Dropped in late on our way to Port Fairy needing dinner. A massive steak sandwich for each of us…read moreand Mrs me said it was a really good lemon lime and bitters, tangy rather than sickly sweet.

Relaxation akin to Meditation that simply melts your stress away.-…read more Another delightful visit to Darlinton's Elephant Bridge Hotel. We led into the visit with a BBQ lunch at Deep Lake at Derrinallum which was very enjoyable, with a pleasant number of people around engaging in yachting, kayaking, camping and chatting. Arrived at Darlinton's beautifully refurbished Elephant Bridge Hotel at 2pm complimented with a warm welcome from owner Karin. If you are looking for an escape into a totally different dimension of life, as we were, I suggest you take a picnic rug and lay under one of the large palm trees on the undulating slope in the rear garden, with a good book and a friend to read it to you. The clouds and sky are a beauty we take for granted and rarely we take the time to lie on our backs to observe and appreciate them. On this day the sky was a brilliant blue and the fluffy white Cumulus clouds contrasted with the distinct feathery lines of the Cirrus clouds, reminiscent of those often depicted in early paintings, all of which helped to transport us back to a time that was fitting for such a fine old building. As requested in advance, Karin prepared a very pleasant evening meal and joined us later over tea, coffee and wine. Conversation flowed easily and Karin is an excellent hostess. The rooms are immaculately furnished and decorated to perfection and the bed comfortable, with a height that immediately makes my mind flash back to my grandmother's high bed from my childhood. The bathroom is large, exquisite and conveniently located. Breakfast of a magnificent nut muesli, and a generous variety of toasted breads, with a selection of spreads, is provided with the option of adding a cooked breakfast for an additional cost. To complete the day we ventured back into Derrinallum and later onto Terang Hotel Bistro, next door to IGA, for lunch, which was also an excellent meal. In the past a climb up Mt Noorat has added an interesting completion to our stay at Darlington's Elephant Bridge Hotel. Noticed on a more recent visit that the Mt Elephant Tourist Centre is open on a Sundays 1-4pm. Thus it is easy to pad out a stay at Darlington's Elephant Bridge Hotel with some simple, pleasant activities that allow the body to slow down and recharge.

This is another one of those surprises that we stumbled across out in regional Victoria. It is…read morepretty clear that this pub has been around for quite a while, and certainly hails back to the colonial days. The build, honestly, is absolutely gorgeous, and despite this being located in a rather small town, it is still running smoothly. Well sort of because it is only open at certain times, but the owner was more than happy for us to come in to have a beer, which meant that it is another pub that I could mark off my list. Anyway, this pub, as I mentioned, is absolutely gorgeous, even though the beer selection is somewhat limited. Yeah, that in my mind really doesn't matter all that much.

We often come up to the country to visit family but rarely do we venture out for a meal. On…read moresomeone's suggestion off the back of a 'new management' article in the local paper we all decided to go out. There were 6 in our group and we got there at about 7:15pm on a Saturday night. We were lucky to get a table! The room was set up as a dining room, homely tables, plates on the wall, coat rack in the corner and original metal press ceilings they are beautifully restoring. There had been a wedding there earlier in the day so flowers adorned every table, windowsill and corner. What an atmosphere! They do table service drinks and food, however we decided to go to the bar for drinks so we could keep it separate. Very VERY reasonable drinks prices. We moved on to the food menu next. It was your typical pub spread of fish and chips, steak and chicken Parma. In between those options was a grilled fish and a burger. We opted for a round of Parmas, a couple of grilled fish and the burger. Let's start with the Parma. Wasn't I pleasantly surprised when a beautifully cooked chicken breast came out with perfect tomato sauce, ham and cheese. I have grown so accustomed to processed Parmas that I was in shock. It came piled high with chips and a garden salad (great dressing!). The fish also went down a treat, apparently cooked to perfection. The burger was the surprise of the night. It came in a brioche bun with fries. My partner wouldn't stop raving about it! By the end of our mains there was nothing left on anyone's plates. When does that ever happen? Despite being too full to move we had to order dessert. Sticky date pudding with ice cream. 6 please! Again, not a crumb left. We had an absolutely perfect meal only made better by the buzzing atmosphere of the room and the friendly staff. Not one mix up and everything was served in a very timely manner given the dining room was full! Easy 5 stars.

Well, I can now say that I have visited this pub and had a beer, which means that it is another…read moreplace that I can mark off of my list of pubs to visit (though I doubt I will ever get to grace the bar of all of them). It was probably quite fortuitous when I came here because the new owners were in the process of renovating the place and turning it from a tired old country pub in the middle of nowhere into a much more fashionable establishment that doubles as tea rooms. In fact one of the things that they specialise in is high tea, though when I was passing through I didn't have time to really indulge. However, I must say that they have done a fantastic job, and the gardens out the back are simply amazing. Oh, and I should also mention that the staff are really friendly, and quite talkative, but then that is something that I would expect with country pubs.

Staying a few days in Warrnambool though an apartment would be better than just a hotel room…read more Gallery Apartments Hasn't disappointed. Very clean and modern. Ample living space and very comfortable.