Taggerty Holiday Park

As if Cathedral Range State Park wasn’t enough of a draw for active types, there’s plenty else hereabouts to entice guests into the great wide open: clamber into the saddle within 10 minutes’ drive for sedate trots around the valley, follow the hiking trails in nearby Marysville (20 minutes), cast a line half an hour away at Lake Eildon or (depending on the time of year) head to the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort 40 minutes from base for tobogganing, skiing, hikes, ziplining and laser tag. If somehow that still isn’t enough, ambitious wanderers can pick up the 134-kilometre Great Victorian Rail Trail 40 minutes away, following it east to Mansfield or west to Tallarook, taking in views of the spectacular Goulburn River, Trawool Valley and Cheviot Tunnel along the way. For urban days, there’s the museum, racecourse and Alexandra Speedway 10 minutes away in Alexandra, and Marysville’s art and sculpture garden and historical society sites within 20 – or if that's not doing the trick, the street art, gastro scene, museums, galleries, zoos and shopping of Melbourne are a little under two hours away. This is a tippler’s paradise too: Little River Wines, Mount Cathedral Vineyards, Wagtail Vineyard and Buxton Ridge Winery are all within 10 minutes of base for tours and tastings, so make sure to bring a designated driver along for the ride.