Posts Tagged ‘drives’

From country music events to spectacular Outback festivals, or food and wine extravaganzas to riverboats and jazz, there’s something worth driving to just about anywhere in Australia all-year round. Here are five diverse festivals worth packing your bags for and hitting the road in a drivenow campervan for a unique Australian cultural experience.

1. Riverboats, Jazz, Food & Wine Weekend – Echuca, Victoria.

Pick up your DriveNow Melbourne Rental Car and a leisurely three-hour drive along the Hume Freeway and Northern Highway will take you to the riverbanks of beautiful Echuca where this annual event creates a buzz in February every year. The region’s finest food and wine is on show, jazz musos from far and wide strut their stuff and the paddlesteamers from yesteryear chug along the mighty Murray. It’s a treat for the eyes, ears and tastebuds!

2. Tamworth Country Music Festival – Tamworth, NSW.

This one’s popular for lovers of Country music and is held every year in January. It’s a five or six hour journey predominantly spent on the Pacific and New England Highways from Sydney, but upon reaching the final destination you’ll be re-energised by the festival spirit. Country artists including Troy Cassar Daley, Felicity Urquhart, and hundreds more from all walks of life and ages, amateur or professional. It’s all about great food, friends, tents, caravans and super music over 10 days.

3. The Targa Tasmania.

One for car lovers, this amazing international event has been running since 1992 and basically is a tarmac rally with competitive stages on closed roads for some of the best touring, sports and GT cars from throughout the world – a calvacade of motoring history that is sure to delight as you discover the spoils of the Apple Isle. Visit www.targa.org.au  for more information.

4.  World’s Greatest Pub Crawl, Maryborough, Queensland.

This four hour journey along the Bruce Highway from Brisbane will get you to Maryborough, but that’s where you’ll have to pop the keys away for a few days as the ”world’s greatest pub crawl” whets your appetite for a good time. More than 3000 pub crawlers hit the streets in a bid to knock off the Guinness World Record for the most pub crawlers in one spot each year. Loads of fun … but don’t forget to pack the panadol and sleep well before the long trip back!

5. The Meeka Outback Festival, Meekatharra, Western Australia. Last but not least, this marathon nine hour drive from Perth along the Great Northern Highway will take you to this entertaining festival held every Queen’s Birthday Weekend in June. Enjoy the region’s unique culture as the festival ignites with fireworks, stalls and kids rides on the main oval on the Friday night. Then the colourful floats hit the town on the Saturday before the afternoon races encourage punters to have a tipple and a bet, before you enjoy watching and listening to bands perform under the desert stars.

AUSTIN BONHAM

If you’re into wineries, good food and quaint villages, you’ll find your little slice of heaven in the outer east of Melbourne. There’s some lovely drives that can be done in a day, so make sure you mark these down as must-sees.

Healesville: Only about 60km from the CBD of Melbourne, Healesville is in Yarra Valley country and is notable for its wonderful wildlife sanctuary which is home to many Australian native animals including koalas, Tasmanian Devils, kangaroos, a variety of birdlife, reptiles and much more. It’s idea for picnics too. The township of Healesville is also a great base from which to launch nearby winery trips at Domaine Chandon and Rochford Wines. Getting to Healesville from Melbourne is a breeze – just follow the Eastern Freeway out for half an hour, turn right onto Springvale Rd and not far away is Maroondah Highway which takes you straight there.

Yarra Glenn: In the heart of food and wine country, this little township can’t be missed for all its charms, and magnificent wineries including Tarrawarra Estate, De Bortoli and famous Yering Station for some sweeping views of the Yarra Valley and a chane to take home some tasty cheeses and wines. Only 50km east of Melbourne’s CBD.

The Dandenongs: A train called Puffing Billy, majestic gardens, and the wondrous tall trees and ferns of the national and state parks are the highlights of the beautiful Dandenongs, and don’t forget the little, quaint townships such as Olinda, Emerald and Sassafras for morning tea and a browse in antique shops. Less than an hour from Melbourne. It gets a bit windy up in the Dandenongs, but nevertheless, it’s a terrific drive. Very hilly, as opposed to the wonderful flat cruising around Healesville and Yarra Glenn.

AUSTIN BONHAM