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Melbourne is Australia’s second largest metropolis and sometimes the spot in Australia that surprises and impresses individuals essentially the most. With a few days in Melbourne, you’ll have loads of time to see the town’s essential sights and spend time attempting out all of its seashores.
After that, you might really feel the urge to hurry off to a different a part of Australia. However, there’s worth in sticking round as there are numerous nice issues to see in Victoria outdoors of Melbourne, and sometimes the best option to see them is on a day journey. The finest day journeys from Melbourne present you all the great things Australia has to offer, from wildlife and nature to pristine shoreline. You’ll be amazed at how simple it’s to see among the finest locations to go to in Victoria all from the consolation of your base in Melbourne.
How to Get Around
Although you can also make many of those day journeys with public transport, take into account renting a automotive for the day to provide your self extra flexibility and independence. With your individual 4 wheels, you management your time and schedule; relying on how many individuals are in your group, renting a automotive may even work out to be cheaper than different types of transportation. You can evaluate automotive rental offers and discover the bottom costs at Rentalcars.com, an aggregation website that searches and shows costs and availability from tons of of automotive rental corporations so that you could get the very best automotive on your price range.
Don’t need to drive or cope with the trouble of public transport? No worries! We’ve listed one of the best tour for every day journey (the place out there).
1. Great Ocean Road
There’s actually no higher place to begin than with one of the basic Melbourne day journeys, the Great Ocean Road. This stretch of shoreline southwest of Melbourne is the perfect place to spend your day because of its rugged and lovely seaside surroundings. The large attraction alongside the route is the Twelve Apostles, an space of rocky cliffs and offshore rocky stacks which have been worn away by erosion. Part of the attraction of this area is the street itself for the reason that Great Ocean Road presents view after view as you move between seashores and small seaside cities. You’ll need to cease in at a few of these cities, like Apollo Bay and Anglesea. There’s additionally the peaceable rain forest of Great Otway National Park, house to strolling trails, waterfalls, and koalas.
Getting there: A day journey down the Great Ocean Road is finest achieved as a street journey, as you’ll be able to’t cease alongside the way in which correctly with public transport. So should you don’t have your individual wheels, it’s finest to go together with an organized tour.
2. Healesville Sanctuary
If you’re occupied with seeing numerous Australian wildlife, you’ll be able to’t miss Healesville Sanctuary. Located to the northeast of the town, this wildlife sanctuary specializes within the preservation and breeding of endangered native animals. The sanctuary is split up into tracks and enclosures, every specializing in a unique species or animal habitat. All the favored Australian animals will be seen right here, together with kangaroos, wombats, emus, and dingoes, plus an awesome array of birdlife, reptiles, and amphibians. The sanctuary can also be one of many uncommon locations the place you’ll be able to see platypus. Many vacationers go to Healesville to work together with the animals, which will be achieved by the Close-Up Encounter program with koalas (no touching), and Kangaroo Close-Up program, the place you’ll be able to feed them.
Getting there: Although solely a brief journey from Melbourne by automotive, reaching Healesville Sanctuary by public transport requires a mixture of trains and buses that takes as much as three hours. If you need to assure entry, guide your tickets in advance.
Book Tour to Healesville Sanctuary
3. Phillip Island
Another implausible a part of Victoria that’s nice for seeing all types of wildlife is Phillip Island, south of the town. Plenty of locals will let you know it’s among the many finest locations to go to from Melbourne. The comparatively small island is finest identified for its colony of cute fairy penguins that emerge every night in the course of the ever-popular Penguin Parade. Before all that occurs, first head to Phillip Island Wildlife Park to see indigenous animals, together with kangaroos, wallabies, and wombats. You may feed the kangaroos whilst you’re there. Nearby is the Koala Reserve, the place you’ll be able to see the sleepy critters of their pure habitat. You may take a ship cruise out to Seal Rocks simply off the coast. There you’ll see an enormous variety of fur seals lounging about.
Getting there: Phillip Island is just too troublesome to achieve utilizing public transport from Melbourne. Your finest guess for a go to is with a guided tour.
4. Yarra Valley
There are wonderful wine areas unfold round Australia, and the Yarra Valley is without doubt one of the finest in Victoria. Day excursions from Melbourne to the Yarra Valley are a preferred possibility as you not solely get to pattern some world-class wine but additionally get to see the sumptuous countryside. Lovely rolling hills lined in sprawling vineyards make the area a deal with for the eyes in addition to for the style buds. The Yarra Valley boasts a pleasant mixture of big-name wineries in addition to smaller boutique ones, which means you’ll possible discover some acquainted names and pattern some wines you’ve by no means heard of earlier than. Most wine excursions will take you to no less than just a few wineries for wine-tasting and a cellar tour, and can characteristic a scrumptious lunch that showcases the area’s native produce.
Getting there: The solely option to correctly discover the wine area with out a automotive is by taking a group wine tour.
