Discover the best of the East while enjoying Ararat’s breathtaking scenery and natural beauty. From the picturesque Mount Cole, Langi Giran State Park and Ararat Hills Regional Park to the famous Grampian National Park, visitors will be spoilt for choice. Fishing enthusiasts will be delighted with the large lakes and rivers.
For those interested in dark history, a visit to the famed Jay Ward Prison or Aradale Asylum will transport you back in time. Alternatively, return to a more prosperous time and discover Aradale’s place in the Victorian Gold Rush at the Gum San Chinese Heritage Museum.
If food and wine are more your thing, there’s no shortage of fine dining options and award-winning wineries. Enjoy a relaxing day at a beautiful winery, where you can taste the wines, beers, and ciders produced in the Grampian region.
Towns in the East
There are many places to stay in Ararat, including motels and campsites, from luxury glamping to modern motels and well-equipped caravan parks. If you prefer an unconventional holiday, the Eastern Grampians have much to offer, such as Lake Bolac and Ponomal.
You can also explore the nearby rural towns of Buangor, Villaura, Streatham, and Moystone, home to Australian football. Consider making Ararat your holiday destination, as it offers a variety of attractions and activities.
Join us on a Grampians tour and discover the breathtaking scenery, unique wildlife, and ancient rock formations of this UNESCO-listed National Park.
Ararat
Situated at the foot of the Grampians Mountains and surrounded by picturesque pastures, Ararat is the centre of a region of tranquil and inspiring natural attractions, including Grampians National Park (Garivird), Langi Giran (Lar ne gerin), Mount Cole, Mount Buangor and the Ararat Hills Regional Park.
Nearby is the Grampians wine region, a historic and emerging region known for its high-quality wines and picturesque vineyards.
You can take the Rotundone Road Shiraz Adventure to explore something different. This journey takes you through the Australian bush to visit three boutique wineries. Drive under the eucalyptus canopy, get close to the sights and sounds of local wildlife, smell the spicy, peppery Shiraz from cooler climates and taste some of Victoria’s finest wines.
Discover various cultural and historical sites, including the cool J-Ward Gaol and Aradale Asylum. These one-of-a-kind institutions will captivate anybody who enters through their haunting steel doors.
Moyston
Moyston is an excellent stopover between Ararat and Halls Gap on the main Grampians route.
As the birthplace of the AFL, it’s no surprise that the longest kicking competition in Moyston is one of the highlights of the Easter Market, with participants travelling great distances to showcase their kicking skills and try to win the coveted prize.
A monument to Tom Wills stands opposite the entrance to the recreational reserve, and visitors can mark the occasion by kicking a ball on the MCG (Moyston Cricket Ground), where it all began and where football is still played today.
The discovery of gold in 1857 triggered a gold rush and the creation of Moyston, whose population peaked at around 30,000.
Today, Moyston is a small town with a big heart.
Lake Bolac
Lake Bolac is on the Glenelg/Ararat-Mortlake Highway, 35 minutes south of Ararat. It is near the Grampian (Garriverd) National Park and the Great Ocean Road. The town is an essential hub for the neighbouring fields and a tourist destination.
The freshwater lake stretches for 27 kilometres along the shore and covers an area of 1,460 hectares. When complete, Lake Bolac reaches a depth of 6-7 feet and is a popular destination for boating, fishing and sailing.
Pomonal
Stop to smell the wildflowers in Pomonał, a picturesque village set against the beautiful backdrop of the Grampians (Harwich) National Park, just a 10-minute drive from Halls Gap. Famous for its native flowers and orchids, the green hills provide a beautiful backdrop for nature walks, vineyard visits and farming expeditions.
Willaura
This friendly little town is a 25-minute drive south of Ararat, on the eastern slopes of the Grampian (Garivird) National Park. Villauri is home to various local businesses, including a bakery, art galleries and a candle-making workshop.
There is also a recreation reserve where you can stretch your legs, walk your dog and fly a kite. An outdoor swimming pool (December to March), tennis courts, playground, shady trees and free barbecues make this reserve a haven of tranquillity at any time of year.
A kilometre-long hiking trail nearby takes visitors around one of the area’s intriguing lignin bogs and introduces them to its unique history and ecological features.
