Explore Australia

Portland Maritime Discovery Centre The centre features a 13 m sperm whale skeleton, and the lifeboat used to rescue 19 survivors from the Admella shipwreck in 1859. Another wreck, the Regia, is displayed in 2 m of water. The centre shares the building with the information centre. Lee Breakwater Rd.Botanical Gardens: established in 1857, with both native and exotic plant life. A restored 1850s bluestone worker's cottage is within the grounds and open to the public; Cliff St. Historical buildings: more than 200 around town, many National Trust–classified. The best way to explore buildings such as the courthouse, Steam Packet Inn and Mac's Hotel is to take either a guided or self-guide walk; details from visitor centre. History House: a historical museum and family research centre in the old town hall; Charles St. Burswood: a bluestone, regency-style mansion that was once the home of pioneer settler Edward Henty. The house is set amid 5 ha of gardens; Cape Nelson Rd. Fawthorp Lagoon: prolific birdlife; Glenelg St. Powerhouse Car Museum: Percy St. Watertower Lookout: displays of WW II memorabilia on the way up the 133 steps to magnificent 360-degree views across Portland and the ocean, where whales and dolphins can sometimes be spotted; Percy St. Another good spot for whale-watching is Battery Hill.

Cape Bridgewater This cape is home to a 650-strong colony of Australian fur seals. A 2 hr return walk leads to a viewing platform, or you can take a 45 min boat ride that leads into the mouth of a cave to see them up close (bookings essential, (03) 5526 7247). Across the cape towards Discovery Bay are the Petrified Forest and the Blowholes – spectacular during high seas. 21 km SW.Lower Glenelg National Park The Glenelg River is a central feature of the park. It has cut an impressive 50 m deep gorge through a slab of limestone. Watch for platypus, water rats, moorhens and herons around the water's edge. Bushwalking, camping, fishing and canoeing are all popular, and Jones Lookout and the Bulley Ranges offer great views. Also in the park are the Princess Margaret Rose Caves on the north side of the river – you can drive there via Nelson or Dartmoor. Alternatively, boat tours operate from Nelson. Contact Parks Victoria on 13 1963; 44 km NW.Cape Nelson: here a lighthouse perches on top of tall cliffs and lightstation tours are available; 11 km SW. Narrawong State Forest: a short walk leads to Whalers Pt, where Aboriginal people once watched for whales; 18 km NE. Discovery Bay Coastal Park: Cape Bridgewater is included in this park, though the majority of it is remote and relatively untouched. The Great South West Walk (see below) offers the best chance to take in the park's scenery. Behind Cape Bridgewater are the Bridgewater Lakes (19 km W) – popular for waterskiing and fishing. A walking track leads from here to the beach. Mt Richmond National Park: a 'mountain' formed by an extinct volcano. The area has abundant spring wildflowers and native fauna, including the elusive potoroo; 25 km NW. Heywood: home to the Bower Birds Nest Museum, and the Wood, Wine and Roses Festival in Feb. Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape, the traditional lands of the Gunditjmara people, is located here also. Visitors can experience the aquaculture system including stone eel traps, permanent stone houses and smoking trees; Budj Bim Tours (03) 5527 1699; 28 km N. Nelson: a charming hamlet near the mouth of the Glenelg River. There is good waterskiing in the area; 70 km NW. Great South West Walk: this epic 250 km walking trail takes in the full range of local scenery – the Glenelg River, Discovery and Bridgewater bays and Cape Nelson are some of the highlights. It is possible to do just small sections of the walk; maps and details from visitor centre.

Portland 1 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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Port Fairy 56 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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Nelson 62 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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Warrnambool 77 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

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Konong Wootong Reservoir 95 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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Peterborough 114 km

Peterborough has beach and estuary fishing. The estuary system is Curdies River, a noted bream river with fish to 1.5 kg common. The best place to access the river is upstream at a place called Boggy Creek – a name... Find out more

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Lake Bolac 129 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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Lake Bullen Merri 131 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

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Gellibrand River 141 km

A little further west from Aire River are Castle Cove and Johanna Beach; both produce fishing similar to the beach at Aire River. There is also good beach fishing at Princetown, at the mouth of the Gellibrand River. ... Find out more

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Lake Purrumbete 142 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

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Mount Eccles National Park 40 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 at Lake Pertobe Reserve 77 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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Picnicking around Mount Gambier 92 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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Diving and snorkelling - Port Campbell, Peterborough and Warrnambool 125 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

