2 Best Sights in Grampians National Park, Victoria

Comprising four mountain ranges, the impressive Gariwerd/Grampians National Park spills over 413,000 acres. Its rugged peaks, towering trees, waterfalls, creeks, and plethora of wildlife attract bushwalkers, rock climbers, and nature lovers. Spectacular wildflowers carpet the region in spring, while a number of significant Aboriginal rock art sites make it an ideal place to learn about Victoria's Indigenous history. The township of Halls Creek (population 600) sits within the national park, and with 10,000 tourist beds, it becomes quite a busy place in summer and at Easter. If you're staying in a self-catering accommodation, it's wise to stock up on groceries and wine in the big towns of Ballarat, Ararat, Hamilton, or Horsham, since prices at the Halls Gap general store are inflated. One of the most picturesque drives in the park is the 60-km-stretch (37-mile-stretch) from Halls Gap to Dunkeld.

The new 164 km (101 miles) Grampians Peak Trail takes 13 days to walk, from Mt. Zero south through Halls Gap, finishing in Dunkeld. It is also designed to be walked in shorter sections, and includes some excellent day walks and award-winning hikers' accommodation. Pick up maps in the tourism information center in Halls Gap; guided hiking tours are available with local hiking specialists Absolute Outdoors ( www.absoluteoutdoors.com.au).

Some areas in the park can be affected by fire and flood from year to year, so check with Parks Victoria for current road and camping conditions.

This old winery is also one of Australia's most famous, the name Great Western being associated with a long-lived sparkling wine and known for its the Salinger and Fleur de Lys ranges as well as a sparkling Shiraz and various table wines. Beneath the winery is a 3-km (2-mile) underground labyrinth of tunnels, known as the Drives, dating back to 1868 and originally built by gold miners. This is where the best sparkling wines are kept. You can take a day tour of these tunnels and the nearby shaft house and taste 20 Seppelt wines, or enjoy a barbecue and evening tour. Packages to tour and dine in the Drives, including cheese platters, two or three courses, and wine tastings, are also available from A$120 per person. The barbecue and dining options require a minimum of 15 people.