October 12, 2022

Roadtripping with the girls - Adelaide to Melbourne


Dispatches from the 'missing-in-action' travel writer, Carolyne Jasinski. Apparently, she's been on the road having way too much fun to post.

Is it wise to let three women loose on the road in a motorhome, driving from Adelaide to Melbourne? As well as wineries, bakeries, history, shopping, hot spas and hiking, we tested the motorhome vs car/cabin options along the Great Ocean Road. And did I mention bakeries?
 

Day 1 - Otto's Bakery in Hahndorf (we didn't even get out of town before stopping), the big crayfish at Kingston, Wangolina Wines and the RV and cabins at Robe's Lakeside Tourist Park.

Day 2 on the road from Adelaide to Melbourne has to start with good coffee, right? This stretch is from Robe to Mt Gambier … a beautiful pocket of the Limestone Coast in the southeast of South Australia. We found a pop-up coffee Kombi at Drift cafe and followed our noses to Rise of Robe for the best Portuguese tart(s) I’ve ever tasted. No wonder the locals were lining up.


On to Beachport for a touch of history at the Old Wool and Grain Museum and a coastal scenic drive that gives the Great Ocean Road a run for its money.
 
Only Fiona Harper was brave enough to swim in the Pool of Siloam which is 7-times saltier than the sea.

But we all loved Mt Gambier’s Umpherston Sink Hole and famous Blue Lake and the alpacas, lush grounds and especially the firepit at Pine Country Caravan Park.

Day 3 - Mt Gambier to Warrnambool.

A hot tip from Pine Country Caravan Park pointed us to Dylan McQueen’s Scroll Queen bakery. Dylan started making scrolls for local markets out of his kitchen at home. But they were such a hit, he had to expand. He’s gone from a few batches to a few hundred scrolls every day. For the record… cinnamon is the best seller but they are all good! After buying enough scrolls to survive the next famine, we headed to Port MacDonnell, the southernmost point in South Australia, then across the border to Port Fairy for lunch at Victoria’s oldest licensed pub - The Stump. 


We couldn’t resist hot springs at Warrnambool’s Deep Blue and, after soaking in 15 different pools, we checked into Discovery Park Warrnambool. Love that they have a coffee cart on site!


Day 4 - Warrnambool to Apollo Bay

It’s only 164km but what a drive. Just past Pt Campbell we hit the dramatic Great Ocean Road coastline. Lots of places to stop and take in the views - the Grotto, what’s left of London Bridge (the middle bit has fallen down), Loch Ard Gorge (where an echidna almost stole the limelight) and, of course, the Twelve (minus a few) Apostles. Drenching rain has just added to the moody scenery. And made a hike in Otway National Park a highlight. Is there any better way to experience a rainforest than in the rain?
 
Let's Go roadtrippers (L-R) Carolyne Jasinski, Helen Hayes and Fiona Harper

Guilt ( and lots of leftovers) made us avoid bakeries today. The hike was our attempt to combat accumulating calories. (It didn’t work.) Home tonight is Apollo Bay Holiday Park.

FACT FILE

The girls stayed exclusively at G'day Parks and drove a motorhome from Let's Go Motorhomes

All words and pictures (c) Carolyne Jasinski

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