Our two week Australian Road Trip started in Melbourne and ended in Adelaide. After a few days exploring Melbourne, we picked up a hire car and set off. After visiting the former gold mine towns of Castlemaine and Ballarat, we headed south to Geelong to see the bollard art. Then, it was a drive along the Great Ocean Road. After a further detour to taste some of the produce of the wineries of the Barossa Valley, we reached Adelaide.
Australia 2 Week Road Trip Itinerary
| Day 1 | Melbourne Flight to Melbourne Queen Victoria Market State Library Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne Museum Parliament House Accommodation – The Jazz Corner Hotel |
| Day 2 | Melbourne Harbourside Sandridge Bridge Hosier Lane Birrarung Marr Olympic Park Royal Botanic Gardens Shrine of Remembrance |
| Day 3 | Melbourne Ramsay Street Polly Woodside Port Melbourne |
| Day 4 | Hanging Rock Castlemaine Castlemaine Botanical Gardens The Mill Shedshaker Brewery |
| Day 5 | Ballarat Eureka Stockade Memorial Park Eureka Centre Lydiard Street Art Gallery of Ballarat Lake Wendouree Ballarat Botanical Gardens |
| Day 6 | Geelong The Great Ocean Road Torquay Anglesea Aireys Inlet Split Point Lighthouse Lorne Apollo Bay Accommodation – Seaview Motel & Apartments Dinner at Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Cooperative |
| Day 7 | The Great Ocean Road Great Otway National Park Cape Otway Lightstation The Twelve Apostles Loch Ard Gorge Port Campbell London Bridge The Arch The Grotto Accommodation – Raglan Motor Inn |
| Day 8 | Warrnambool parkrun Lake Pertobe Warrnambool The Princes Highway Tower Hill Port Fairy Portland Accommodation – Cape Nelson Cottage Cape Nelson |
| Day 9 | Cape Bridgewater Petrified Forest Mount Gambier Mount Gambier Visitor Centre Blue Lake Accommodation – Tower Motor Inn |
| Day 10 | Robe Robe Lighthouse Robe Obelisk Long Beach Customs House Robe Fishermen’s Memorial Accommodation – Harbour View Motel |
| Day 11 | Brunch from Robe Bakery 1884 Kingston SE Coorong National Park Jack’s Point Pelican Observatory Meningie Picnic by Lake Albert Wellington Ferry Victor Harbor Granite Island Kaiki Trail Accommodation – Victor Harbor City Inn Dinner at Hotel Victor |
| Day 12 | Barossa Valley Hahndorf Epicurean Way Lunch from Udder Delights Jacob’s Creek Wolf Blass Nuriootpa Accommodation – Vine Inn Barossa Penfold’s |
| Day 13 | Adelaide Adelaide Botanic Garden National Wine Centre Art Gallery of South Australia South Australian Museum Accommodation – Princes Lodge Motel |
| Day 14 | Adelaide St Peter’s Cathedral Adelaide Oval State Library of South Australia Migration Museum Lunch at Rundle Mall Victoria Square |
Australia Day 1 – Melbourne
Flight to Melbourne
A very early start today. We fly from Fiji to Melbourne at 6 am, so need to get up at 3.30. To be honest, I’m too old to go without the requisite 8 hours sleep. But the flight is on time and and I get to watch The Greatest Showman (twice), so it could be worse.
Entering Australia is a special challenge for the short sighted. The first instruction, on entering the E-gate, is to remove your glasses. The second is written on a screen 20 metres away. I can’t even see there’s an instruction, let alone read what it says. Despite my unbeaten run of failing to use an E-gate without assistance, we’re in Melbourne by 9 am. We head to our hotel, hoping we can leave our bags there, but they are able to check us in, which is an unexpected bonus. So we go back to bed for a few hours.
Queen Victoria Market
One I am feeling vaguely human again, we set off to explore Melbourne. We start at Queen Victoria Market (apparently the largest market in the Southern Hemisphere). It’s huge and you can buy practically anything here, but we make a beeline for the very comprehensive food court and have fish and chips for brunch.
Suitably refuelled, the sightseeing can begin in earnest. The Yarra River bisects Melbourne. We spend the afternoon exploring north of the river; there’s some grand old Victorian buildings, some cool modern buildings and a sprinkling of nice parks.
State Library
We spend some time visiting the enormous State Library, which is surrounded by book themed sculptures.
Inside, the six storey octagonal dome structure reminds me more of a cathedral of books than a library.
