Golf road trip · 7 days from Melbourne
Campervan Golfing Road Trip Victoria, Australia
Victoria might be Australia's smallest mainland state, but it's not short on golf — the trick is picking a region and committing to it rather than trying to cover the whole state in one trip. This itinerary sticks to Gippsland and the High Country and gives you five genuinely different courses in one week, with a proper scenic drive between each one.
Take in the sights along the way, eat well at the regional restaurants that make these towns worth visiting in their own right, and enjoy the hospitality of the country clubhouses. As they say around these parts — golf is life.
- DistanceAbout 945 km
- Days7 days, 5 drives
- RouteLoop from Melbourne
- Driving timeAbout 16 h by campervan
- Longest drive340 km, Melbourne to Lakes Entrance
- VehicleCampervan
- Best timeLate spring to early autumn
Distances and times from mapped routes. Driving times are car times plus about 20% for a campervan.
This trip crosses the Country of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung, Bunurong, Gunaikurnai, Taungurung, Dhudhuroa and other First Nations peoples. Traditional Custodians
Header photo: Mansfield Golf Club
Green fees below are current as at November 2026 but golf clubs adjust pricing regularly — always check the club's website or call ahead, and book well in advance over long weekends.
Before you book
Hiring a campervan for this trip
- Snow season
This loop crosses Mount Hotham, so it's a late spring to early autumn trip: plan it for about November to April. Apollo, Britz, Maui and Mighty ban their 2WD vans from all ski access roads from 1 June to 30 September, and Let's Go keeps its vans below the snow line from 1 May to 31 October. Planning it between May and October? Ask us before you book, and we'll check the route with the rental company. More on alpine resort roads in snow season.
- Heating
Nights inland and in the High Country are cold for much of the year, so a van with heating in the living area is worth having. More on heating and cooling.
- Your route
All rental vendors in Australia have restrictions on where their vehicles can be taken, so discuss your planned route with the rental company when you pick up. A 2WD van suits the sealed highways on this loop. See road restrictions.
- Where you stay
We book vans, not campsites. You can book holiday parks and campgrounds directly, or find them with an app. More on camping and overnight stays in Victoria.
Picking up in Melbourne
Several branches are in Tullamarine, 5–7 km from Melbourne Airport, and Apollo, Britz, Maui, Maui Elite, Mighty and Mighty Lite share one branch at Somerton, about 18 km away (Melbourne branches). Most branches hand over vans until about 3pm. Day 1 is a long drive plus a round of golf, so book the earliest pick-up you can, or pick up the afternoon before and stay near the branch so you can leave first thing (pick-up times and late flights).
Days 1–2: Bairnsdale & Lakes Entrance
- Drive
- 340 km from Melbourne
- about 5 h 30 min by campervan
- Via Princes Highway
340 km so farDay 1
Melbourne to Lakes Entrance, via Bairnsdale Golf Club · Eagle Point
- Pick-up
- Longest drive
Photo: Bairnsdale Golf Club Morning
Collect your campervan in Melbourne and head east along the Princes Freeway and Princes Highway into Gippsland.
Afternoon
Bairnsdale Golf Club: nestled between Eagle Point Bay and Lake King with lovely views over the hinterland mountains, this mostly flat, scenic course is a local favourite — so don't try to play on a Saturday, and Sunday can be tricky too. Lakes Entrance isn't far, so you have the option of swapping the courses around and saving Bairnsdale for a Monday. Also a terrific spot for wildlife sightings.
Green fees$57 (18 holes), $41 (9 holes) for visitors, effective 1 July 2026 (East Gippsland residents pay $52 and $36). Contact the pro shop for cart hire.
Evening
Drive on to Lakes Entrance, about 50 minutes by campervan, for the first of two nights.
StayWaters Edge Holiday Park, on the Esplanade in Lakes Entrance itself, about a 50-minute drive by campervan to Bairnsdale Golf Club. Stay two nights and use it as your base for both courses.
- Lakes Entrance Golf Club is in townOne outing from Lakes Entrance
Day 2
Lakes Entrance Golf Club
- 2 nights
- Top 100 public-access
Photo: Lakes Entrance Golf Club Morning
Lakes Entrance Golf Club: a fairly easy course (if there is such a thing) to start you off — if it's windy, you won't agree with that assessment. But the wildlife, natural beauty and surrounding scenery are the full package, and it's ranked in the top 100 public-access courses in Australia: No. 88 in Golf Australia magazine's 2025 Top-100 Public Access ranking.
Green fees$50 (18 holes), $40 seniors; motorised carts available, ask the pro shop for the price.
StaySame base at Waters Edge — it's right in Lakes Entrance, so this is your closest course of the whole trip.
Side trip: PaynesvilleOptional
Lovely walks around the Paynesville foreshore, docks and esplanade — a perfect foil to 18 holes. The Paynesville Hotel on the esplanade is a good spot for a drink while you explore the town.
