The Goulburn River might not have the PR team of the mighty Murray but as Victoria’s longest river it has long been a part of peoples’ daily lives. It is the region’s lifeline of agriculture, a cultural and historic touchstone as well as a magnet for outdoor activities.
Your road trip offers so many waterways to choose from, including one of Victoria’s largest man-made lakes, enchanting waterfalls and secluded fishing spots. No matter the season, you’ll be greeted with breathtaking scenery, pretty little towns and down to earth hospitality as you wind your way through this special part of central Victoria – all within a short, easy drive out of Melbourne.
With a kidney shaped pool, shady palms, fine dining restaurant and soon to open day spa Hara House opened on the weekend offering resort style accommodation in the Ovens Valley.
It was formerly the Ovens Valley Motor Inn, a mid-20th century court style motel and the original home of the much acclaimed restaurant Simone’s of Bright. Owners Simeon and Shannon Crawley, who also founded bean to bar enterprise Bright Chocolate, have spent several years planning and redeveloping the iconic motel, doubling down on the mid 20th century feel, planting established palms, stripping back the rooms, and refurnishing them with high end furniture, bedding and linen with spacious walk-in bathrooms.
It’s also a kid free – adult only offer with snacks and drinks offered in the room as part of the tariff. “We didn’t want people putting their hand in their pocket to pay $8 for a pack of nuts from the mini-bar,” says Shannon.
The star of the show is the new restaurant Pepperberry. It sits in the heart of the main building and showcases local produce with a modern Australian menu. Early reports are glowing and so they should. It’s a crack team with chefs Yasuaki Tokuda and Emma Holberry behind the pans. Yasuaki is from Japan and was Head Chef at Mario i Sentieri in Tokyo and relocated his family to Australia in 2013. Since then, he has held the position of Sous Chef at Michael Ryan’s Provenance Restaurant in Beechworth.
Emma cooked with Collin McClaren at Villa Gusto, in the Buckland Valley. She went on to be Head Chef at Falls Creek’s luxury hotel, Astra Lodge, before launching her own restaurant Templar Lodge in the Kiewa Valley.
Together they have written a menu that is diverse and intelligent with a sense of fun. They have leaned into the mid 20th century feel with a range of snacks that would have been served when Don Lane was King: devils on horseback, prawn cocktails, devilled eggs and a potato duchess with single serve Vegemite sachet.
A brave dish that is as delicious as it is ironic. The $85 four course set menu continues with entrees such as cured salmon sushi with puffed rice, kangaroo tartar or a Portobello mushroom Kiev. Mains could be local trout cooked in paper, rich beef Stroganoff with handmade pappardelle or a stuffed cabbage rolled that has been gratineed and served with smoked tomato cream. Desserts may include a bombe Alaska or a wattle seed panna cotta.
“Hara House has been developed as a place for people to stay, unwind,” says Shannon. “We offer complimentary bike hire, tennis court yoga classes, lawn games and fire pits come winter. More than a hotel, it’s an experience-rich wonderland, and we believe it will be a unique base to explore our wineries, National Parks and mountain bike attractions.”
The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail passes by the front door of Hara House, which is a 12 minute walk from Bright village. Book before June 17 for a 30% opening discount.
THE DETAILS
What: New accommodation & restaurant Where: 2 Ashwood Ave, Bright VIC More Info:Hara House
We wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.
A new masterplan for the historic Burnham Beeches estate will see the heritage mansion and 22-hectare grounds transformed into luxury accommodation, restaurant and spa.
Slated for opening in mid-2025, Six Senses will maintain the heritage-listed art deco elegance of the estate located just under an hour from Melbourne, neighbouring Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens. It will be the first Six Senses branded accommodation in Australia.
What was built in the 1930s for a wealthy industrialist Alfred Nichols, has had a bumpy past changing hands regularly over the years, most recently being sold by former Vue de Monde owner and chef Shannon Bennet and his business partner Adam Garrison who were unable to fully see their vision of a hospitality destination come to life. Now having been acquired by Trenerry Consortium, who’ve recently completed an overhaul of the Mornington Peninsula’s The Continental Sorrento, the estate is once again under redevelopment.
With an expected initial 43 guest rooms, Six Senses will also include hospitality venues, including a welcome lounge and terrace, a restaurant with outdoor seating, a library bar, and a rooftop retreat. Accommodation layout will vary slightly over the mansion’s three main wings and offer a decadent retreat filled with luxury, character, and quirky touches. Six Senses will aim to also incorporate a two-bedroom cottage and unique glamping experience over time.
