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MELBOURNE to MELBOURNE 'Great Southern'
Great Ocean Road, Grampians + Ballarat 5 days/4 nights

SELF DRIVE PACKAGE: CAR HIRE + PRE-BOOKED ACCOMMODATION
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Choose one of Truly Australia's ready-to-go Self Drive packages, with pre-booked accommodation and car hire all included, and sensible driving distances between overnight stops already worked out for you.
View from The Pinnacle, Grampians © Tourism Victoria
See City Stays/Melbourne & nearby for details of Melbourne accommodation
   

Self Drive Itinerary: 
Melbourne-Melbourne 'Great Southern' via Great Ocean Road, Grampians, Ballarat  - 4 nights

plus optional extension to Phillip Island

Day 1: Melbourne via Great Ocean Road to Port Fairy (approx. 380 km) 
Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell National Park © Tourism Victoria Drive from Melbourne to Geelong, Australia's most important wool port, and on to the Great Ocean Road, one of the world's most spectacular coastal drives.  
Pass through Torquay and Bell's Beach, amongst the best surf beaches in Australia. Further along the coast are the fishing towns and holiday resorts of Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay. Enjoy breathtaking views on the Great Ocean Road.  Huge rolling waves have carved spectacular shapes from the limestone cliffs creating spectacular shapes like the remains of the Twelve Apostles and the Loch Ard Gorge. Arrive at charming Port Fairy at the mouth of the Moyne River with its excellent range of restaurants and cafes, a great place to try some local seafood. 
Overnight: Oscars Waterfront Boutique Boutique Hotel, Port Fairy (including breakfast) 

Day 1 Melbourne via Great Ocean Road to Port Fairy (379 Km)
This morning your tour takes you along The Great Ocean Road where you will experience one of the world's most spectacular coastal drives. Travel via the Westgate Bridge to Geelong, Australia's most important wool port. Visit the National Wool Museum, and experience the world of wool, from sheep's back to authentic wool sales.

Continue your journey along the surf coast to Port Fairy passing through Torquay and Bell's Beach which features on the World Championship Surfing Calendar. This area boasts some of the best surf beaches in Australia. Further along the coast are the fishing villages and holiday resorts of Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay.

Your journey along The Great Ocean Road the world's most inspiring drive is utterly breathtaking. Huge rolling waves have carved spectacular shapes from the limestone cliffs which today stand majestically in the ocean. The most photographed is the Twelve Apostles and the Loch Ard Gorge.
Overnight: Port Fairy


 

Day 2: Port Fairy - Grampians National Park (approx. 205 km)
Glenisla Homestead, GrampiansYou will have time to see some of Port Fairy's beautifully preserved colonial architecture and take in some of the local art and crafts before driving north to the wool centre of Hamilton. You may like to take a short detour after leaving Port Fairy to Tower Hill located next to the pioneering township of Koroit on the Princes Highway. Tower Hill State Game Reserve sits inside an extinct volcano and is a beautiful haven for wildlife with koalas, emus, kangaroos and many species of water birds roaming freely. It formed some 30,000 years ago in a violent volcanic eruption that created a funnel-shaped crater (later filled by a lake), creeks and islands. Visit Tower Hill's Natural History Centre to experience the history and evolution of Tower Hill. Continue to the craggy Grampians where you will find bizarre rock sculptures and tumbling waterfalls  There are also Aboriginal rock paintings in the area and in spring the Grampians is awash with the magnificent colours of the wildflowers.
Overnight: Glenisla Homestead, Grampians (pictured) near Cavendish  (including breakfast and dinner) 
  
MacKenzie Falls, Grampians © Scott Ross Day 3: Grampians - Ballarat (approx. 155 km)
The main town in the Grampians is Halls Gap where you can catch superb views from Reid Lookout and perhaps walk to The Balconies. Other local highlights are McKenzie Falls (pictured) and Zumsteins, a delightful picnic spot where you should be able to spot some kangaroos and possibly koalas.  Continue your journey to Ballarat.   You may choose to visit some of the Pyrenees Wineries en-route.  On arrival in Ballarat  you can visit Sovereign Hill, a replica of an 1850's gold town.  In the evening Sovereign Hill has a sound and light show with dinner, depicting the uprising of the miners during the Eureka Rebellion, when prospectors protested about high licence fees for very few rights. (Sovereign Hill entry and show are not included.)
Overnight: Quest Ansonia, Ballarat (including continental breakfast)
 

