Goldfields & the Grampians - Lonely...
Transcript of Goldfields & the Grampians - Lonely...
Goldfields & the Grampians
Why Go?History, nature and culture combine spectacularly in Victo-ria’s regional heart. For a brief time in the mid-19th century, more than a third of the world’s gold came out of Victoria and, today, the spoils of all that precious metal can be seen in the grand regional cities of Bendigo and Ballarat, and the charming towns of Castlemaine, Kyneton and Maldon. This is a fantastic region for touring, with a range of contrast-ing landscapes, from pretty countryside and green forests, red earth and granite country, to farmland, orchards and wineries.
Further west, there’s a different type of history to experi-ence at the Grampians National Park, one of Victoria’s great natural wonders. Some 80% of Victoria’s Aboriginal rock-art sites are found here, and the majestic ranges are an adven-turer’s paradise, lording it over the idyllic Wartook Valley and the towns of Halls Gap and Dunkeld.Best Places
to Eat¨¨ Royal Mail Hotel (p212)
¨¨ GPO Bar & Grill (p200)
¨¨ Dispensary Enoteca (p200)
¨¨ Empyre Hotel (p204)
¨¨ Flouch’s (p201)
Best Places to Stay¨¨ Shamrock Hotel (p199)
¨¨ Theatre Royal Back Stage (p203)
¨¨ D’Altons Resort (p211)
¨¨ Little Desert Nature Lodge (p214)
¨¨ Comfort Inn Sovereign Hill (p193)
When to Go
Easter Join the dragon proces-sion at the Bendigo Easter Festival.
Mar–May Autumn colours, hiking and wine touring without the crowds.
Sep–Nov When the wildflowers bloom in Grampians National Park.
F DNOSAJJMAMJ
Ballarat°C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm
0
12/300
4/100
8/200
10/50
0/32
-10/14
30/86
40/104
20/68
Ballarat ...................... 190Bendigo . . . . . . . . . . . .196Castlemaine . . . . . . . 202Grampians National Park (Gariwerd) . . . . .207Halls Gap . . . . . . . . . . .210Dunkeld & the Southern Grampians . . 212Mt Arapiles State Park . . . . . . . . . . 213Little Desert National Park . . . . . . . 213
©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd
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(25km)Naracoorte
Mt Gambier(25km)
Warracknabeal
Wallup
Minyip
NorthMurtoa
Lubeck
Rupanyup
Wail
Dimboola
Horsham
Pimpinio
Nhill
KiataKaniva
Goroke
Antwerp
BridgeDadswells
Wartook
Pomonal
Caramut
Penshurst
Douglas
Harrow
Balmoral
Edenhope
Apsley
Langkoop
Chetwynd
Cavendish
Wannon
Hamilton
Coleraine
Branxholme
Casterton
Merino
Digby
Dartmoor
Toolondo
Natimuk
EbeneezerAboriginal
Mission
Little DesertNational Park
Mt ArapilesState Park
State ParkDergholm
State ParkBlack Range
State ParkMt Napier
(369m)
Mt
(519m)
(Gar)Mt Difficult
(810m)
Stapylton
(1167m)Mt William
(Mt Murdadjoog)Mt Abrupt
(825m)
SaltLake
LakePink
LonsdaleLake
ReservoirRocklands
WartookValley
Riv
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Wim
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Wia
River
Glenelg
Mt Sturgeon
A8
A8
A8
C234
C235
C234
B200
C231
C227
C206
C208
A200
C216
C216
C235
C188
B160
C217
B140
C214
C240
C188
C206
C204
C208
C213
C240
C208
C207
C211
A200
B160
C196C195
A200C195
B160
C198
A1
Mt V
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Gra
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Little Desert
Mt Arapiles
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Halls Gap
National ParkGrampians
Dunkeld
1 Discover the traditional stories of Gariwerd at Brambuk Cultural Centre (p210) in Halls Gap
2 Descend deep into a gold mine then ride the talking tram in Bendigo (p196)
3 ride the restored steam train (p202) from Maldon to Castlemaine
4 Camp under the stars in Little Desert National Park (p213)
5 Scale the granite heights at Mt Arapiles (p213), Victoria’s best rock-climbing destination
Goldfields & the Grampians Highlights