The Ararat line

Beyond Ballarat the line thins out and the horizon widens. Beaufort and Ararat are stone-and-brick towns built on gold and wool, now better known for Pyrenees shiraz and as the closest rail access to the Grampians.

Ararat's station sits within a short walk of Barkly Street, the Alexandra Gardens and Gum San, and coaches connect onward to Halls Gap for anyone chasing the escarpment.

• Pyrenees wineries around Avoca and Moonambel

  Small, family-run cellar doors set in hills that look more like Tuscany than Victoria, best tackled slowly across a long weekend.

• Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre in Ararat

  Ararat is the only Australian town founded by Chinese miners, and Gum San tells that story in a striking building a short walk from the station.

• One Tree Hill lookout over the plains

  A short, sharp climb straight out of town rewards you with the whole western district laid out flat to the horizon at sunset.

• Coach connections to Halls Gap and the Grampians

  The V/Line coach picks up at the platform and drops you in Halls Gap, putting Grampians clifftop walks within reach without a car.