Overnight stop. Allow half a day to a full day depending on appetite.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sovereign Hill — Ballarat's iconic open-air gold rush museum is genuinely unmissable. Pan for gold, wander the recreated Main Street, explore underground mines, and don't leave without raspberry drops from the sweet shop. Budget at least 3–4 hours, more if you catch a live performance. The after-dark AURA show (separate ticket) is a stunning 90-minute immersive experience — book ahead.
• Lake Wendouree & Botanical Gardens — a gorgeous spot to stretch your legs after the drive up. The 6 km lakeside walk is flat and scenic; the gardens are immaculate year-round. Perfect first-night-in-the-motorhome energy.
• Eat & drink — Ballarat punches well above its weight for food and wine. The city's cool climate suits pinot noir and chardonnay beautifully. Hit Aunty Jacks for craft beer, Grainery Lane for gin, or book ahead at one of the Mair Street restaurants for dinner.

Biggest drive day. Make it an early start and arrive with enough energy for dinner by the river.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Langtree Avenue ("Feast Street") — Mildura's legendary dining strip. This is where you shake off the drive. The Italian Mildura is famous for its Calabrian and Sicilian paninoteca lunch and traditional Banchetto dinners (book ahead). Stefano de Pieri's eponymous restaurant in the cellar of the Grand Hotel remains a bucket-list experience.
• Trentham Estate Winery — right on the Murray River, this is a beautiful cellar door with alfresco dining. Award-winning wines, river views, afternoon sun. Exactly the vibe you want after a long drive.
• Trail of Lights (Mildura) — if FOSO is the reason for the trip, this is the warm-up act. The contemplative light art experience launched in 2025 along the Murray River in Mildura is designed to complement FOSO and showcase the region's growing reputation for world-class after-dark art. Worth an evening walk along the river.
• Kings Billabong — a short drive from town, this wildlife-rich wetland of river red gums is one of the best easy nature walks in the region. Morning or late afternoon is prime time for birdlife.

Two nights in the Mildura/Wentworth area. This is why you came.

MORE TO DO IN WENTWORTH

• Junction Park Lookout Tower — climb the tower and look out over the confluence of the Murray and Darling rivers, the fourth-largest river system in the world. It's genuinely awe-inspiring. Allow 30 minutes.
• PS Ruby Wentworth — an original 1907 Murray River paddle steamer. Take a cruise upriver and imagine the paddle-steamer trade era when Wentworth was the busiest inland port in NSW. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
• Perry Sandhills — six kilometres from Wentworth, these striking ochre sand dunes formed roughly 40,000 years ago on ancient floodplains of cultural significance to the Barkindji people. Hike the dunes, or if you're feeling adventurous, slide down them on a makeshift sled. Allow 1–2 hours.
• Old Wentworth Gaol — a beautifully preserved 1881 stone gaol that offers a surprisingly compelling window into colonial outback justice. Allow 1 hour.
• Mungo National Park (day trip) — if you have a full spare day, the ancient lunette dunes known as the Great Walls of China at Mungo are extraordinary. It's about 110 km north of Mildura. Go with a registered tour operator such as Discover Mildura or Murray Offroad Adventures to make the most of it.

Overnight stop. A comfortable afternoon and evening is plenty.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Pioneer Settlement — an open-air museum recreating life in a 19th-century Murray River port town. You can ride in a horse-drawn carriage, catch the PS Pyap paddle steamer, and at night the Heartbeat of the Murray show uses light, lasers and sound to tell 30 million years of Murray history. Brilliant for history lovers. Allow 2–3 hours minimum.
• Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum — 14 km south of Swan Hill, this small but excellent museum tells the story of the No.1 Flying Boat Repair Depot used during World War II, including a restored Catalina flying boat. A surprisingly compelling detour. Allow 1 hour.
• Murray Downs Resort & Golf Club — just 5 km north of town, one of the most respected resort courses on the Murray. If someone in the motorhome plays golf, this is worth the detour.
• Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery — a lovely little gallery in the heart of town with a strong collection of Australian naïve art. Good for an easy hour before dinner.

Overnight stop. A full afternoon is ideal — there's more to do here than you expect.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Port of Echuca & paddle steamers — Australia's paddle steamer capital. The nationally heritage-listed Echuca Wharf is the heart of the precinct, and in its heyday over 240 boats were cleared here in a single year. Take a one-hour cruise aboard the PS Pevensey or PS Canberra — commentary is excellent and the historic steam engines are genuinely fascinating. Book via Echuca Paddlesteamers. Allow 2–3 hours for cruise + precinct wander.
• Port of Echuca Discovery Centre — interactive walk through the history of the port, including the Kevin Hutchinson Steam Shed where you can watch original steam engines in operation. Allow 1 hour.
  

  Paddle steamers on the Murray River, Echuca, Victoria, Australia

• Barmah National Park — 30 minutes from Echuca, Barmah is home to the largest stand of river red gums on earth, on land of the Yorta Yorta people. Early morning Kingfisher eco-cruises run most days at 10.30am. If you time it right, this is exceptional. Allow a half day.
• High Street shops & dining — the Port precinct has a lovely strip of cafes, galleries, antique shops and restaurants. Oscar W's on the Murray Esplanade is a local institution for dinner.

A relaxed drive home through the gold rush heartland. No overnight stops needed — these are perfect stretch-your-legs towns.

• Bendigo (90 km from Echuca, ~1.1 hrs) — if you have an hour or two, Bendigo's golden streetscape, Central Deborah Gold Mine and excellent cafe strip are worth a stop. The Bendigo Art Gallery is one of Australia's finest regional galleries.
• Maldon (40 km from Bendigo, ~30 mins) — one of Victoria's most beautifully preserved 19th-century gold towns and Australia's first designated notable town. The main street alone is worth the stop for lunch or coffee. Allow 1–1.5 hours.
• Castlemaine (20 km from Maldon, ~15 mins) — a creative arts hub with great cafes and a beautiful market gardens precinct. If you haven't grabbed lunch at Maldon, stop here. Then it's a comfortable 130 km run back to Melbourne.

Anna and her husband travelled in a Cruisin Seeker motorhome — a comfortable, well-equipped 2-berth that handled everything from city campgrounds to riverside bush sites with ease. The Seeker's self-contained setup means you're genuinely independent at every stop: no booking cabins, no restaurant dependency, no schedule except your own.

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