway to Ballarat - 46 km E of Casterton (R) or 17 km W of Hamilton (L) Large secluded area well off... Find out more


Lake Watchem Camp Area 104 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


Casterton Park Area 105 km

East side of town Large grassed area under trees on the eastern bank of the Glenelg River. Good shade. GPS: S37 34.938 E141 24.600  ... Find out more


Western Beach Camp Area 107 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


What's on around town

Nati Frinj: biennial arts festival; Oct/Nov.

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