COLAC
GEELONG
VOLCANIC LAKES & PLAINS
MELBOURNE HAMILTON
BALLARAT
GOLDFIELDS
GOLDFIELDS
GRAMPIANS
BENDIGO
HORSHAM
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ARMYTAGE
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THE SANCTUARY
30 mins to Geelong (1 hr 20 mins to Melbourne)
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C164
GLENFYNE
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THE CAP
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MOUNT PORNDON
MUMBLIN
C168
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COBDEN
DENNINGTON SISTERS POINT
REEF POINT
OMBERSLEY MOUNT GELLIBRAND
ALVIE
A1
BOSTOCKS CREEK
Camperdown - Timboon Rail Trail
STAUGHTON HILL
PANMURE
CUDGEE
C164
COBRICO
DIXIE GARVOC
A1
CAMPERDOWN
MURDEDUKE
WARRION
KIRKSTALL MAILORS FLAT
C145
LAKE BLACK HILL
LAKE BEEAC
WARRION HILL
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BEEAC WOOL WOOL
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Channel
DREEITE
C164
GNOTUK
LAKE GNOTUK
B120
KOROIT
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LOUGH CALVERT
LAKE CUNDARE
PELICAN POINT
Hwy
C156
WINSLOW
C183
KARIAH
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EURACK
MOUNT MYRTOON
LAKES & PLAINS
30 mins to Geelong (1 hr 20 mins to Melbourne)
C147
Sprin
WARRONG
WATCH HILL
LAKE COLONGULAC
MOUNT NOORAT
BARPINBA
CUNDARE NORTH
LESLIE MANOR
LAKE TERANGPOM
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C176
WINGEEL B140
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KOLORA
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MOUNT MENINGOROT
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LAKE WEERING
LAKE MARTIN
BALD HILL
MOUNT KURTWEETON
MOUNT REBECCA
C146
FOXHOW
C165
CLOVEN HILLS
C143
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HAWKESDALE WEST
C173
LAKE GNARPURT
MOUNT KOANG
LAKE ROSINE
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C148
Port Campbell Visitor Information Centre 1300 137 255
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6 WERNETH
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DARLINGTON
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Warrnambool Visitor Information Centre 1800 637 725
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Camperdown Courthouse Information & Arts (03) 5593 3144
CORINDHAP
Mount Elephant Visitor Centre (03) 5597 6779
WOODBOURNE
ROKEWOOD JUNCTION
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DEREEL MOUNT MERCER
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MELBOURNE
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HAMILTON
GRENVILLE MOUNT MERCER
WALLINDUC HILL
VOLCANIC LAKES & PLAINS
GEELONG
45 mins to Geelong
BERRINGA
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CLARENDON
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BALD HILLS
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EGAN HILL
CHATSWORTH
DURHAN LEAD
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C171
PURA PURA
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GRENVILLE HILL
PIGGOREET
MOUNT ERIP
VITE VITE NORTH
WOORNDOO UPPER
SCOTSBURN
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C143
MOUNT WIDDERIN
MOUNT BUNINYONG
NEWTON
MOUNT BUTE
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FLAGSTAFF HILL
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ROSS CREEK
CHERRY TREE HILL
SKIPTON
STREATHAM
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LAKE BOLAC
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C178
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THE OTWAYS
WESTMERE
WICKLIFFE
B140
TWELVE APOSTLES (GREAT OCEAN ROAD)
PITTONG
15 mins to Hamilton
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B160
SMYTHESDALE
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15 mins to Hamilton
SAGO HILL
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100 kilometres
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MOUNT WARRENHEIP
C296
MORTCHUP
MONMOT HILL
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BALLARAT
JOLLY HILL
NANIMIAHILL HILL NANIMIA
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BUNKERS HILL
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SNAKE VALLEY
MOUNT EMU
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GLENTHOMPSON MOUTAJUP
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THE PICCANINNY
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100 kilometres
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40 mins to Halls Gap
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45 mins to Lavers Hill
C154
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Q
12 0
50 mins to Apollo Bay
R
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10
15 kilometres
www.iamvolcaniclakesandplains.com.au
SCALE
S
T
NOORAT
SKIPTON
A sturdy pair of shoes and a sense of adventure are all you need to ramble the Volcanic Lakes and Plains of Victoria. Climb every mountain. Breathe fresh air. Cast your cobwebs to the wind. Walk the rim of a volcanic crater and take in the stunning panorama of lakes and misty mountains from your chosen peak. Drive to the summit of Red Rock northwest of Colac, or Mount Leura at Camperdown, and step out across the volcanic maar. Climb to the top of Tower Hill to the south of Koroit or the massive Mount Elephant at Derrinallum. Learn more about what you observe at their visitor centres, including impressive revegetation projects. Mount Noorat, Mount Shadwell at Mortlake, and Mount Rouse south-east of Penshurst await you. Watch out for wedge-tailed eagles. Stay for the night and capture the golden sunset. Walk beside wallabies to sunrise at the summit before heading down into town for breakfast. There are more scoria cones and stony rises to explore. Choose your own adventure.
