First, a geography lesson. Think of the Grampians Ranges (also known as Gariwerd) as an examination mark that rears up emphatically from the patchwork plains of western Victoria. Dunkeld is the dot at the bottom. More anonymous than the adventure tourism hub of Halls Gap, this small, farming town has been quietly blossoming into a destination for a more sophisticated type of regional escape, thanks largely to the continual evolution of the Royal Mail Hotel.
The humble, bluestone inn on the main drag was purchased by the local Myers family in the 1980s, revamped extensively and houses the two-hatted Wickens restaurant. Its reach has now expanded to the countryside, with the opening of the refurbished deluxe Mount Sturgeon one-bedroom cottages, just three kilometres from town, set in seclusion inside the Mount Sturgeon biodiversity reserve that abuts Grampians National Park. A new two-night Gariwerd Luxury Escape Package allows guests to enjoy the full country-culinary experience.
A new two-night Gariwerd Luxury Escape Package allows guests to enjoy the full country-culinary experience. To help to fulfil the “luxury” and “escape” side of things, I’ve been loaned a Mercedes-Benz S-Class saloon, a $400,000 dream machine named 2021’s World Luxury Car of the Year. The transition from city to country is thus achieved in supreme comfort, thanks to the air suspension, sumptuous leather seats (with massage function) and lane-holding steering assist. The serrated silhouette of the Grampians appears in the west after three effortless hours, backlit by the setting sun…
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