VICTO R I A’S

South Western Riviera

THE SOUTH-WESTERN RIVIERA.

Although it may not have the international glamour of the French and Italian Riviera, Victoria’s South Western Riviera compares, in other respects, not unfavourably with its overseas counterpart. It has a mild, sunny climate, well timbered ranges of great variety and charm, some impressively rugged coastal cliffs and an abundance of reasonably good accommodation, some of it excellent. There are also many miles of sandy beaches, clean and wide, for which, one may well surmise, Monte Carlo would gladly exchange a substantial quota of its casino profits.

The region is well served with transport. The Flier express from Melbourne, with connecting road services where necessary, is probably the most convenient method of reaching south-western resorts. Road services that connect with The Flier at Geelong traverse the Great Ocean Road, one of Australia’s finest scenic highways.

Further information will be gladly given and accommodation reserved by the Victorian Government Tourist Bureau, 272 Collins Street, Melbourne, or its branches in Sydney, Adelaide, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Mildura. Details of the accommodation available may also be obtained from Where To Go In Victoria, copies of which are on sale at the Bureaux for 3s. 6d. (posted 4s.). This is a complete guide to hotels, guest houses and tourist resorts in the State.

' All holiday costs shown in this booklet are those prevailing in 1956. They are, of course, liable to change and they do not include the cost of side excursions. T he accommodation indicated is that bookable through the Tourist Bureau. At some places more may be available than that shown.

Among the attractions of Torquay, 60 miles from Melbourne, are three first-rate beaches.

One of them, many hold, is Victoria’s best surfing beach ; the others provide good bathing and are especially popular with family parties. Torquay has a golf course, bowling green and modernly equipped camping ground. There are two guest houses and one hotel, which together can accommodate 124 people. A week’s holiday there, with return transport from Melbourne included, may be had for approximately £18.

Variety in aquatic pastime is the spice of holiday life at Anglesea, where the very attractive beach gives excellent surfing and the river has a good swimming pool. Both river and rocks provide enjoyable fishing. Anglesea is 68 miles from Melbourne and has a modern camping park. Its one hotel and three guest houses and flats have accommodation for 150. A week’s holiday there, including return transport from Melbourne, costs about

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LORNE

Lome has everything for a really civilised holiday. At any rate, its unusual and delightful mixture of mountain, bush, surf and gracious living has

placed it securely in the van of Victoria’s leading resorts. With a good beach and the surrounding Otway Ranges it offers almost every kind of holiday pleasure.

Weeks may be spent in exploring, over well signposted tracks and roads, the hills and coast. Although its busy season is, naturally, summer Lome is very attractive all the year round. Its situation, facing

east, and its sheltering ranges ensure

a mild and pleasant winter, free from frosts, fogs and cold winds. Lome’s two hotels and 14 guest houses and flats can together accommodate over 1,000 people. The cost of a week’s holiday, with return transport from

Melbourne, ranges upwards from £18. Lome, 90 miles from Melbourne, has a 9-hole golf course, tennis courts, a bowling green and camping parks.

The fishing, in both river and sea, is first rate.

Peterborough, 165 miles from Melbourne, is on Curdie’s Inlet into which flows the river of that name. It has a rock swimming pool and a shallow, sandy beach at the river mouth. There is rock, river, lake and surf fishing. The hotel and guest house can together accommodate 75 people.

One of the most rugged parts of the Victorian coast is that around Port Campbell and Peterborough. Tall, yellow-brown cliffs that have been eroded by the sea into bridge formations, peninsulas and islands of fanciful shapes skirt the shore for miles. Port Campbell, 157 miles from Melbourne, has a swimming beach and a well equipped camping ground. There is excellent rock fishing. The hotel and two guest houses can accommodate 92 people. A week’s holiday, inclusive of return transport from Melbourne, maybe had for approximately £15.

Backed, like Lome, by the Otway Ranges, Apollo Bay, 117 miles from Melbourne, is another resort where a purely seaside holiday may be varied by trips through the mountains or picnics in cool gullies. Roads of great scenic interest twist their way through the hills. The Barham River, one of the largest streams in the ranges, enters the sea at Apollo Bay. The fishing in the sea, rivers and creeks is excellent. There are two hotels and ten guest houses and flats with accommodation, all told, for 440. Including return transport from Melbourne, a week’s holiday may be had for about £17.

There are tennis courts and a 9-hole golf course.

Situated on Lady Bay, Warrnam-bool is a flourishing city of 11,000 people, 166 miles by rail from Melbourne. Flanked by the Merri and Hopkins Rivers it is a city of broad streets, substantial buildings and well kept parks and gardens. Among its attractions are an excellent beach, on the curving shore of Lady Bay, a good camping park, a museum and an art gallery. A short distance from the city is the Hopkins River ; it is kept stocked with fish and is popular for picnicking and boating.

Warrnambool’s 13 hotels and 4 guest houses and flats can together accommodate 470 people. With return transport from Melbourne included, a week’s holiday costs about £18. There are tennis, croquet and bowling clubs and an 18-hole golf course.

Port Fairy, on the River Moyne, is a charming old town, the history of which goes back to the earliest days of Victoria’s settlement. Its beaches are first rate ; there is good surfing on the east beach and, on the south side of the town there is a reef-protected bathing beach with a natural pool. On Griffith Island are mutton bird rookeries and on Lady Julia Percy Island is a seal colony. Port Fairy has a population of 2,500 and is 186 miles by rail from Melbourne. There are pleasant public gardens, a 9-hole golf course, a bowling green and camping ground. The fishing is good. The five hotels and two guest houses and flats can together accommodate 210. A week’s holiday, including return transport from Melbourne, may be had for about £16.

PORTLAND

Founded by the Henty brothers in 1834, Portland is the oldest settlement in Victoria. Even before that it had served as a whaling station. Today, holidaymakers laze on the wide beach or bathe in the bay almost within a stone’s throw of the shopping area. With its old blue-stone buildings and other landmarks Portland is rich in historical associations. The bay is an excellent harbour and the pier, more than 3,000 feet long, berths large overseas vessels. There is a 9-hole golf course and facilities for tennis, bowls and croquet. The fishing is good. Tuna up to 80 lb. have been caught; they regularly arrive in the bay from January to March. Bus services run from the town to Port Fairy and Mt. Gambier. Portland, 251 miles by rail from Melbourne, has a population of 4,800. There are five hotels and seven guest houses and flats with, all told, accommodation for about 450. The cost of a week’s holiday, inclusive of return transport from Melbourne, is about £19.

PORTLAND

for all

TRAVEL INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS

(including accommodation)

Consult

THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT TOURIST BUREAU 272 Collins Street, Melbourne Telephone : MF 0202

Branches of the Bureau are at

28 Martin Place 18 King William Street

34    Lydiard Street North Charing Cross

35    Deakin Avenue

Bright & Hitchcocks Bldg. Moorabool Street

“WHERE TO GO IN VICTORIA” (3s. 6d.; posted 4s.) is a complete guide to Hotels, Guest Houses, and Tourist Resorts in the State.

ON SALE AT THE BUREAUX AND RAILWAY BOOKSTALLS

Published, 1950, by the Victorian Railways Public Relations and Betterment Board by direction of the Commissioners.

Victorian Railways Print.