EatAll worth the drive over to Paynesville for dinner:
- the Paynesville Motor Cruiser Club's restaurant, with water views (book ahead)
- pizza and pasta at Three Double8 Zero Pizza Bar & Grill on the Esplanade (dine-in on Friday and Saturday evenings)
- seasonal local produce at Pier 70 on the waterfront (book ahead and check opening days)
Days 3–4: Into the High Country
- Drive
- 115 km from Lakes Entrance
- about 2 h 10 min by campervan
- Via Great Alpine Road
460 km so farDay 3
Lakes Entrance to Tambo Valley Golf Club · near Swifts Creek
- Camp at the course
Photo: Tambo Valley Golf Club All day
Tambo Valley Golf Club: this little 9-hole gem — locals call it "Little Augusta" — is country golf at its very best. Set among towering pines with Junction Creek running through it, it's entirely volunteer-run and an honest hidden gem of Victoria's high country. The extra-special feature at Tambo Valley is camping right at the course itself.
The drive itself, between the coast and the highlands, is the whole point of this leg. Take it slow.
Book ahead:Camping at the course is first in, first served, and it fills up for the March and October tournaments. Contact the club secretary before you leave Lakes Entrance, and pick up supplies for your evening meal before you go, since Swifts Creek is genuinely remote.
Green feesAbout $20 for all-day play, no carts (it's a walking course; push buggies are free). Contact the club to confirm before you arrive, as this one's run entirely by volunteers and pricing/booking is informal.
StayAt the course — about $25 per person per day with golf included ($10 for a non-golfing partner), paid before you set up. Travelling with a dog? Check with the club first.
- Drive
- 130 km from Tambo Valley
- about 2 h 30 min by campervan
- Via Great Alpine Road
590 km so farDay 4
Tambo Valley to Bright, over Mount Hotham
- Over Mount Hotham
Photo: Bright Country Golf Club Morning
Follow the Great Alpine Road through Omeo and over Mount Hotham, then down through Harrietville to Bright.
SeasonDrive this leg from late spring to early autumn (about November to April). In the declared snow season, every vehicle going to Mount Hotham must carry chains, and Apollo, Britz, Maui and Mighty ban their 2WD vans from all ski access roads from 1 June to 30 September. For a May to October trip, ask us before you book: we'll check whether your brand allows the Great Alpine Road, and which way round to go.
Afternoon
Bright Country Golf Club: a sophisticated country classic — a Goldilocks course, not too easy, not too hard. Allowing for drought, these will be some of the best greens and fairways you'll see on a country course. Bright is one of the jewels in the high country crown — enjoy the town, the restaurants and the golf in equal measure.
Green feesAbout $50 (18 holes), $30 (9 holes); carts for hire, ask the pro shop for the price.
Evening
StayBIG4 Tasman Holiday Parks – Bright, 1 Mountbatten Avenue (recently rebranded, same great riverfront spot). There are a few good holiday parks in Bright, but we still rate this one for its Ovens River location.
EatThree of the best places to eat in the region:
- Elm Dining for fine dining (note — it closes over winter, about May to October, so check before you plan around it)
- The Riverdeck Kitchen for breakfast and lunch with river views
- Bright Brewery for pub food, its own beers and regular events
Days 5–7: Mansfield & home
- Drive
- 180 km from Bright
- about 2 h 50 min by campervan
- Via Great Alpine Road
770 km so farDay 5
Bright to Mansfield
Photo: Mansfield Golf Club All day
Mansfield Golf Club: after a few years in the doldrums, Mansfield has pulled up its socks and now offers a genuinely fine alpine golfing experience. The clubhouse is a touch fancier than the other two high country courses on this trip, so enjoy the offerings — the on-site dining and function space is now known as The Ranges, with views over the course to the Victorian Alps.
Green feesAbout $62 (18 holes), $42 (9 holes); motorised cart about $60 (18 holes).
StayHigh Country Holiday Park — not as scenic as some Mansfield options, but it's a few minutes' walk to the shops, and about a 30-minute walk to the course if you fancy stretching your legs after a few days behind the wheel.
EatThe Ranges, right at the course.
- A free day in Mansfield
Day 6
A day in Mansfield
- 2 nights
A spare day in Mansfield: play the course again, or rest before the drive home.
- Drive
- 175 km from Mansfield
- about 3 h 15 min by campervan
- Via Maroondah Highway
945 km so farDay 7
Mansfield to Melbourne
- Return
Returning in Melbourne
Drop-off times are often earlier than people expect, so check yours. If you have an early flight, returning the van the day before can take the pressure off. Fill up near your branch before you return the van, with the fuel type your rental company specifies (returning the van in Melbourne).
So many courses, so little time — don't waste any, get planning.
About this itinerary
DriveNow receives no money or commission for any holiday park, campground, hotel, restaurant, cafe, pub, tour or attraction named on this page. We include them because they suit a campervan trip, and we check them from time to time.
DriveNow's suggested itineraries help you plan your own trip. Distances and times are from mapped routes and are a guide only; road conditions, closures, opening hours and prices change, so check them before you travel. Any reliance on this itinerary is at your own discretion.