Our links page contains information to help you plan your trip as well as some general interest sites. Check them out. To contact us about exchanging links, send an email to: hanginoutearl@gmail.com
Local Accommodation
Local Grub
Beer
Transportation
Weather
Air
Local Produce
Rainy Days/Other Things To Do
Climbing Associations
Gear Supplies
National Parks camping grounds:
For those who wish to be "at one" with the land, you can camp in a number of National Parks sites situated around the Grampians. Please visit the National Parks web site to view camping areas or contact us so we can direct you to a camp that best suits your needs.
www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Caravan Parks:
Tent, caravan sites and cabins are offered at all of the following parks. They are great places for small groups wanting to keep an inexpensive budget.
Grampians Gardens Tourist Park:
Situated nearest (2min walk) to the local pub, are pet friendly, usually have pretty good deals going and friendly owners and heaps of friendly wildlife.
Email: info@grampiansgardens.com.au
Website: www.grampiansgardens.com.au
Halls Gap Caravan Park:
Right in the middle of town. Walk just one minute to the local shops to get your fresh bread from Stoney Creek Bakery and 'fuel up' with a coffee from one of the café's.
Email: hgcp@netconnect.com.au
Takaru Grampians:
A couple of km's up the valley situated just below Lake Bellfield and far enough off the main road to get away from any traffic noise. www.takaru.com.au
Parkgate Resort:
Positioned at the valley entrance to Halls Gap. It has its own café, lovely staff and is a great place to bring your kids.
www.parkgateresort.com.au
Hostels:
For people who wish to have amenities nearby or other travellers around to swap beta with:
Grampians YHA:
This hostel was built to be 'Eco friendly' and looks great too. Wake up and grab some freshly laid eggs, perhaps some herbs or a tomato from their garden. They offer dorm, singles, doubles and family rooms and have Internet and bikes.
http://www.yha.com.au/hostels/vic/great-ocean-rd-grampians/grampians-halls-gap/
Ned's Beds:
Closest hostel to the town centre, offering dorm or double rooms and Internet access. Clean and tidy, fairly new and well priced.
Tim's Place:
Another 'Eco-friendly' hostel offering a very comfortable homely atmosphere with bikes, cheap internet and is close to town.
www.timsplace.com.au
B&B's:
This style of accommodation is becoming increasingly popular with younger people too. Halls Gap offers many B&B's. Here are a couple.
Corella Rise:
15 minutes from town centre and set on rural land with spectacular views of the Grampians. You will be well looked after by your hosts.
www.visitgrampians.com.au/corellarise
Self contained accommodation:
There is a huge variety of self-contained accommodations in Halls Gap, if you would like to see more listings I recommend you visit www.visithallsgap.com.au &
www.visitgrampians.com.au or ask for an accommodation guide from the local Tourist Information on 03 5356 4616.
Boronia Peak Villas:
Very good for romantic getaways, one two or three bedroom villas surrounded by wildlife in the heart of the valley.
www.boroniapeakvillas.com.au
D'Altons Resort:
Set on 27 acres of semi bush, offering two bedroom cabins and stylish studio's in a lovely tranquil location close to town. www.grampians.org.au/daltonsresort.
Grampians Chalets:
Modern spacious, one and two bedroom chalets surrounded by mountain views and wildlife.
www.grampianschalets.com
Grampians Patch:
Quiet, comfortable and affordable accommodation walking distance to local hotel, a good place for couples and groups.
www.grampianspatch.com
Mountain View:
Set on 6.5 hectares of native parkland with spectacular views of the ranges. One and two bedroom lodges.
www.mountainviewlodges.com.au
Tall Timbers:
A two-story cedar holiday house. Accommodates 10 people with two bathrooms a great decking and more.
www.talltimbers.net.au
Grampians Blue
A nice place in a good location with moutain views. Reasonably priced.
www.grampiansblue.com.au
Hotel/Motels:
The Colonial:
Set on five acres on the valley floor, close to town and combining accommodation, restaurants and conference centre. www.bestwestern.com.au/hallsgapcolonial
Kookaburra Motor Lodge:
Set just behind town and only minutes walk away from the cafes, restaurants and shops. Dinner, bed and breakfast packages available. www.kookaburralodges.com.au
Restaurants:
The area offers a diverse range of restaurants from fine dining to family friendly bistro and café's. Here are a few.
The Quarry Restaurant:
Located alongside Stony Creek. Your hosts Steve and Leigh are passionate about providing a good service.
www.quarryrestaurant.com.au
Flying Emu Café:
One of two café's on the boardwalk. An excellent choice of vegetarian and gluten-free cooking, variety of focaccias, all food made on the premises, cooked breakfasts a specialty, open for breakfast and lunch and sometimes dinner. They will also cater for larger groups. Ph: 03 5356 4400
Morningside Lounge Bar:
Sit surrounded by local art while enjoying breakfast, drinks or dinner. www.hallsgapcolonial.bestwestern.com.au
Namaskaah:
Right next to the Giant Koala is a delicious Indian restaurant. One of my favourites, they can cater for large groups and also have a menu for those who don't enjoy a curry. They are the caretakers for the Dadswells Bridge Motel too. Email: noelmasla@bigpond.com.au
Halls Gap Bakery:
Located on the Stony Creek boardwalk. Provides freshly made breads, pastries, cakes, sandwiches, meat and salad Rolls, croissants.
www.hallsgapbakery.com.au
Kookaburra Bar and Bistro:
Reliably good food in a cozy restaurant environment. One of the most popular venues in town.
www.kookaburrabarbistro.com.au
The Royal Mail Hotel:
60 kms south of Halls Gap, in Dunkeld, is one of the finest, award-winning restaurants in Australia.
www.royalmail.com.au
Sustenance:
There are few places to stock up for your Grampians adventure. A general store exists on the main street in Halls Gap, which has been known to be fairly expensive on most items!! I recommend you get your supplies before you arrive in Ararat, Stawell or Horsham.
