Backpackaussie.com

Victoria has a lot to offer no matter if you are looking for relaxation or adventure. It has a beautiful coastline and fertile forests as well as sporting events, festivals and arts; a great city nightlife and one of the most beautiful road journeys in the world - the Great Ocean Road. 242 kilometres long, it runs along the south eastern coast of Australia between Torquay and Warrnambool. It is definitely worth a visit.

 

Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road begins at Torquay and ends near Warrnambool in Victoria’s south west. It is an amazing drive and if you have the opportunity you have to experience the Great Ocean Road. With amazing beaches, cliffs and temperate rainforests, it encompasses a variety of scenery and views that are difficult to describe and a must to see with your own eyes!

There are also a number of towns you drive through on the Great Ocean Road.

 

 

Torquay

Torquay is the surfing capital of Victoria and it attracts all types of people. It is located where the Great Ocean Road starts (or ends, depending on where you begin).

Torquay is a popular destination year round, located about 100 kilometres from Melbourne. Torquay is especially famous for its amazing beaches. There are a range of beaches - from calm family spots to the extremely experienced surfers’ breaks such as Bells Beach. Every Easter Bells Beach is the location for the Rip Curl Pro, part of the World Championship Tour, where the top surfers from all over the world participate.

 

Besides the famous beaches, Torquay has some great coastal walks. One of them is the Surfcoast walk that starts in Jan Juc, Torquay and ends in Moggs Creek, past Anglesea. A 35km walk with amazing local wildlife, there are other shorter walks which can also offer some great wildlife and scenery.

 

Anglesea

Anglesea is located along the Great Ocean Road, and is a perfect place to relax while enjoying the nature.

Anglesea is the first town southwest on the Great Ocean Road after Torquay, where the road officially starts.

Anglesea has some lovely beaches and is surrounded by forest. Is the perfect place for relaxing and there are several water-based activities like surfing and swimming down at the beach. There are also some great lookouts, like the Rocky Point Roadknight on Harvey Street.

The main surfing beach is Government Beach which is just west of Anglesea.

 

North-east of Anglesea is Point Addis. With its rugged sandstone cliffs it is a popular place for hang gliders and with steps down to the beach it is also an ideal surfing beach.

Anglesea is also known for their local annual Riverbank markets, taking place by the river along the Great Ocean Road.

The peak season is around Christmas and New Year, with many Melbourne residents arriving for a holiday from the city.

Lorne

Lorne is a beautiful little town, down the south coastline on the Great Ocean Road.

Lorne is located 75 kilometres from the city of Geelong, and is a popular destination for tourists when they go by the Great Ocean Road route.

 

Lorne has a charm that is hard to describe, with some great cafes big on culture, you can sit and enjoy the beautiful beach.

 

With shops, galleries, the Otway forests surrounding and much more, it is not difficult to understand why it proves to be such a popular destination. As such, especially during the holidays and summertime, Lorne can become overcrowded with tourists.

There are a lot of different activities to do around Lorne like fishing, swimming and surfing on the beach. At the end of George Street you can find Teddy’s Lookout, where you can get a beautiful view of the Lorne township, the coastline and the Great Ocean Road.

Lorne is also host to the Falls Festival from Dec 28 – Jan 1st each year. Providing three days of music, activities and camping to bring in the New Year, it is held at the same time as a sister events in Tasmania. Both are very popular and you will have to book well in advance to get a ticket. You need to be aware that you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol, and if you do so, it is at your own risk.

 

Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay is a nice little town and a popular tourist destination, especially during the summer time.

 

With less than 2,000 inhabitants, Apollo Bay is a small town that relies on tourism for most of its income.

 

There are plenty of things to do all year around at Apollo Bay, so if you want to explore without a lot of other tourists, that is possible as well.

 

Inland you can explore the nearby Otway Rainforest and enjoy the beautiful waterfall walks.

If you are interested in water activities you can swim, kayak with seals, learn how to surf or take a horseback ride along the beach.

Fishing is an important industry in Apollo Bay, and the main menus in the cafés and restaurants specialise mainly in seafood.

Port Campbell

Port Campbell is another popular tourist destination located towards the western end of the Great Ocean Road.

 

Port Campbell has a reputation for some of Victoria’s most incredible coastlines and views - you just have to see for yourself to understand of how amazing it is.

Besides the spectacular coastline, excellent fishing and diving opportunities, a two-mile bay with some of Australia’s best big wave breaks for surfers, boat tours and much more, Port Campbell offers a bit more for you to explore.

Within only a short drive from Port Campbell are such noted landmarks as the platform of London Bridge, the Loch Ard Gorge, and the Gibsons Steps, and most recognisable of all are the Twelve Apostles.