Royal Exhibition Building
On to Carlton Gardens, home of the Royal Exhibition Building. This grand Victorian building was originally built for an exhibition in 1880.
When we arrive, there is a craft fair taking place, so we are able to go inside and admire the beautifully frescoed interior.
Melbourne Museum
Also in Carlton Gardens is the Melbourne Museum. This large modern building covers the natural and cultural history of Victoria from dinosaurs to the city’s favourite racehorse.
Parliament House
Last stop of the the day is the opulent Victorian Parliament House. It is possible to take a tour of the Parliament, but we make do with a couple of photos on the grand steps.
Parliament Gardens
The building is set it the pretty Parliament Gardens with a very inviting fountain structure on such a hot day.
The Great Petition
Adjacent to Parliament House is The Great Petition, a sculpture commissioned in 2008 to commemorate a century of (non-indigenous) women’s suffrage in Victoria.
Accommodation – The Jazz Corner Hotel
We stayed at The Jazz Corner Hotel, a centrally located funky boutique hotel with a jazz theme throughout. Our accommodation was a one bed flat on the 25th floor. It was clean and comfortable with all mod cons including a kitchenette (I was disproportionately excited when I discover the washing machine). But the best bit is the balcony with spectacular views across Melbourne and the River Yarra.
We catch a tram back to our accommodation – The Jazz Corner Hotel – and I sit on the balcony with a beer and some rather strange chicken and aioli crisps. Melbourne is a lovely city. My great great grandfather Paul Monte settled here (more of that later) and I can understand why he fell in love with the place. As I watch the sun set over the harbour, I wonder how my view compares with that of Paul a century ago.
Australia Day 2 – Melbourne
Part two of our Melbourne sightseeing extravaganza starts where we finished yesterday. We walk in a large zigzagging circle along the river to reach Hosier Lane.
Harbourside
The harbourside is a pleasant area to take a stroll with parks, sculptures and terrific views of the city.
Sandridge Bridge
My favourite part is Sandridge Bridge. This steel bridge contains ten structures, each depicting different groups of settlers; from convicts and the Gold Rush to assisted migration and refugees.
Hosier Lane
We reach the little laneway of Hosier Lane. This narrow street is famous for its abundance of street art.
Birrarung Marr
From Hosier Lane, we continue through Birrarung Marr. This riverside park with spectacular city and harbour views features indigenous flora and art.
Federation Bells
At the top end of the park are the Federation Bells. This installation of 39 bells was designed to commemorate the centenary of Australia’s federation in 2001. The website allows members of the public to compose music for the bells to play. The bells ring three times a day (8 am to 9 am, 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm and 5 pm to 6 pm).
William Barak Bridge
We walk over the freaky William Barak Bridge, which talks and sings to you as you cross, to the Olympic Park.
Olympic Park
The Olympic Park is home to various sports venues including the MCG (cricket ground) and the Rod Laver Arena (tennis centre).
Royal Botanic Gardens
Next, we head for the Royal Botanic Gardens. There is 5 km trail around the edge of the gardens, here, a radio station are handing out chocolate bilbies (imagine a genetic mutation of half rabbit half wallaby).
The Gardens are free to enter and beautiful. We wander around for a while admiring the various different gardens. Lunch consists of a chocolate picnic by the lake.
Shrine of Remembrance
Next, we go to the Shrine of Remembrance; a huge shrine originally built to honour the dead of WW1.
A forecourt with an eternal flame was built later to commemorate those who died in WW2.
The area underneath the shrine houses the Galleries of Remembrance; a moving and informative museum detailing the role of Australians in conflicts around the world. Entrance is free, although donations are welcome.
We return to our hotel via Victoria Market to get some dinner. We need to refuel, we’ve covered a lot of miles today and only eaten a chocolate marsupial.
Australia Day 3 – Melbourne
Ramsay Street
On my final day in Melbourne, I get to indulge in two of my passions. First, having watched Neighbours for 30 years, a visit to Melbourne would not be complete without a Ramsay Street Tour. Reviews are mixed, so I have high hopes and low expectations. The package includes a meet and greet with a star of the show. I am intrigued to see who they had coaxed out of bed on a Bank Holiday morning.
After a shaky start (the bus driver reversing into a street sign) it is actually a really good tour. The clientele are exclusively British (Aussies don’t really watch Neighbours) and super excited. The driver/guide spends the 18 mile drive to the suburbs engaging in Neighbours themed banter.
We start at the studio. Because there is no filming taking place, we are allowed onto the set, which is a bonus, and I get to take loads of cheesy photos.
