Bluestone, Rabbits, and the Barwon
Our stop in Winchelsea was plenty on the way through to Warnambool at the start of our next big adventure. The free camp we love sits along the riverbank between Mercer Street and the railway bridge, accessible via Barwon Terrace off the Princes Highway, with the river running quietly alongside.
Walking tracks follow the river in both directions, and the bluestone architecture scattered through Winchelsea starts catching your eye. The arched bluestone bridge over the Barwon was opened by Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1867, and it’s still standing there looking like it has no intention of going anywhere. There’s a Shire Hall, a church, and an unhurried main street. Easy to like.
Sitting about five kilometres out of town on Inverleigh Road, the Barwon Park Mansion piqued our interest. We’d driven past the turnoff many times and decided to stop and have a proper look. Good decision.
The mansion was built between 1869 and 1871 for Thomas Austin and his wife Elizabeth, a 42-room bluestone Italianate design by Geelong architects Davidson and Henderson. The story behind it is worth knowing. Thomas Austin had been entertaining guests at a fairly modest homestead on his 12,000-hectare property when the Duke of Edinburgh came to visit. Embarrassed by what he had to offer a man second in line to the British throne, Austin commissioned something grander. The Duke never made it back to see the finished result, and Thomas Austin died just eight months after it was completed. Elizabeth stayed on for years, became a noted philanthropist, and founded both the Austin Hospital and Austin Homes in Geelong.
The mansion passed eventually to the Batson family and then, in later years, fell into disrepair as the last of that line aged without heirs. It was bequeathed to the National Trust, which has spent decades restoring it. Walking through, the original cedar joinery, the grand staircase, the cast iron verandah lacework, and the stained glass windows are all largely intact. The place has a stillness to it that big empty rooms tend to carry.
Thomas Austin has two footnotes in Australian history. He built Barwon Park. And in 1859, he brought 24 rabbits to the property to breed as game for shooting parties. His reasoning, apparently, was that a few rabbits could do little harm. Australia now has an estimated 200 million of them.
The tours run on Wednesdays and Sundays, guides included. Ours knew the property well and let the history do the talking, which is exactly right for a place like this.
We were back at the river by mid-afternoon. The Barwon was flat and unhurried, and we weren’t in any particular rush either.
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Barwon Park Mansion
Barwon Park Mansion sits on Inverleigh Road, about five kilometres from Winchelsea, and is managed by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria). Built between 1869 and 1871 for pastoralist Thomas Austin and his wife Elizabeth, the 42-room bluestone Italianate mansion was designed by Geelong architects Davidson and Henderson at a cost of around £10,000. It was considered the finest mansion in western Victoria at completion.
Open Wednesday and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm. Tours run at 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm. Do check times on the National Trust website before visiting.
Winchelsea Barwon River Free Camp
The Winchelsea RV-friendly free camp sits on the Barwon riverbank between Mercer Street and the railway bridge, accessed via Barwon Terrace off the Princes Highway. Council-approved for self-contained recreational vehicles, caravans and motorhomes only. Maximum 48-hour stay. Tent camping is not permitted. A toilet block is located near the highway turnoff. Dog friendly.
How to Get There
Winchelsea is approximately 95 kilometres south-west of Melbourne via the Princes Highway, and around 35 kilometres from Geelong. Barwon Park Mansion is five kilometres from town via Inverleigh Road, on a sealed road suitable for most vehicles. The free camp is accessible off the Princes Highway via Barwon Terrace.
What to See / Tours / Activities
What we did:
Stayed two nights at the Barwon River free camp.
Walked the river tracks along the Barwon.
Visited Barwon Park Mansion on a guided tour.
Explored Winchelsea's bluestone streetscape, including the 1867 three-arch bridge.
Other highlights nearby:
The Barwon Hotel, which offers free overnight camping for self-contained travellers on the river.
Winchelsea Shire Hall and St Thomas Anglican Church, both notable bluestone buildings.
Inverleigh, a short drive north along the Barwon River.
Geelong, 35 kilometres east.
The Great Ocean Road, about 30 kilometres south via Winchelsea.
When to Visit
Barwon Park Mansion is open year-round on Wednesdays and Sundays. The free camp is weather-dependent; the site closes if the Barwon River rises to 3 metres or the ground becomes too soft for vehicles. Check conditions before arrival, particularly in winter.
Final Thoughts
Barwon Park’s architecture is impressive, but it’s the human story behind it that stays with you. A mansion built to impress a duke, a man who accidentally reshaped the Australian landscape, and a woman who turned her grief into something lasting.
What's Nearby
Winchelsea sits roughly halfway between Geelong and the Great Ocean Road, making it a natural pause on the way through.
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Fast Facts
Location: Winchelsea, Victoria
Distance: 95km south-west of Melbourne; 35km from Geelong
Traditional Owners: Wadawurrung People
Access: Sealed roads throughout; free camp via Barwon Terrace off Princes Highway
Facilities: Free camp (self-contained only, 48hr max, toilets nearby); full facilities at mansion
Walking Track: Barwon River walking tracks from the free camp
Best Time to Visit: Year-round; mansion open Wednesday and Sunday only
Dog Friendly: Yes (free camp and surrounds; not within mansion grounds)
Things That Could Kill You (Probably Won't)
A semi-serious guide to surviving Australia. Mostly common sense, occasionally luck.
The Barwon in flood: The free camp sits on the riverbank. If the river is rising, move on.
48 hours: That’s the limit at the free camp. It goes faster than you think.
Thomas Austin’s legacy: 200 million rabbits. One man’s shooting party. Think about that.
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Other updates you may like…
Two nights on the Barwon River at Winchelsea’s free camp, and a guided tour of Barwon Park Mansion, the bluestone homestead built to impress a duke, by the man who gave Australia its rabbit problem.