Camperdown sits in the volcanic country of western Victoria, inland from the Great Ocean Road but shaped by the same slow-travel rhythm. Its main street is lined with elms and old buildings, and a Gothic clock tower rises in the middle like a small-town exclamation mark.
The real reason to stop is the landscape around town. Mount Leura and Mount Sugarloaf are part of a volcanic complex on the edge of Camperdown, with short walks and big views over crater lakes, paddocks, and low cones. Lake Bullen Merri is a deep volcanic lake used for fishing, boating, and quiet shore stops.
Back in town, the Camperdown Clock Tower gives the centre a strong identity, while the Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum look across the twin lakes of Bullen Merri and Gnotuk. Camperdown is not a blockbuster, but it is a good detour if you like towns whose setting does half the storytelling.