Road from Mt Gambier to Ballarat.

[suziq]

Hi Everyone,
We are on our travels for this year, left Cairns on 1st of May went down to Adelaide for 5 weeks & now are slowly meandering our way back to Cairns going through country we have not traveled through before or very long ago,expecting to get home mid October for the start of the Cyclone Season.
My question is the road from Mt Gambier to Ballarat via Casterton, Coleraine, Hamilton is it very Hilly or Mountainous? I know it is at the bottom of the Grampians but have never gone this way before so was just wondering what to expect. We did the New England Ranges last year & although I didn't have a problem driving through them they were a bit steeper than I thought they would be.
Any help with this query would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Sue.

[Homerj]

There's a few hilly bits around Casterton and Coleraine but they're not huge.  Muntham Hill between the two towns is the biggest and it's steeper going downhill than it is uphill the direction you're travelling. 

[areyonga]

No mate, not hilly, just your ordinary drive.  The best way is from Mt Gambier through Casterton to Hamilton then to Glen Thompson and turn up to Ararat then along the highway to Ballarat.  While its about 25klms longer it is much faster as you dont go through all the little towns and its generally a flat drive with just a few small hills.  Most of the road from Ararat to Ballarat is dual lane and an easy drive.

I take this route frequently .

Trevor

[denidoug]

As "areyonga" said,but as you are not in a hurry,turn left at Dunkeld and go through the Grampians to HAlls Gap and onto Arrarat,good scenic drive and heaps to see,worth staying cupla days

[GeoffA]

Don't bypass the Grampians. Allow a couple of days to look around.

[westvic]

Don't bypass the Grampians. Allow a couple of days to look around.

yep definitely recommend this

If you do keep an eye on weather as there is a reasonable chance of snow on Mt William (highest peak in Grampians)