The Twelve Apostles are a series of famous and dramatically shaped rock formations that can be seen from the coastline. Eroded by millennia of exposure to wind and water, they stand tall and proud just off the shore with excellent visibility in practically all conditions, although wind can sometimes prove a difficulty. Easily accessible via Port Campbell, the Twelve Apostles are a true Australian landmark.

 

Port Fairy

Port Fairy explore the charming old fishing town Port Fairy on the famous Great Ocean Road.

Port Fairy is located at the western end of the Great Ocean Road and some 300 kilometres from Melbourne. A charming little town, Port Fairy has managed to keep many of its old historical buildings intact, such as the old stone church. There are more than 50 buildings classified by the National Trust.

In addition to the lovely heritage buildings Port Fairy is a great fishing spot, where you can take fishing tours or perhaps a cruise to Lady Julia Percy Island, which is home to one of the largest colonies of seals on mainland Australia.

Warrnambool

Warrnambool is located 265 kilometres from Melbourne, and is at the end of the Great Ocean Road.

Warrnambool is a major town located along the southwest coast and with a population of about 26,000. Although mainly an industrial town it does also have a relaxing seaside, with some great beaches where you can swim and surf surrounding the town. From May to October you can be lucky enough to see Southern Right Whales migrating, as the massive mammals are regular visitors during this period.

Warrnambool also offers some great walking tracks near the town, where you can explore the beautiful beaches and wildlife, including penguin colonies and much more.

Queenscliff

Queenscliff is one of Victoria’s popular seaside destinations, about 100 kilometres from Melbourne on Port Phillip Bay. People all over the world come to visit Queenscliff to enjoy the beautiful seaside, sandy beaches with picnic spots, different kinds of water activities such as diving and snorkelling to explore the beautiful corals, and fishing and boating.

Beside the bountiful beaches there is the rich history Queenscliff takes pride in, and which you can easily explore during a visit to Queenscliff. Queenscliff was originally established in 1838 as a station to guide ships through the dangerous entrance of Port Phillip Bay.

Bright

Bright is ideal for a holiday no matter if you are a backpacker, travelling with your family, or simply a lover of the outdoors.

Bright is a small holiday town, located in the foothills of the Victorian High Country and part of Victoria’s Great Alpine Valley. 30 minutes drive from Bright you will find the Mount Buffalo National Park, which has some great scenery and wildlife. You can visit all year around, and during winter Mount Buffalo becomes a great snowboard and skiing area.

With the beautiful nature, hills and national parks around Bright, there are a lot of different activities like bushwalking, horseback riding as well as swimming and fishing in the rivers and dams and mountain biking trails close to the centre. The best trail is within the Baker’s area.  Paragliding and hang-gliding are also popular at Mystic Flight Park, just some of many activities you can do at Bright.

Bright offers different types of accommodation for all kinds of people, from backpacker to resort, so it should not be a problem to find what suits you best.

The Grampians

Grampians National Park is the third largest national park in Victoria and excellent for bushwalking.

The Grampians ranges are located about 240 kilometres from Melbourne. With the series of five sandstone mountain ranges, several waterfalls, easily accessible and well maintained walking tracks as well as great lookouts. The Grampians make incredible viewing. The Grampians is a result of natural earth movement lifting the hard sandstones over many, many years to form peaks. It is an absolutely amazing sight. The highest peak - Mount William - stands 1156 metres tall.

 

Beside the amazing views of the mountains and waterfalls, you can climb the rocks, see and hear incredible wildlife and also see some great aboriginal rock art. Especially in the autumn months, the scenery is fantastic with the opportunity to see some native animals there.

Located between Zumsteins and Halls Gap peaks and off Mount Victory Road is McKenzie Waterfall. McKenzie Waterfall is the largest and most visited waterfall in the Grampians and is well worth a trip. The best time to see the falls is between November and March, where the falls can be a refreshing escape from the hotter weather. There are different walking trails you can take to McKenzie Falls. On the Lake Wartook trail you can walk through forest with over 900 plant species, 200 species of bird and 100 other types of animals, just a unique adventure.

Other places of interest in the Grampians include Reeds Lookout, the Balconies, Boroka Lookout and Zumstein.

No matter where you are in the Grampians there is an amazing view surrounded with incredible nature and definitely a place worth seeing with your own eyes.

Mansfield

Mansfield is a small town well known for its amazing scenery, surrounded by forested mountains.

Mansfield is located approximately 180 kilometres northeast of Melbourne, by the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. The town still has a lot of its historical buildings from the 1940s, when it was a major camp on a stock route.

Now days the charming Mansfield earns most of its income from the tourist industry, especially during the winter season, due to its close proximity to the ski fields of Mount Buller and Mount Stirling. Mansfield is also worth a visit during the rest of the year, when it is often less busy.