A sensory fest promises to await guests as the sprawling farm gardens will provide fruit and vegetables for the restaurants and the herb garden will produce healing and aromatic plants for use in Alchemy Bar and Six Senses Spa treatments. The Six Senses Spa will offer a regenerative escape with a welcome lounge and boutique, tea lounge, treatment rooms, gym, hydro area and sauna, and comfy relaxation spaces.
“For Six Senses Burnham Beeches is to be regenerative, it will not be a static place,” says Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs. “We’ll evolve and respond to bring the rich heritage of Burnham Beeches to life, inviting moments of exploration, discovery, connection to nature, and delight through interactive gastronomy, wellness, and sustainability experiences.”
The masterplan also includes plans for a Village Square, giving hotel guests and locals access to an additional collection of hospitality venues including The Hearth, The Barn, Steak House, The Baker, Brew House, and Providore.
Burnham Beeches, Sherbrooke, and Nicholas Gardens are connected by a series of walking trails that weave throughout the site. Guests will be able to explore the historical, ecological, cultural, and indigenous stories from Burnham Beeches and the Wurundjeri and Kulin nation lands, incorporated into the art, architecture, signage, and landscaping throughout the grounds.
The Details
What: Luxury accommodation, restaurant and spa When: Opening in mid-2025 Where: 1 Sherbrooke Road, Sherbrooke Find out more: Burnham Beeches
We wish to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.
Halfway between Geelong and Cape Otway, the village Lorne sits on either side of the Erskine river as it flows into Louttit bay.
The town originally survived on fishing and timber logging until the Great Ocean Road was extended in 1922, unleashing a constant flow of caravan-towing tourists seeking seaside frivolity.
More recently the development of luxury apartments draws a sophisticated crowd who break up a day of sunbathing, surfing and fishing with quality coffee and high-end dining.
Use our itinerary below to rediscover the coastal haven of Lorne and surrounds.
Built by 1800s businessman and comic performer George Coppin, the four-story building was hewn from local rock and has been a local institution for locals and visitors for generations.
The latest addition to the multimillion dollar makeover of ‘The Continental’ is a Victorian era inspired seaside resort from architecture studio Woods Bagot.
The accommodation options include an array of luxuriously appointed rooms or one-and-two-bedroom suites, located either in the original 1875 limestone building or within the recently added wing. High-end penthouses will be made available by the end of 2022.
Guests will have access to the Mediterranean-style poolside deck, replete with cabanas, poolside chaises and a view across Port Phillip Bay. For those with a little more energy, there is a fully-fitted gym with 24-hour access.
Chef Scott Pickett and his team are looking after food and beverage across the different bars, restaurants, and room service. Spend the day at the beach, fishing or exploring Point Nepean then head to the public bar in your board shorts for a beer. Or you could dress up and head upstairs to Audrey.
This is a beautiful upmarket restaurant with velvet banquettes, bespoke hand-woven carpets and exquisite commissioned still-life floral photographs by a Japanese photographer. The room looks out over the palm trees, the Sorrento ferry jetty and across the azure blue waters of Port Phillip.
The set menu is seafood focused with little dishes of spanner crab in rich pastry tartlets, a crumpet topped with creamy whipped cod roe, oysters, yellowfin tuna, and local line-caught squid. The brand new rooms offer five-star luxury including top-of-the-range two-level penthouse suites offering a private rooftop terrace, private plunge pool, and separate lounge and dining area.
THE DETAILS
WHAT: InterContinental Sorrento Mornington Peninsula WHEN: Open Now WHERE: 23 Constitution Hill Road, Sorrento MORE INFO: Accommodation bookings.
We wish to acknowledge the Bunurong people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.
Once upon a time, a community couldn’t call itself a town unless it had a church, a school and a pub. During the Victorian era, the fashion was to build grand buildings with large dining rooms to feed travellers during the day and evening and then accommodate them in rooms at night. The countryside is dotted with these beautiful old boozers. Some are falling into ruin, some are now private homes while, thankfully, some still offer excellent meals and a comfortable bed for the night. Here are five of Victoria’s best old pubs with great food and good rooms.
