Discover the Charming Town of Grantville

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Posted 2015-07-01 by Jacqui ⇒ follow

Perhaps you may have driven through Grantville without so much as a second glance as you proceed to better known destinations; like Phillip Island, Inverloch or Wonthaggi.

You may have driven through and noticed how beautiful the scenery is when you come down the hill and see sprawling green fields leading up to glass-like water.

But have you ever stopped to sample the small country goodness this delightful town has to offer? I have. Many times.

Grantville is situated on the Bass Highway, nestled between Pioneer and Coronet Bays. It is a very small town with a population of less than 500. Yet, it has so much to offer.

It is home to Maru Koala and Animal Park, Pirate Mini-Golf and the Annual Pirate Festival.

There is also the Grantville Market, held on the 4th Sunday of every month. Which is what brought us to visit last week.

The Grantville Market has over 100 stalls comprising of all that you would expect from a country market. Fresh produce, clothing, second-hand collectables, antiques, books and my personal favourite- a large self-serve lolly truck.

It is held on a large reserve on the foreshore overlooking Westernport. There is plenty of room to wonder the aisles with prams. Dogs are welcome. It is a lot less crowded than some of the more popular markets.

There's parking onsite for a gold-coin donation to the local CFA. A personal tip from our most recent experience; when parking on the grassy fields in winter, be sure to avoid the muddiest areas. 20 minutes of pushing the back of our bogged car, with mud splattering everywhere, was a lesson well learnt!

On a positive side, we did have the pleasure of meeting some elderly locals who had no qualms with getting covered in mud and coming to our assistance. There's nothing quite like country charm and hospitality. Upon receiving our heart-felt thanks, 'No wuzzas' was their parting reply.

After the market, we headed into the town centre to buy some lunch. As we walked up a side street, a Fire Engine drove past. My son frantically waved at 'Fireman Sam' as they passed. He was treated to friendly waves and a quick blast of the siren. This alone was enough to make his day. However, the truck drove to the end of the street and then turned around, came back to where we were standing and pulled over.

The Firemen called out for my son to come and have a closer inspection, even offering him the chance to climb aboard. Unfortunately, he chose that moment to become incredibly shy.
This was such a lovely occurrence, one that would very rarely happen in the busy streets of Melbourne.

We made our way to the picnic tables by the beachside. The view was amazing. It was so peaceful, with only a few other people either fishing on the pier, or taking their dogs for a walk down the beach path. After lunch the kids played on the sand, throwing rocks into the water and chasing seagulls.