Stratford

Stratford brings together a recurring cultural event with walks, a park and a river as different reasons to visit. When choosing your travel dates, your main interest may be the deciding factor: a festival visit is tied to specific months, while a walk, a longer route and activities on the Avon River offer other ways to plan your stay.

The Shakespeare on the River Festival

The Shakespeare on the River Festival takes place each year in April and May in Stratford, Australia. It runs for two weeks and includes more than 20 performances; the Avon Village Faire Day is also held on the first weekend in May. When planning your trip, distinguish the two-week festival period from the single Faire Day on the first weekend in May.

Parks and trails in Stratford

Apex Park is an award-winning medieval-style park on the banks of the Avon River. It features an accessible castle adventure playground and a BMX track. The eastern trailhead of the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail is also located in the park. This shared point of reference is useful for planning: the park brings together recreational facilities and also serves as the starting point for the longer route.

The Stratford Art Trail is a self-guided, 3 km walking loop through Stratford. It starts at the Stratford Sister Cities Globe sculpture in front of the library. At Segue Cafe on Tyers Street, you can ask about an MP3 guide, MP3 player and map; check in advance whether these materials are available.

The 67 km Gippsland Plains Rail Trail is another option: a recreational route for cycling and walking that connects Stratford with Traralgon. Its length and purpose differ from those of the 3 km walking loop through town. The starting points are also different: the Art Trail starts in front of the library, while the eastern trailhead of the Rail Trail is in Apex Park. This gives you the choice between a self-guided loop in Stratford and a longer route between two towns.

Avon River and Knob Reserve

The Avon River provides a scenic setting in Stratford for swimming, fishing and canoeing. These activities offer a different focus from the Art Trail and Rail Trail: here, the river takes centre stage rather than a particular trail length. This lets you distinguish between routes and leisure time by the water when planning your trip.

The Knob Reserve, on the Bataluk Cultural Trail, is near Stratford. It is an important Indigenous site and a significant meeting place for Aboriginal people, above a bend in the Avon River. Scar trees and grinding stones with deep grooves can be seen in the reserve. This nearby site offers a distinct cultural focus alongside the festival and recreational activities in Stratford.

Discover more destinations: Wallington, Trentham East, Garfield, Sale, Drouin, Woodend, Tallarook, Parkville.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.