Robe SA

Thinking of having a break in Robe in January. Can anyone tell me what it is like? Is it a good holiday spot? We are planning on travelling from Sydney to Adelaid to visit relatives.

Itinerary

Sydney to Broken Hill (2 nights)

Broken Hill to Adelaide Hills (6 nights with relatives)

Adelaide to Robe (3 or 4 nights)

Robe to Port Campbell (3 nights)

Port Campbell to Lorne or Apollo Bay (3 nights)

then home to Sydney

It's no Riviera or Costa del Sol, but it has some qualities, including heritage values (ie solid old buildings). Fairly quiet. Unfortunately it is also often windy, and the water can be cool. There is a YHA hostel within the caravan park. Overall, given your planned itinerary, I would spend much less time Adelaide to Lorne via the coast (4 nights not 10), and add the days saved to a trip via the coast from Melbourne to Sydney. Places like Wilsons Prom, Lakes Entrance, Mallacoota, Merimbula, Narooma, Jervis Bay, and so on, are pretty attractive in the summer if you haven't experienced them (and even if you have).

Robe is an excellent holiday spot. It's become a bit yuppified of late but still a nice place. A couple of pubs and a few more up-market eateries. A nice little harbour and a safe swimming beach in town. Good surfing just out of town.

It's not dis-similar to Apollo Bay, Port Fairy or many places on the NSW coast in that it's a fishing village that's morphed into a tourist town.

If you have a 4wd, you'll find the best sand driving this side of Stockton Beach at Little Dip Conservation Park just South of town. Even if you don't have a 'Toorak Tractor' the park can be accessed in a conventional vehicle, although some walking may be involved.

The Coonawarra region is within day-trip distance too.

We have pretty much down the south coast between Melbourne to Sydney. We have done the Great Ocean Road before and regretted not leaving more time for stopping and enjoying the coastline. Last time we drove we did Apollo Bay to Port Fairy in a day and then Port Fairy to Adelaide in a day - seemed to rushed. Maybe only two nights Robe and then spend a couple of nights in Port Fairy.

Colin it is on a southwest facing coast, like much of WA is too, and unlike the other places you mention, and therefore it is potentially much windier, especially in summer. I hate wind on a beach, so I can never be too enthusiastic about recommending a place if that was my experience - and that was my Robe experience, and Victor Harbour and so on... It's not a bad place, just not that exciting in the coast/beach holiday stakes.

No arguments from me about windy beaches with cold water Ian. Apart from 2 or three times a year at my local beach (Moana) when its over 35 deg and NOT windy, I tend not to swim anywhere South of Mooloolaba (or in my heated back-yard pool).
Nevertheless, I think Robe is a charming little place and I've had 3 holidays there in the last 10 years. We'd hire a holiday house for a week in April or October and have a wonderful relaxing time.
Re: my 'yuppification' comment at #2 we've almost been priced out of the market and tend to go elsewhere now.

April and October can be a very good time (again, like in WA). Summer and winter higher risk! But it is charming, in that sandy, stoney, tree-free style that South Australia does pretty well.

The Lakeside Manor hostel which IAN will be pleased to know is now a YHA hostel is privatly owned and was previously a B&B so is rather swish.The Colonial hotel is an old english style pub with some nice accomadation doors in main building were salaveged from a shipwreck so rather low head clearance.Campbells cottages was another nice place Ive stayed.I thought Robe was a nice little place had some windy days as all the coast does

thanks we will definitely stop and have a couple of days at Robe and then continue along the beautiful Great Ocean Road.

After the pleasures of Robe, you can leave the coast and see Naracoorte Caves, Coonawarra Wine Region, Penola (Mary McKillop Centre), then the Grampians, then into Port Fairy. You miss Mt Gambier, Portland, and Warrnmbool doing this, but there are worse fates.

Yes that sounds like a nice trip, but I'd agree with the other posters, make sure you take a windbreaking jacket and fleece or two along cos its well windy, I went in feb and about froze my arse off - pretty though. I liked Robe, and we did the afternoon tea thing at Port Campbell plenty of scone/tea outlets, I like that on my holidays

Beachport is another favourite of mine in the area, another fishing village that has captured a slice of the tourism market. The local YHA is a terrific little place, with that typical South Australian large roomed open feeling to it. We would wander down to the jetty and check out the catch when the fishing boats come in, quite often full of crays...

Thanks everyone - I will check out Beachport (never heard of it). I realise the weather can be changable, we were very lucky last time with beautiful sunny days and definitely no wind.

Last time we did the trip some 8 years ago we stayed at Port Fairy (nice little town), Cape Otway Lighthouse (very relaxing if spooky three nights) and one night in Lorne (lovely old rambling hotel that was on the verge of falling down) - I wasn't very taken with Apollo Bay at the time.