The Alexandra Hotel
The Alexandra Hotel sits in the heart of the beautiful little town of Alexandra 70km north of Healesville, just west of Lake Eildon. This classic old pub was built in 1903 in the late Victorian style and was given a lot of love and a sympathetic makeover in recent years. For some, it’s the night’s stop after a hard day on the Great Victorian Rail Trail, but for an increasing number of food lovers, the pub’s a destination in itself.
Co-owner and head Chef is Patrick Browning, formerly with the Melbourne Wine Room under Karen Martini. He takes local produce and turns it into satisfying dishes such as house-smoked pumpkin served on his own sourdough with poached eggs, cashews, avocado and dukkah for the weekend brunch menu.
It’s worth staying the night and grabbing a table by the fire, taking a seat in the upholstered carved chairs and getting head down into some Loddon Estate free-range chicken with potato and pancetta terrine or an 800g chargrilled Sabre Pastoral grass-fed ribeye. With a beautiful wine list supporting many local wineries, and superb countryside nearby, it’s worth booking one of the well-appointed ensuite bedrooms with views out over the balcony and the bustling township below for a weekend in the country.
When Ned Kelly was a boy he saved the life of another lad from drowning in Hughes Creek on the outskirts of his hometown called Avenel, just north of Seymour. It’s a beautiful historic little town with one of the state’s best butcher shops and a swathe of wineries nearby in Nagambie and Strathbogie Ranges. The train running between Southern Cross and Wodonga pulls in several times a day to the station, a short walk to the 1870 Harvest Home Hotel.
With its broad verandahs, wine cellar and semicircular brass topped bar this old boozer is now a boutique hotel and restaurant. The six rooms upstairs offer charming old-world accommodation with antique chairs and sideboards mixed with state-of-the-art bedding, ensuites, heating and cooling. The dining room captures the height of Victorian pomp with carved balloon-backed chairs, parlour plants, and open fireplaces.
Outside in the large sprawling garden are fun, funky bohemian chic dining spaces and towering trees. Chef Martin Golding makes the most of his kitchen garden in dishes like twice-baked Gruyere souffle with freshly picked garden salad and potato and leek soup. While the eye fillet is as great, it is the mashed potato with two-day reduced jus that makes it the reason to drive up the Hume Hwy. Together with dishes like confit duck and roast chicken with Israeli cous cous, and a focus on regional wines, The Harvest Home Hotel has become a popular destination for couples and friends to come for the weekend.
This part of Gippsland, between the 90 Mile Beach, the Macalister and Thomson Rivers and ranges beyond, is becoming very popular with fishers, hunters and bike riders. Art lovers are coming to town for the ever-changing exhibitions at Gippsland Art Gallery. A good hub is the Criterion Hotel on Macalister street, a historic pub making a name for its great grub.
Built-in the 1880s, The Criterion has been given a modern, rustic makeover that blends fencing wire lampshades with faux library wallpaper and clean white lines in the main dining room. The food is a good step up from pub grub steering into gastro-pub turf with starters such as a soft, sweet, sticky, peanuty eggplant bao or a plate of fried tiny baby squid with a good dollop of aioli and fresh sharp chimichurri. Mains might include a 350g free-range Gippsland porterhouse with jus, salad and fries or a fat, juicy chicken schnitzel topped with Napoli sauce and tangy Maffra cheddar.
Upstairs the rooms are spacious, modern, and well appointed, each with its own ensuite. Some look out onto the iron lacework of the balcony and beyond. While the location is in the heart of town it is a good point to kick off to explore this beautiful region.
Since 1875 the limestone tower of the Continental Hotel has stood sentinel over Sorrento’s sand dunes, looking out over the azure blue waters of Port Phillip. Built by 1800s businessman and comic performer George Coppin, the four-story building was hewn from local rock and has been a local institution for locals and visitors for generations.
After a recent multimillion makeover, the Intercontinental Hotel is managing the 108 luxurious rooms while chef Scott Pickett and his team are looking after food and beverage across the different bars, restaurants, and room service. Spend the day at the beach, fishing or exploring Point Nepean then head to the public bar in your board shorts for a beer. Or you could dress up and head upstairs to Audrey.
This is a beautiful upmarket restaurant with velvet banquettes, bespoke hand-woven carpets and exquisite commissioned still-life floral photographs by a Japanese photographer. The room looks out over the palm trees, the Sorrento ferry jetty and across the azure blue waters of Port Phillip. The set menu is seafood focused with little dishes of spanner crab in rich pastry tartlets, a crumpet topped with creamy whipped cod roe, oysters, yellowfin tuna, and local line-caught squid. The brand new rooms offer five-star luxury including top-of-the-range two-level penthouse suites offering a private rooftop terrace, private plunge pool, and separate lounge and dining area.
