I've very fond memories of going to the weir in my youth with my family, with the obligatory stop off at the general store so that we could get ice cream in a cone. My favourite was always strawberry as it had big chunks of frozen strawberries in it. Yum!
So imagine my delight when, having the opportunity to visit the weir again at the start of the year with my own family, I was able to take them to the store so that they could share in some of my memories and have what I still consider to be the yummiest ice cream I've ever had. I honestly couldn't tell you what else this shop does - for me its all about the ice cream. The staff are always friendly and courteous as well.

Perfectly serviceable resort set near the shores of the Hume weir (or, at least, its set near the shores when there's water in the lake - not a problem at the moment but has been in the past). I've only got excellent things to say about the staff - they are very friendly and will go out of their way to help you in any way possible. My little sister also had her wedding here a few years ago and it was a great venue for the reception too!
It has a range of accommodation available on offer, and the pool is a welcome distraction for kids. Great place to stay.

Very convenient and cheap way of getting to and from Melbourne airport. Buses leave regularly from Spencer Street and the best thing is that you don't have to worry about driving in that crazy traffic or pay for parking once you are there, or worry about the meter running beserk in a taxi.

About an hour and a half from Melbourne, the Ocean Grove Holiday Park is a great location for families looking for that quick getaway to a coastal area. The park is conveniently situated close to town and the beach, and offers camping sites as well as cabins.
The facilities are pretty good - theres a BBQ area, and the amenities block was clean and decent. Kids will love the pool and the playground area too.
Overall the holiday park is clean, reasonable, and well located with fun things for the kids to do. Whats not to like?

I love pizza and these guys do not disappoint. They offer all the usual classic styles of pizza - Hawaiian, Aussie, Margherita and the like - but their best pizzas are by far and away the Wise Guys style, my 2 favourites of which are the Forget About It and the Meat Treat. They are also known for their pastas, but I've never had one because the pizzas are just so damn good!

BikeNOW is an excellent store offering a huge range of products ranging from bikes of all descriptions to all the paraphernalia that goes along with cycling. The staff there are very knowledgeable about their products and about cycling in general, and they are all very agreeable. The prices aren't cheap - nothing bike related ever seems to be - but they aren't over the top and they have sales from time to time that give you good discounts.
Parking is a bit of an issue, given the location, but if you are a cyclist its worth making the effort to visit them.

There isn't really much choice around this area of South Melbourne, and so Xinnia definitely fills a much needed void. The coffee is good and the food is delicious, but its all hideously expensive. I don't know if that's because they have a captive market, high rents to pay, or both, but theres not much there that is really not worth the price that they are asking. The staff are friendly and there is an excellent amount of seating both indoors and outdoors. Its just a shame about the prices!

Coolamon has a very special place in my heart - its a tiny town with just 1100 people, and I spent a fair chunk of my childhood there. Because of the size of the town its always been under-served with decent restaurants and cafes, so naturally I was happily surprised to find this gem of a café/antique shop when I was last there!
Its almost eccentric - its a coffee shop that serves a great selection of cakes and biscuits, but its also an antique shop that holds a very large range of unique items, the vast majority of which are of excellent quality. I was really impressed with the service (old fashioned country service - the best kind in my book!), but also was impressed with the quality of their coffee and food.
After drinking I found myself wandering around for almost an hour looking at all the interesting old stuff that was for sale.
An excellent find! Love this town, but REALLY love this shop!

An amazing place for a romantic get away, this well appointed modern and luxurious hotel is excellently situated on Chapel Street which means that its close to a large number of shops and restaurants and cafes.
The rooms are a very good size and the beds and pillows are very comfortable, and the LCD TV provided is also of a good size. The room service menu is excellent and not too over-the-top priced...
Excellent place for that little interlude that you always talk about but never take.

I love this hotel! My grandfather used to frequent this hotel and took me there a few times, but only once as an adult before he passed. So when, many many years later, I took my family to visit my grandmother, I actually stayed here. It's changed significantly over the years, but one thing that hasn't is the atmosphere, characters, but most importantly the memories.
The rooms upstairs are functional and comfortable but don't expect luxury! The rooms don't have bathrooms in them and if you're there on a Friday night like we were expect to here the jukebox in the pub pretty clearly. But do you know what? I couldn't care less about any of that. I loved it all. There's also quite a decent restaurant here now to, which just makes it an even better option.
This will always be my most favourite pub in the world because of my grandfather, but even taking off the rose-tinted glasses it's still probably the best place in this very small country town to have a beer, great meal, and a good nights sleep (once the music stops!).