Then on to Ramsay Street, which isn’t actually called Ramsay Street. But the guide has a makeshift street sign for more cheesy photo ops. The star we meet, Ben Nicholas, played the character Stingray. He seems really nice and is happy to chat and pose for photos. All in all, a great morning.
Note: Since our trip to Australia, Neighbours was cancelled, then reprieved – hooray! So I have left this in my blog because it was one of the highlights of the trip and hopefully set tours will resume again soon. In the meantime, it is still possible to visit the famous street on you own. Pin Oak Court is in the suburb of Vermont South which is 18 miles from central Melbourne. Details on how to get there can be found here.
Polly Woodside
The afternoon is dedicated to genealogy. We start at the Polly Woodside, a 19th century tall ship similar to those my G G grandad sailed on.
You can board the ship to see what conditions were like and there is also an interesting little museum.
Port Melbourne
Then we walk to the bayside suburb of Port Melbourne, to Bay Street where my G G grandad lived. My family were led to believe that he died at sea shortly before my great grandma was born, but recent research showed that he actually jumped ship in Melbourne, married bigamously and settled in Port Melbourne leaving wife No 1 destitute in the UK. I take plenty of pictures of his homes (front and back) while the old man worries that I will get arrested for stalking or casing the joint.
We plan to return to the city by train but that involves purchasing a $6 card on which to put the $6 fare. We are too mean to pay, so walk instead. By the time we reach the hotel, we have walked 19 km and are tired and hungry.
Note: I added Port Melbourne to my itinerary for personal reasons, but would still recommend a trip as we enjoyed our visit to this pleasant suburb, with an abundance of shops and restaurants as well as a prom adjacent to the beach.
We head out to Victoria Market once more, intending to eat our body weight in Chinese. But I order a Kung Po chicken so hot it burns my lips – a novel form of portion control.
Australia Day 4 – Hanging Rock and Castlemaine
We pick up our hire car today and head north to the Goldfields region. It takes forever. Primarily because the staff are desperately trying to flog a variety of extras. Eventually we are served, pay for the extras added to the bill we thought we’d already paid and escape the city. The car is enormous. (They’ve run out of small cars and initially try and sell the big one as an ‘upgrade’). It has 822 km on the clock – it’s the newest car I’ve ever been in.
Hanging Rock
Finally we’re ready to set off on the first destination on our road trip; 47 miles north west of Melbourne is the reserve of Hanging Rock. This extinct volcano became notorious thanks to the novel/movie ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock‘, in which a group of school girls go missing in mysterious circumstances whilst picnicking at the rock.
It’s a much harder climb to the summit than I expected and, adding in photo stops, the circuit takes over an hour to complete. But it’s worth it for the view.
The Hanging Rock itself is exactly as described; a rock hanging somewhat precariously above some other rocks.
An added bonus, back at the bottom, we see our first kangaroo. We planned to have our own picnic at Hanging Rock, but the cafe is shut and the nearest shop is miles away, so we have to make do with sharing a manky Mars Bar the old man finds in the bottom of his bag.
Hanging Rock Discovery Centre
In the Hanging Rock Discovery Centre, you can learn more about the area, including some rather spooky figures telling the tale of the ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’.
Hanging Rock is open daily from 9 am until 5 pm (last entry at 3.30 pm). Entry costs $10 per car, payable on exiting the car park.
Castlemaine
Our ultimate destination for the day is Castlemaine. Synonymous with XXXX Beer, I was surprised to find they don’t actually make that here. My guide book describes Castlemaine as ‘one of the most happening places in Victoria’. In fact, not much seems to be happening here at all. Most things that do happen, don’t happen on Tuesdays and those that do, shut at 4 pm.
Castlemaine Botanical Gardens
We walk to Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. These Victorian gardens are lined with oak trees. It’s autumn, so they’re shedding leaves. The old man ponders on how, if they were grown from acorns imported from the UK, they know it’s autumn when it’s spring at home?
The Mill
We find a pub which is open in a converted mill, called The Mill. Here, you can find around 40 artisan makers producing and selling goods ranging from furniture to soap in a renovated 1870s woollen mill. There is also a food precinct including a coffee house, bakery, chocolatier and brewery. The exterior of the building has some interesting murals.
Shedshaker Brewing
Shedshaker Brewing may be open, but they have sold out of most things. The barmaid says this is because the Bank Holiday cleared them out. Maybe Castlemaine is so happening that everyone is at home still hungover from a wild weekend?
