On prowl for excitement: Adventure in Victoria's Grampians

WHILE the pumas of folklore are absent, Scott Podmore finds more than one way to skin a cat in the Grampians.

Grampians Chalets Deer

MENTION sightings of a puma-like beast lurking behind waterfalls and wildflowers of the Grampians region and a family adventure suddenly hits a new level of excitement.

The mere mention of mysterious big wildcats was enough to prompt my wide-eyed, nine-year-old son to pack a camera and cricket bat in the car boot. With furrowed brow and flared nostrils, he reassured me all was going to be fine.

"Just in case, Dad."

Signs of menacing prowlers in these mountains, a three-hour drive west of Melbourne, have been folklore for more than 60 years. Many say it's no myth; just take a gander at the wall of newspaper clippings and photos at the aptly named Black Cat Cafe in Halls Gap; intriguing stuff for visitors, especially kids with big imaginations.

If it were true, there's a good chance they would have been flushed out. The Grampians region was swamped with severe floods early last year, with more than 190 landslides closing roads and damaging walking tracks and campgrounds.

But its 168,000ha national park and villages are on the mend.

"We've recovered, absolutely," Grampians Tourism marketing manager Kylie Schurmann said.

"It seems that all that rain actually did do some good."

"Our spring was one of the best ever for wildflowers, waterfalls and for wildlife to breed like crazy," she said.

"Our waterways are brimming, so the fishing and other water-based activities are very popular this summer."

There were to be no big cats springing from the mountains during our stay. But enough distractions provided plenty of new discoveries in nature walks, a zoo and one of Australia's best mini-golf courses.

As the saying goes, there are many ways to skin a cat.

Here are a few highlights worth pondering for your next Grampians adventure:

Strike gold

Break the road trip from Melbourne along the Western Highway with a stop at Ararat's Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre.

The museum tells the story of Chinese prospectors who discovered one of the world's richest shallow alluvial goldfields. Try a spot of gold panning, master the art of calligraphy and play traditional Chinese games.

Rest weary bones

Accommodation in the region is diverse, from camping grounds to high-end self-contained cottages.

We lobbed at Grampians Chalets in Halls Gap, home to one and two-bedroom dazzlers connected by decking pathways and set in the heart of town on the valley floor next to the national park, with shops and cafes an easy 10-minute stroll away.

Steep mountains provided the backdrop in a patch of land where wild kangaroos, deer and emus often popped in for a rest, play or drink from the dam. Next we stayed at Southern Grampians Cottages at the foot of Mt Sturgeon in Dunkeld in a self-contained log cabin with a spa and log fire. If you're looking for high-end lodgings in a tranquil and beautiful garden setting, look no further. Famous Royal Mail Hotel is minutes away, as are many great walks or hikes, including The Piccaninny for 360-degree views (2.4km return).

Tower of power

For dining in Halls Gap, Quarry Restaurant on the banks of Stony Creek is the place to go. It's central, with first-class service and interesting quirks: classic vinyl record covers are used as menu holders (ours was Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here) and, providing you've worked up an appetite, brace yourself for the venue's signature powerhouse dish, the Quarry Tower, an artery-clogging explosion of flavours, including semi-sun-dried tomatoes, feta, oven-roasted capsicum, grilled eggplant, and yearling rump medallions, mushrooms, gravy and a blast of balsamic dressing to ensure it's not forgotten.

Young "big cat" hunter was called in to help polish it off.

Let yourself go wild

Halls Gap Zoo took us completely by surprise for how much it offered. Privately owned, it has more than 120 species of animals, including Aussie native mammal favourites, meerkats, monkeys, red panda, deer, Himalayan tahrs, several native and exotic reptiles and countless birdlife. The animal encounters are a must. "Bambi" deer surrounded my six-year-old daughter as she fed them.

Mini-golf adventure
There is no more challenging or entertaining mini-golf course as Grampians Adventure Golf. Open every day, it has been designed on the Grampians with stream crossings, jump shots, waterfalls and mini mountains.

More: Visit visitvictoria.com/Regions/Grampians.aspx

The writer was a guest of Tourism Victoria.

Getting there

The Grampians is a three-hour drive west along the Western Highway from Melbourne CBD.

Staying there
Grampians Chalets, 221 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap. Ph 5356 4866 or visit grampianschalets.com.au

Southern Grampians Cottages, 33-35 Victoria Valley Rd, Dunkeld. Ph 5577 2457 or visit grampianscottages.com.au

Doing there

Halls Gap Zoo, 4061 Ararat Halls Gap Rd, Halls Gap, ph 5356 4668 or visit hallsgapzoo.com.au

Grampians Adventure Golf, 481 Grampians Rd, Halls Gap. Visit grampiansadventuregolf.com.au

Quarry Restaurant, Stony Creek Rd, Halls Gap. Ph 5356 4858 or visit quarryrestaurant.com.au

Royal Mail Hotel, Parker St, Dunkeld. Ph 5577 2241 or visit royalmail.com.au