5. Grampians National Park
Although it’s fairly a visit from Melbourne, many vacationers can’t move up the chance to see the Grampians National Park. This nationwide park in western Victoria is a well-liked vacation spot with Melburnians resulting from its dramatic panorama stuffed with sheer mountain ridges. To actually respect the Grampians, it’s finest to start with a go to to the Brambuk, the National Park & Cultural Center that tells you concerning the area and its aboriginal heritage. It’s then time to hit the mountain climbing trails, the place you’ll have the chance to see some picture-perfect waterfalls like Mackenzie Falls and Silverband Falls. Continuing on, you’ll work your method as much as the unimaginable panoramic views of forest and mountains supplied by Boroka Lookout and Reeds Lookout.
Getting there: Other than driving your self there, the one option to do a worthwhile day journey to the Grampians is with an organized tour. Either method, it’s going to be an extended day.
Book Tour to Grampians National Park
6. Wilsons Promontory
At the southernmost level of mainland Australia lies Wilsons Promontory, one other coastal vacation spot boasting seashores and nature. Wilsons Promontory National Park covers the area, which means there’s loads of spots untouched by human civilization. Most guests make their option to the gorgeous Squeaky Beach, the place the white quartz sand does certainly squeak beneath your toes. Just up the coast lies Whisky Bay, the place beachside boulders create fascinating surroundings. Inland, you’ll discover a great deal of implausible mountain climbing trails, better of that are the Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk and the hike up Mt. Bishop. As you discover the nationwide park, maintain your eyes peeled for native wildlife, particularly wombats and kangaroos.
Getting there: There aren’t public transport connections that can get you into Wilsons Promontory National Park, so your solely possibility is to go together with a guided tour.
Book Tour to Wilsons Promontory
7. Dandenong Ranges
Some of the closest mountains to Melbourne are the Dandenong Ranges, the place you’ll discover an unlikely mixture of enjoyable locations to go to. These low-lying mountains relaxation proper on the sting of the town and are nice should you’re on the lookout for a scenic nature drive or mountain climbing spot. The ranges are lined in lush rain forest that make them a pleasant escape from the town, and but the area is finest identified for its man-made attraction: the cherished Puffing Billy Steam Train, which dates to the flip of the century and is fashionable with youngsters and adults alike. There are additionally attention-grabbing little cities hidden away within the ranges, just like the artsy city of Sassafras, with its vintage shops and close by Olinda. Both characteristic fairly just a few cafés and tea homes the place you’ll be able to unwind and deal with your self to a Devonshire tea.
Getting there: Local trains recurrently run from Melbourne to the Puffing Billy Railway. From there, you’ll must depend on pretty common native buses to discover the area. Alternatively, you’ll be able to take a guided tour that handles transport for you.
8. Ballarat
Ballarat is a superb alternative to see a little bit of Australian nation life. Basically a giant nation city in look and environment, this metropolis northwest of Melbourne has loads of character and historical past. Ballarat is most well-known for Sovereign Hill, an open-air museum that recreates life in the course of the gold-rush period of the 1850s. On a go to, you’ll see duplicate properties and shops from that period, together with an apothecary, candlemaker, and confectionery retailer, in addition to underground excursions of the gold mines. You may get your picture taken in interval clothes, attempt your luck at gold panning, take a stroll across the metropolis to see its colonial structure, or seize a craft beer at Hop Temple.
Getting there: Ballarat is without doubt one of the finest facet journeys from Melbourne due to how simple it’s to achieve. Hourly regional trains go there from Melbourne, taking 1.5 hours. If you need to safe your ticket to Sovereign Hill, you’ll be able to book tickets online.
9. Mornington Peninsula
Follow the shores of Port Phillip Bay east from Melbourne and also you’ll quickly attain the Mornington Peninsula and all that it has ready for guests. Although stuffed with numerous locations and points of interest, the Mornington Peninsula is finest identified for its spectacular seashores at locations like Rosebud and Sorrento. There are additionally different stunning nature spots to be explored, together with the Mornington Peninsula National Park and mountain climbing alternatives corresponding to Mount Martha and Arthur’s Seat. For a extra relaxed method, take into account the peninsula’s many wineries or a dip within the attractive Peninsula Hot Springs. Families will discover enjoyable issues to do right here as nicely, particularly the backyard mazes at Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens and Enchanted Adventure Garden.
Getting there: While you’ll be able to take a prepare to Frankston and get buses from there, exploring completely different elements of the Mornington Peninsula with public transport is tough. It’s far simpler to go together with a guided tour, which is able to aid you match all the pieces in.
