Great Southern Touring Route: Food & Wine

After picking your campervan up from Britz Melbourne, head to Geelong. Your first stop to try out some great food and wine is Geelong's National Wool Museum – home to Black Sheep restaurant. Serving up classic Italian and gin cocktails, this isn’t a bad place to start! If you arriving here too early in the day for that kind of stuff, instead, get a coffee and explore the museum before settling in for lunch.

Next up is trying the best wine, beer, and cider that the Bellarine Peninsula has to offer. Known for its family-run wineries with incredible views of the bay, you are not going to be disappointed here. Try out Oakdene for its unique wine tasting experience in the ‘Upside Down House'. Don't miss out on Jack Rabbit, Terindah Estate, Leura Park Estate, and Scotchmans Hill.

If you are more of a beer and cider kind of person, try out Flying Brick Cider Co, or Queenscliff Brewhouse for handcrafted flavours to suit all tastes. To end your afternoon with something sweet, stop in at Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery, you won’t regret it!

Head to Angelsea Family Caravan Park for the night and take in your picturesque surroundings of the Angelsea River and Surf Beach.

Enjoy a sleep-in at your overnight location and enjoy a homemade breakfast before grabbing a coffee and having a morning stroll from Angelsea to Point Roadknight Beach. If you are here in summer, enjoy a morning dip or relax on the beach watching the local surfers.

Once it gets to lunchtime, try out the award-winning Brae restaurant. An organic working farm, dining here will immerse you in nature and serve you delicious food from the lounge. Showcasing unique Australian cuisine, this spot is one of the greatest of all the food and wine experiences on the Great Southern Route. If you are keen to try it out, make sure you book in advance!

If you are looking for something more casual, visit the charming town of Forrest to try out Forrest Brewing Company, a small-scale operation where all the beer is brewed onsite and hand bottled.

On the way to Port Fairy, you will be presented with more wine tasting experiences. Basalt Wines is home to incredible local wines and serves as a great warm-up to an incredible Merrijig Inn dinner. The oldest inn in Victoria, this spot is an unforgettable, modern dining experience. With a new menu written each day based on whatever their garden and local farmers are producing at the time, an extensive wine list, and some incredible cocktails – this inn is not one to miss! z

Park your campervan at Southcombe Caravan Park before your dinner and enjoy a short walk back to your spot for the night after your dinner.

Spend your morning exploring the beautiful seaside town that is Port Fairy. Grab a coffee and stroll along the Moyne River before heading to a town filled with charming boutiques and artisan cafes for some breakfast.

Jump back into the camper and head on to Dunkeld. On the way, call into Hamilton Gallery to witness a range of exhibitions and programs that are aimed to stimulate the enjoyment of visual arts. Next, on to Pierrepoint Wines – a family-run winery with amazing wine and food that celebrates all this region has to offer.

Once you arrive in Dunkeld, visit the Royal Mail Hotel, an Australian icon. Home to two restaurants, you can choose between a more casual experience or fine dining. We suggest going more casual to Parker Street Project for lunch, and coming back to Wickens for dinner! Up to 80% of the produce here is grown on-site and will not leave you disappointed.

Head to Halls Gap for the afternoon to enjoy a picturesque sunset over Victoria from Reed Lookout.

Spend your night at the BIG4 Halls Gap Holiday Park, relaxing in your campervan nestled in the foothills and mountain ranges.

Start the morning with a Grampians hike to The Pinnacle Lookout. Surrounded by local birds and kangaroos, with stunning views of Halls Gap and the Grampian's peaks, this walk is a real highlight and a great way to take in the region.

To continue the trend of this road trip, make a stop for some wine tasting on the way to Ballarat for lunch. Check out Seppelts Great Western's, Mount Langi Ghiran, Grampians Estate, or Blue Pyrenees Estate for this excursion.

Once you arrive in the historic Ballarat, check out The Provincial for lunch to try their locally sourced and seasonally driven modern European menu. After lunch, continue to Daylesford, but before you get there be sure to stop at Ballarat Wildlife Park to visit the incredible native wildlife of Australia.

Known as spa country, Daylesford is the perfect place to spend a relaxing afternoon at the spa indulging yourself at Peppers Mineral Springs. After zenning out it’s time to continue the indulgence. Head to the Lake House's restaurant for dinner to enjoy a creative culinary experience, before heading to your camp for the night at Daylesford Holiday Park.

After a tranquil morning in your campervan, start your day with brunch at the local café Cliffy's, followed by a walk around Daylesford Lake to meet the local birdlife.

For your final afternoon, head into town to explore the quaint, character-rich streets to browse gorgeous boutiques before back to Melbourne to return your camper and end this amazing road trip.