Australia Day 5 – Ballarat
Today’s destination is 50 miles to the south (77 miles west of Melbourne) – the city of Ballarat. I’ve never been here before, but I’ve watched all 45 episodes of the Dr Blake Mysteries, so it feels very familiar.
We start 2 miles east of the city centre at Eureka Stockade Memorial Park, venue of the Eureka Stockade; an 1854 miners’ uprising violently put down by government forces.
Eureka Centre
The Eureka Centre tells the story of the uprising and houses the Eureka Flag, which was unfurled during the demonstration.
The museum is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm. Adult entry costs $7.
Lydiard Street
Then on to Ballarat town centre to Lydiard Street and its grand Victorian buildings built during the height of the gold rush (that coincidentally feature heavily in Dr Blake).
Art Gallery of Ballarat
We tour the Art Gallery of Ballarat, which has a great collection of Australian art (Dr Blake Series 2 Episode 8).
The gallery is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm and is free to enter.
Lake Wendouree
Then we buy picnic supplies – including an entire discounted chocolate mousse cake which has to be eaten today – and have lunch on the shores of the beautiful Lake Wendouree (Dr Blake Series 1 Episode 1).
Ballarat Botanical Gardens
Finally a walk round the lake to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens. We’ve been to a few gardens on our trip, but this is one of the best.
After a stroll along Lake Wendouree as the sun sets, it’s back to our B&B.
Today’s accommodation is Redruth Cottage. It’s very nice, but has a formidable collection of instruction stickers. Perhaps this explains why it has since closed down?
Australia Day 6 – Geelong and The Great Ocean Road
Today we head for the Great Ocean Road. But we start with a detour to Geelong.
Geelong
Along the Geelong waterfront are over 100 wooden bollards, painted by artist Jan Mitchell to resemble people and tell the story of Geelong.
Baywalk Bollards
We take a tour of most of these rather quirky bollards. The figures include bathers and life savers, sailors, soldiers etc.
I enjoyed wandering round the pleasant seaside town of Geelong and I wish we had more time to spend here. Instead, we have a picnic which we are forced to share with a super aggressive seagull and move on to the start of the Great Ocean Road.
The Great Ocean Road
The B100, better known as the Great Ocean Road, hugs the Victorian coast for 151 miles. Built by soldiers returning from World War 1 and dedicated to those who fell, it is technically the world’s longest war memorial. It is one of Australia’s most famous touring routes, passing by seaside towns, surfing sports, rainforest, heathland and spectacular limestone cliffs.
Torquay
It starts at Torquay, home of all things surfer. We’re not surfers, but we can’t resist stopping to watch a while.
Rocky Point
Then we take a walk along the coast and up to a viewpoint at Rocky Point.
Anglesea
Our next stop is at Anglesea, renowned for its orange striped rocks.
Aireys Inlet
On to Aireys Inlet. Here, the ocean cuts through the sand dunes forming a salt lake or inlet.
Split Point Lighthouse
After a walk along another beautiful beach, we climb the cliff and follow the trail to Split Point Lighthouse, which was constructed in 1891.
Lorne
We skip the resort town of Lorne as they’re doing a controlled burn and it’s rather smoky. In addition, road works slow us down and it’s already starting to get dark.
Apollo Bay
Finally, after a long day (we have been on the road for almost 9 hours), we reach the pleasant little seaside town of Apollo Bay.
Accommodation – Seaview Motel & Apartments
Tonight’s accommodation is at the Seaview Motel & Apartments, just a stone’s throw from the ocean, with balconies so you can make the most of the view. Rooms are actually mini apartments with a well stocked kitchenette.
Dinner at Apollo Bay Fishermen’s Cooperative
In the evening, we go to Apollo Bay Fisherman’s Cooperative. Not a pretentiously named restaurant, but where fishermen sell their catch on the quayside. We get some melt-in-the-mouth freshly caught fish and chips, which we eat on a bench overlooking the harbour.
Australia Day 7 – The Great Ocean Road
Great Otway National Park
Our second day of driving the Great Ocean Road. It’s raining, so my enthusiasm for sightseeing is diminished. As the road passes over the top of Cape Otway, we take an 8 mile detour through Great Otway National Park. My guide book has promised koalas but we don’t spot any. Maybe they hate rain too?
