Drive to Daylesford Victoria

[Lucky Phil]

I am thinking of doing a drive this week to Daylesford (Thursday is looking the pick of the good weather days). 

My daughter and I do a day trip every school holidays with lunch at a nice place.  We have previously done the Reefton Spur to Marysville run, Mornington Peninsula (a couple of times), Great Ocean Road. Philip Island to Inverloch and now thought Daylesford would be a nice place to go for a drive and lunch.  I have two ways to get there, usual roads to Melbourne, then either Calder or Western Highway which are both pretty boring.  I was favouring Calder but I am seeking an alternative route than the norm.  Anyone know of any nice alternative roads to get there? 

Also can anyone recommend a place to drive and eat for our next day out.  We like to leave in the morning and drive for about 2.5 hours each way.  I thought north through Yea or Kinglake and hopefully through some hills to a nice town with a great place to eat.

[StevepGT3]

kinglake, whitlesea,wandong,kilmore,lancefield, woodend,tylden, daylesford. done it heaps of times in car and on bike, a good run if not on a sunday 

[Lucky Phil]

Thanks @StevepGT3 sounds like a plan.  How long should I allow to get there using this route?

I remember seeing a trip planner on the forum that @Andy73 @Fraz used to plan trips.  Anyone have access that they can send to me so as my daughter can have a map to navigate or I will just wing it on the day using the sat nav in the car, but rather use a map than have the sat nav yelling out directions every 2 minutes

[StevepGT3]

No idea how long it would take from down your way, but from the hills up here it would take         2 ish on the bike and 2.5 ish in a car

[9fan]

41 minutes ago, Lucky Phil said:

Thanks @StevepGT3 sounds like a plan.  How long should I allow to get there using this route?

I remember seeing a trip planner on the forum that @Andy73 @Fraz used to plan trips.  Anyone have access that they can send to me so as my daughter can have a map to navigate or I will just wing it on the day using the sat nav in the car, but rather use a map than have the sat nav yelling out directions every 2 minutes

Just use Google maps and adjust the route to suit (you can print a basic route or details) - shows Doncaster via Steve's route 2hrs 45min. Then pretty easy to follow the nav to main towns.

Hope that helps, Mark.

[Andy73]

There was Porsche GTS routes but for planning I use either google maps or Whereis. Just be aware it’ll try and give you the shortest / fastest route which won’t always be the funnest route. 

You can hack it by adding stops into the route that force it to go the way you want to go. Use it all the time. 

Sadly I can’t make the drive mate. I’m away at the moment.