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Grampians National Park 138 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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Indigenous tours, Grampians National Park 155 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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Sea-kayaking in Marengo Marine Sanctuary 186 km

In an exciting two-hour guided paddle, head out from Apollo Bay to Marengo Marine Sanctuary to get a close-up view of an Australian fur-seal colony. The seals often come out to swim around the kayaks.... Find out more

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Canoeing on Lake Elizabeth 189 km

For a fantastic dawn or dusk paddle in which you have a 95 per cent chance of seeing a platypus, join Otway Eco Tours on Lake Elizabeth. Half-day trips to this remote lake in the ranges depart from the small hamlet of... Find out more

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Little Desert National Park 197 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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Golden Nugget Discovery Tours, Ballarat 217 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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Port Fairy Golf Club 59 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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The Sands, Torquay 240 km

Sands by name . . . Sands by nature. It doesn’t take long to figure out the overwhelming feature of a round at Torquay. Standing on the 1st tee of this Stuart Applebydesigned layout, a blanket of white is... Find out more

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Thirteenth Beach Golf Links (Beach Course) 249 km

After all the accolades Tony Cashmore received for his design work at The Dunes, on the Mornington Peninsula, he must have felt some pressure to produce an equally fine layout when it came time for his next project:... Find out more

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Thirteenth Beach Golf Links (Creek Course) 250 km

Sir Nick Faldo won six major titles, playing himself into winning positions on the back of strong shot-making, a trait that is highly prized on the courses he now designs. The Creek course at Thirteenth Beach, created... Find out more

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Clock by the Bay

Housed in the old post office in the town centre, this 1882 building overlooks Portland Bay. An up-market restaurant, it serves contemporary dishes. For starters, try seared scallops with crispy pork belly, apple and... Find out more

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Lido Larder

Housed in a lovely Federation-style heritage building, this contemporary cafe bakes everything fresh on the premises – frittatas, quiches, chicken and coriander sausage rolls, delicious slices and cakes. It fills... Find out more

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Bridgewater Bay Beach Cafe

The original kiosk overlooking the ocean, the beach and the bluff to the seal colony has morphed in recent years into this casual licensed cafe with outside deck. It is worth the 15-minute detour by car west of Portland... Find out more

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Flying Horse Brewery 81 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) 142 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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Otway Estate Brewery 172 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

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Mallee Camp (walk-in camping) 9 km

Mallee Camp is 17 km from Trewalla Camp, a hike that takes you around Cape Nelson. The Portland Visitor Information Centre is another 16.5 km to the north.... Find out more

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Cubby’s Camp (walk-in camping) 12 km

Cubby’s Camp is a 20 km trek north-west of Portland. It's located in the eastern fringe of Cobboboonee Forest.... Find out more

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Trewalla Camp (walk-in camping) 12 km

From The Springs Camp, a walk of 15 km takes you around the edge of the cape, past its famous fur seal colony, and skirts Bridgewater Bay before reaching Trewalla Camp.... Find out more

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Narrawong Holiday Park 13 km

This scenic place is 13 km east of Portland on the Princes Hwy. It has its own natural moat, the Surry River, which circles the campground before flowing out past the local beach. Many of the grassy campsites are... Find out more

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Sawpit picnic and camping area 14 km

This old sawmill site attracts campers because of its access to ocean views. Take the easy track to Whalers Lookout and see if you can spot some passing cetaceans. To reach the site, follow the signposted Boyers Rd from... Find out more

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The Springs Camp (walk-in camping) 19 km

It’s 21 km from Swan Lake (see the listing under Discovery Bay Coastal Park) to The Springs Camp, the longest of any section of the Great South West Walk. The camp is on Cape Bridgewater, not far from some... Find out more

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Surry Ridge camping area 20 km

The Great South West Walk passes straight through this serene picnic and camping area. To get here, follow the Portland–Nelson Rd for 22 km west of Portland and take the signposted turn-off north onto the T+W Rd.... Find out more

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Cut-out Camp (walk-in camping) 20 km

The 15 km walk between Cubby Camp and Cut-out Camp leads you into Cobboboonee National Park.... Find out more

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Fitzroy River Public Purposes Reserve camping area 23 km

Surrounded by coastal scrub at the mouth of the Fitzroy River, this campground is only a short walk from lovely ocean beaches. You’ll find it 4 km down Thompsons Rd, which is 32 km east of Portland on the road to... Find out more