Cape Otway Lightstation
Our detour brings us to the end of Cape Otway and Cape Otway Lightstation. Built in 1848, it is mainland Australia’s oldest surviving lighthouse. The old man goes to explore. I stay in the car. I have washed my waterproof jacket, so it’s no longer waterproof. Eventually, it stops raining, so I go for a walk. Behind a big sign saying ‘wrong way – turn round’ is a public footpath which provides a pleasant walk to a lookout over the lighthouse. The lighthouse costs $22 to enter and the footpath appears to have been disguised to discourage people from walking along it and looking at the lighthouse for free.
We rejoin the Great Ocean Road, heading for Port Campbell. For the next 40 miles, it’s mostly inland and peppered with road works, so it doesn’t feel particularly ‘Great’ or ‘Ocean’. Eventually, we re-join the coast and work our way along the obligatory tourist stops. The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, The Arch and London Bridge. Today, it’s all about rocks…
The Twelve Apostles
One of the highlights of a drive along the Great Ocean Road is the collection of rocky stacks called The Twelve Apostles. Despite the name, there are actually only seven apostles. But they are a spectacular sight nonetheless.
After parking across the road in the Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre, we follow a path linking various viewing platforms to admire the rocks from several angles.
Loch Ard Gorge
So called because a ship named the Loch Ard was shipwrecked on this treacherous coastline, killing all but two onboard, Loch Ard Gorge is our next rock stop. This formation used to have an arch until it collapsed in 2009, leaving two unconnected rocks, nicknamed Tom and Evan after the two shipwreck survivors.
Port Campbell
We stop for a picnic lunch on a bench overlooking the ocean in the town of Port Campbell. I can think of worse places to eat a cheese sandwich…
London Bridge
London Bridge really has fallen down. Up until 1990, there were two arches in this formation, causing it to resemble London Bridge, before one arch collapsed.
The Arch
Next, the Arch, another rock with an archway eroded into it.
The Grotto
The Grotto is our final, and my favourite stop of the day. Here, you can take a path down the cliffs to peer through a hole in the rock for a stunning view of a rock pool and the ocean beyond.
Accommodation – Raglan Motor Inn
And that completes the Great Ocean Road. We stop overnight at Warrnambool, because it’s Friday night and there is a parkrun here. Tonight’s accommodation is the Raglan Motor Inn. It’s a typical motel with rooms built around a car park. The rooms are clean and comfortable and have a mini kitchen area with fridge, microwave etc and a dining area with table and chairs. So, it’s dinner in our room and an early night.
Australia Day 8 – Warrnambool to Portland
Warrnambool parkrun
It’s an early start today for Warrnambool parkrun, because most parkruns start at the earlier time of 8 am in Australia.
Lake Pertobe
The run takes place round the beautiful Lake Pertobe, which is well worth a visit, regardless of whether you intend to do any running. As I run, I can see pelicans and spoonbills on the lake. I consider stopping to take a photo, but I can see the old man just ahead of me and can imagine how smug he’ll be if his time is significantly faster than mine.
Warrnambool
After the run, we wander along Warrnambool seafront, before starting our day’s drive along the Princes Highway.
The Princes Highway
The Great Ocean Road terminates at Warrnambool. From here, you can continue along the coast on the A1, known as The Princes Highway.
Tower Hill
Our first stop is Tower Hill; a Wildlife Reserve in a volcanic crater. You can take a guided tour, or just follow the trails alone. The info panels talk of emus, kangaroos, koalas, swans, ducks and blue wrens. We don’t see any of the above animals, despite getting a crick in my neck looking in the trees for koalas.
However, it’s a different story when we return to the car park and find an emu in picnic area. He looks a bit fierce, so we decide to have lunch elsewhere.
Port Fairy
Instead, we stop for lunch in the pretty little twon of Port Fairy and have a nice picnic on the seafront, before driving on the Portland.
Portland
Portland is another pretty, slightly larger seaside town with a nice coastal park. It boasts being the point of the earliest European settlement in Victoria.
Accommodation – Cape Nelson Cottage
We are staying just outside Portland at Cape Nelson. We reach our B&B – Cape Nelson Cottage, which is a very nice self contained cottage in the grounds of the owner’s home. Our host asks if we have seen koalas. When we say we have been trying unsuccessfully for days, she says there are some in her garden. So, we finally get to see a koala.
Cape Nelson
In fact, Cape Nelson is a veritable wildlife feast.
Cape Nelson Lightstation
We drive to Cape Nelson Lightstation at the end of the Cape.
En route, we see black wallabies and echidna.
