Toronto to Naracoorte via Great Ocean Road - Advice sought

Submitted: Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 08:19
ThreadID: 92070 Views:1693 Replies:4 FollowUps:5
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Travelling from Toronto NSW via Great Ocean Road to Naracoorte SA in February next year. Returning via Seymour, Albury. Already the heated discussions have begun. Looking for suggestions for a few nights stop overs both there and back . We are not in any rush and can take a week to get there but possibly only 4 or 5 days to get back.
We are self contained and like riverside type camping but happy to pull into a park for some luxury.
If it is really hot we most certainly will pull into parks to run the air con . Do have a genni but don’t want to run it all night

How do we avoid Melbourne to get onto the GOR
Is it easy to top up water tanks?
Looking forward to hearing from the experienced
Di
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Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 12:57

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 12:57
Hi Didiaust,
I did this run from Kempsey NSW as far as Port Fairy VIC just west of Warnambool back in 06.
There are beach side van parks all the way along the planned route but some standouts in VIC are Mallacoota, Phillip Island, Sorento,

To avoid melbourne catch the vehicular ferry across Port Phillip Bay from Sorento to Queenscliffe then down to Lorne and stay at the Erskine River Caravan Park which is right beside the lagoon and a short walk to the ocean beach. Very nice little town too. Peterburough Warnambool or Port Fairy is as far as I know there but we have come back the other way and finished at Mt. Gambier which is another must see. I have yet to do the bit in between Port Fairy and Mt. Gambier.

Sounds like a month would be better for what you are considering.

5 days is a short time to be doing that run to Naracoorte as there is so much to see and do.
3 weeks would be my minimum for that run one way, given my experience in 06 and 07.
Even then we missed a lot.

Coming back there are several good places to free camp. Just west of Euston on the Murray heading toward Balranald you have Lake Bananee which is 876 in Camps Australia Wide 5. We were there in 07 and it was still being worked on. I can recommend that one. At Hay there is the Travellers Long Paddock which is right beside the 'Bidgee and seems a good spot but being close to town my present some problems from the yobbos.

Just north of West Wyalong there is the Marsden Rest area which is right beside the Newell but is a really good spot for an overnight stop and is well out of town. We stayed there and can recommend it also.

I would recommend you get Camps Australia, if you don't already have it, for your best chance of locating some good spots as it is easy to miss some good spots without it.

Hope I have been of some help.
Cheers, Bruce.
At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.

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Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 13:00

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 13:00
Meant to say "just East of Euston on the Murray heading toward Balranald"
At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
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Reply By: Member - John and Val - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 13:51

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 13:51
Hi Di,

Did a similar trip a few years ago but in reverse direction. Have written a few blogs about our trip, if you have a look at our blogs (click blogs button beside our signature) you may get some ideas.

Cheers,

Val
J and V
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Reply By: didiaust - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 17:17

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 17:17
Many thanks Bruce & Val

Bruce we will actually be dricing through Kempsey but I put Toronto as our start off point as we will leave from Macksville and stay at the young blokes at Toronto. We can take as long as we want and we will if conditions are goo


Val Your blogs are wonderful . Can caravans stay atWye River and Blanket Bay

Any suggestions where to stay on the way into Melbourne- we thought we would get a very early start and miss the traffic so wondering where to stay

I now have a starting point

Di

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Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 18:00

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 18:00
Hi again Di, As you are starting from Macksville does that mean we are more or less neighbours albeit with about 50 K between us LOL.

That particular run is a beauty and well worth taking your time.
I am going to have to do it again one of these days if only to fill in the bit we missed between Warnambool and Mt Gambier. Of course we won't stop at that but keep going to Port Lincoln.
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Follow Up By: didiaust - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 19:28

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 19:28
Yes Bruce we are neighbours - give or take 50ks

Just retired up here last year and loving it.

Have a sister in law at Naracoorte so going for her 60th bash.

Di
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Follow Up By: Member - John and Val - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 22:20

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 22:20
Hi Di,

Re caravans at Wye River - in your post (and this one too I imagine) you can see that Wye River is underlined. That means its a link to another page. Click on it and it takes you to the Wye River page in the places section. There you can see that there is a Big 4 van park there. So I guess its all good for caravans.

Not sure about getting a van into Blanket Bay, but you could give the ranger a call.

Cheers,

Val.
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Reply By: Teejay - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 18:32

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 18:32
Hi Di,

I'm presuming you are travelling down the NSW Coast. Through Gippsland great spots with Caravan Parks on the coast include Mallacoota, Marlo, Lakes Entrance, Bairnsdale, Eagle Point and Inverloch. Do the ferry crossing as mentioned above. Wye River has a caravan park. I think there is a a big 4 there.It's very touristy along the GOR so you won't have any problems finding a caravan park.

If you wanted some quiet and sleepy little sea side towns try Seaspray, Port Albert or Peterborough. Also, Princeton and Nelson if you get that far West.

Enjoy!

TJ...



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Follow Up By: Teejay - Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 19:41

Friday, Feb 24, 2012 at 19:41
and Phillip Island is a good distance from Melbourne so you could go to the ferry from there easily.
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