Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

The Grampians are peppered with panoramic look-outs – wherever there’s cars and a gathering of people you’re almost certainly going to find something special to see. Highlights include Reed Look-out, an easy two-kilometre return walk from the carpark, and Boroka Look-out, 100-metres return. Watch out for vertigo.

Arts and culture

The must-see Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre (www.brambuk.com.au) in Halls Gap is one of the country’s most important storehouses of indigenous art, showcasing traditional tools and artefacts alongside cutting-edge multimedia exhibits on the local Jardwadjali and Dja Dja Wurrung people, their relationship to the landscape as well as white European settlement. It is in equal parts inspiring and sobering. Brambuk is free, open 9am–5pm daily, and also exhibits and sells traditional and modern artworks.

Something for nothing

Wander the area’s walking tracks, creeks and rivers, where you can spy platypuses swimming and koalas napping in the treetops.

Shopping

There’s no shortage of tourist tack and souvenir clothing touted in the region’s shops, so your money’s better spent on the more select (and authentic) wares at the Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre. Or buy some of the tasty local wines and gourmet foodie produce on offer. Make the well-worth-it trip to Red Rock Olives (www.redrockolives.com.au), or get some deluxe body treatments using natural plant, earth, sea and mineral products at Blaze Rock Retreat (www.blazerock.com.au) on the Halls Gap–Ararat road.

Daytripper

For nearby excursions, check out historic towns such as Stawell, Horsham and Hamilton that boomed on 19th-century gold-rush money and squattocracy, and the tiny rural settlements of Dunkeld, Pomonal and the Wartook Valley. If you’re looking for something a little further afield, point the bonnet south and head through Dunkeld to Warrnambool and the mighty thrashing Southern Ocean about two hours away.

Best beach

There are no beaches in the inland Grampians, but scenic lakes dot the National Park, from Lake Wartock to Lake Lonsdale, Fyans and Bellfield, with vast reservoirs also a striking feature.

Perfect picnic

If you fancy an alfresco meal, there are popular facilities – tables and chairs, water and sometimes toilets, shelters and free electric barbecues – throughout the National Park. For somewhere far less crowded, try the Red Rock area in the Southern Grampians on the banks of the Glenelg River, which is rich in birdlife and blooming wildflowers in spring.

Walks

You’ll find tracks to suit all abilities in the Grampians. Halls Gap is a good base, with scenic options in the surrounding Wonderland Range, from an easy half-hour stroll to Venus Bath to a tougher five-hour walk up to Pinnacles Look-out. From the Zumstein picnic area north-west of town you can also hike to the impressive McKenzie Falls.

Children

With lots of bush, fresh air and gentle but spectacular walks, kids love the Grampians. There’s wildlife everywhere but if you want to handfeed the critters head for the Halls Gap Wildlife Park & Zoo (www.hallsgapzoo.com.au) where kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, emus, possums and koalas are joined by exotic animals, reptiles and lots of farmyard friends.

Activities

It’s all about the great outdoors – camping, walking and hiking, four-wheel driving, fishing, canoeing, mountain biking, rock-climbing and abseiling, and horse riding. Parks Victoria manages the National Park and has an office at the Brambuk cultural centre issuing maps, brochures and fishing licences. The Grampians page of its website (www.parkweb.vic.gov.au) has links to oodles of organised activities, or call into the Halls Gap visitor centre (www.grampianstravel.com.au).

And

If you prefer something less gung-ho, there are some fine galleries in Horsham (www.horshamartgallery.com.au), north-west of Halls Gap, and Hamilton (www.hamiltongallery.org), not far from Dunkeld.