Out west of the Grampians/Garwiwerd, where the river red gums grow old and gnarled is a little pub by the banks of the Wannon River on the corner of the Henty Highway. This is The Bunyip, a community-owned hotel built in the 1840s and remodelled in the 1930s.
This is sheep grazing country where the locals wear big hats, drive big utes, and have big appetites. Chef James ‘Jimmy’ Campbell knows this as he is a local, there is even a Campbells Road off the highway, and his serves are big.
He cut his teeth at Movida in the early days and ended up running their Sydney restaurant. He’s back home cooking up mutton, duck, and free-range chook using the skill and technique he learned over the years. A classic is the sticky, chewy Koroit French fries topped with a free-range egg and dusted with paprika. Move to hogget skewers with whipped cod roe or house-made black pudding with green tomato pickle. Charcuterie is tops, the shanks, schnitty, steak, and pork are some of the best cooking in the state.
The rooms out the back have been renovated and are comfortable, clean, modern, and very reasonable at $120 a night. The only drawback is the shared bathroom. On warm nights sit out under the stars with a bottle of local wine, such as a Crawford River Riesling, and watch the free light show under the Milky Way. The Bunyip is one of the last great old pubs in the nation and the value is exceptional.
Ballarat’s culinary pride and joy, the hatted restaurant that is Underbar (oon-de-bar), is set to move to a brand new wonder locale of its own.
Owned by Ballarat locals Chef Derek Boath and partner Lucy Taylor, the award-winning restaurant is moving to a purpose-built dining space located within the up-and-coming luxe accommodation offering Hotel Vera.
The Swedish adjective for divine, gorgeous, lovely, marvellous, and wonderful, Underbar will officially open its doors in spring and will continue to offer a totally unique dining experience to guests on Friday and Saturday evenings, with a tailored wine pairing to accompany its ever-evolving tasting menu.
According to Derek, the past five years has seen increasing numbers of visitors seek out the Underbar experience from out of town, particularly weekend visitors from Melbourne and regional Victoria.
‘With this trend in mind, we saw a perfect synergy in working with Martin Shew and David Cook-Doulton of Hotel Vera to offer a holistic culinary and luxury accommodation experience,’ he says.
The sleek new purpose-built restaurant space will be inspired by the colour palette of Ballarat and surrounds and will boast a beautiful private dining room seating up to 14 guests.
Situated on the site of a mid-1880s gold rush era premium medical building – Hotel Vera will provide guests with a personalised lifestyle experience to delight all senses, making for a getaway characterised by history, charm, warmth and poise. It too is set to open its doors in spring this year.
Coinciding with Underbar’s move, Derek and resident wine expert Anthony Schuurs will open up Pencilmark Wine Room in its wake – a relaxed and fun space to enjoy good tunes and fine nibbles, while drinking interesting and delicious wines.
Located in Underbar’s current premises, the Wine Room’s food offering will be curated by Derek and follow the Underbar ethos of sourcing high quality ingredients while keeping intervention low, with the team working with both local and not-so-local purveyors to keep the food simple and complement the wine room’s ever evolving wine list.
THE DETAILS
WHAT: Underbar and Pencilmark Wine Room
WHERE: Hotel Vera and 3 Doveton St N, Ballarat Central
WHEN: Spring 2022
FIND OUT MORE: underbar.com.au
Bendigo’s accommodation scene is set to elevate to a whole new level with the opening of the suave new Bendigo Ernest Hotel.
Previously known as the Fountain View Suites, the space has been transformed from a Victorian aesthetic to a boutique accommodation offering that combines historic grandeur with modern features.
The project is led by David Cook-Doulton and Martin Shew – the visionaries behind Ballarat’s soon-to-be luxury offering Hotel Vera.
Situated in the heart of the CBD, and a stone’s throw from the city’s coveted eateries and the renowned Bendigo Art Gallery, the accommodation space has been dubbed a ‘requisite destination for the discerning traveler’.
‘As soon as we saw the building up for sale, we knew it had the potential to become a grand hotel which stayed true to its incredible history while also showcasing the marvels of today.’ David says.