There are a few waterholes around town. The local pub usually has a good atmosphere on the weekends; the Black Panther Café has happy hour drinks on the Stoney Creek boardwalk and The Mountain Grand can have a jiving atmosphere on Saturday nights when live jazz bands play.
Here are some useful links for getting here and around.
Autopia Tours:
A reliable service taking off from Melbourne and Adelaide , stopping in the Grampians, giving you a tour of the area's major sites and dropping you off at your intended accommodation.
Ph: (03) 9326 5536
Christins Bus Co:
Christian’s Bus Co.: Is now offering a “Highlights of the Grampians” bus tour which visits Reeds lookout, the Balconies, MacKenzie falls, Boroka lookout, Lake Bellfield and Brambuk. $49 from Halls Gap, $59 from Ararat. Services run Tues, Fri, Sat, and Sun. Bookings 1300 722 191 or visit www.christiansbus.com.au
Eco-Platypus Tours:
They run tours from Melbourne to Adelaide stopping in the Grampians where you can get off and stay a while.
www.ecoplatypustours.com
V-line:
Run daily to the Grampians usually at around 9:30 departing from Spencer Street Station in Melbourne , a one-way full-fare ticket costs around $47.
www.vlinepassenger.com.au ph: 13 61 96
Other transport companies include Greyhound / Pioneer (ph: 13 20 30), Firefly (1800 631 164) and McCafferty's (13 14 99)
The weather can vary dramatically between the Southern and Northern Grampians. Check out this link for the Northern Grampians:
www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/wimmera.shtml
For weather around Halls Gap, go to:
www.eldersweather.com.au/vic/wimmera/stawell
There is one local company that run flights over the Grampians. Seeing it from the sky gives you a different perspective which I feel is well worth it. Get two or three friends to join you, which will reduce the costs. Stawell Aviation Services ph: 03 5357 3234 or 0428 501 600 Graeme.
The property of the highly regarded Mount Zero Olives label, is positioned in a fantastic part of the Grampians with stunning views; they have a licensed café, regional food and wine, produce store and more. Definitely worth the visit!!
www.mountzeroolives.com/mount-zero-farm
We're very fortunate to have The Gap Vineyard as one of our local wineries. The free tastings speak for themselves!
www.visitvictoria.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.000081C0-F840-1A0C-B46B80CF8F3CFC34/
Other fabulous wineries in the region can be found here:
www.grampianswine.com.au
The following are located within a ten minute drive from Halls Gap, on the Pomonal Road.
The Lavender Patch
Harrison 's Orchard
Pomonal Berry Farm
Unfortunately it doesn't only rain at night in the Grampians! Though on rainy days there is plenty to do if you're not bouldering in some of the caves, climbing some of the area's steeper crags, or going bush-walking to waterfalls which put on a good show in wet weather. Following are some ideas:
Visit some of the local vineyards for wine tasting. You can get a brochure from tourist information for touring the wine regions. The closest to Halls Gap is 5km from town, The Gap Vineyard.
Have a game of Grampians Adventure Golf. An amazing 18 hole course will surely deliver a "hole" heap of fun. Then sit down at their licensed café for a coffee, tea or beverage or check out the adjacent MOCO gallery.
www.grampiansadventuregolf.com.au
Local and highly talented glass blower, James McMurtrie's studio is situated in Pomonal (12km from Halls Gap), with a stunning showroom of glass works. Very worthwhile!! Ph: 03 5356 6137 or 0427 949 921
www.jamesmcmurtrie.com.au
The Grampians Horse Riding Centre offer a quality service with rides through very scenic bushlands. I have never heard a bad word regarding the tours, though its probably a good idea to do this activity after a climbing session as it can limit your movement the next day!!! They are very busy so please book in advance.
www.grampianshorseriding.com.au
There are numerous massage and therapy services available in the region, after a big day on the rock it may be the very thing your body asks for. Visit www.blazerock.com.au for all your therapeutic needs.
The National Parks Visitor Centre and Brambuk Cultural Centre will educate you on the parks exceptional environment and Aboriginal culture. There is an award winning Gariwerd Dreaming Theatre, rock art tours, Aboriginal dancing, Boomerang throwing, Didgeridoo playing, bush food tasting, guided walks, exhibitions, the Bush Food Café, a gift and bookshop.
www.brambuk.com.au
Quad bikes: The newest adventure experience in the area. The tours explore the Grampians just 15 min from one of our climbing areas. Many customers have enjoyed a climbing session in the morning and a bike tour in the afternoon. www.grampiansquadbikes.com.au
The ACIA (Australian Climbing Instructors Association) is a non-profit association comprised of highly acclaimed climbers who are responsible for many activity standards and instructor training courses recognized throughout Australia . Check out their web site for up-coming courses and other relevant information. www.acia.com.au
Arapiles Mountain Shop (Natimuk): Close to Mt Arapiles and open most days, the Mountain Shop has a fantastic reputation for resoling climbing shoes and a huge range of gear for sale including protection, guide books, clothing, shoes etc. Ph: 5387 1529 e: ams@netconnect.com.au
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