Stratford offers several specific reasons to visit: the Shakespeare on the River Festival sets a timeframe in April and May, the Stratford Art Trail takes you on a walk through the town, and the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail is suited to cyclists and walkers. The Avon River adds a park and activities on the water; nearby Knob Reserve offers a cultural focus. First consider whether an event date, a walking loop, a longer route or a cultural visit is the deciding factor.

Festival dates in April and May

The Shakespeare on the River Festival takes place every year in April and May in Stratford, Australia. It lasts two weeks and includes more than 20 performances; the Avon Village Faire Day is part of the first weekend in May. The two-week festival period and the first weekend in May offer different reference points for planning your trip. If a particular performance or the Faire Day is the deciding factor, check the specific event dates before booking a hotel.

Two different routes

The Stratford Art Trail is a self-guided, 3 km loop through Stratford, starting at the Stratford Sister Cities Globe sculpture outside the library. An MP3 guide, an MP3 player and a map are listed as navigation aids; the Segue Cafe on Tyers Street is given as the place to obtain them. Check before your trip whether the materials are available there. A longer alternative is the 67 km Gippsland Plains Rail Trail, which connects Stratford with Traralgon and is used for cycling and walking. Its eastern trailhead is in Apex Park. This gives you a choice between a self-guided loop around town and a significantly longer recreational route between two towns.

Park, river and cultural site

Apex Park is on the banks of the Avon River and is an award-winning medieval-style park. It has an accessible castle adventure playground and a BMX track. The Avon River provides a scenic setting in Stratford for swimming, fishing and canoeing.

Near Stratford is Knob Reserve, a significant Indigenous site on the Bataluk Cultural Trail. Above a bend in the Avon River, it is also a significant meeting place for Aboriginal people. Visible features of the site in Knob Reserve include scar trees as well as grinding stones with deep grooves. For those interested in Indigenous history, the reserve combines a significant meeting place with visible traces of earlier use. The difference in location is useful for planning: the Art Trail runs through Stratford, while Knob Reserve is in the surrounding area.

Discover more destinations: Horsham, Howqua, Birchip, Upwey, Mongans Bridge, Korong Vale, Yackandandah, Steels Creek

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.