After spending many years travelling far afield, in the past few years, I have been closer to home on week-long road trips or weekends on the moto. Australia is comfy to travel in (despite the mythology); there is usually somewhere to eat and buy petrol (but please, never in the same place). Plus, there is an abundance of supermarkets, rustic park tables, or rambling pubs with noisy air conditioning and immense parmigiana.
We drove a 7-day road trip through Victoria along the coast and into the mountains in August. The first stop was Tidal River in Wilsons’ Promontory National Park. Located just over four hours from Melbourne, Tidal River is an excellent place to escape the city for some speccy nature. The area is home to various hiking trails, ranging from easy walks along the beach to more challenging multi-day hikes.
After exploring Tidal River, we went to Emu Bight Camping Area in Lakes Entrance. The deserted campsite was full of animals, including kangaroos, wombats, and cockatoos but no humans, which is how it should be.
From Lakes Entrance, the next destination was Mallacoota, a small coastal town just a few hours away. Mallacoota is known for its beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters, making it the perfect place to swim, surf, or relax in the sun. In addition to the beach, Mallacoota is also home to a variety of wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies, and weird birds.
From Mallacoota, we made our way to Ensay, a small town in Victoria’s Alps. Ensay is known for its stunning scenery and outdoor activities, including hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and a fab art deco pub, now an art gallery.
Finally, we made our way to Bright, located in the foothills of the Victorian Alps along the stunning Great Alpine Road. Bright is known for its local breweries and wineries, making it the perfect place to chill and sample craft beers, and it has a lot of great places to stay. We stayed in a cabin by the river and then went to Mount Buffalo before the long drive back to Melbourne.
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