Book Tour to Mornington Peninsula
10. Geelong
It could also be significantly smaller than Melbourne, however because the second largest metropolis in Victoria, Geelong is certainly someplace vacationers ought to concentrate on. Geelong is the gateway to the Surf Coast, and most of the people begin with the town’s waterfront, which incorporates a good esplanade by parkland and a small swimming space at Eastern Beach. While there, ensure to see the long-lasting Baywalk Bollards, vibrant sculptures that depict Geelong’s historical past, in addition to the artwork deco boardwalk. One of the town’s latest additions is the Geelong Library, which bears a strikingly fashionable design. Major cultural establishments on the town embrace the National Wool Museum, Geelong Gallery, and the Geelong Botanic Gardens.
Getting there: Geelong is without doubt one of the many simple prepare journeys from Melbourne, with frequent trains working there from Melbourne. The journey from Southern Cross Station takes roughly an hour.
11. Daylesford
To simply loosen up and unwind, you’ll need to make a journey out to the nation city of Daylesford. Daylesford and close by Hepburn Springs are fashionable spa cities, because of their pure mineral springs. Both cities supply a broad collection of day spas the place you’ll be able to take a soak and pamper your self. The waters are wealthy in minerals after which heated to be used in spas, whereas different therapies embrace therapeutic massage and facials, amongst others. As a city, Daylesford has different charms to supply guests, from its significantly fairly surrounding panorama of hills and lakes to the celebrated meals scene that has sprung up for vacationers. You additionally get different good nation city perks like historic structure, vintage shops, and a relaxed tempo of life.
Getting there: It’s doable to achieve Daylesford from Melbourne by taking a prepare to Woodend after which altering to a bus. The journey ought to take roughly 2.5 hours.
12. Hanging Rock Reserve
This attractive patch of wilderness within the Macedon Ranges is the setting for the novel Picnic at Hanging Rock, which was later changed into a critically acclaimed movie directed by Peter Weir. Hanging Rock Reserve was truly used for the filming of the film, so you might acknowledge the surroundings. Otherwise, you’ll be able to simply benefit from the great panorama of forest and rock columns on high of this extinct volcano. To attain the highest reserve requires a fairly steep hike however isn’t significantly lengthy. The views and nature alongside the way in which are nicely well worth the effort.
Getting there: It’s doable to achieve close by Woodend by bus or prepare from Melbourne, with that a part of the journey taking 70 minutes. From there, you’ll must get a taxi over to Hanging Rock.
13. Lorne
Of the numerous seaside cities that run alongside Victoria’s south coast, one of the fashionable is the city of Lorne. That’s as a result of it mainly has all the pieces that makes Victoria’s Surf Coast so particular whereas additionally having nice locations to eat and loosen up. Lorne Beach, proper on the coronary heart of city, has golden sand and lifeguards on look ahead to these swimming and browsing. Further alongside the coast is Teddy’s Lookout and its magical panorama of the coast alongside the Great Ocean Road. Venturing away from the shoreline, you may have the rainforest of the Otways, the place you’ll be able to go to the beautiful Erskine Falls and go mountain climbing. In between all this sightseeing, ensure to go to a neighborhood bakery for a typical Australian snack like a meat pie or go to a fish and chip store and check out the catch of the day.
Getting there: To attain Lorne from Melbourne, you first must take a prepare to Geelong after which a bus from there. The total journey ought to take slightly below three hours.
14. Lake Mountain
Australia may not seem to be someplace you’ll be able to go snowboarding, however you’d be shocked by the variety of ski fields in Victoria. The most accessible ski discipline from Melbourne is Lake Mountain, making it good for a day journey should you’re round from June to September. Lake Mountain is particularly identified for its cross-country snowboarding, with 37 kilometers of trails to discover. There’s additionally loads of house for toboggan rides and basic enjoyable within the snow. Visit within the hotter months and the realm is nice for mountain climbing and mountain biking. There can also be a flying fox and outside laser skirmish. Just don’t go on the lookout for a lake; the mountain is called after George Lake, who was the surveyor-general of the realm.
Getting there: Unfortunately, the one option to make the complete journey to Lake Mountain is by automotive or by reserving a “Snow Experience” tour (winter solely).
Book Tour to Lake Mountain (Winter Only)
15. Queenscliff
One final spot alongside Port Phillip Bay that’s value your time is the city of Queenscliff on the very entrance to the bay reverse the favored city of Sorrento. Because of its place on the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula, Queenscliff has lengthy been an necessary spot. To be taught extra concerning the city, head to the Fort Queenscliff Museum contained in the fortifications that after protected Port Phillip Bay. Within the fort grounds, you’ll discover the Queenscliff High Light, mentioned to be the one black lighthouse within the southern hemisphere. Another attention-grabbing little bit of historical past on the town is the Bellarine Railway, an outdated steam prepare that also operates out to Drysdale each Sunday and public vacation.
Getting there: Visiting Queenscliff from Melbourne means first taking a prepare to Geelong after which a bus the remainder of the way in which. The journey lasts simply over two hours.
Those are among the finest locations yow will discover outdoors of Melbourne. You’ll possible need to give your self just a few further days in Melbourne to suit all these enjoyable day journeys in.
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