We return to the B&B at dusk. There are dozens of wallabies and echidna on the verges. It’s very exciting, although photographing the wallabies is impossible as they move so fast (and it’s almost dark).
Australia Day 9 – Cape Bridgewater and Mount Gambier
Cape Bridgewater
The weather report predicts a high of 28 degrees, so we don shorts and factor in some beach time. From Portland, we drive 15 miles west to Cape Bridgewater. But it’s actually quite windy and as soon as we’re suitably far enough away from the car, it starts raining. I was already grumpy as I’ve discovered we left my trainers in Warrnambool and the rain doesn’t help my mood any.
Petrified Forest
In Cape Bridgewater, we follow the walkway along the cliff tops to the Petrified Forest. It’s not really a forest, but a collection of tubular limestone formations. They’re quite unusual – it feels like we have been been teleported to another planet.
There’s also a lookout over a blowhole, but the tide isn’t sufficiently high, so it’s more of an asthmatic wheeze hole.
From here, we join the C192 and drive the 72 miles north west to Mount Gambier. It’s a scenic drive through pine forests with emus and wallabies grazing by the roadside. We stop briefly at the state border between Victoria and South Australia for me to photograph the ‘Welcome to South Australia’ sign and the old man to stress about whether he needs to put his salmon and dill dip in the quarantine bin. There’s a time difference from Victoria of 30 minutes – what’s that all about?
Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier is a city on the slopes of Mount Gambier volcano. It is known for its geographical features, most notable Blue Lake.
Mount Gambier Visitor Centre
The Mount Gambier Visitor Centre provides lots of information on the area and its history, not without the use of neon.
Blue Lake
Blue Lake is so called because it turns from grey to a vivid cobalt blue in summer, returning to grey in April. We just catch it on change from blue to grey. The circumference of the lake is 2 miles and and you can walk or drive round the edge and take in the view from various lookout points. We opt to drive. As the lake provides water to Mount Gambier, there are some less picturesque spots around the pump station, which can be passed over. We find a lakeside bench for a picnic.
Accommodation – Tower Motor Inn
Then check into our motel for the night – Tower Motor Inn – and go to the local strip to do our laundry. Oh, the glamour of international travel! Tower Motor Inn is a fairly basic motel, nothing special, but perfectly adequate for our needs.
Australia Day 10 – Robe
Today, only have a short distance to cover; 80 miles along the coast to the resort town of Robe. The temperature is predicted to hit 27 degrees today, but I am not optimistic enough to reach for my shorts just yet.
Robe
Robe is a town and fishing port, its combination of historical buildings, ocean, fishing fleets, lakes and bush attracts many tourists. We reach Robe mid morning and take a walk along the headland trail. It’s very pretty – a rocky bay surrounded by succulent covered dunes.
Robe Lighthouse
Robe has a terribly ugly 1970s Lighthouse.
Robe Obelisk
The lighthouse was built to replace the 19th century Obelisk, which is teetering precariously on the eroding cliff top.
Long Beach
We drive further round the coast to Long Beach, a 10 km long golden sandy beach which you can drive on. I’m not sure what the hire car company would have to say about this, but as the beach is legally classified as a road, technically speaking, we’re not driving off road. It’s a lovely sunny day (some places in Australia boast their hottest April day ever), so I intend to go for a swim, until I feel how icy cold the water is, and decide to make do with a paddle.
Robe Customs House
In the evening, we take a stroll along the harbour front and back through the old part of town with its historic 19th century buildings, including the Customs House, which is now a Maritime Museum.
Robe Fishermen’s Memorial
Robe Fishermen’s Memorial remembers those who lost their life at sea. There are a lot of memorials spread around town; sailors, soldiers, Chinese miners, indigenous people – they all have a rock to commemorate their suffering.
Accommodation – Harbour View Motel
Then back to tonight’s accommodation, Harbour View Motel. The motel is has clean, comfortable rooms which, as the name suggests, overlook the harbour.
Australia Day 11 – Robe to Victor Harbor
We have a long drive today; 219 miles north west to Victor Harbor. The satnav suggests an inland motorway route, crossing the Murray River by bridge. But we decide to stay on the coastal B road, which involves a ferry crossing.
Brunch from Robe Bakery 1884
Before departing Robe, we buy an awesome bacon and egg doorstop from Robe Bakery 1884, which we eat on a bench overlooking the ocean.
Kingston SE
Giant Lobster
Navigating isn’t hard today, the first instruction is ‘turn left in 141 miles’. We stop briefly in Kingston SE; primarily for petrol but also because they have a 50 foot giant lobster. And who can’t resist a giant lobster?
