Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

586
CHAPTER 12 . VICTORIA
There are some awesome sites in the Grampians, including Reeds Lookout
and The Balconies, which are both accessible by road, and the Wonderland
Range, which offers walking tracks leading past striking rock formations and
massive cliffs to waterfalls and more spectacular lookouts.
The main town in the Grampians is Halls Gap, which is situated in a valley
between the southern tip of the Mt. Difficult Range and the northern tip of the
Mt. William Range. It’s a good place to stock up on supplies. The Wonderland
Range, with its stunning scenery, is close to Halls Gap, too. There are plenty of
short strolls and longer bushwalks available.
A must-do stop on the park is the Brambuk Aboriginal Living Cultural
Centre (& 03/5356 4452), adjacent to the park visitor center (see below). It
offers an excellent introduction to the area’s Aboriginal history and accessible
rock-art sites. A 15-minute movie highlighting the local Aboriginal history costs
A$4.40 (US$2.60) for adults and A$2.50 (US$1.60) for children. Otherwise,
entrance to the center is free. The center is open daily from 10am to 5pm.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE By car, the park is accessed from the Western Highway at
Ararat, Stawell (pronounced “Storl”), or Horsham. Alternatively, you can access
the southern entrance from the Glenelg Highway at Dunkeld. The western areas
of the park are reached from the Henty Highway (A200).
V/Line (& 13 61 96 in Victoria, or 03/9619 5000) has daily train and bus
service to Halls Gap from Melbourne. (The train goes to Stawell, and a bus takes
you to your destination.) The trip takes around 4 hours.
GETTING AROUND Paved roads include the Grampians Tourist Road,
which cuts through the park from Dunkeld to Halls Gap; the Mt. Victory Road
from Halls Gap to Wartook; and the Roses Gap Road, which runs from Wartook
across to Dadswells Bridge on the Western Highway. Many other roads in the park
are unpaved, but most are passable with a two-wheel-drive car.
Grampians National Park Tours (& 03/5356 6221) offers all-day, 4WD
tours of the park, stopping off at Aboriginal rock-art sites, waterfalls, and lookouts.
There’s not much walking involved, but you certainly get the chance to
spot native animals and ferret around among the native flora. The tour includes
lunch and morning and afternoon tea, and costs A$75 (US$49).
Auswalk, P.O. Box 516, Jindabyne, NSW 2627 (& 02/6457 2220; fax 02/
6457 2206; monica@auswalk.com.au), organizes self-guided tours through the
park. A 6-night tour for two or more people costs A$1,090 (US$708) per person
including accommodations, most meals, national-park fees, some vehicle transfers,
a half-day 4WD tour, an itinerary, and maps.
VISITOR INFORMATION The Grampians National Park Visitor Centre,
at Grampians Road, Halls Gap, VIC 3381 (& 03/5356 4379), is open daily
from 9am to 5pm. The center, located 2.5km (1 1 ⁄2 miles) south of Halls Gap,
has plenty of maps and brochures, and the rangers can advise you on walking
trails and camping spots.
ACCOMMODATIONS YOU CAN AFFORD
You can hire a caravan or a cabin for the night at Halls Gap Caravan Park
(& 03/5356 4251). Caravans cost A$40 to A$45 (US$26–US$29) and cabins are
A$50 to A$62 (US$32–US$40), depending on season. They also offer self-contained
units from A$62 to A$99 (US$40–US$64), and log cabins from A$127 to
A$138 (US$82–US$90). Another option is the Halls Gap Lakeside Caravan