Truckster (Vic) replied:

not really 100kms but Jamieson?
Walhalla?
Phillip Island - theres an AWESOME kids petting/feeding zoo there thats cheap.

Tent in my backyard and drive to frankston beach?

Brian replied:

There is a caravan park on the banks of the Barwon river at Geelong , forget the name of it , suppose Geelong would be about 1 hour from Melbourne
Brian

Brian replied:

Yeah we stayed there last March , reasonable sort of park

Member - Jimbo (VIC) replied:

Moggs,

Kurth Kiln at Gembrook and Murrundindi.

Kurth Kiln also has small lake, the old kiln and the old caraetaker's cottage which is of some interest.

Cheers,

Jim.

Well 55 replied:

Whats wrong with the Yarra just below the MCG, nice grassy banks, just watch out for the duck ..it.

Mike Harding replied:

Almost.

Point Leo on the Mornington Peninsula has a lovely, smallish grassy area right on the beach and 100m or so from a caravan park. Loos and showers are available. It's a pay site $10 or $15 I think. Beautiful spot.

I've only stayed there for one night about four years ago with a new-ish girlfriend (can one have "girlfriends" at my age?) who had never camped before so I thought it would make a gentle and romantic introduction to camping. Midweek, the sound of the ocean, just us on the camp ground, the moon rising over the ocean, me cooking a subtle Thai curry and getting all expectant... unfortunately about 9pm we had an argument and stopped speaking to one-another. In due course off I went to bed leaving her sulking - it was a cool night and I had earlier set her up a camp bed complete with sleeping bag. I thought she was very restless in the night but we weren't speaking so too bad! By the morning we were speaking and it transpired she was very cold in the night (it had been a cool one). Strange I said, that's a good quality bag it should have been fine at that temp. "Bag!?" she said, "Bag!?", "What bag!? - I thought it was a quilt and I tried to keep warm underneath it". Unfortunately I hadn't thought to explain to her the previous evening how sleeping bags worked :)

Mike Harding

Member - Geoff & Karen replied:

Moggs whats wrong with the aussie resort where your pic was taken? Bit further than the hours drive, but hey its worth it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it is such a top place.......
Karen

Julian replied:

Moggs

There's a pleasant spot called Major Mitchell Creek campsite a few kms SW of Nagambie. If you take the Goulburn Hwy off the Hume just past Seymour then turn left off the Goulburn Hwy for Mitchelton Winery just about 5 kms before Nagambie and keep driving for 6kms or so you'll get there. It's fairly pleasant with toilets and creekside sites etc. Have been on public holidays and it was busy but not full. Other times you should be able to find a nice spot by the creek. It must be OK 'cos we've stayed there at least five times over the last 10 years, because it's not far from Melbourne's North.

Cheers

Julian

Moggs replied:

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone - will now have many weekend overnighter places to check out.

This time around we will be going to either Phillip Island - Cowes or Kaloha Caravan Park - have seen Cowes on the net but can't find anything on Kaloha other than Trucksters vote of approval....or we may go to Glen Cromie caravan Park at Drouin West - a park that looks pretty good on the net and is only 80km's from home.

Member - Bradley replied:

its a bit further, but on the king river at whitfield there is a nice campground on the edge of town, the river is beautifull and clean and at that spot is nice and wide and not real deep, so its pretty safe for the kids. Can catch some nice freshwater crays with a forked stick and knife and a little cunning.

Unfortunately not much in the way of nice clean rivers / creeks anywhere near melb.