Apex Park
Apex Park is a pretty place to take a stroll and stretch our legs.
Cape Jaffa Lighthouse
Initially built in 1872 on nearby Cape Jaffa, in 1974, Cape Jaffa Lighthouse was dismantled and moved to Marine Parade, Kingston SE.
Coorong National Park
Next follows 80 miles of Coorong National Park. On the map it looks cool; a chain of lagoons running alongside the ocean. But in reality, the view is obscured by bushes, so it’s just miles of flat scrubland. It would be boring if it wasn’t for the kangaroos randomly appearing out of the scrub and bounding across the road. They’re bigger and more cumbersome than I’d imagined and judging from the roadkill and dented bonnets we’ve seen, hitting them is quite common and not much fun for anyone involved. Apart from not wanting to kill a kangaroo, the excess on our car insurance is $4,000.
Jack’s Point Pelican Observatory
We break our journey to visit Jack’s Point Pelican Observatory and follow the mile long trail through the sand dunes to a hide where you can allegedly see pelicans. There aren’t any, which is ironic, as I spotted pelicans on the pond outside the petrol station earlier.
Meningie
We stop for lunch in the pretty lakeside town of Meningie. It has a huge number of birds. There are all sorts, but primarily cockatoos – hundreds of them. Oh, and pelicans, lots of pelicans.
Picnic by Lake Albert
We watch the pelicans glide majestically past while we sit on the shores of Lake Albert eating pies surrounded by a circle of seagulls surrounded by a circle of magpies.
Wellington Ferry
After lunch, we take the Wellington Ferry across the Murray River to reach tonight’s destination of Victor Harbor. It only takes a couple of minutes to cross the river, but it’s kind of fun.
Victor Harbor
By the time we reach Victor Harbor, it’s 36 degrees and windy. It’s a bit like standing too near a jet engine.
Granite Island
But we brave a walk to Granite Island; a small island reached by a 630 metre long pier from the mainland. You can walk along the pier or take a horse drawn tram.
Kaiki Trail
The Kaiki Trail is a 2 mile long trail round the island taking in the island’s granite formations and other points of interest.
There are also some sculptures along the way.
Accommodation – Victor Harbor City Inn
Tonight’s accommodation is the Victor Harbor City Inn. It’s a fairly typical motel with rooms arranged around the car park. It’s conveniently located, just a few hundred metres from the pier to Granite Island, with clean, comfortable rooms.
Dinner at Hotel Victor
After checking in, we take a wander round downtown Victor Harbor, before going for dinner at Hotel Victor; cheap steak and expensive wine. The food takes ages to arrive, so by the time I head for the salad bar, featuring plates stolen from a dolls house, plenty of wine has been consumed. This leads an unfortunate incident, when I turn too quickly and distribute beetroot over a wide expanse of carpet. And that concludes our Australian coastal adventure.
Australia Day 12 – Barossa Valley
Barossa Valley
Instead of driving straight to Adelaide, today, we are bypassing the city and heading inland to the wine growing region (home of my favourite wine – Jacob’s Creek) of the Barossa Valley.
Hahndorf
It’s a pretty drive through the vineyards and farms of the Adelaide Hills, stopping in the quaint German town of Hahndorf, where we take a wander. Hahndorf was settled by German pioneers in 1838. For years, the town’s German descendants attempted to conceal their German roots due to persecution during the World Wars.
Now, they are trying to rediscover it again to boost tourism with shops selling German food, beer and souvenirs.
Epicurean Way
Onwards on Route B34, branded the Epicurean Way, due to its proliferation of farmers’ markets and artisan producers.
Lunch from Udder Delights
We are enticed by a large yellow cow into Udder Delights cheese cellar and purchase some very tasty goats Brie for lunch.
Jacob’s Creek
On arrival in the Barossa Valley, our first point of call is, of course, Jacobs Creek. We wander round the vineyard, see the Jacob’s Creek itself and we (I) get to sample plenty of produce at the Cellar Door.
Wolf Blass
Next, Wolf Blass. At the Visitor Centre, you can learn about wine growing in general as well as the history of Wolf Blass. There is also, of course, a cellar door.
Nuriootpa
We finish our day in the biggest town in the Barossa Valley, Nuriootpa.
Accommodation – Vine Inn Barossa
We check into our hotel; the Vine Inn Barossa (see what they’ve done there?), which is a fairly typical motel, conveniently located right in the centre of Nuriootpa.
