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Day 1 - To Puunyart, 2
nights
The drive from Melbourne to Puunyart in the State’s rural
western countryside will take about 3 hours and will take you through
Geelong – a waterfront city that offers cultural and recreation attractions,
colonial history evident in the city’s 100 National Trust-listed buildings
and a variety of waterfront eateries, perfect for a light lunch.
Continue on the country way and through some of Victoria’s richest farmland and most picturesque and
interesting country towns. Arriving at Puunyart, your hosts Jim and Diana Wilson will welcome you for
a 2 night stay.
The Wilson family has farmed Puunyart, one of Victoria’s oldest properties, since the 1930s and
today they offer accomodation in just 3 guest rooms. The home reveals the Wilson’s Scottish heritage
particularly, the main hall which is reminiscent of a Scottish country house. Join Jim and Diana for
dinner and enjoy country hospitality and delicious farm-fresh, home-cooked cuisine.
Day 2 - Puunyart and
beyond
There is much to do in the surrounding rural countryside – take a hike along the rail trail, visit
Botanic Gardens, go boating on one of the nearby lakes, catch a trout or a Chinook salmon, discover
delicious regional produce such as Timboon’s cheeses and wander the streets of the many historic
towns.
Be sure to allow time to take part in the daily activities & running of the 2,500 acres property, watch
sheep dogs at work, see the shearing in season and learn how to select the finest quality Australian
wool. Over the years Jim has collected memorabilia, antiques and aboriginal artefacts representative
of the early years of settlement. If you are interested, Jim will guide you through his museum quality
collection and share his immense knowledge of Australia’s history.
Day 3 - To the Coast,
Aire Valley Guest House, 2 nights
The drive to Apollo Bay is only 115 kms so spend time enjoying activities along
the way. The town of Colac has beautiful botanic gardens overlook a lake where
boating, rowing, yachting, swimming, water-skiing, windsurfing and fishing all
take place. There are historic buildings dating back to 1873 so take a stroll
an then make the short drive up to Red Rock lookout where you have a 360-degree
view that includes the world’s third-largest volcanic plain & Lake Corangamite,
Australia’s biggest permanent salt lake. In the southeast you will the Otway
Ranges
Continue on through Apllo Bay - regarded as ‘Paradise by the Sea’ and nestling in the foothills of the
Otway Ranges that roll down to a sweeping arc of golden beaches.
Another 26 kms on is Aire Valley Guest House overlooking the River Aire Valley near Johanna’s Beach.
Each of the four guest bedrooms has an en suite bathroom and opens on to the covered verandah. Your
hosts, Gary & Sheryl are passionate about modern Australian food and pride themselves on providing
fabulous simple cuisine prepared with export quality produce. The dinner menu and wine lists are
small but with excellent choices.
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Day 4 - A day on
the Great Ocean Road
Perfectly located between tall eucalypt forests, and sub-tropical rainforest
of Cape Otway, and the spectacular limestone coastal scenery of Port Campbell
National Park, the guesthouse is the ideal base for exploring Victoria’s Great
Ocean Road.
Nearby the Port Campbell National Park is a spectacular array of stacks, arches and steep cliffs with
the waves of the Southern Ocean rolling in. There are various viewpoints from along the road, and short
scenic flights provide another perspective. There is a spectacular coastal walk runs all the way along
the coast. An easily accessible point near the guesthouse is at Johanna’s beach.
The Otway Ranges have some of Australia’s highest rainfall and a number of spectacular waterfalls accessible
by some beautiful if occasionally rough forest tracks. On the drive from the main road to Cape Otway is one
of the best places to see koalas in Australia. Walks behind the homestead in the early morning or evening
provide a good chance of spotting a few kangaroos.
Day 5 - Return to
Melbourne
Take the coastal route to Melbourne it is only a 3 hour drive. Stop at Lorne
for charming scenery and a Mediterranean atmosphere.
Anglesea’s wide sandy beach is perfect for swimming, surfing or just relaxing. There is a 35km Surfcoast
Walk passiing through the town and you can wander in both directions, along the coast and inland up beside
the Anglesea River. And of course there is Torquay - Victoria’s surfing capital, and a major holiday
resort town, where the beach-based culture is at its strongest.
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