Get the family together and discover fun activities in the Pyrenees!

Try out a completely new experience in the outdoors and give your children the gift of new skills, new friendships and new discoveries! Find your happy space, where the kids can burn some energy with this 2 day itinerary …no screens required!

Day 1

Beaufort Lake

Cool off during the summer months and explore Beaufort Lake. Located in the township of Beaufort, this man made lake is great for fishing, water skiing, canoeing and swimming. Be sure to pack your bikes, there is a leisurely 3km or 1km walking/cycling track around the lake with fitness equipment dotted along the way. Join countless locals running, strolling and cycling the track year-round. As you stroll the banks of the lake, you will find the Koori Art Trail with 12 art installations strategically placed around the lake.
Beaufort Lake opens to power boats in Decembers for as long as water depths permit. The lake can be seasonally dry.

 

Picnic at Ferntree Falls

Be sure to drop into our local Bakeries or pick up a specialty hamper pack from our regional café’s and head to Mount Buangor State Park to the Ferntree Falls Picnic ground. With countless breathtaking views, lush green hills, fern filled gullies and more walking tracks that you can poke a stick at, Ferntree Falls Picnic Grounds is the perfect spot to stretch your legs, enjoy the open spaces and let the kids run around.

One of the favourite walks for families is the Fern Tree Waterfalls Nature Walk. Nestled in a beautiful forest setting and beginning at Ferntree Picnic area, the 1km track weaves through lush ferns and over bridges before descending to the beautiful falls. For a longer walk, you can try the Two Mile Circuit (2.2km walk) or Mount Buangor Walk (10km walk)

For Park Maps and more walks, got to https://visitpyrenees.com.au/things-to-do/walk-and-hikes/

 

Cyril Callister Foundation Vegemite Museum

Did you know that the man who invented vegemite was born just outside of Beaufort? There is an entire museum that celebrates the man who changed the way Australians eat. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 2pm, the collection includes posters, memorabilia, old advertisements. Some of the highlights include a WWII Australian Army ration of tinned Vegemite.

 

Beaufort Township

Tree-lined streets, sprawling parks and a tonne of history make Beaufort a great destination for a family holiday. The weather in Victoria is constantly changing, hot one day and cold the next, but the amount of family activities that are around means that there is always something to do or something to see. The CBD is always thriving with family attractions and events, you are sure to find things to entertain the kids with.

Wander through the beautiful Beaufort Memorial Gardens on the west side of town where kids will find wood sculptures within colourful rose beds.

A playground and skate park is located at the South end of town so be sure to pack your bikes, skooters and skateboards. The large outdoor swimming pool is open during the Summer months.

 

Day 2

 

Pyrenees Waterfalls and Governors Rock Lookout

Pyrenees State Forest is a great place to give the kids a dose of nature and to disperse some of that excess energy. The Pyrenees Ranges offer visitors a wonderful mix of natural and cultural history, with spectacular views, rugged mountain ranges, abundant wildlife, a rich mix of wildflowers and historic sites. One of the main attractions of the forest are the Waterfalls Picnic Area (waterfalls are seasonally dry). This peaceful and spacious campground is located about 20 minutes drive from the township of Avoca. The area is very popular for trail bike riding and bushwalking, and the beautiful Avoca Falls is located an easy 0.5 km walk away.

You can’t visit Pyrenees State Forest without visiting Governors Rock Lookout. The Governor Rock Lookout Tower and Picnic Area is located on the No2 Creek Track in Percydale. The track is suitable for 2wd vehicles but runs alongside a sharp drop off, so drive carefully.

You can find the Lookout Tower a short walk from the carpark (approximately 10 minutes) where you will find a tall platform with steel steps and railing which offers spectacular views of hills, bushland and farmland. It is a great location for kids to enjoy exploring.

In1854, Alluvial Gold was found in the Pyrenees State Forest in a town called Percydale. You can pick up a self guided map from the Avoca Visitor Information Centre which will direct you to on old miners cottage, remains of a slate dairy, Union Jack Mines among other sites.

 

Lunch at Summerfield Winery

The recent renovations to Summerfield Winery have included a restaurant and an indoor and outdoor dining area which has makes a great family environment where you can go and enjoy sublime pizza and purchase some equally good artisan breads and there is plenty of room for the kids to run around.

With an emphasis on locally sourced and homegrown products, Summerfield Winery & Accommodation offers guests the best of the Pyrenees region. The perfect accompaniment to the bold, award-winning red wines the vineyard is renowned for.

 

 

Avoca Silo – The Avoca silo displays the first glow in the dark artwork in the Australian Silo Art Trail…and possibly the world! To see the glow in the dark aspect, you will have to visit at dark, however the barking owl is also worth seeing during the day to see all of the detail. The silo has two separate glow in the dark features that can be experienced after dark. First, set behind the owl is a glow in the dark starburst sky. The starburst sky and the owls eyes both glow in the dark when charged by the silos installed floodlights. There is also an interactove glow wall set on the Pyrenees Ranges below the owl where you can draw your own artworks using nothing more than light from a torch or phone torch.

 

 

Turn a weekend into a week!

You’re spoilt for choice for family friendly accommodation, each offering a little extra something to delight children and provide parents with a little more relax time. Sounds good, doesn’t it!

Click Here for some of our family friendly accommodation options for family midweek and weekend stays in the Pyrenees.