Regional Vic kid friendly getaway ideas!

[Beach Mama]

DH and I have decided to head away for the weekend with the kids. I was intially thinking Ballarat but it's snowing htere today and am a bit worried it will be too cold Yes I know it's winter.... Anyway any ideas peeps?? Other idea was Echuca. No more than 3 hours from Melbs, open to taking our caravan depending on where we go and need stuff to do with 2 kids craving our time and attention!

[FabFiona]

I love the Geelong / Barwon Heads region. Lots to do down that way, it will be cold because it's close to the coast but then everything is cold.

there's something about the beach that makes me feel like I'm on holiday, even if it's freezing.

[Cassius2]

we actually really like Bendigo

[TaRhLi.]

I live just out of Ballarat, yep it is cold today but no snow it's around 7c. It very rarely actually snows in Ballarat - I think the last time was about 4 yrs ago

If you are looking at going west, Warrnambool, Bendigo, Maryborough, Castlemaine, although whereever you go in those areas at this time of year it will be cold. Oh and Bendigo actually gets colder temperatures at night than Ballarat does...

[Beach Mama]

Thanks TaRhiLi! Someone told me it's snowing - glad they are wrong! 7 though brrrr~ having said that it's awful here too! Anywhere will be cold, so we just want to make sure we have lots of options of things to do if it pours.

Having said that, DH might need to work so we may not be going - will decide tomorrow once he gets to work! Talk about last minute.

[TaRhLi.]

Yep definitely no snow... DH works in Ballarat and he said it was freezing but all clear on the snow front. Prediction is to snow down to 500m, and Ballarat is 400m above sea level so will miss any predications this time around

I must admit though Ballarat is much nicer to visit in the spring time when the weather is nicer and all the leaves are on the trees and you can enjoy the playground at Lake Wendouree and all the other outdoor activites. In winter is is dull, miserable and freezing cold...

[feeb]

My suggestions would be Bendigo, Phillip Island, Paynsville, Shepparton. Echuca is lovely really like it there we grew up not far from there so went often.

[Netix]

It was 18 here today. But still felt cold due to an icy wind. However Swan Hill is just over your three hour drive time. Hope you find somewhere cool.

[jlk]

Echuca is good or Bright

[Boo Boo]

I love beechworth...

[~*Niadalla*~]

Have you thought about basing yourself in a larger regional town and going for day drives? This is my FAVOURTIE thing to do with the kids. We go to really small country towns and find the best playgrouds and places to explore. Alot of the smaller towns have big old steam engines for the kids to climb up onto and look around and we just find it really interesting. Might just be our weirdness though.

I'd suggest Bendigo, Echuca, Shepp for places to go. Ballarat just doesn't seem as family friendly (although that could just be because I grew up in Bendigo and we have a rivalry apparently). I STILL haven't taken my kids to kidstiwn in Shepp. Must do that this coming hoildays. It looks really good.

[DaintreeDream]

I live near Echuca, it is kind of cold at the moment but I don't think it is that bad. They have the billabong ranch there that the kids might like.

[Dansta]

beechworth is lovely, it has the old lollie shop (weathers not too bad out this neck of the woods) bright has some interestings stuff. and some nice places to stay too. the drive from wangaratta to bright is really nice (we did about 1/2 of it two weeks ago, and there was snow, lol)
wang's good too. got some nice craravan parks, more motels then you can poke a stick at. there is an indoor play center too that said we're 3 n a bit hours from melbs.