10 Best Things To Do In Victoria Australia
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Guest Post by Josiah Murphy
The state of Victoria, Australia is a great place to live and travel. According to the Economist, Melbourne, the capital has been rated the most livable city for 6 years in a row, and voted the city with the best coffee, beating the common favorites of Vienna and Rome.
With over 3 million visitors each year, Victoria has plenty to offer. Drive the iconic Great Ocean Road; Enjoy the splendors of national parks and hiking trails; Relax on the pristine coastal beaches; Visit the penguins at Phillip Island and explore the different landscapes. There are just so many things to do in Victoria Australia if you dedicate a couple of weeks to exploring.
You’ll also experience one of the most vibrant and fascinating cities in the world, Melbourne, with its culture, art, festivals, friendly locals, and many wine and dining options.
Here are the ten best things to do in Victoria, Australia:
Take A Road Trip Along The Great Ocean Road
A trip to Victoria would not be complete without driving the Great Ocean Road. A 244-kilometer stretch that is almost impossible to miss when traveling in Victoria. If heading east, the road starts at Warrnambool and ends in Anglesea, embracing some of the world’s most beautiful coastlines along the way. The drive offers scenic views of wide-open spaces, rugged countryside, and secluded Great Ocean Road beaches.
There are several renowned attractions along the way, including Aireys Inlet, the Grotto, Loch Ard Gorge, and the Bay of Islands. The most iconic feature is the 12 Apostles, a collection of limestone rocks that highlight the picturesque Shipwreck Coast. Visitors can spend their time sunbathing on the stunning beaches, swimming, diving, and snorkeling in the turquoise waters.
Driving the Great Ocean Road isn’t just one of the best attractions in Victoria. It’s one of the world’s greatest road trips.
Go Hiking In The Great Otway National Park
The Great Otway National Park is where some of Australia’s best rainforest scenery converges. Tall, diverse, and dense, the park is an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts. You’ll get the opportunity to explore white sandy beaches, soaring mountains, rugged coastlines, ancient limestone rock formations, tall forest trees, cascading waterfalls, and ferny gullies. It’s an amazing sight for visitors.
Along with the breath-taking scenery, there are plenty of opportunities to relax and explore tree-top zip lines, tranquil lakes, spot native wildlife and camp around the dense forest setting. With so much to see and do, the National Park is a fun-filled adventure.
Go Surfing In Torquay
Australia’s surfing capital, Torquay, has it all. Offering an adrenaline-pumped adventure and relaxing interlude, surfing around Torquay and its beaches boasts some of the best surfing spots on the Great Ocean Road.
The iconic Bells Beach is a popular surfing destination for both local and international visitors. Regarded as the Mecca of surfing, Jan Juc, Bells Beach, and Winki Pop host champion surfers from around the world for the Bells Classic competition.
Located just 90 kilometers from Melbourne, Torquay marks the start of the Great Ocean Road.
Visit Wilsons Promontory National Park
The largest coastal wilderness in Victoria, Wilson Promontory National Park is loved by tourists and locals alike. With the opportunity to get as close to a variety of native flora and fauna, the “Prom”, as the locals call it, is home to gorgeous birdlife, echidnas, emus, wombats, and many kangaroos.
As the Prom is a well-visited destination, animals have become accustomed to tourists. They will be friendly to you if you have something to feed them. Walking trails are lovely with stunning views, and pristine beaches offer excellent spots to relax.
The park is popular with campers, but also offers romantic getaways and retreats. You can be sure to find accommodation that suits your needs and preferences.
Get Cultured In Melbourne
Melbourne’s culture and arts scene beats any other in Australia, with some of the best exhibitions, theatres and galleries the country has to offer.
There are many things to love and adore about Melbourne. Its diverse culinary scene, ease and convenience when navigating the city, friendly locals, and modern infrastructure, are to name a few. However, one quality feature that makes Melbourne one of Australia’s most unique cities – its culture.
Melbourne is the arts and culture capital of Australia. As such, it boasts some of the best exhibitions, festivals, events, and galleries in the country. Besides hosting weekly festivals, the city’s remarkable cultural establishments have housed some amazing pieces and installations over time which have helped the city maintain its culture and arts prestige.
Go Wine-Tasting In The Yarra Valley
A visit to Victoria without tasting some of its world-class wines would be inappropriate. Yarra Valley is the best place to go and is renowned as one of the finest wine regions in Australia. It is the ideal destination to gain insight into how it is produced while getting to taste it.
