Camping – Walking – Fishing
Camping
Perfectly positioned around the edges of Rocklands are six tranquil and serene camping grounds, all of which form superlative bases for exploration and relaxation for you, your family and your pet/s. You heard right, pets. Pets are welcome at Rocklands, and won’t they (and you) just love camping along the banks of the Reservoir. Fishing, water skiing, swimming, boating, canoeing and all those other fun water-based escapades are a mere hop, skip, jump and splash away.
The six location buoys on the water of the Reservoir signify the six main campgrounds:
- Mountain Dam – boat ramp, toilets, suitable for camping, pets welcome
- Ferguson’s Camp – boat ramp, toilets, suitable for camping, pets welcome
- Glendinning Camp – boat ramp, toilets, suitable for camping and caravanning, pets welcome
- Brody’s Camp – suitable for camping, pets welcome
- Henry’s Camp – suitable for camping, pets welcome
- Brookes Camping Reserve – suitable for camping, pets welcome
Camping at the above sites is FREE! As such, the sites operate on a first-come-first-served basis, no bookings are required, but it is advised that you arrive early during peak times because these are popular spots!
Rocklands Tourist Park, although not a free campsite, is impeccably placed near the Rocklands dam wall and offers up the luxury of powered sites. Exploration of Rocklands is still so very simple, with the locale of the park minutes away from all the wonders of the Reservoir. Pets are also welcome at the park.
And taking into consideration that not everyone is a camper, there are also accommodation options for the more indoor kind of camper. Rocklands Retreat (formerly Southern Grampians Wilderness Resort) is a 230-acre secluded, eco-friendly resort that is dotted luxury log cottages. Rocklands Lodge provides ideal accommodation for larger groups (sleeps 12 to 40 people) but also caters to the smaller sets too (Rocklands Cottage sleeps up to 5 people). The lodge and the cottage are both a short stroll to Rocklands Reservoir.
Walking
Trekking, ambling, hiking, wandering, trudging, climbing; the walks in and around Rocklands deliver on all the different varieties of walking. The nearby Black Range State Park (Burrunj) provides excellent bushwalking. There are three tracks to discover, all of which vary in length, scenery, style, pace and level.
The Mudadgadjiin Shelter walk is a 400m return trip. This short walk takes you to an Aboriginal art site that the local Aboriginal people place significant importance upon for thousands of years.
The Rock Escarpment Discovery walk is a 5km return hike. Clamber steep and rocky inclines to the summit escarpment and take in the breathtaking views of the region, including the nearby Grampians (Gariwerd) Ranges.
Mt Byron is a 3km return trek for walkers who like their rambles on the more adventurous side. The track is steep and subject to seasonal closures but the breathtaking vista you are rewarded with at the end is well worth all that hard effort.
These tracks plus the pathways around Rocklands are abundant with wildflowers, towering native Australian trees, mighty rock formations, magnificent water views, wildlife and fresh air aplenty!
Fishing
Brown and Rainbow Trout, Australian Bass, Murray Cod, Golden Perch, European Carp, Redfin, Yabbies, we got the angler’s attention right! This superb stretch of water is a popular fishing hotspot for locals and angling enthusiasts. Thanks to its large water storage and extensive stands of timber from when the forest was flooded in the 1950s, Rocklands environment makes for an exemplary fish habitat.
Making your way to the depths of the lake, where the Redfin and Brown Trout love to swim is simple with the excess of boat ramps located around the Reservoir’s expanse (five in fact), plus small boats can be launched from the shoreline. There are also ample stretches of bank fishing to be had around the Reservoir. So, pull up a chair or push in your boat, whatever method you opt for, fishing at Rocklands is a must.
Three clear, distinct, succinct (and some FREE) reasons why you should go to Rocklands today; Camping – Walking – Fishing. Outstanding outdoor activities that stand-alone or stand together!