Housed in the oldest bank in Bendigo, the hotel retains some of the original features of the 1860s building, including its underground cellar and bank vault – which have been repurposed into an expanded hotel lounge.
Each of the 10 individualised suites will be adorned with alluring Australian art and swept with contemporary aesthetics, luxurious bedding, and designer furnishings.
According to Martin, the hotel is founded on the ethos that holiday-makers should be afforded ultimate comfort.
‘Our team has created a special accommodation offering that is luxurious, accessible and, most importantly, stylish,’ he says.
Our hope is to provide a tactile and memorable experience that lingers long after our guests’ departure.
The hotel’s central location makes it easy for guests to take a leisurely stroll down the city’s main street for a warming coffee and scrumptious brunch; dine at one of Bendigo’s award-winning eateries or; pack a picnic and bask in the summer sun at the adjoining Rosalind Park. There is also car parking available on-site, adding further convenience to one’s stay.
‘We have tried to create a space that can act as the perfect home base during one’s Bendigo getaway,’ Martin says.
‘As is the case with all our projects, we want our guests to be immersed in a calming space where they can relax and rejuvenate.’
THE DETAILS
WHAT: Bendigo Ernest Hotel WHEN: January 2022 WHERE: 10–12 View St, Bendigo FIND OUT MORE:hotelbendigo.com.au
We wish to acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.
What used to be simply a stopover hotel has now turned into a destination in and of itself following two years of restrictions and lockdowns.
Portland’s stunning Cape Nelson Lighthouse is seeing a surge in post-COVID visitation as more holiday-makers seek a remote escape by the seaside.
Lighthouse general manager Debra Craib says business has gone ‘gangbusters’ since restrictions eased.
‘We’ve always had a good occupancy rate, but since COVID we’ve seen a change in the length of night stays,” Debra says.
People want to go somewhere which is a bit more remote, so they have discovered us. We have had a lot of people saying they never realised we were here.
The Cape Nelson Lighthouse is one of Portland’s most popular attractions and also offers an accompanying suite of charming cottages all located on the Great South West Walk.
The Lighthouse itself remains operational by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, with its white group light flashing four times every twenty seconds and ensuring the safety of the seas.
The old on-site stables have been renovated into an eclectic cafe so visitors can soak up the serenity while enjoying some coffee, cake or a gourmet meal.
The Lighthouse also offers tours and ‘spectacular’ sunset views, with groups flocking to the area for whale watching, cycling tours, and to venture along the many seaside walks – further enriching the site’s allure.
While Debra says the Lighthouse has seen a decrease in interstate visitation as well as international travellers – which accounted for much of their business – she says holidaymakers from regional Victoria have loved discovering the cottages and the town of Portland.
‘We are only 70 kilometres from the border, so normally we would get a lot of visitors from South Australia, with our biggest clientele coming from overseas. They would do the Great Ocean Road, stay overnight and move onto Robe and Adelaide,’ she says.
‘But we very quickly welcomed Victorians who would travel the whole of the state, come in and stay longer.
‘In November, once Melbourne was set free, it was like a tsunami of visitors from the city.’
Cape Nelson Lighthouse is comprised of five two-bedroom cottages which have been refurbished to maintain their history, and styled with dabs of modern comfort.
Self-contained, the cottages sit brightly along the rugged cliffs of Cape Nelson and are overlooked by the towering Lighthouse.
Boasting a whole range of amenities and luxuries, guests can expect to stay in a quaint house aptly-doused with light and set to perfectly round off one’s beachside stay.
Debra says the property lease was taken over about 10 years ago, at which point the buildings were abandoned and derelict.
She says it was a long and arduous process to restore the cottages to their current state, but well worth the effort.
‘We went from being a backpacker’s hotel to winning the Victorian Tourism bronze medal for deluxe accommodation,’ she proudly exclaims.
Despite the recent surge of business, Debra says the road to post-pandemic recovery remains long.
But with bookings filling up fast next year, the future does not look so bleak.
THE DETAILS
WHAT: Cape Nelson Lighthouse WHERE: Cape Nelson Lighthouse Road, Portland West FIND OUT MORE:capenelsonlighthouse.com.au
We wish to acknowledge the Gunditj Mirring people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.
The duo behind the highly-coveted Pyrenees accommodation space Grayling’s Gift has opened up its second unique venture – this time in the form of a van, by a dam.
Aptly called Jean-Claude, the vintage caravan is nestled among the gumtrees and overlooks the serene acreage located on the owners’ secluded property.
