VICTORIA

Australia's southernmost mainland state is compact and diverse, offering everything from rain forest and snow-capped mountains to sunbaked Outback and a stunning coastline. Sophisticated Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, is an exciting melting pot of cultures with a reputation of leading the pack when it comes to shopping, fashion, and cafés.

What to See

Melbourne - Cultured and cosmopolitan, Melbourne is an architectural gem lined with gracious buildings built from the profits of the 1850s Goldrush. Food is a top priority here, with exceptional restaurants and whole areas dedicated to gourmet pursuits. Melburnians are sports fanatics too, cheering on Aussie Rules Football and the Melbourne Cup horserace, while premier festival and cultural offerings all help to make it the events capital of Australia.

Great Ocean Road - Victoria is renowned as a great self-drive destination, with the Great Ocean Road arguably the nation's most spectacular coastal route. Expect rugged cliffscapes, golden beaches, exceptional surfing, rainforests and incredible coastal formations.

The Grampians - A rugged, mountainous area abundant in wildlife, The Grampians is known for its dramatic drives, easy-to-challenging walking trails, fantastic rock formations, wildflowers, and Aboriginal rock art.

The Gold Fields - Centred on historic Ballarat and Bendigo, the area known as the Goldfields made a mint when the precious metal led to a rush in the mid-1850s. Watch out for ghost towns as you drive, and stop off at Sovereign Hill, a living recreation of a goldmining township.

Yarra Valley Wineries - An easy drive from Melbourne and you're in a world of wineries, quaint villages, historic homes, antique centres, and high-class restaurants. It's a world-away from the hustle and bustle of back home.

Phillip Island - Fairy penguins are the name of the game at Phillip Island, a pleasant excursion from the state capital. Crowds of these tiny birds troop out of the sea each evening heading home to their burrows for the night.

Activities & Adventures

Self-Driving - Jump in a hire car and set off! Victoria is a drivers paradise whether for short trips or longer journeys. Why not take a jaunt to the Mornington Peninsula for beaches and thick coastal bushland, or head out to vineyards and quaint gold towns in the interior. There are plenty of cosy B&Bs to take your fancy wherever you wander.

Adventures in the Alps - Feel like fresh air and superb mountain scenery? Then act like the Man from Snowy River and head up to Victoria's High Country. National parks abound and so do the animals, but if it's exercise you want go for a walk among the peaks or take to your skis at Falls Creek and Mount Hotham for some of the best ski runs in Australia.

Sporting Pursuits - Victoria is sports crazy! If it isn't Aussie Rules football, it's the Australian Open Tennis, the Australian Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup - a horserace which stops a nation in its tracks.

Old Man River - Australia's version of the Mississippi, the Murray River meanders along the state's border watering the farms and countryside along its way. A paddle ship ride is a 'must-do' along this slow-moving giant.

Unique Experience

Take to the Great Ocean Road for a drive along one of the most scenic coastlines in the world.
Jump off Mount Buffalo on a hang glider.
Shout your lungs out at an Aussie Rules Football match.

Time To Go

With temperate winter weather and warm summers, Victoria is pleasant all-year round. On average temperatures in Melbourne fluctuate around 24°C or 75°F in summer and around 11°C or 52°F in winter. But you may be wise to time your visit for the state's most important sporting and cultural events.