Tips to Stay Alert and Prevent Drowsy Driving

• Plan your journey and breaks ahead of time.
• Start well rested with a good night’s sleep.
• Plan to pause from the road at least every two hours.
• Avoid driving at times when you would usually be sleeping.
• Don’t travel for more than 8 - 10 hours a day.
• Take a 15-minute powernap if you feel drowsy.
• Don’t drink alcohol before your trip - even a small amount can significantly contribute to driver fatigue.
• Plan your stops using the Pause Stop interactive map.
• Pause for a coffee.

Find more information and plan your journey with the Pause Stop interactive map here.

Heading to BIG4 Castlemaine?

We care about your safety and well-being. Whether you’re arriving from near or far, here are the BIG4 Castlemaine team’s favourite places to stop for a break (and a little fun!) on a road trip to Central Victoria.

From the Greater Melbourne Region (Calder Highway Outbound)

• Calder Park, Sunbury. A popular highway stop with service stations, takeaway food and coffee. Good for a quick leg stretcher.
• Woodend. Turn off the Calder to Woodend, a very pretty rural town with a long history as a stopping point and service centre for people heading to Central Victoria in the Gold Rush of the 1850s. Enjoy a stroll along the tree-lined High Street, with its cafes and art gallery.
• Kyneton. If you skipped Woodend take a short detour off the highway and head to Kyneton’s lovely Piper Street for great coffee, cafes, good restaurants and an excellent bakery There are nearby public toilets and a shady park or two. Stop for a leisurely lunch and a stroll then drive the remaining 40 or so minutes to Castlemaine.
• Tip: You can time your drive and lunch break to arrive just after 2.30 pm check-in. Perfect!

From Geelong via C141 and Midland Highway

• Anakie. First stop Anakie where there’s a great little general store and roadhouse. From December 20 to January 28 Anakie’s Fairy Park is open every day – give the kids a treat and spend a couple of hours exploring everything on offer.
• Daylesford. Stop at the picturesque Lake Daylesford on your way into town. There’s a playground for the kids, a lovely café and you can enjoy an easy 40-minute stroll around the lake. Or head to the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens, with its lookout and sweeping views, and up-market café. A great lunch stop.
• Tip: Geelong might only be two hours or so from Castlemaine but turn the drive into a relaxing road trip adventure

 From Adelaide and the South Australia Border region via the A8 Highway

• Bordertown. Stop at Bordertown for an early lunch, Visit the bakery and head to Tolmer Park for a picnic under the old red gums.
• Nhill. A great bakery and roadhouse, a lake, park and historic architecture. Great little place for a leg-stretcher.
• St Arnaud. Part of the wonderful Silo Art Trail, it’s worth a stop to explore the impressive murals and street art. The main street, with its historic buildings and range of cafes, is also worth a wander.
• Tip: We love this drive, and several route options are available including going via Horsham and Maryborough or Halls Gap and Ararat. If time is on your side allow two days for the journey (around four hours driving each day) and sight-see along the way – take in the stunning Grampians and Wimmera regions, for example.

From Echuca-Moama via Northern Highway B75

• Bendigo. It’s a short hop from the Echuca-Moama region to BIG4 Castlemaine but it’s more than worthwhile making a stop in Bendigo. Head to View Street for a coffee, a stroll through Rosalind Park and a visit to Bendigo Art Gallery – it’s a little holiday in itself!

Watch Out For…

• Potholes! A few years of heavy rains and storms mean potholes are now a common driving hazard. Be alert and if you see a pothole avoid sudden braking and dangerous swerving into oncoming traffic. Keep firm control of the steering wheel, using both hands, and keep the wheels straight.
• From Melbourne: The first Castlemaine exit off the Calder (to enter Castlemaine through Chewton) is notorious for kangaroos. The few kilometres of very winding road can also be difficult for caravans – take the second Harcourt exit.
• From Anakie: Watch out for kangaroos, wombats and other wildlife on the winding road out of Anakie.
• From Echuca: We recommend caravanners avoid the back route via Harcourt North, due to winding, narrow roads and wildlife. Avoid Axedale and Sutton Grange for the same reasons. It’s safer and easier driving to go through Bendigo.