Glenelg Highway, Australia: Length, towns and tourist attractions
The Glenelg Highway is 300km long, and runs from Ballarat in Victoria to Mount Gambier in South Australia. Main towns and tourist attractions on the way include Dunkeld, Hamilton, Coleraine and Wannon Falls.
The Glenelg Highway in Australia is a curious connection between Victoria and South Australia. Curious, that is, because it threads between the two most popular routes – along the Great Ocean Road and coastal roads, or along the Western Highway.
How long is the Glenelg Highway?
Badged as the B160, the Glenelg Highway stretches for 300km, almost all of it through regional Victoria. The last 15km is on the South Australian side of the border.
The Glenelg Highway links Ballarat in Victoria to Mount Gambier in South Australia.
Towns on the Glenelg Highway
The B160 starts in the southern suburbs of Ballarat, before heading through Smythesdale, Scarsdale and Linton. The Scarsdale Plantation is to the north of the highway.
From there, things get very rural indeed, as the Glenelg Highway goes through Skipton and Lake Bolac on the way to the Southern Grampians.
Road trip via Dunkeld, Hamilton and Coleraine
Here, Dunkeld is probably the single best stop along the Glenelg Highway. There are plenty of things to do in Dunkeld, including dining at the Royal Mail Hotel and climbing Mount Sturgeon.
From Dunkeld, the Glenelg Highway continues to Hamilton – the largest town along the route. To the north-west of Hamilton, the highly attractive Wannon Falls and Nigretta Falls are just a short diversion off the highway.
You might also want to stop at the Peter Francis Points Arboretum in Coleraine. Along with Casterton, Coleraine is the only place vaguely describable as a town before you reach the South Australian border.
Glenelg Highway to South Australia
Other potential diversions before reaching South Australia include the Balgallah Plantation and the Wilkin Flora and Fauna Reserve. Both of these protected green spaces lie to the south of the highway.
Once in South Australia, the Glenelg Highway joins the Princes Highway in Glenburnie, just outside Mount Gambier.
The best things to do in Mount Gambier are the caves, lakes and sinkholes. The Umpherston Sinkhole is in the city centre, while the Kilsby Sinkhole, Blue Lake and Little Blue Lake are a short drive away.
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