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Portland Tourist Park 1 km

Set in a residential area of town about 1.6 km from the town centre, this owneroperated park has good facilities and a corner store is conveniently located opposite the park. Bookings are required at Christmas, Easter... Find out more

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Henty Bay Beachfront Van and Cabin Park 5 km

This large, spacious park is located on the beachfront 6 km north-east of the centre of town. The park has a well-stocked shop with takeaway food and a good selection of fishing tackle and bait. Bookings are required at... Find out more

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Narrawong Holiday Park 13 km

This pretty park is in a fabulous, quiet beachside and riverfront position off the Princes Highway. Offering a range of accommodation, it is close to Portland and has good fishing and swimming, and a range of facilities... Find out more

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BIG4 Port Fairy Anchorage Holiday Park 55 km

This quality, owner-operated park has large shade trees and informal grassy sites, and is conveniently located alongside the Princes Highway just 1.5 km from the town centre. The park has very good amenities including... Find out more

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Belfast Cove Caravan Park 55 km

This is a lovely boutique park with magnificent gardens. It has very good facilities including a tennis court and a boat parking area. Bookings are required at Christmas, Easter and long weekends, with a minimum-stay... Find out more

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Port Fairy Gardens Caravan Park 56 km

This is a large council-owned park about 5 minutes’ walk from the town centre and just 200 metres from the beach, with level grassy sites, good amenities and a tennis court. Bookings are required at Christmas,... Find out more

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Kywong Caravan Park 62 km

Located on the northern side of town, this large budget-priced park has good facilities. It is about 1.5 km from the centre of the small township. There is good value here. Bookings are required at Christmas, Easter and... Find out more

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Discovery Holiday Parks – Warrnambool 76 km

Across the road from the beach, this wellkept park is ideal for a holiday or just a few days away. With its excellent facilities, including a popular undercover camp kitchen and a movie room, the park can be busy.... Find out more

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Surfside Holiday Park – Warrnambool 77 km

This is a large, very good-quality council-owned park right on the beachfront. Great for a family beachside holiday, the park has good facilities and is just 1 km from the city centre and close to Flagstaff Hill.... Find out more

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Fig Tree Holiday Village 78 km

Centrally located about 600 metres from main shopping precinct, this is a very good quality and good value park in a quiet off-highway position. It has a heated indoor pool and a tennis court but cannot fit big rigs.... Find out more

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Clifftop Accommodation Portland

These three studio apartments are built right on the edge of a cliff, and the views can resemble what a captain might have from the bridge of his ship. The views over the ocean are almost 180 degrees. Guests, like that... Find out more

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Sheoak Tinntean

From the comfort of your own private balcony, early rousers can watch the sun rise over Bass Straight and see the local fleet leave for the nearby bountiful fishing grounds. These two second-floor studio apartments are... Find out more

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Grampians Eco YHA 157 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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Cape Otway Centre for Conservation Ecology 176 km

There are not many better-thought-out ecotourism ventures than this superb multi-award-winning facility on Cape Otway. It has its own 66-hectare wildlife refuge and doubles as a shelter for injured and orphaned wildlife,... Find out more

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Apollo Bay Youth Hostel 186 km

This relatively new hostel was built with an eco-friendly design, including thermal storage banks and other passive solar heating and cooling. It also has solar hot water, rainwater tanks, a worm farm, drought-tolerant... Find out more

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Little Desert Nature Lodge, Nhill 210 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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Pomponderoo Bush Retreat, Dimboola 210 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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The Sawpit Camp Area 14 km

T/O at Narrawong Large secluded area located 3 kilometres north the highway in the forest among numerous large trees. Good shade and facilities. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS: S38 14.06 E141 41.14  ... Find out more

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Fitzroy River Rest Area 19 km

35 km SE of Heywood (R) or 48 km W of Port Fairy (L) Large area just off the highway near the river. Limited shade. GPS: S38 13.15 E141 45.48 ... Find out more

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Annya Road Rest Area 36 km

T/O km 81 km E of Mt Gambier (L) or 7 km W of Heywood (R) Large secluded area located 7.5 kilometres north of the highway among numerous trees in the forest. NOTE: Access road part unsealed. GPS: S38 01.07 E141... Find out more

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Lake Surprise Camp Area 42 km

T/O at Port Fairy Large campground located 48 kilometres north of the highway (9 kilometres east of Macarthur) in a pleasant open forest setting near Lake Surprise in Mount Eccles National Park. Good facilities and... Find out more