See & Do
Langi Ghiran State Park
Rugged granite peaks and gently sloping forests are the dominant features of this park. A pleasant hike to the top of the mountain offers panoramic views of the ancient red eucalyptus trees of the surrounding plains, bordering Mount Buangor to the East and the distant Grampian Mountains to the west. Lar-ne-girang (Langi Giran) comes from the Jab Wurrung language and means “home of the black cockatoo”.
Before you hit the road
Conditions in the parks can change for many reasons. For the latest information on changing local conditions, please visit the relevant park’s page on the Parks Victoria website.
Be prepared for wildfires in the outdoors. Check out the Bushfire Safety section of the Parks Victoria website for tips on how to stay safe.
Town's Gallery TAMA
Established in 1968, Ararat TAMA (Australian Museum of Textile Art) holds a unique place among Australian public galleries for its long-standing commitment to supporting and promoting textile and fibre art. This curatorial and collecting work began in the early 1970s.
Since the early 1970s, the gallery has continued to collect works of art based on textiles and fibres. Today, its collection is perhaps the largest in Australia.
Aradale Lunatic Asylum
Aradale Lunatic Asylum was an Australian psychiatric hospital in the rural town of Ararat in Victoria. The hospital was opened in 1867 and served as a home for the mentally ill and mentally disabled until 1993. At its peak, it housed nearly 1,000 patients. In 1887, the Jay Ward was added to Aradale to provide a more secure location for criminal offenders.
Aradale was previously known as the Ararat Lunatic Asylum. Aradale and its twin asylums at Kew and Beechworth were created to accommodate the growing number of ‘insane’ people in Victoria Colony. Construction began in 1880, and patients began attending the asylum in 1865. The asylum was closed in 1998. At its peak, Aradale received up to 900 patients a year. It is a vast complex consisting of 70 interesting abandoned historic buildings.
Wander through the cavernous halls and rooms of the institution where Victoria’s mentally ill were treated and housed for over 140 years.
Tours are available every Sunday and Wednesday at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, lasting between 90 and 120 minutes. Group bookings are available, but no more than 25 people per group.
Tickets can be purchased at the Ararat and Grampians Visitor Information Centre or by calling the telephone number listed.
J Ward, Ararat's Old Gaol and Lunatic Asylum
Take a guided tour of J Ward, the former prison and insane asylum in Ararat. You will hear stories of killers, ghosts, and the maltreatment of the mentally ill.
J Ward is a two-and-a-half hour drive from Melbourne, near Grampians, and is open daily for guided tours run by passionate volunteers from the Friends of J Ward organisation. It is visited by over 10,000 people every year.
Guided tours run daily at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm, with additional tours at 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sundays, Victorian public holidays and school holidays (excluding Christmas).
Jay Ward began life as a gold mine prison in 1859. When the gold ran out in the mid-1880s, the jail buildings were purchased by the Department of Insanity to provide temporary housing for the criminally insane. The county jail became a branch of the Ararat Asylum, where Victoria’s most depraved and dangerous men were held in appalling conditions and under the highest security.
FAQ
What are the must-visit natural attractions near Ararat?
Mount Cole, Langi Ghiran State Park, Ararat Hills Regional Park, and the UNESCO-listed Grampians National Park are top picks for hiking, wildlife spotting, and scenic views.
Are there any historical sites to explore in Ararat?
Yes — you can tour the eerie Aradale Asylum and J Ward Prison for a glimpse into Victoria’s dark past, or visit the Gum San Chinese Heritage Museum for gold rush history.
Where can I enjoy local food and wine in the region?
The Grampians wine region offers boutique vineyards, cellar-door tastings, and gourmet dining. The Rotundone Road Shiraz Adventure is a popular wine trail.
Which nearby towns are worth visiting?
Moyston (birthplace of AFL), Lake Bolac (water sports hub), Pomonal (wildflowers), and Willaura (local arts and markets) are all within easy reach.
How can I prepare for outdoor activities in the parks?
Check the Parks Victoria website for current conditions, carry bushfire safety information, and pack essentials like water, sun protection, and sturdy shoes.
