Melbourne Solo Trip Day 4 | Grampians National Park Day Tour: Spectacular Waterfalls, Kangaroo Herds & Breathtaking Valley Views

There's no shortage of natural scenery around Melbourne, but if you want to truly experience Australia's magnificent mountain landscapes and wildlife, Grampians National Park is undoubtedly an unforgettable destination. This time we chose to join an English-guided day tour, which started with breakfast in a small gold-mining town, and went on to include a mountain hike, delightful wildlife encounters, waterfall exploration, and photos at the scenic lookout — exhausting yet deeply satisfying, leaving us with so many beautiful scenes and memories.

One-Day Go West Cranborne Chase Tour Since KKday didn't offer a Chinese-language tour, we ended up signing up for the well-known local Go West English-language tour. Although we worried at first that the language barrier might affect the quality of the trip, our guide Alan actually turned out to be the best tour leader we met on this whole journey. He had a full beard, was warm and funny, and brought along an intern named Jerry to join us. After boarding a clean, comfortable bus early in the morning, the tour officially began.After about an hour's drive, we arrived at our first stop — the gold-mining town of Ballarat. Breakfast Time in the Gold Town: A Morning Where History Meets the Aroma of Coffee Ballarat is a town that rose to prominence during the gold rush, and it is also the only place in Australian history to have seen an armed uprising. Our guide told us that the miners, unable to bear the exploitation any longer, launched the Eureka Rebellion — an event that also helped set Australia's democratic system in motion. We enjoyed a simple breakfast prepared by the tour company on the grassy field in town, with warm drinks and the morning sunlight setting a leisurely tone for the start of this journey.

Splitters Falls: A Taste of Mountain Hiking After breakfast, we got back on the bus and headed into the mountainous area of Grampians National Park. Rolling pastures stretched out along both sides of the road, and Alan explained that this area mainly raises Angus cattle, Holstein dairy cows, and sheep. Gazing out at the endless expanse of green fields, I felt an inexplicable sense of calm wash over me.

Our first hiking spot was Splitters Falls, with a trail of only 0.7 kilometers. Although it was an easy walk, the path had a slight incline here and there, which finally gave us a bit of a real "hiking" feeling. The sound of the stream in the forest intertwined with the wildflowers along both sides of the trail to create a quiet rhythm, and the short walk felt especially pleasant.

Lunch and Surprises: A Delicious Adventure with Kangaroos, Parrots, and Random Pies After finishing the hike, the car headed to the town of Halls Gap in Grampians. Just as we were about to arrive, the guide suddenly stopped the car — it turned out there was a group of wild kangaroos by the roadside! We got out and quietly approached them. Although we couldn't touch them, taking close-up photos and observing their behavior still got everyone super excited.

Little did I expect that entering the small town would bring yet another surprise — a whole table of wild parrots gathered at the outdoor dining tables, fighting over food, completely unafraid of people, and even trying to peck away your lunch.

We picked a pie shop and ordered their signature pies, but since they were about to close, only one meat pie and one veggie pie were left. The meat pie I had was decent, nothing special, but the veggie pie A-Mao got was surprisingly amazing — he couldn't stop praising it.

Boroka Lookout: A Deep Breath Overlooking the Valley After lunch, we continued on the road to Boroka Lookout, the spot with the widest view. We stood on the platform, gazing out over the valley and the distant Wartook Reservoir.

Alan also led a little 'embrace nature' activity here, having us stand with arms open in the wind, feeling the flow of the air and the surrounding stillness. This activity reflected Australians' respect for and connection with nature—not just a quick glance, but truly coexisting with this land.

Mackenzie Falls: A Grand Baptism at the Cascading Waterfall Today's undoubted highlight was Mackenzie Falls. Starting from the viewing platform, we made our way down step by step, first pausing at the middle platform to capture some long-exposure photos.

Continuing further down, we reach the very bottom of the waterfall. When the roar of the water thunders in your ears and the whole waterfall pours down right before your eyes, that grandeur is truly a bit overwhelming.

Reed Lookout: The Perfect Sentence Ending with a Sunset The last stop was Reed Lookout. The sky had already started to darken, and we sat by the railing, gazing out at the distant mountains and the setting sun, in a peaceful and poetic atmosphere. I originally wanted to climb over the railing to take an artistic photo, but then I realized that sitting on the railing actually had its own special charm — a relaxed, natural shot that felt more genuine than any deliberately posed picture.

Back in the city, satisfyingly full again at Da Wei Malatang! It was already past 9pm by the time we got back to Melbourne CBD from Glen Waverley, and even though we were exhausted, we decided to treat ourselves to Da Wei Malatang anyway. This time we tried ordering by "picking your own ingredients," and with the three of us picking together... a huge, overflowing bowl arrived at our table and left us stunned — but it only cost 37 AUD, which actually worked out cheaper than ordering individually.

Summary: Nature's Embrace, Made Unforgettable by a Great Guide If you have any interest in Australia's natural scenery, Grampians National Park is absolutely worth a full day of your itinerary. It's not just about the waterfalls, valleys, and wildlife — it's about this whole experience of leaving the city behind and returning to nature. Even more importantly, the reason this trip turned out to be so wonderful really has to be credited to our guide, Alan. Not only did he show amazing stamina, carrying his backpack and walking alongside us through every leg of the journey, but he also got everyone involved in a lively and humorous way. Even though it's been a week since I left Australia, I still remember what he said: "Kan-Garoo! So many Kangaroo!!" That moment was truly pure and joyful. More Australia independent travel guides: Trip planning guide for independent travel in Australia: 7 must-know things + 10-day itinerary overview ▍Sydney Australia independent travel Day 1-2: Flying from Vietnam to Sydney & a guide to strolling around the city Sydney Opal Card one-day tour: exploring Sydney's classic attractions and transportation experience Blue Mountains One-Day Trip Guide | Scenic World Railway, Cable Car & Three Sisters Complete Guide ▍Melbourne Melbourne Independent Travel Day 1 | Jetstar Arrival, War Memorial and a Sunset Stroll Along the Yarra River | Special ANZAC Day Itinerary Australia Independent Travel Recommendation: Yarra Valley Hot Air Balloon Sunrise Experience & Melbourne Sightseeing Walk Puffing Billy Steam Train + Phillip Island Penguin Parade One-Day Tour Australia's Grampians National Park | Encounter Wild Kangaroos & Victoria's Most Spectacular Waterfalls Great Ocean Road Day Trip | The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge — Melbourne's Most Beautiful Coastline Mornington Peninsula Trip Review | Are These Attractions Worth Visiting? A Full Breakdown of Hot Springs, Wineries, and the Lighthouse