TAKE A ROAD TRIP THROUGH HISTORY IN VICTORIA

Begin your Western Victoria road trip in Melbourne, heading west with stops in the historic gold town of Ballarat or perhaps the reborn and very fashionable spa town of Daylesford.

Spend a night in the Grampians National Park or carry on to Dunkeld. There, the renovated Royal Mail hotel (royalmail.com. au; doubles from £205) has one the best wine lists in Victoria. The drive is part of the experience: an empty, straight road through some of the most fertile land on the continent. (But avoid driving at dusk, when the kangaroos start hopping about).

In and around Casterton itself, there is plenty of B&B accommodation, while the

Albion (albioncasterton. com) offers a warm welcome and brilliant cooking from Scarborough-born Andy. Staff can organise a trip to Wilderness Kelpies (00 61

431 676 151) and the Wando Lodge winery.

Dating back to the 1840s, historic Warrock Homestead (warrock homestead.com.au) comprises a cluster of timber buildings, including sheds, stables and carriage houses, and is well worth a visit – not least as it is also the birthplace of the kelpie.

Then head down to Warrnambool, the largest of the coastal towns. There is another great canine story here: Maremma dogs are used to protect the town’s fragile community of little penguins from foxes.

On the Great Ocean Road proper, Apollo Bay is an undisputed highlight, and altogether less pricey than swish Lorne or Robe. After a day on its grand sandy sweep of a beach, be sure to eat at Graze (grazeapollobay. au) before retiring for the night to Captain’s at the Bay (captains.net.au; from £85).

Parts of the road pass through beautiful, almost Alpine countryside but it is after Port Campbell that you get the most famous stretch, as great white rollers from the Southern Ocean seem to crash within yards of your wing mirror. The short helicopter ride (12apostleshelicopters. com.au) over the iconic 12 Apostles rocks is well worth the detour.

Finish your journey at Geelong’s harbourfront, a short drive southwest of Melbourne. Just off it is the best little neighbourhood restaurant I have visited in many years: La Cachette (cachette.com.au), owned by Australia-born chef

Matt Podbury who trained in London and Lyon.

i Stay at the renovated Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld, with its superior wine list

iExplore Warrock Homestead, preserved much as it was in the 1840s