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Fort O'Hare Camp Area 54 km

T/O at Dartmoor Large grassed area well off the highway among numerous large trees. Very good shade and facilities. GPS: S37 55.33 E141 17.06 ... Find out more

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Glenelg River Park Area 54 km

48 km SE of Mt Gambier (L) or 40 km NW of Heywood (R) Small area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S37 55.40 E141 16.37 ... Find out more

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Branxholme Park Area 56 km

Middle of town Large area just off the highway adjacent to the recreation area. Limited shade. Good facilities. GPS: S37 51.29 E141 48.09  ... Find out more

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Killarney Beach Camp Area 62 km

T/O at Killarney Small grassy campground located 2 kilometres east of the highway behind the dunes at the beach. GPS: S38 21.17 E142 18.27  ... Find out more

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Princess Margaret Rose Caves Camp Area 67 km

T/O 12 km SE of Mt Gambier (R) or 76 km NW of Heywood (L) Small area located in a pleasant natural bush setting near the river 19 kilometres south of the highway in Lower Glenelg National Park. Good facilities and... Find out more

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Wannon Falls Camp Area 77 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

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South Australian-Victorian Border Rest Area 79 km

18 km SE of Mt Gambier (L) or 70 km NW of Heywood (R) Small area just off the highway among some large trees. Good shade. GPS: S37 50.29 E140 58.42 ... Find out more

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Penshurst Park Area 80 km

Middle of town Parking area just off the highway adjacent to the caravan park. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S37 52.438 E142 17.509... Find out more

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Nigretta Falls Camp Area 81 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

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Casterton Park Area 86 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

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Mount Gambier Park Area 92 km

North-east side of town Parking area at the Lady Nelson Visitor Information Centre. GPS: S37 49.570 E140 47.267... Find out more

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Cavendish Rest Area 99 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

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Mortlake Park Area 109 km

Middle of town Small parking area adjacent to the highway. GPS: S38 04.836 E142 48.541  ... Find out more

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Nine Mile Creek Rest Area 110 km

41 km E of Hamilton (R) or 33 km W of Lake Bolac (L) Small area just off the highway under some large trees. GPS: S37 38.141 E142 28.953... Find out more

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Peterborough Park Area 115 km

Middle of town Parking area on the foreshore just off the highway. Good facilities. GPS: S38 36.25 E142 52.45   ... Find out more

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Forestry Info Rest Area 115 km

16 km S of Penola (L) or 35 km N of Mt Gambier (R) Large area just off the highway. Good shade. GPS: S37 30.652 E140 49.105  ... Find out more

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Penola South Rest Area 118 km

12 km S of Penola (R) or 39 km N of Mt Gambier (L) Large area adjacent to the highway. GPS: S37 28.586 E140 49.717... Find out more

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Wickliffe Park Area 122 km

Middle of town Parking area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities. GPS: S37 41.446 E142 43.381... Find out more

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Greenrise Lake Park Area 125 km

3 km S of Penola (R) or 48 km N of Mt Gambier (L) Large open grassed area around a few trees just off the highway on the shores of the lake. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S37 23.802 E140 50.194... Find out more

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Picnic Point Camp Area 129 km

T/O at Lake Bolac township Small campground on the shores of the lake 2 kilometres south-east of the highway. Good shade. GPS: S37 43.266 E142 51.081 ... Find out more

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East Beach Camp Area 131 km

T/O 3 km E of Lake Bolac (R) or 48 km W of Skipton (L) Large camp area located 3 kilometres south of the highway on the shores of the lake. GPS: S37 43.275 E142 52.706... Find out more

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Lake Bolac Rest Area 132 km

2 km E of Lake Bolac (R) or 49 km W of Skipton (L) Large area just off the highway under some tall trees on the shores of the lake. Limited shade. GPS: S37 41.977 E142 51.755... Find out more

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Hynes Reservoir Camp Area 132 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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Fishermans Point Camp Area 132 km

T/O 3 km E of Lake Bolac (R) or 48 km W of Skipton (L) Large area 500 metres south of the highway on the shores of the lake. Limited shade. GPS: S37 42.127 E142 52.386... Find out more

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Buandik Camp Area 135 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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Twelve Apostles Park Area 136 km

86 km W of Apollo Bay (R) or 10 km E of Port Campbell (L) Large parking area just off the highway area at the interpretive centre near the lookout. GPS: S38 39.41 E143 06.19... Find out more

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