Yarra Valley is a short drive from Melbourne that you can take a day trip from the city. With many wineries scattered around the area so spending more time can be a rewarding experience for any wine lover. If you want to explore more, hot air balloon tours are available over the valley. You’ll see dozens of vineyards in the morning fog – a sight you won’t forget easily.
Visit the four fabulous distilleries and breweries to taste some of Australia’s finest ciders, gins, and beer paddles. Don’t forget to enjoy local delicacies for lunch after the tour.
Spot Aussie Animals On Phillip Island
When many visitors think of Australia’s wildlife, penguins probably don’t come to mind. But Phillip Island is home to thousands of Little Penguins (their species name), the smallest penguins on the planet. Hordes of tourists travel across the globe to see the penguin parade – when 7,000 of them come up the shores every sunset to bed for the night.
Besides penguins, Phillip Island has plenty of wildlife to offer. That includes bird watching, seals, whale watching, the Koala Conservation Centre, and more.
Visit Daylesford
Daylesford is a gorgeous spa town located about 2 hours from Melbourne, and a popular destination for locals and tourists.
Once a gold-mining town, Daylesford has been a renowned spa destination for the last century. The town is famed for its natural spring water spas and surrounded by 80% of Australia’s sparkling mineral water.
To add on the many spas, Daylesford is also home to galleries, restaurants, gorgeous lake views and wineries.
The beautiful Hepburn Regional Park and the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens are also lovely attractions in the town.
Go Skiing at Mount Buller
Take a bus, charter a chopper, or rent a car, and you’ll be on top of the world at Mount Buller. This prime skiing destination, located just 3 hours from Melbourne, is an accessible snow resort and an adventure for snow lovers from across the country and beyond. Enjoy stunning views as you race down slopes on snowboards, toboggan, or skis on a thrilling adventure ride.
Whether you are pro or novice, the resort caters for all, from gentle slopes to difficult back runs. In addition, the resort has three terrain parks, two toboggan parks, and an ultra-cross course. Dedicated snowmaking machines are suitable for all ages for snow play fun. Every week the resort hosts social and competitive events up the mountain, and these are ideal for children, families, and amateurs.
Go Hiking in the Grampians
A stunning national park that boasts exceptional scenic diversity. From lush waterfalls to colorful Spring wildflowers and rugged sandstone ridges, you will find there is so much to see. Picturesque sunset views are absolutely worth seeing.
The Grampians are home to many native birds and marsupials. Hiking the many trails will also give you an opportunity to spot diverse flora and fauna, fascinating ancient indigenous art, and different wildlife species.
Taking a small trip outside the national park to Halls Gap or Ararat will lead you to plenty of sightings of gorgeous modern art produced by local studios. Ararat in its own right is a popular destination, mainly interesting for its spooky ghost tours.
Final Thoughts
There is just so much to see and explore in Victoria, Australia such that many believe it to be the best state to visit in the country. It certainly does live up to expectations for many travelers. From iconic road trips to bustling cities, jaw-dropping landscapes, world-class wines, arts and culture scenes, lush rainforests and waterfalls, pristine sandy beaches, wildlife, and more. Although being one of the smallest states in Australia, Victoria encompasses everything that makes Australia a world travel destination and an unforgettable place to visit.
About the Author
Josiah is of the Great Ocean Road Collective. A website dedicated to sharing the beauty of the Great Ocean Road in Australia will travelers far and wide. If you are planning your trip, need some inspiration, or looking for authentic advice on Aussie travel, visit our website The Great Ocean Road Australia, or check us out on Instagram.
Want to find a cheap flight to Victoria (Melbourne)? Check out Kayak
Looking for hotels in Melbourne? Check out Hotels.com
Searching for activities in Melbourne? Check out Get your Guide
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Photo credit: 12 apostles – Eriksson Luo, Great Otway National Park – Martin7d2 under CC BY 2.0, surfer – Austin Neill, Melbourne street art – Annie Spratt, vineyards at Yarra Valey – tico24 under CC BY 2.0, Koala – Annika, Daylesford post office – denisbin under CC BY-ND 2.0, Mount Buller – FierceLily under CC BY 2.0, Grampians National Park – Mikeybear under CC BY-SA 3.0