Penfold’s
Our final vineyard of the day, just a 10 minute walk from our hotel, is Penfold’s.
Time to purchase some chips to soak up all that alcohol…
Australia Day 13 – Adelaide
We round off our Australian trip with a couple of days in Adelaide. It’s only an hour’s drive from Nuriootpa so we arrive with plenty of time for sightseeing.
Adelaide Botanic Garden
Once in the city, we start with the Adelaide Botanic Garden. The 50 hectares of beautiful gardens runs round the northeast corner of the city. It is more informally planted than the other antipodean gardens we have seen. As well as the external gardens, there is the 19th Century Palm House and the 20th Century Bicentennial Conservatory.
In the impressive Cactus Garden, I encounter a group of school children competing to see who can get the most cactus spikes in their hands. I wonder if that features in the school’s risk assessment?
Having picked up some supplies on the way into town, we have a picnic in the garden. If you don’t fancy a picnic, there are several dining options available.
National Wine Centre
Next door is the National Wine Centre. This combines a wine museum with a vending machine style tasting room. It’s a tad expensive, but obviously popular. I haven’t seen so many ATMs in one room since Las Vegas.
The Centre is open daily from 8.30 am (9 am at weekends) until 5 pm (8 pm on Friday). Entry to the building is free.
Art Gallery of South Australia
Next, we head along North Terrace to the Art Gallery of South Australia. Basically, 3 floors of seriously weird stuff. Even the old man, who usually moans about contemporary art, is mesmerised by its weirdness. Weirdest of all: ‘We are all Flesh’ – a dead horse strung up by its hoof.
South Australian Museum
We round off our day with the South Australian Museum; somewhat disappointing due to the proliferation of taxidermy. Tucked in a corner, however, its redeeming feature: ‘Milerum and and Me: The Art of Jacob Stengl’ some great paintings by an Aboriginal artist taken from his family aged 3 and raised in a children’s home. That’s enough culture for the old man for one day, so we go and check into our motel.
Accommodation – Princes Lodge Motel
Our accommodation in Adelaide is a the Princes Lodge Motel. The decor is a little dated, but it is clean and comfortable and we have a view over the park. Ideal to sit and enjoy yesterday’s purchase from Jacob’s Creek, a very nice sparkling Chardonnay.
Australia Day 14 – Adelaide
It is our last day in Australia. After some time spent doing chores (making use of the motel’s laundry facilities), we set off on for a busy day of sightseeing. Adelaide is heaving. Apparently this has something to do with the crows versus the magpies. I have no idea what this means, but I’m guessing it has nothing to do with ornithology?
St Peter’s Cathedral
We work our way towards the city centre, starting in the places where Australians worship; St Peter’s Cathedral and the Adelaide Oval.
The Anglican St Peter’s Cathedral was built in 1896, although it took almost a decade to complete. Inside, you can admire the ornate stained glass which depicts stories of South Australia and the Bible.
Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval sports ground sits on the edge of the city surrounded by parkland. The stadium dates back to 1871. It hosts various sporting events, predominantly cricket and Australian Rules Football.
State Library of South Australia
We walk on through the park and across the River Torrens to the State Library of South Australia. In addition to books, the library has some interesting exhibits on South Australia, family history and war & democracy.
Migration Museum
Last stop of the morning is the Migration Museum, where you can ‘explore the rapid changes in Australia through 20th and 21st-century migration, as well as gain an understanding and appreciation of how migration continues to change and shape our communities today‘.
You can follow a timeline through this former Destitute Asylum, learning about the various groups of people who have migrated to Australia and how this has impacted the country they have chosen to call home.
Lunch at Rundle Mall
We stop for lunch at the food court in Rundle Mall. This pedestrian shopping street has plenty of shops and restaurants as well as entertainment venues, a fountain and various sculptures. My favourites are the life size bronze pigs, including this one rooting around a rubbish bin.
Victoria Square
We round things off in Victoria Square, which is the central square out of five public squares in the city centre.
When we visited, it was hosting Tasting Australia, an annual food festival. It sounded like a good idea, but the wind picked up and there were several outlets cooking food on an open fire. Thus, the square was so full of smoke that it was difficult to breathe.
We give up and catch the bus home. Only it’s not following the published route and heads unexpectedly in the wrong direction. We have to get off and try again. Second time lucky, we make it home just as the heavens open. The heatwave breaks in a huge storm hours before we’re due to leave Australia.
- Trip Taken: March 2018
- Updated: January 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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