Jean-Claude co-owner Annie Brereton says she and her husband Shane decided to take on the project after witnessing the incredible success of Grayling’s Gift, particularly following the onset of the health pandemic.
‘We soon realised experiences that provided people with much more than a bed were going to be needed in our new normal,’ Annie says.
‘COVID has made us all evaluate our lives to various degrees, and for us, it meant committing fully to providing people with inspirational places where they could take a real break from the busyness and mess of everyday life.’
Annie and Shane made the move from Melbourne to Ballarat in order to fully commit to their aforementioned business aim.
During their search for somewhere to live, they made sure to purchase a property that could also house another accommodation offering.
‘We had stumbled across this beautiful, but very unkempt, parcel of Australian bush just 10 minutes from the heart of Ballarat,’ Annie says. ‘The house needs a major renovation and the acreage had been let go, but we had a vision for something special on the little dam.’
And so Jean-Claude was born – a lovingly-restored 1970s caravan perfect for a much-needed romantic getaway.
The van boasts a king-size bed dressed in luxurious French linen and includes a cosy nook for reading.
The van’s outdoor shack houses a toilet and warming shower, plus a covered area for food preparation and washing-up, as well as a small bar fridge, esky and BBQ – allowing guests to truly appreciate their natural surroundings by the glistening water.
In true Annie and Shane style, much of the decor and furnishings have been sourced second-hand and from vintage sellers, adding to the overall allure of the space.
‘Our vision is to create an experience unlike any other,’ Annie says. ‘I like to refer to it as old-fashioned hospitality combined with modern luxury.
‘Gone are the 1000-count cotton sheets and sterile hotel styling. Ours is a more welcoming, but no less luxurious offering, that strives to make each and every guest feel like they are being wrapped in a giant hug from the moment they enter any of our properties. Spaces to reflect, reconnect and wonder.’
Just recently, Annie and Shane rebranded their business from Grayling’s Gift to the Wonder Inns in order to accurately represent their vision and ever-expanding accommodation offerings.
‘We have plans for further expansion and this will enable us to keep growing,’ Annie says.
‘Next year we embark on the renovation of a little city apartment above a shop in the Main Street of Ballarat. Our properties are all very different from one another but are all designed to offer the same opportunity for couples to come and reconnect amongst unique, inspiring settings.
‘We are striving to create something so far removed from home in order to give our guests the opportunity to dream their own dreams and hopefully return home inspired to take action.’
THE DETAILS WHAT: Jean-Claude WHERE: Mount Helen, Ballarat FIND OUT MORE:wonderinns.com.au
We wish to acknowledge the Wadawurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.
All the best things happening outside Melbourne. Food & Wine, Art & Craft, Adventure & Nature, Events & Festivals and more.
Every week we send you our picks of the best stuff happening outside Melbourne.
We will never share your information with a third-party.
It’s also a kid free – adult only offer with snacks and drinks offered in the room as part of the tariff. “We didn’t want people putting their hand in their pocket to pay $8 for a pack of nuts from the mini-bar,” says Shannon.
The Alexandra Hotel sits in the heart of the beautiful little town of Alexandra 70km north of Healesville, just west of Lake Eildon. This classic old pub was built in 1903 in the late Victorian style and was given a lot of love and a sympathetic makeover in recent years. For some, it’s the night’s stop after a hard day on the Great Victorian Rail Trail, but for an increasing number of food lovers, the pub’s a destination in itself.
When Ned Kelly was a boy he saved the life of another lad from drowning in Hughes Creek on the outskirts of his hometown called Avenel, just north of Seymour. It’s a beautiful historic little town with one of the state’s best 
This part of Gippsland, between the 90 Mile Beach, the Macalister and Thomson Rivers and ranges beyond, is becoming very popular with fishers, hunters and bike riders. Art lovers are coming to town for the ever-changing exhibitions at 
Since 1875 the limestone tower of the Continental Hotel has stood sentinel over Sorrento’s sand dunes, looking out over the azure blue waters of Port Phillip. Built by 1800s businessman and comic performer George Coppin, the four-story building was hewn from local rock and has been a local institution for locals and visitors for generations.
Out west of the Grampians/Garwiwerd, where the river red gums grow old and gnarled is a little pub by the banks of the Wannon River on the corner of the Henty Highway. This is The Bunyip, a community-owned hotel built in the 1840s and remodelled in the 1930s.
