When most people think summer holidays, they often think beach. Sand, surf, hot sand and big crowds.
Out here in the Grampians, summer looks a little different than on the Great Ocean Road. You still get swims, sunsets, ice creams and fish and chips, but you swap the ocean for mountains, lakes and starry skies. You trade crowded foreshores for kangaroos lazing and grazing on the oval and kookaburras laughing at dusk.
If you have ever wondered what a summer in the mountains might feel like, this is your invitation to find out with a Grampians summer holiday.
1. Summer without the crowds
The Grampians gives you all the good parts of summer with plenty of s p a c e for all.
Warm days. Cool(er) nights. Big skies full of stars. Space for the kids to run around.
Walking tracks, lakes or a pool all within short distance. Even in the middle of summer there are plenty of places with less crowds, the birds and the sound of the wind in the trees.
Finish the day with a drive to Reed Lookout for one of those classic Grampians sunsets, watching the sky change over Victoria Valley, or set the alarm once for a sunrise at Boroka Lookout and see the first light spill over Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield.
2. Lakes, rock pools, fishing and swims that feel safe
Yes, the Grampians is all about peaks and lookouts, but you can absolutely still pack your bathers and your fishing rod.
On a summer trip you might:
- Spend the day by the water at Lake Bellfield, with picnic spots, shady trees and calm water for gentle swims and paddle boards, plus the chance to cast a line for trout or redfin.
- Head to Kelleys Beach at Lake Fyans, a sandy lakeside spot that gives you that beach feeling without the waves and is well known with anglers for redfin and trout.
- Walk to Fish Falls from the Zumsteins car park and feel the power of the water after good rain. Even on hot, dry days there is usually water flowing.
- Take the kids to natural rock pools like Venus Baths, a favourite for little legs and big smiles.
You still get the simple joy of a summer swims!
3. An affordable holiday that still feels special
One of the biggest benefits of choosing the Grampians over the coast is value.
Camping and caravanning keep things affordable, and once you arrive, many of the best experiences are free:
- Walks to lookouts and waterfalls.
- Lazy lake days with a picnic.
- Fishing from the shore or in a kayak.
- Kangaroo and emu spotting at sunrise and sunset.
- Stargazing around the campfire at night.
You can cook most of your meals, treat yourselves to a lunch at a winery or a pub, and still feel as though you have had a proper holiday, not an exercise in bill paying.
For families, it is that lovely mix of simple pleasures and a few memorable treats, without needing to swipe your card every hour.
4. Warm days, cool nights and better sleep
Summer in the mountains feels different on the body.
Days are warm enough for swims, walks and long lunches outside. Evenings usually cool off, especially compared with the city or the coast, which makes it easier for everyone to sleep.
It is the kind of climate where you can:
- Enjoy a late afternoon at the lake without feeling baked.
- Slip into a perfectly warm pool under the stars.
- Snuggle into a sleeping bag or cabin bed and actually feel rested in the morning.
The landscape is lush and green after the rain, waterfalls are running and the air feels clear. It is a very gentle kind of reset.
5. Real people, not faceless resorts
Another quiet joy of a Grampians summer is how many businesses are owner operated.
The person pouring your wine has probably pruned those vines. The family serving your coffee also turns up to the school concert and the local fundraiser. The guides who take you climbing, canyoning or kayaking actually live here and care deeply about this landscape.
When you book a cabin, a campsite, a glamping tent, a tour or a long lunch, you are not topping up a distant head office. You are helping local families keep doing what they love.
After a couple of tough years, that support really does matter. Every holiday booked helps local jobs, local businesses and local kids sport fees. Your choice makes a real difference.
6. Halls Gap Lakeside is the perfect base camp
Once you have decided on the Grampians and Halls Gap, where you stay shapes the whole feel of your trip.
At Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park you are close to town but feel tucked into nature. It works just as well for tents and caravans as it does for families who prefer cabins or glamping.
From your base at Halls Gap Lakeside you can:
- Wake up to nature’s alarm clock, the laughing kookaburras, and watch kangaroos grazing nearby.
- Swim in our two woodfire heated pools. In summer we keep them perfectly warm, not hot, so you can enjoy an evening soak under the stars.
- Enjoy your own campfire in one of our fire drums on designated nights, toasting marshmallows while the kookaburras chuckle in the trees.
- Let the kids roam and play while you actually sit down with a book and a cuppa.
- Use our camp kitchens and the fully equipped kitchens in our cabins, so eating out becomes a treat rather than a daily necessity.
And when you are ready to explore, it is an easy drive to:
- Lake Bellfield and Kelleys Beach for swims, picnics and fishing.
- The Halls Gap Zoo, adventure golf and the playground in town.
- Extra adventures with local operators such as Absolute Outdoors and activities at Silverband Lodge.
- Long summer lunches at Halls Gap Hotel and Pomonal Estate, with space for the kids to run.
- Cool historic wine tunnels at Best’s and Seppelt, plus Paper Scissors Rock brewery and Black and Ginger for something a little different.
- WAMA, with fantastic children’s art activities and a beautiful nature focus.
Walkers, swimmers, fishers, food lovers, wine lovers, families and anyone who simply needs to rest will all find their own version of joy here.
Ready to swap the surf for the peaks?
Halls Gap is a small community, and every booking genuinely helps this region keep thriving.
If you are standing at the crossroads between beach and mountains this year, perhaps it is time to try something different. Come and discover how good a Grampians summer can feel.
And if your own plans are already locked in but you know someone who is still deciding, it would mean the world if you shared this blogpost with them.
