A summer road trip from Robe to Geelong

With over 80 holiday parks across Australia, creating your itinerary with us is simple and fun!

Pack your bags (and your sunscreen) and explore the backyard we call home. If you need some inspiration, here is one of our favourite summer roads trips to complete with famil and friends.

Your next summer adventure starts in the beachside town of Robe, SA, before heading inland to Victoria's bustling Warrnambool and ends up in the gorgeous seaside town of Geelong

Hello summer, we’re ready!

ROBE, SA

Credit: Mish + Kirk

One of South Australia’s oldest towns, Robe is a firm favourite for travellers heading along the Limestone Coast towards the Victorian border. Settle in at the Discovery Parks - Robe site and get set to experience the best of the region. There’s plenty of history and stunning locations to discover: and the Coonawarra wine region, Naracoorte Caves, Cape Jaffa and vast tracts of national parks are nearby. Add gorgeous beaches, fishing and fresh seafood to the mix and it’s a difficult place to leave.

Cape Jaffa

Just a 30-minute drive from Robe township, a visit to the award-winning exhibition at Cape Jaffa Lighthouse makes for a fabulous morning jaunt. Discover the history of the treacherous coastline that has claimed so many lives. It was the wrecking of the barque Margaret Brock on an uncharted reef that resulted in the lighthouse. The museum provides a fascinating insight into South Australian history – and the view is pretty gorgeous, too.

Mount Gambier Blue Lake

Hit the road and make a beeline for the regional city of Mount Gambier. The summer months are the perfect time of year to visit the eponymous Blue Lake. The caldera of an ancient volcanic eruption, its waters turn a brilliant cobalt blue colour in the summer months. While you’re there, stop by the jaw-dropping Umpherston Sinkhole. Visit at dusk and watch possums scamper.

Lower Glenelg National Park

Get your kayak and camping gear ready for a stay in Lower Glenelg National Park. The Glenelg River is the main attraction here, winding through stunning natural beauty. Get back to basics and camp, walk, hike, fish, and kayak along limestone gorges from the river to the sea. Stretch your car cramped legs and go for a tramp ahead of your next big drive.

Piccaninnie Ponds

Just a 20-minute drive out of Mount Gambier lies Piccaninnie Ponds. This freshwater dive site is – quite literally – a hidden gem. On the surface, it looks like innocuous wetlands but crystal-clear waters filtered through limestone reveal a pristine environment and gaping underwater chasm. Famous with cave divers, you’ll need a license and permit to dive this site, but you can snorkel over this awe-inspiring natural phenomenon.

Naracoorte Caves

Credit: SATC

Skirting Lake Eliza, take a slight detour inland and visit South Australia’s iconic Naracoorte National Park. Officially one of the state’s best fossil locations, the cave complex underneath the park hosts a staggering 26 individual caves. Eerily beautiful, this World Heritage site takes you into the heart of our country.

WARRNAMBOOL, VIC

The regional crown jewel of Victoria, Warrnambool makes for a brilliant country-city escape. This former port town is surrounded by epic beaches, seascapes, lakes, and rivers. With art galleries, shopping and culture in abundance, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to keep you busy tasting the best the region has to offer.

Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground

Pack a barbecue picnic and prepare the kids (both big and little) for a day of serious fun and adventure. Featuring over 20 hectares of park with forts, sandpits, waterways, canoes, flying foxes, giant slides, and mazes, Lake Pertobe the perfect way to unwind with the kids and unleash any pent-up energy from long travels.

Middle Island

Credit: Visit Victoria

Making the pilgrimage along the Great Ocean Road to see the world-renowned apostles rising from the sea is a must, even for seasoned road trippers. The road itself has a fascinating history and is a thrilling, sometimes nerve-wracking drive as it can skirt close to cliff edges, beneath which the roaring surf breaks against spectacular limestone coastline.

GEELONG, VIC

Geelong is the cool little sister to the bustling Victorian capital Melbourne. Shopping is glorious, with plenty of cafés, restaurants and art galleries to spend hours in. A calmer alternative to a city escape, Discovery Parks - Geelong is perfectly situated as the gateway to the Great Ocean Road (and amazing surf). Just an hour’s drive from Melbourne, you’ll be perfectly set to enjoy the best of urban and regional touring.

Brewery Tastes

Credit: Visit Victoria

Did you know Geelong is the home of cold beer? Refrigeration was invented by engineer and journalist James Harrison. The invention was commissioned by Geelong Brewing Corps in 1856 to create the beloved icy cold beer to this day. Raise a toast at Little Creatures Brewery to the patron Saint of Australian beer. It would be churlish not to.

Geelong Adventure Park

With a new attraction in the form of Victoria’s longest and biggest waterslide opening in 2017, summer is the perfect time to visit Geelong Adventure Park. Little kids and big kids will have a blast with archery, mini golf and over 20 rides and attractions to keep the whole family happy.

Serendip Sanctuary

Fancy a spot of twitching? Serendip Sanctuary is a 30-minute drive out of Geelong. There are over 150 bird species to experience close up, safely hidden in bird hides. The Wildlife Walk is frequently populated with cheeky emus and grey kangaroos. Keep an ear out for the distinctive sound of the Brolga – Australia’s native crane.

No matter how you choose to navigate your summer road trip, you’ll be guaranteed some cracking weather and the beauty of the Australian landscape. Happy summer days begin and end with us!