Go exploring: VIC by caravan

Day trips ahoy

Kinglake National Park

You’ve no doubt heard of Kinglake before, and not for the best of reasons - it was one of the central locations of February 2009’s Black Saturday bushfires. But now, more than a decade on, as it tends to do Mother Nature has made a near-full recovery and it’s absolutely beautiful. There’s an abundance of things to see and do in the area including some pretty extreme mountain biking tracks, walking trails and a heap of native Aussie birds to keep your eye out for. There are also plenty of barbecue and picnic spots as well as some seriously breathtaking views of Melbourne city, the Yarra Valley, Port Phillip Bay and the You Yangs.

All this and more just an hour and change from Melbourne!

Granite Springs

Drive around one-and-a-half hours north of Melbourne and navigate your way to Granite Springs. Here you’ll find yourself immersed in nature’s beauty like never before, surrounded by dams you can fish as well as farm animals and stock horses. The serenity (how’s the serenity?) is the selling point of Granite Springs - the silence is almost deafening, the air is implausibly fresh and clear and the views are just perfect.

Wonderful weekends

Kilcunda

Just 120 kilometres south-southeast of Melbourne’s CBD, nestled in between Phillip Island and Wonthaggi is the small and beautiful coastal town of Kilcunda. Set up base at the Kilcunda Ocean View Holiday Park which provides all the amenities you need for a great weekend away including direct beach access rec centre, barbecue facilities, kids’ club and more. From here, you can make your way to see the penguin parade in Phillip Island and escape back to the quietness of Kilcunda when it’s all done. There are also loads of walking paths along the foreshore and the local pub isn’t too far for a pot and parma.

Inverloch

If you’re searching for somewhere that offers both beautiful farmland and glorious coastline in one, Inverloch - around 2 hours’ drive southeast of Melbourne - is where you need to be. In the summer you can hit the surf at one of the beaches or head to Anderson Inlet for some water skiing. Year-round you’re able to make use of the many walking and cycling tracks that work their way around the town.

Set up camp at either the Inverloch Foreshore Camping Reserve or Big4 Inverloch Holiday Park, both offering every amenity you might need for an incredible weekend away.

Week-away holidays

Mansfield

Two and a half hours northeast of Melbourne is the quaint country town of Mansfield. What’s wonderful about Mansfield is that it’s the perfect spot to be no matter what season it is; in winter, it’s a great base of operations for those keen to head up to Buller for a ski (and you’ll save heaps by not staying on the mountain), and in summer Eildon and her many different arms is a great place to waterski, take your boat out on, or just hop in for a swim to cool off.

For those who enjoy getting off the beaten track, you can take advantage of the many 4WD tracks around the area (be sure to visit Craig’s Hut while you’re there), and if you’re a bit of a beer lover you can head to the brewery that offers plenty of tasting options.

Stay at the Mansfield Premier Caravan Park to be right in the thick of things and walking distance from all the shops and restaurants you could ever need.

Protip: head to the Commercial Hotel for the freshest, coldest and most delicious Carlton Draught on tap you’ll ever experience.

Cape Bridgewater

Hit the road and make your way past Portland for about 20 minutes (right near the VIC/SA border) and you’ll find yourself smack-bang in the middle of the once volcanic island that is Cape Bridgewater. Even staying here a week, you’ll struggle to experience everything that this beautiful little town has to offer - surf beaches aplenty as well as sandboarding, exploring the Bats Ridge Caves (get a guide to take you), seal tours, walks and so much more. 

We recommend making camp at the NRMA Portland Bay Holiday Park as it has great facilities and is a stone’s throw from all the activities you can enjoy at Cape Bridgewater.

Buy a new caravan with Stratton Finance’s help

If you’re considering getting yourself a new caravan to replace your existing one, or you’ve never owned a caravan and you’d like to, you can count on the Stratton Finance team to help.

With more than 20 years’ experience working with Aussies to secure financing for caravans, camper trailers and RVs, our network of lenders is substantial - to put it lightly. Which means we’ll be able to find the perfect finance package to perfectly match your needs every time. Use our online finance quote tool now and find out just how low your monthly repayments could be in under 60 seconds!

To chat with us directly, give us a call on 1300 955 600 or message us online and you’ll hear back from us soon.