Five of our favourite Victorian road trips

We take a closer look at five of our favourite Victorian road trip routes.

When it comes to taking a road trip, Victoria’s north-western region is often overlooked. But we reckon the new, 200km long Silo Art Trail will change that.

Stretching from Rupanyup to Patchewollock, the larger than life art installation includes the townships of Sheep Hills, Brim, and Lascelles, with another, Rosebery, set to join the trail later in 2017.

The art trail – an initiative of the Yarriambiack Shire – makes use of several of the decommissioned silos which dot the Wimmera Mallee grain-farming region, depicting identities from well-known farming families and members of local indigenous communities.

To date, the 30m high portraits feature works from artists including Fintan Magee, Guido van Helten, Matt Adnate, Tyrone ‘Rone’ Wright and Russian Julia Volchkova. Melbourne street artist Kaff-eine will paint the sixth silo near Rosebery.

The history of the Victorian Goldfields needs little introduction and the roads interlinking the gold rush towns of the 1850s are well worth the weekend trip.

Beginning in Ballarat – home of the Eureka Stockade – the Goldfields History Drive takes a meandering route through picturesque central Victoria. In short succession you encounter the historic townships of Creswick, Daylesford, Castlemaine and Maldon, each with its own fascinating tale to tell.

Head further west and you’ll also take in Maryborough, Avoca, Ararat and Stawell – the gateway to the stunning Grampians.

The route offers a glimpse of historically-significant buildings small and splendid, with tourist attractions – including Sovereign Hill and Central Deborah Gold Mine – mineral springs, plus great food and wine along the way.

Totalling 300km, the Goldfields History Drive comprises a mixture of sealed roads and is well sign posted. Tourist Information is available in each of the main centres.

One of two ‘Great’ Victorian drives is the 339km Great Alpine Drive. The winding sealed road crosses the Great Dividing Range from Wangaratta in the state’s north-east to Bairnsdale in East Gippsland.

Commencing in the broad Ovens Valley, home to wine makers including Brown Brothers, the ‘Snow Road’ continues through the pretty foothills towns of Myrtleford, Porepunkah, Bright and Harrietville, before climbing in earnest to the snowfields of Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain.

Descending the High Country of Omeo and Swifts Creek, the drive follows the spectacular Tambo River before skirting the edges of the Cassilis Historic Area, famed for its early gold discovery.

The road draws to an end via Bruthen before heading west to Bairnsdale, a major centre which itself is the gateway to the stunning Gippsland Lakes.

The longest of our five favourite Victorian Drives is the 706km Murray River Drive. Tracing Australia’s longest river, the drive begins close to the Murray’s source in Corryong, and for the most part follows the Murray Valley Highway along the Victorian side of the waterway.

From Corryong, the drive continues past Lake Hume, the border town of Albury-Wodonga, and Victoria’s famous wine centre of Rutherglen, then onto the holiday and farming townships of Yarrawonga and Cobram, and the famous inland port city of Echuca (where Holden fans should check-out the museum).

Heading north-west, the drive continues through flat, irrigated farmland with incredible views of paddocks of grapes, stone-fruit, citrus and olives.

And then it’s onto farming country and the larger centres of Swan Hill and Robinvale, before climaxing in the bustling rural hub of Mildura, home of the famous Stefano's Restaurant and Big Lizzie, the giant tractor.

Our final favourite drive needs no introduction – the Surf and Shipwreck Coasts’ world-famous Great Ocean Road.

Built as a memorial by and for returning WW1 soldiers, the 249km tourist road links Torquay in the east with Warrnambool in the west, along a rugged yet spectacular stretch of road, largely etched from the cliff face.

Opened in 1932, the Great Ocean Road passes beachside villages including Lorne, Wye River, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell, while also accessing famed natural attractions like the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and Cape Otway National Park.

As is the case with many of the road trips listed here, the Great Ocean Road is best sampled at a leisurely pace, and in the warmer months is particularly crowded with tourist traffic.

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