A stylish provincial city located at the centre of Victoria’s southwest, Hamilton offers a variety of experiences for day-trippers and holidaymakers alike. Set up a picnic at the botanical gardens, tour the museums and explore the local art galleries for a cultural tour of this thriving regional centre.
Immerse yourself in the vast range of international and Australian decorative art at Hamilton Gallery. A local treasure for over 50 years, Hamilton Gallery presents a range of exhibitions, programs and events that stimulate understanding, awareness and enjoyment of the visual arts.
Established by William Guilfoyle, curator of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, the Hamilton Botanic Gardens are one of Victoria's most outstanding regional civic gardens and rightly recognised as an important part of Victoria's Heritage.
The Gardens are open every day and are a source of interest and pleasure to residents and visitors alike. Facilities include a playground, picnic facilities, BBQ facilities, picnic shelter and walking track.
The Sir Reginald Ansett Transports Museums is dedicated to the transport and tourism pioneer Reg Ansett, who commenced his transport business in Hamilton, Victoria in 1931. The museum is based on the Ansett company's original aircraft hanger, which has been relocated to Hamilton and displays a collection of over 1,000 objects from throughout the history of Ansett Airlines.
Blessed with rolling hills, volcanic soil, a dramatic coastline and an excellent reputation for wine. The Henty wine region extends from the Hopkins River across to the South Australian border and is home to about a dozen wineries and many more vineyards.
The Henty wine region impresses with varieties such as riesling, pinot noir and chardonnay. Visit Pierrepoint Wines at the foothills of Mount Pierrepoint for pinot gris and pinot noir.
Lake Hamilton is located at the eastern end of Hamilton and is surrounded by 25 hectares of parkland. The lake provides two sandy beaches, BBQ and picnic facilities, a boat ramp, as well as a walking and cycling track that circles the entire lake. A great place for kids to play and enjoy the park’s playground. The Hamilton Park Run is a weekly 5km run around the lake free for anyone to participate.
Take a short detour from the Glenelg Highway for swimming, fishing, picnics and barbecues at Nigretta Falls, a small waterfall fed by the Wannon River. View the falls from above and enjoy the picnic tables and barbecue facilities or take the stairway leading to the base, where water pools provide excellent secluded swimming and fishing spots.
Campes Motor Museum is every motor enthusiast’s dream come true. Founded more than three decades ago, the museum is home to vintage cars and an array of motor memorabilia.
You will find Campes Motor Museum, just behind the famous Big Woolbales, and only 3kms north-west of the Hamilton city centre.
Mount Napier is one of the youngest volcanoes in Australia. It erupted about 32,000 years ago. It was named by Major Thomas Mitchell after the three Napier brothers, who he had served alongside during the Peninsular War. Mitchell named it in August 1836, during his third expedition across south-eastern Australia. The local Aboriginal name for the mount is Tapoc. Mount Napier State Park is located 270 kilometres west of Melbourne and 17 km south of Hamilton
Kids of all abilities and ages will have fun at this park! Offering over 90 different experiences with equipment including rope pyramid, climbing wall, slides, spinners, swings, climbing mountains, see-saw, rope hammock, birds’ nest, sandpit, diggers, ship structure and much more.
For water lovers, Lakes Edge also has water features for warmer days as well as a massive sandpit with interactive elements which is one of the highlights of the park. This spacious, all-abilities playground is a reflection of the natural environment of Hamilton.
The Hamilton Parklands Bandicoot Enclosure was set up the ensure the survival of the endangered species, The Eastern Barred Bandicoot. These Bandicoots are being bred in their natural habitat at Hamilton and then being sent to other areas in Victoria where they can be safety bred to increase the size of the population to ensure their survival.
The Parklands at Hamilton is not only a secure breeding ground for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot but contains a beautiful wildlife walk around the old Hamilton reservoir. This walk has signs that have beautiful paintings of all the fauna and flora in the parkland. The walk around the reservoir in this beautiful natural bushland takes only a little over half an hour. You will see native birds and wildlife, as well as all the native plants representative of our western district bushlands and grassy plains.
