Your School Holiday Guide to Warrnambool & Port Fairy

Everything you need for a holiday break the whole family will love.

School's almost out, and it's time to swap the routine for salty air, sandy toes and a bit of holiday magic. Warrnambool and Port Fairy make the perfect base for a family break with plenty of camping options, free-and-easy adventures at Lake Pertobe, a fairy hunt to keep little ones spellbound, and a sugar hit or two along the way. Here's everything you need to plan a getaway the kids will be talking about until the next school holidays.

Where to Stay

Nothing beats waking up to the sound of waves and a whole day of holiday fun ahead. Whether you’re keen on beachside camping or want something a bit more set up, we’ve got you covered.

Gardens Caravan Park

Tucked beside the Botanic Gardens on the banks of the Moyne River, Gardens Caravan Park is your laid-back home base for a Port Fairy holiday. Choose a self-contained cabin or a grassy powered site, just 200 metres from East Beach. It’s an easy walk into town, down to the historic port, or out to Griffiths Island for lighthouse and mutton bird spotting.

Surfside Holiday Park

Right across the road from Warrnambool Beach, Surfside Holiday Park puts you steps from the surf and sand. Every self-contained stay comes with its own kitchen, air-con and Netflix for those low-key nights in. You’re a ten-minute walk from town and five minutes from the golf club, with a barbecue on hand for easy outdoor dinners.

Southcombe Deluxe Villas

For a bit more room to spread out, Southcombe Caravan Park’s Deluxe Villas sleep up to 8 across up to 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (smaller 1 and 2 bedroom options available too). Each comes with a full kitchen and a private deck looking out over South Beach, great for big groups or a couple of families holidaying together.

Things to Do

Little ones (and big ones) won’t run out of things to do these holidays, think fairy hunts, wide open spaces and plenty of room to run wild.

Fairy Equinox – Whimsical Fairy House Trail

The Fairy Equinox trail sends families wandering through the Botanic Gardens in Port Fairy and Koroit, around Tea Tree Lake in Mortlake, and through charming township streets in search of handcrafted fairy houses tucked among the blooms. Each one’s made by local artists and community members, so it’s as much a celebration of the region as it is a treasure hunt.

Lake Pertobe

Eight hectares of pure kid energy with giant slides, flying foxes, a maze and boat rides on the lake, plus mini golf, tennis courts and a skate park nearby if you’re after more. When it’s time to slow down, there are grassy spaces for a game of backyard cricket, free electric barbecues for lunch, and lakeside walking tracks for a stroll.

Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village

Step back in time at Flagstaff Hill, home to Victoria’s largest maritime collection with over 10,000 artefacts. Wander the museum, village and heritage precinct by day, then come back after dark for the Sound and Light experience, where stories of the Shipwreck Coast are projected onto a nine-metre water wall.

Sugar High Confectionary – Home of Warrnambool Fudge

Right in the heart of Warrnambool, Sugar High is a playground for the sweet-toothed with giant Pick ‘n’ Mix walls, and hard-to-find lollies from Australia and beyond. The star of the show is the locally made Warrnambool Fudge, hand-cut and made with butter from local farmers for that proper melt-in-your-mouth finish.

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