Goulburn Valley

When the stone fruit season opens in the Goulburn Valley, the roadside stalls appear with peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums picked that morning — the kind of fruit that doesn't survive the drive to a supermarket, let alone the cold chain to a city shelf. This is one of Australia's great fruit bowls, and eating your way through the Goulburn Valley in summer is a legitimate reason to visit.

The Goulburn River itself is the spine of the region — clear, cold and excellent for camping along its tree-lined banks. The river corridor is protected in large stretches, with river red gums arching over permanent water holes where Murray cod hold in the deep runs and yellow-bellied blackfish dart in the shallows.

Lake Eildon, to the east, is Victoria's largest reservoir and a spectacular holiday destination in its own right — 150 kilometres of shoreline, good houseboat hire, and reliable camping for families who want a full-service experience. The Strathbogie Ranges above the valley floor are cooler and less-visited — winding roads through grey box woodland with excellent walk-in campsites and almost no one around.