Travel Time: Approximately 5 – 5.5 hours.
General Directions:
- Take M1 and Princes Highway to Lucknow
- Take Exit toward Great Alpine Red /Omeo Hwy (B500)
- Arrive at Dinner Plain Village
Route Map
For those living in the South-Eastern suburbs, the Mornington Peninsula or Gippsland, the route to Dinner Plain via Bairnsdale and Omeo takes approximately the same time as heading through Melbourne and then north along the Hume Freeway (approximately 4-5 hours once you are on the highway). It is far more scenic overall and the roads are less likely to be closed by avalanches or high winds. We usually take this route to Dinner Plain and then come home via Hotham and Bright – that way we have the greatest certainty of arriving at our booked accommodation in good time and a change of scenery each direction, so we really get the best of both worlds!
General Directions
Take Princess Highway to Bairnsdale proceeding to the roundabout intersection with Omeo Highway. Turn left towards Bruthen and left again towards Omeo. Pass through Tambo Crossing and Ensay to Omeo. Omeo is the last place to refuel and for a larger grocery shop before heading on to Dinner Plain and 43km from Dinner Plain. This route takes approximately 5 to 6 hours, again depending on where you leave from.
Destinations Between Melbourne and Dinner Plain
The Princes Highway wends its way through many towns so you have plenty of options for breaking up the drive. Our favourites are Yarragon Village, Bairnsdale and Swift’s Creek.
Yarragon Village
Yarragon Village is a charming country town at the base of the Strezlecki Ranges. It’s famous for it’s wines, cheeses and other gourmet delights, so it’s perfect for a lunch or afternoon tea break. If you like galleries, antiques, homewares, and crafts then you’ll enjoy a stroll through the village, although you’ll want to keep an eye on the time – it’s that delightful!
Bairnsdale
One of the larger towns in Gippsland, it has plenty of food options. We tend to buy some food in town then continue on to Howitt’s Park (just after you pass through Bairnsdale on the way to Swifts Creek) for lunch and a leg stretch. You can take a walk by the river and there are clean toilets there.
Swifts Creek
A typical Victorian farming town, Swifts Creek boasts a large number of sporting clubs and is home to the Tambo Race Course. It is growing in popularity as a tourist destination, but is still quite charming.
This is your last stop before you start to climb up the winding road! The bathroom stop is next to the primary school before you get to the shops. If we leave Melbourne early then we visit the bakery at Swifts Creek for our lunch.
Keiko on arrival at Dinner Plain
