Journey along The Great Ocean Road
The first week of school holidays was relaxing. Everyone was winding down from a busy term, but now you've entered the second week and the niggles are starting. Tommy's 'accidentally' put Kate's Barbie Doll up a tree, just out of reach of the broom. Kate has perfected the art of making glasses shake by singing at the top of hear lungs. Basically, it's time to get out of the house before you all go mad.
A 'day trip' sounds like the perfect antidote. Car conversations can be enlightening and great for 'family bonding' but it's always good to have a back up plan. Before you go, arm yourself with music or books to listen to, a few captivating '
car games' and a bag of Chupa Chups.
The Dandenong Ranges
The
Dandenong Ranges have much to offer in the way of outdoor and indoor spots to explore. If the kids need a break on the way up, the
Montrose Community Playground is worth stopping at. When you arrive at the top of Mt. Dandenong you can see fantastic views of the CBD and enjoy a short bushwalk at
Poor Man's Sky High. The shops in
Mt. Dandenong,
Olinda and
Sassafras provide numerous opportunities to bankrupt the kids piggybank. It's definitely worth checking out the range of puppets at
Geppettos Workshop in Sassafras and Olinda. The
National Rhododendron Gardens in Olinda has free entry and provides a wonderful spot for exploration and a family picnic. It takes about 1 hour to get to the top of Mt. Dandenong from the Melbourne CBD.
Visit Geppettos Puppet Workshop in Sassafras
Exploring the
Yarra Valley with kids is a bit of a "
Choose Your Own Adventure". There are many options, it's just deciding which road to take. Highlights of the area include the
Healesville Sanctuary where you can come face to face with Australian animals and the
Badger Weir Reserve Picnic Area. The towns of
Warburton,
Healesville and
Yarra Glen are also worth exploring. Click
here to find out about travelling times and directions.
Discover Australian animals at Healesville Sanctuary.
If one of your brood vomits at the first sight of a windy road, a trip to
Ballarat on the Western Highway might be the answer.
Kids can get their hands dirty panning for gold at
Sovereign Hill. There's a chance to meet the animals at the
Ballarat Wildlife Park. Ballarat is approximately an hour and a half by car from the Melbourne CBD.
Explore the past at Sovereign Hill.
The
Great Ocean Road offers a longer trip and is well worth the adventure. There are many places to stop along the way. Take your bathers and head to one of the
beaches manned by surf life savers, visit
Erskine Falls in Lorne and then head to the trampoline park on the foreshore. The
Wye River General Store and Cafe is the perfect spot to take a break, there is a small playground to help keep the kids entertained. The
Great Ocean Road starts in
Torquay and it takes about an hour and a half to get to there from the Melbourne CBD.
Enjoy the Erskine Falls on the Great Ocean Road
So, what are you waiting for? Mentally prepare yourself for the calls of mother nature which are going to stop you in your tracks, pack a bag of Chupa Chups and get moving.