Close to Mansfield is Lake Eildon and its National Park. There are a lot of different water activities like swimming, white-water rafting and kayaking here, and there are also good fishing conditions. The area around the Lake including the nearby National Park is relaxed and scenic and you can arrange a bushwalk or horseback ride.

 

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and the second largest city in Australia, with a population of more than 4 million.

Melbourne is Australia’s fastest growing city and was recently voted as Australia’s most livable city.  Arguably seen as Australia’s culture capital, Melbourne’s city centre has been built on the edge of the Yarra River.

There are plenty of things to do and see in Melbourne without spending too much money. To get view of Melbourne you can take the free City Circle Tram from the Central Business District (CBD) to the soundtrack of an informative commentary, or the free Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle which runs between many of Melbourne’s top attractions.

At Melbourne Zoo you can see lions, tigers, bears and some of Australia’s unique endemic animals close up. During the summer period the Zoo has late opening hours, and even hosts jazz nights.

If you want to see more wildlife you should visit Melbourne Aquarium on the banks of the Yarra in central Melbourne, where you can watch all sorts of marine life and where, if you are up for it, the aquarium can even let you swim with the sharks.

Melbourne has many lovely parks throughout the city which on a sunny day can be the perfect place for some time-out. The Royal Botanic Garden is close to the CBD and a great spot for a picnic, and the Birrarung Marr park across from Federation Square is also a pretty spot for a walk.

For a really good birds-eye view of Melbourne you can go to Hotel Sofitel at 25 Collins Street, catch an elevator up to the 35th floor and get an amazing view of Melbourne’s south side.

When it comes to shopping, you are be pretty sure to find an outlet that are specializes in what you are searching for no matter what the style.

Shopping in the city

On the corner of Lonsdale and Swanston you will find QV, a huge building which has several levels of bars, restaurants and retailers. Across the road is Melbourne Central which has young and funky labels like Dangerfield, Ghetto, Kookai and many more.

 

If you are searching for outdoor gear, camping, computers, cameras, hi-fi etc then Elizabeth Street is a good choice. Little Collins Street is great for men and woman’s designer boutiques.

 

A great tip to remember when you are out shopping in Melbourne is to always remember to look for the hidden, secret and less obvious streets, because it is often there, where the local designers are hiding, that you can find the best stuff.

Shopping Fitzroy

At Gertrude Street you will find great retro fashion and secondhand stores, Johnston Street silver and gemstone jewelry. Smith Street is great for camping and fitness supplies.

Shopping Richmond

Along Swan Street and Bridge Road is where most of Melbourne’s largest factory outlets for retail are located.

An important thing to remember when you are out shopping - rest your feet in some of the many amazing cafes there are. Melbourne has a deserved reputation for its coffee!

Get around

Public transport is a dream in this city, with trams rolling down the streets running every 5 to 10 minutes to most destinations and a good train service. You can buy a week or day pass if you plan on regularly using them to get around and save yourself a few bucks.

There seems to be endless parks on the south side of the city as well as museums and art galleries.

Melbourne is also known as the capital for sports with the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), one of the most famous sporting venues in the world and the spiritual home of Aussie sporting culture, just 15 minutes walk from the city. Nearly every weekend there is a cricket match, a rugby match or an Australian Rules football game happening. There is a really a great atmosphere at these games, although drinking and eating at the venue can be quite expensive. Melbourne is also home to the Rod Laver Arena, where the Australian Open tennis tournament takes place in January.

China town in the Central Business District is a good spot to pick up a cheap lunch if you look around for the lunch specials. During the Chinese New Year especially it has an amazing atmosphere. (In 2011 it started February 4th and continues about two weeks). Find the pizza shops near Flinders St Station for cheap pizza slices 24 hours a day.

St. Kilda is the central beachside area of Melbourne. Here you can find the famous theme park Lunar Park with old rides and loads of games to play. The beach itself is always busy on a summer’s day when people escape the heat of the city, and when it is windy there can be hundreds of kite surfers performing acrobatic aerial tricks.

 

When you are at the beach take a walk by the marina and jetty to see some local fishermen. 
 

 

Mornington Peninsula

Mornington Peninsula is located southeast from Melbourne and it is a popular local tourist destination.

Mornington Peninsula is approximately an hour drive south from Melbourne and a typical summer holiday getaway for people who live in Melbourne. Normally with a population of about 135,000 people, during the summer period the number nearly doubles, increasing to around 250,000 people.

The variation of the beaches - both sheltered coves and an open sea beaches - makes Mornington Peninsula a popular area for water lovers and with the relaxing atmosphere is ideal for a holiday.

