On our recent visit to Vic we went to the Grampians. Along the way we stopped at Port Fairy and nearby Koroit, an Irish village that takes you back to Ireland in the early days. In typical fashion, a town road sign gives mileages to towns in Ireland and “13 easy steps” to the Irish pub, though the direction is unclear!

We travelled on through Dunkeld, then along the scenic Grampians Road which follows the Wannon River towards Halls Gap. This is an easy climb and a good road, but watch out for roos late afternoon and early morning. You may also encounter a wild deer.

Our destination was Parkgate Resort in Halls Gap. Parkgate has recently been taken over by new owners who are bringing this resort back up to a high standard, but more on this later.

HALLS GAP

Halls Gap is the major accommodation centre in the Grampians. The township consists of a supermarket, petrol station, a wonderful tourist information centre, post office, restaurants, Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre, souvenir shops and other associated shops. The Sunday markets have a good variety of craft items, with the magnificent rugged mountains in the background. There is also a golf course, but the major activity is walking or driving in the Grampians.

When we arrived, there was snow on Mount William and it had been the coldest April in the area for 50 years. Our trip coincided with the annual Grampians Grape Escape, a food and wine festival not to be missed. Accommodation was pretty much booked out and we were lucky to reserve the last available ensuite site at Parkgate Resort. We booked for a week, as we wanted to experience the festival plus most of what the Grampians offered.

SCENIC DRIVES

We are both pretty fit, so we tackle the harder walks. There are plenty of scenic drives, though, with short walks to wonderful viewing areas for those not so fit, so don’t be put off.

On our first day we drove to three must-see spots.

From Halls Gap, head west along Mount Victory Road for 10km, and then turn right onto Mount Difficult Road for 5km (the road is sealed). A very short walk brings you to the magnificent Boroka lookout where you can see over the Mount William Ranges, Lake Bellfield and Fyans Valley, with Parkgate Resort far below.

Return to Mount Victory Road and only 2km further on you arrive at Reed Lookout beside the road, with a 1km walk to The Balconies Lookout.

At Reed Lookout you have a view over Lake Wartook (the water supply for Horsham), the Mount Difficult Range and Victoria Valley. These views just blew us away. It was a clear day, just a few clouds, and what a vista!

Continue on for 5.5km, turn right, and you come to Mackenzie Falls. There is an easy 2km loop walk, or a shorter walk of about 450m will bring you to the falls lookout. Mackenzie Falls has toilets and a kiosk, not open when we visited.

The trip back to Halls Gap is just 22km.

WALKS

The Grampians has many walks, but probably the most renowned is the Pinnacle walk. Try to get a fine day for this one. There are several starting points, but the easiest walk is from the Sundial car park. You may also walk from the Wonderland car park or Halls Gap if you are feeling energetic.

Follow Mount Victory Road and take the Silverband Road turnoff until after a short drive you arrive at Sundial car park. The climb from here is fairly steep in places and over some rocks. The walk from Sundial is just over 4km return, but the views and experience are amazing.

We left Parkgate Resort early, and apparently we were the first people to reach the lookout that day. We stayed there for around 30 minutes, eating a sandwich and having a drink before anyone else arrived. The day was clear and sunny with no wind (we gather that does not happen very often).

We continued on that road, which becomes one-way, arriving at Silverband Falls, where we did the short, easy, 1.4km return walk to the falls. Here, a silver band of water slides down a rock face to disappear into the gravel below, appearing again further downstream.

Another easy stroll leads from the town centre through the botanical gardens to Venus Baths, a series of water-eroded holes in the rocks that the stream tumbles through.

These are just a few of the more impressive lookouts and walks in this area – the visitor information centre and Parkgate Resort have brochures.

PARKGATE RESORT

Parkgate Resort is within walking distance just north of town. It is an open-style resort set in a large area of lawns, with Fyans Creek on the back boundary and a stunning backdrop of the Grampians on either side.

This resort is now rated at 4.5 stars, and the new owners, the Woolman Family, have plans to develop it further. They have improved the grounds and will put in a new, large, resort-style swimming pool, turning the old one into a heated pool. There are two full-sized tennis courts, a hall with large-screen TV for conferences or groups, a children’s adventure play area, basketball hoop, games room, barbecues and heaps of lawns for activities such as cricket, biking, footy, etc.

Accommodation consists of various types of cedar and brick cabins, plus powered, unpowered and ensuite sites and camping areas. Amenities are spotless and showers are large, with a good supply of hot water plus shelves and hooks.

An added attraction is that many roos visit Parkgate, plus wild deer which sometimes graze on the adjoining lawns. Many varieties of birds may be seen at close range, including ducks, crimson rosellas, crested pigeons and variegated wrens.

We found it a great place to stay, with friendly, informative staff.

THE GRAMPIANS GRAPE ESCAPE FESTIVAL

We were lucky to be at Halls Gap in early May for this two-day wine and food festival. Visitors were entertained by a jazz band and other musicians, while the RAAF balloon took people on tethered joy flights. Kids were thrilled with free rides on Thomas the Tank Engine and entertained by Pockets the Clown.

This very well attended event featured local wines and beers, as well as gourmet produce. Celebrity chef “Fast” Ed Halmagyi gave cooking demonstrations, and on the Saturday night there was a gourmet dinner featuring local produce and wines. We settled for a yabbie and scallop pie made with yabbies from a local farm: absolutely delicious.

We had a great week here but we could have stayed longer. It was certainly worth coinciding our visit with the Grape Escape.

The Grampians is a stunning area to visit, and Parkgate provides a great central base.

HALLS GAP

The Halls Gap Visitor Information Centre is at Grampians Road, Halls Gap, Vic 3381, 1800 065 599, www.visithallsgap.com.au

For information on the Grampians Grape Escape, visit www.grampiansgrapeescape.com.au

Parkgate Resort

Parkgate Resort is rated at 4.5 stars and is a member of the Big4 Group.

It is at Grampians Road, Halls Gap, Vic 3381, 1800 810 781, www.parkgateresort.com.au

By Tony and Denyse Allsop, as featured in Caravan World issue 467, July 2009.