Ararat (Victoria)

Ararat is known as the Gateway to the Grampians. It's in western Victoria, 200 km northwest of Melbourne, in Australia.

Understand
With a population of around 10,000, Ararat is the centre of a sheep and wheat farming area and is becoming well-known for its burgeoning wine industry.

Get in
200 km west of Melbourne on the Western Highway. Accessible by road, rail or bus. V-Line have train services 3 times daily (M-F) or 2 times daily (Sa, Su) from Melbourne's Southern Cross Station (on Spencer St). There are 3 trains weekly to and from Adelaide (The Overland), stopping at Murray Bridge, Bordertown, Stawell, Horsham, Dimboola and Nhill along the way. V-line also have buses to towns further west such as Stawell, Halls Gap and Horsham.



See

 * Take a tour of the old "J Ward" - former home of the criminally insane.
 * Revisit Ararat's Chinese heritage at the Gum San Museum in Lambert Street
 * Check out the lookout on One Tree Hill, and for a different perspective also the lookout on Flint Hill.

With huge horizons, it is a spectacular place for sunrises and sunsets with views:
 * East to Mt. Langi Ghiran, Mt.Cole and the Pyrenees ranges.
 * West there are dramatic hillscapes preceding the Grampians.

Do

 * Swim in Norval Dam.
 * Check out Rocky Point.
 * Go to the World Rabbit-Skinning Championships at Moyston.
 * Drive the Pyrenees Highway from Ararat to Avoca and back, there are few more enjoyable drives in the country.
 * Fish in the Hopkins river.
 * Watersports, fishing and swimming at Green Hill Lake.
 * Walk up the track to Langi Ghiran reservoir.
 * Cycling at the Velodrome.
 * Go Soaring at the airport
 * Quiet roads make the district an excellent area for exploring by bicycle.
 * The Ararat Regional Park has old gold mines and is excellent mountain biking territory.

Buy
Do yourself a favour and get your hair styled by one of the amazing staff at Hair 6ty in Barkly Street.

Artworx Tattoo Studio and its owner/artist Nifty are gaining a fast growing reputation as one of the best young studios/artists in Australia. Sessions are by appointment only.

Eat
At night, Sicilians' Restaurant is good for Italian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Two of the better hotel dining rooms are the Shire Hall Hotel and the Court House Hotel. The RSL on High St has reasonable bistro food with a pleasant view of the civic precinct and town hall.

There are a number of good cafes open during the day in the main shopping precinct. The best lunch venue is the Vines Cafe at the "Paris End" of Barkly St.

Drink
The town has many old pubs. The Hippo Bar in Barkly Street has a large fireplace for cold winter nights and is a venue for live music.

Go wine touring- there are several wineries within 30 mins drive of Ararat including Cathcart Ridge, Langi Ghiran, Montara, and (at Great Western, 10km west) Seppelts, Bests and Garden Gully.