Coach Road Roadside Rest Area - Mangalore, Victoria, Australia
S 36° 56.550 E 145° 12.742
55H E 340816 N 5910013
A large roadside rest area beside the Hume Highway at Mangalore, home of the Mangalore Explosive Ordnance Depot about 1 kilometre to the west.
Waymark Code: WMEARQ
Location: Victoria, Australia
Date Posted: 04/29/2012
Views: 5
Coach Road Roadside Rest Area is one of the largest rest areas I've ever seen, with two separate distinct parking areas. To assist in my description I've included two screengrabs from
Nearmap, one showing a wide view of the area and surrounds, and the other showing a closer view of the two parking areas and the amenities area in between.
Approaching from the north and veering to the left there is an angle parking area with 10 bays to the right beside the amenities buildings and 9 bays to the left. At the end of the angle parking area are 3 caravan parking bays. Keeping to the right instead there is a large open area with 22 marked bays large enough for semi-trailers and B-Doubles, and possibly B-Trebles, although I can't recall seeing any B-Trebles in Victoria. This area would also be suitable for vehicles with caravans and trailers if the other three bays are taken.
There are plenty of spaces beside the car parking area which would be suitable for tent camping.
There is a large toilet block and a large picnic shelter next to the car parking area, and another large gazebo sheltering 2 free barbecues and 3 picnic tables at the southern end next to the caravan parking bays. There are three more picnic tables nearby as well as rubbish bins. A short walk trail leads past this gazebo to the geocache GC1Z2BT Tea and Scones By chewinprickles. TomTom alerted me to the presence of the geocache, which was how I came to stop at this Roadside Rest Area. The cache is located in the light coloured area at the bottom of the first Aerial View, an easy walk, a very easy find, and a reasonable view of the surrounding area.
During public holiday periods a 'Driver Reviver Station' is set up beside the picnic shelter next to the car parking area. This 'Driver Reviver Station' was set up by the local Lions Club over Easter 2012 and was just one of several hundred 'Driver Reviver Stations' operating in Victoria over Easter, manned by the members of every Community Service Organization in the state. The other states operate similiar programs, helping to keep the holiday travellers safe.