The Great Southern Rail Trail passes through Loch and offers a clear starting point for exploring the town: get outdoors, take in the main street or plan a tasting. There are also two distinct suspension bridge connections and a named village walk. You can decide which side of Loch will shape your stay based on your own interests.

Great Southern Rail Trail and Village Walks

The 130-kilometre Great Southern Rail Trail is suitable for walking, cycling and horse riding. In Loch, it passes through a tunnel beneath the South Gippsland Highway, connecting the trail with the town. A suspension bridge also connects the trail to the Loch Recreation Reserve. These details make the trail a distinctive choice for anyone who wants to pair Loch with an outdoor activity.

For a different perspective on the town, there is the Loch Village Walk. It starts in Sunnyside Park on Victoria Road, the main street of Loch Village. The Great Southern Rail Trail runs through Loch as a longer route.

Parks and Landmark Bridges

Sunnyside Park has play equipment, barbecue facilities and a skatepark. This offers different ways to spend time in the park: play on the equipment, take a break at the barbecue facilities or stop by the skatepark. Since the Loch Village Walk also starts here, you can include the park in your day as both a place to visit and the starting point for the named walk.

Another suspension bridge is in Loch Memorial Reserve. It crosses a wooded ravine. This is not the same connection as the bridge between the Great Southern Rail Trail and Loch Recreation Reserve: one is part of the trail connection, while the other is in the Memorial Reserve and spans the ravine. If you are looking for a bridge as a distinctive feature, Loch has two different locations that are easy to tell apart.

Historic Streetscape

Loch’s main street is lined with charming historic buildings and cottages. Together with Victoria Road as the main street of Loch Village, this gives a visit to the town a clear focus: rather than heading to just one stop, you can make the streetscape itself the centre of your visit.

Loch Railway Station’s station building also has a historic connection to another place: it was formerly at Welshpool railway station. This former location is a distinct historical point of reference in Loch’s streetscape.

Brewery, Tastings and Events

Loch Brewery & Distillery brews ales and distils spirits in Loch. Its Cellar Door in Loch Village offers tastings from 11 am to 4 pm, Friday to Sunday. Opening hours can change, so check the current times before visiting. This makes it easy to plan a brewery visit without treating it as the same kind of activity as those around the Rail Trail.

The Loch Food and Wine Festival is a regular highlight among Loch’s special events. Specific dates and the program vary, so check the dates if you want to plan your trip around the festival. This brings together an enduring part of the town’s character and an event-based reason to visit: the historic main street and brewery are features of the town, while the festival offers an additional focus that depends on the dates.

Plan Your Stay and Journey

When looking for a holiday rental in Loch, it can help to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay. Do you want to centre your visit on the Great Southern Rail Trail, are you more interested in the town’s streetscape and history, or would you like to plan tastings or a festival date? These interests can guide your planning without requiring the places mentioned to be combined into a set itinerary.

V/Line coach services are available for travel on the Yarram Line. Check the timetable before travelling so you can plan your connection accordingly. It is also worth checking current opening hours for tastings and dates for the festival. This helps distinguish activities that depend on opening hours or event dates from more enduring features of the town, such as the main street and the two suspension bridges.

Discover more destinations: Newham, Walpeup, Smiths Beach, Fitzroy, Ovens, Ladys Pass, Eaglehawk, Colac.

For the main travel overview: Victoria.