Sweltering in your air con-less house over summer is not a vibe. If you’re going to swelter it may as well be while exploring some seriously beautiful parts of nature. If you’re Melbourne-based, you won’t need to travel too far either. All these spots are also within a half-days drive from the city (assuming you’re not in your nanna’s old bomb and are driving something road-trip tailored like the GWM dual cab ute).

PINK LAKE PARADISE This road trip is best made in late summer, because that’s when these two salt lakes in north-west Victoria are at their most-Barbie shade of pink. Lake Crosbie and Lake Hardy are made of salt but because of a certain type of algae that grows, in late summer they appear a beautiful shade of pink. It’s a fair drive, so we recommend making at least a weekend of it and exploring a little more of Victoria’s north-west corner while you’re there.

SANDHILLS FOR DAYS Everyone knows Wilsons Prom, but you may not have heard of The Big Drift, which is marked on a sign everyone drives past as they cruise down to the Prom’s famous beaches. Turn off when you see the sign and complete a short two kilometre walk and you’ll find some huge sand dunes that are just begging to be climbed and explored. They’re super steep, so pack lightly!

COOL, FERNY FORESTS In summer the Great Ocean Road can get pretty busy so we recommend exploring the lesser-known Otways hinterland in the Cape Otway National Park. Cool off under the huge trees and giant ferns and end up at a beautiful waterfall such as Erskine Falls, Sheoak Falls, Triplet Falls, Hopetoun Falls and Kalimna Falls. It would be a crime to forget your bathers.

SECRET BEACH Ok there’s not much that’s secret about the Mornington Peninsula; it’s super popular, especially in summer. But if you head right down to Portsea and walk to the end of Point King Road, you’ll see a pathway heading down to a beach. If you get there early you might find a pretty picturesque beach with sand for days. If it’s not a beach day, the nearby walk dubbed ‘Millionaire’s Walk’ makes for a fascinating romp as you basically traipse through the front gardens of the huge beach-front mansions. Oh, to dream.

A car is very much needed to get you to these lovely locations. We like the GWM 4x4 ute because you can throw all your stuff in the back and get on the road, which means more time for country bakery stops.