Transport

To get to the Mornington Peninsula you can access either via Frankston or by ferry to Sorrento from Queenscliff.

Accommodation

The most common ways to stay at the Mornington Peninsula are camping, and renting villas and share houses.

Phillip Island

 Phillip Island is most known for its Penguin Parade and great surfing beaches, as well as the annual Moto GP.

Phillip Island is approximately 2 hours drive from Melbourne and is well known for the great surfing beaches on the southern site of the island.  See the Penguin Parade every evening where local fairy penguins waddle up from the beach to their burrows to sleep.

Explore the wildlife on Phillip Island and experience penguins, sea lions, Australian fur seals at Seal Rocks and koalas at the Koala Conservation Centre. You can find a pelican feeding everyday at midday at the San Remo jetty.

 

At the Wildlife Park you can see a mix of Australian wildlife and hand feed kangaroos and wallabies. 
You can also spend some lazy days on one of the several beaches there are on Phillip Island. There is a beach for each taste - whether you want a relaxed swimming beach up to wild ocean beaches which are good for surfing, fishing and kayaking.

Beside the surfing and animals, Phillip Island is also known for the Australian 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix in October, part of the international circuit.

Mildura

Mildura is located in northwest Victoria and is a typical visit for backpackers in search for a job.

Mildura is a large town located next to the Murray River. Like an oasis in the dry landscape the further you go from the river the dryer it gets. Thanks to the river Mildura has a lot of vineyards, and you are almost guaranteed to get some great local food and vine when you visit.

Mildura is a major producer of citrus fruits in Australia, which attracts a lot of backpackers to the area to get a job fruit picking. The high season for picking and packing work is from January to March, but there are generally jobs available all year round.

At Murray River you can enjoy a sunny day on the river beach or swim, canoe or water ski up on the river. Historical paddle steamers, once an integral part of Murray River culture, still operate and cruises can be arranged from Mildura.

About 110 kilometres north east from Mildura is Mungo National Park, and although there is an entry fee to get in the park is absolutely amazing, and you can explore the mysterious sand dunes, and see amazing sunsets and wildlife.

Mount Buller

Mount Buller is a very popular ski resort and only 208 kilometres from Melbourne.

During the winter months Mount Buller is the most popular ski area in Victoria and accommodates large crowds of people well. The area is large, more than 300 hectares, and there are trails for all kinds of skiers (25 % beginners, 45 % intermediate and 30 % advanced). Mount Buller’s longest run is 2.5 kilometres.

Every year Mount Buller hosts the Victorian Snowsports Championship, and in September hosts the International Ski Federation Aerial Skiing World Cup.

It is not only during the winter months Mount Buller is worth visit, during the summer months are there a lot of activities like bushwalking, rock climbing, and mountain biking. Pack a picnic and enjoy the view from 1,804 meters or join in some of the different festivals and summer activities held on the mountain during the summer period.

Bendigo

In 1851 gold was discovered at Ravenswood, drawing thousands of people to Bendigo to find a fortune. It was a very prosperous area for the mining companies, and there are still a lot of the original old buildings left standing in Bendigo.

To get an overview of Bendigo you can take the hop-on and hop-off tram and get plenty of information about Bendigo from the last 150 years.

You can rediscover a bit of Bendigo’s past by visiting the Central Deborah Mine, restored as it was in the time when Bendigo was considered to be the richest and largest goldfield in the world.

 

The Central Deborah Mine tour takes you 61 metres underground to the tunnels where almost one tonne of gold was discovered.

 

If you are up for more subterranean exploration then there is the Underground Adventure Tour that lets you pretend to go back in time and be one of the miners and dig in the tunnels. There is an entry fee attached to the mine tour, so remember to check the price.

These days it is not the mines people are coming to Bendigo for, but the vines. Because Bendigo is located in central Victoria it has good conditions for growing the robust fully flavoured shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, which is what most vine lovers visit the region for. The area also produces chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc and sangiovese varieties.

 

Climate

Victoria has a varied climate, ranges from semi arid and hot in the north west to temperated and cool along the coast.

 

Month	Melbourne	Mildura
Jan	25.8	32.8
Feb	25.8	32.7
Mar	23.8	28.3
Apr	20.2	24.1
May	16.6	19.6
June	14.0	16.0
July	13.4	15.4
Aug	14.9	17.7
Sep	17.2	21.1
Oct	19.6	25.0
Nov	21.8	29.0
Dec	24.1	31.7

Source: Bureau of Meteorology

 

Find your accommodation in Victoria

 

Find hostels in Victoria

Find hotels in Victoria

Find caravan parks in Victoria

 

Find your transport in Victoria

 

Rent campervan in Victoria

Rent car in Victoria

Book busses in Victoria

 

Collapse