Colac is the major town of the Western District and only an hour’s drive South West of Geelong and is for many people a pass-through town with easier route to Lorne keeping of the busy Great Ocean Road and instead travelling though the Otways. But Colac has so much to offer for the visitor, the rich farmland produces some of the state’s best dairy, beef and lamb and has a thriving gourmet foods industry.
The good shopping strip of Murray Street features many of the country’s big brands including Target and Dimmey’s but there are still many family run stores which give the town centre its charm. Many new cafes, bars and boutiques have opened up in recent years giving the town a much more modern feel, without hurting the wholesome country charm which Colac is known for.
Memorial Square in the heart of the city is home to many of the city’s major events. This beautiful tree lined square is also a beautiful tribute to those who fell in the First World War and a perfect place for picnic or BBQ with great facilities.
Close to the city is the beautiful Colac Botanical Gardens which covers 12 hectares and dates back to 1910. The gardens are home to many historic trees and a great place to relax and take in the beautiful plantings and scenery. Next door is Lake Colac, the recent drought has not been kind to the lake and it is pretty much a dry bed, but it will hopefully soon bounce back to its former glory making it one of the best playgrounds in Colac, with great fishing and boating and other water activities. The lake is also home to a wide array of birdlife including ducks, waders, swans and pelicans.
The lake surrounds offer plenty of walking and hiking tracks and there is a large collection of fantastic artwork from local artists to see including the Tachyglossus Mosaic which was built by local artists and depicts some of the amazing native wildlife and plant life found around the Colac region, many which are unique to this part of the state.
Only a short drive from Colac towards Camperdown are the volcanic plains which are some of the largest in the world. Here the terrain is very interesting with lots of small lakes and marshes. The vegetation is also quiet special with many rare orchids and other plant life. There are an amazing number of interesting animals living on and around the plains including the eastern banded bandicoot, the plains wanderer which is a bit like a quail and legless lizard.
The Red Rock extinct Volcano is also another great trip from Colac, it is believed this volcano is Australia’s youngest dormant volcano and formed somewhere between 6 and 12 thousand years ago. The Lookout is quiet spectacular being about 230 metres above sea level taking in the whole vista of Lake Corangamite which is Australia’s largest permanent inland salt lake.