Day 4: Ballarat - Melbourne (110 km)
Depart Ballarat this morning and visit Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, the spa centre of Australia. Drink from mineral springs and perhaps relax in a spa bath (extra cost). At the Convent Gallery in Daylesford, converted from an old nunnery into its present delightful shopping centre and art gallery, you can load yourself with local crafts and souvenirs. Later you could maybe visit Ballan, a classic small Australian provincial town, and Bacchus Marsh famous for its apple orchards (when in season you can pick your own) before returning to Melbourne.
Overnight: Melbourne - Hotel Charsfield (including breakfast).

Day 5: Melbourne
This morning return the car to either a city or airport depot or continue with an extension to Phillip Island.

Day 5 Melbourne B
This morning return the car to either a city, the airport depot or book the following optional extension.
 
OPTIONAL EXTENSION - OVERNIGHT AT PHILLIP ISLAND - via The Dandenongs
Puffing Billy © Tourism VictoriaEn route to Phillip Island, we suggest that you visit the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, where you will find many beautiful gardens and craft shops. You could climb aboard Puffing Billy at Belgrave (pictured, extra cost) and relax and enjoy the wooded countryside or if you enjoy walking you could try the spectacular 'George Bass Coastal Walk'. As you approach Phillip Island, 2 or 3 kms or so before the bridge to the island at San Remo, turn left to the Punchbowl car park for a walk of 7 kms to Kilcunda.  You could call a taxi from the Kilcunda pub if you did not want to walk all the way back!  Natural highlights on Phillip Island include the Koala Sanctuary and seals basking in the evening sun at Seal Rocks Sea Life Centre at the Nobbies. As it gets dark you will have the chance to witness at close quarters the nightly parade of the fairy penguins as they waddle back to their burrows after a hard day catching fish out at sea. 
Overnight: Phillip Island Holmwood Guesthouse, or similar, Bed and Breakfast (including breakfast).
  
George Bass Coastal Walk sign near Phillip Island © Scott Ross Striding out on the George Bass Coastal Walk © Scott Ross

Next morning meander back to Melbourne to drop off your hire car.

Note:  It is possible to drive directly to Phillip Island from Ballarat and spend the last night in Melbourne. Dandenong Ranges visit would then be the following day.

See City Hotels/Melbourne and nearby for details of Melbourne accommodation
 

Included:
  • 4 nights accommodation - including breakfast as shown
  • Car hire - 4 days Hertz Group S rental vehicle (automatic 4 door sedan, 2.4 litre Toyota Camry or similar) including unlimited mileage and airport vehicle collection fees
  • Information pack 
Please note that Australian hotels may have varying surcharges and minimum stay requirements during holiday periods and peak times.  
You may depart on your Self Drive on any day but note that overnights en route on a Friday or Saturday may have a weekend surcharge.
One way rental fees do not apply to this itinerary.
We will quote confirmed prices upon receipt of your proposed dates.
 
PRICES from:  Self Drive Melbourne to Melbourne Until 31 March 2011 From 1 April '11 Truly Ref
Per person - based on Hertz Group C Car Hire Share twin Single Share twin Single
Melbourne to Melbourne 'Great Southern Touring Route'
5 days / 4 nights		 A$732 A$1068 Request Request 1629
Philip Island Extension 1 day / 1 night A$154 A$256 Request Request 1630
To check approximate prices in other key currencies, see the Currency Converter
# Prices can vary - give us your proposed dates and we will get back to you with a precise quote
* Surcharges may apply to some properties over weekends and during major events and holidays
* All bookings are subject to availability; substitute accommodation may be offered if named hotel is not available
* Additional person and child rates are available on request
* Upgrades to larger cars are available on request
* Not included (unless otherwise stated): meals, sightseeing entrance fees and charges, optional insurances (such as personal accident insurance), liability waiver, optional extras (eg baby seat), bond and petrol, parking (parking is usually only a possible problem in the major cities).
* The vehicles used are supplied by Hertz - click here for Hertz Terms and Conditions (PDF file in separate window)
* For more details about the fleet of vehicles used by Hertz, click Hertz Fleet Guide (slow download in separate window)

Click here for details of How to Book
Please use the Truly Reference Number when making booking enquiries
 
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