SKIPTON Walk or cycle into town from the Ballarat–Skipton Rail Trail Stop for a while in Stewart Park and relax by Mount Emu Creek Stay quiet, still and patient and you might sight a platypus
NOORAT Call into the Noorat Hotel or The Shed for coffee, breakfast or lunch Don’t miss out on the ‘best in the west’ Noorat Show in November Come to the Noorat Market, last Saturday of the month, March to November
KOROIT Celebrate all things Celtic at the Koroit Irish Festival in April Catch up for a yarn at Micky Bourke’s Hotel Visit the Koroit Botanical Gardens
BEEAC Walk amongst the windmills at Beeac’s heritage park Take in the charm of the old shops and garages along Main Street
CAMPERDOWN
LISMORE
Victoria’s volcanic plains region contains the Ramsar-listed Western District Lakes wetlands system, which includes Lake Corangamite, Australia’s largest permanent saline lake. Some lakes are ephemeral, but in wet months they fill and teem with birdlife, with many varieties of ducks, grebes, herons, swans and the occasional pelican and sea eagle. Sometimes brolgas gather on their banks. These volcanic lakes were deeply significant to the Aboriginal peoples who lived beside them for thousands of years, and their spirit lives in the names they gave the lakes: Beeac, Bookar, Bolac, Bullen Merri, Colac, Colongulac, Corangamite, Elingamite, Gnarpurt, Gnotuk, Keilambete, Purrumbete, Terang and Tooliorook. Local communities celebrate and revere the lakes and waterways of the volcanic plains. They wash into childhood memories and flood through ancestral stories. In summer heat and winter calm people are drawn to their shores for recreation and quiet reflection. Whether bird-watching, angling, water skiing, swimming, paddling or sailing, you can make them part of your own story.
LISMORE Break your trip with a dip in the Lismore Pool Delve into early settlement history along the Lismore Discovery Trail Camp at Lake Tooliorook for relaxing days of fishing and birdwatching
PENSHURST Visit Penshurst’s Volcano Discovery Centre Catch the Penshurst Agricultural and Pastoral Show in December Don’t miss the famous Penshurst Races on Boxing Day
MORTLAKE Fossick for olivine and peridot in Mt Shadwell quarry Take in the history of Mortlake in the town’s bluestone precinct Chill out or tempt a trout at Tea Tree Lake Reserve
CAMPERDOWN Take a tour of the Clocktower and listen to the echoes of the past Visit Camperdown’s 150-year-old Botanic Gardens and Arboretum Search for hidden treasure in the town’s boutique stores and op shops
DERRINALLUM
Stretching from Werribee, west of Melbourne, to beyond Mount Gambier in South Australia, Victoria’s fertile western plains are some of the richest farmland in the country. The Volcanic Lakes and Plains are studded with villages and towns that sprang up next to volcanic landmarks or at river crossings, jewels from a time when Australia rode on the sheep’s back. Step into a world where vintage is always in vogue, talk to a local treasure, shop for a perfect gift and wrap yourself in a warm blanket of nostalgia. Take in the local markets and browse antique shops, bazaars, craft shops, museums and building renovation yards. Roll out the picnic rug under grand avenues of oak and elm and soak up the charm of heritage-listed buildings and homesteads. Rustic windmills, canola fields and dry stone walls add to the enchantment. Surrender to the spell of a country hotel, the magic of a crackling fire and warm hospitality that will have you reaching for your pouch to pay for a night at the inn.
COBDEN
TERANG Stroll the oak avenue and window shop along High Street See a different side to Terang from the 4.5 km Lions Walking Track Tap your toes and sing along at the Terang Country Music Festival
DERRINALLUM Camp, fish, watch on or join in with the sailboats on Deep Lake Learn about the land you walk at the Mount Elephant Visitor Centre Stop for a spell in the elm avenue and visit the op shop
COBDEN Follow the Cobden Story trail Join in the fun at the annual Cobden Spring Festival in October Walk, fish and picnic on the banks of Lake Cobden
DARLINGTON Walk down to Mount Emu Creek for a picnic on Nuggets Flat Look up the racing calendar for Darlington’s Western Speedway Stop overnight at the Elephant Bridge B&B
Lunch at Beeac’s 100-year-old Farmers Arms Hotel
KOROIT
BEEAC
PENSHURST
MORTLAKE
TERANG
DARLINGTON