Melbourne is lucky in that it has an amazing variety of landscapes within a 1-2 hour drive - giving you a lot of choice when planning Melbourne tours or day trips. You can explore the gold rush days, go on a luxury winery tour, surf a world famous beach or bushwalk in a stunning National Park.
Here is a selection of Melbourne tours to get you started:
- A popular day trip is to the Dandenong Ranges, about 1 hour east of Melbourne.
The drive through the Dandenongs is stunning because of its tall mountain ash forests, fern gullies and temperate rain forests - feels like in a fairy tale. Mountain ash can reach a height of 110m and driving or walking through a whole forest of these is awe-inspiring.
The other attractions of the Dandenongs are the small villages - I recommend Sassafras - with quirky art and craft shops, and intimate cafes and restaurants. - For a bit of class, go on a Yarra Valley Wine tour. The Yarra Valley is only an hour's drive NE of Melbourne.
The scenery and colors around Melbourne are unique - much more intense than in most parts of Australia. You get lush greens, illuminated by golden light - particularly when the sun breaks through on cloudy days.
Apart from stunning scenery, there are many good quality wineries in the Yarra Valley. A great place to go for wine tasting, lunch, art galleries or a balloon flight over the valley! I also recommend Healesville Sanctury, a native animal park in a natural setting. - North of Melbourne is the famous Hanging Rock - a stunning rock configuration, forming the top of a mountain.
Hanging Rock is famous for the mysterious vanishing of a group of school girls and their teacher in 1900. Just by climbing through the rock formations you get involved in that mystery. It has been subject to a novel and Peter Weir film.
From there it is not far to Daylesford. Daylesford is a gold mining town with character - associated with Swiss-Italians and the mineral springs. It has been a spa resort area from the late 1880's and is still a place for romantic getaways and pampering yourself. - Driving from Melbourne towards the NW, you find the gold rush town of Ballarat. Ballarat was the centre of the gold rush craze, oozing money and riches. Grand Victorian and Edwardian Heritage buildings and tree-lined avenues can take you back to its 19th century glory days.
Ballarat's most famous attraction is Sovereign Hill, a 35-acre open-air museum recreating the gold mining heydays, including old buildings, actors in authentic costumes engaged in 1850s activities. - Well worth a day trip, and great for kids as well. - A list of Melbourne tours is not complete without a visit to the beach. There are surf beaches on either side of Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay. A great day trip is towards the SW, to Torquay. This is where the surfing championships are held at Bells Beach.
However, you don't have to be a surfer to enjoy the beaches. It is a popular day trip for Melburnians wanting to hit the waves. It is also the gateway to a greater Melbourne tour of the Great Ocean Road
This is only the beginning of a long list of Melbourne tours.
I still have to tell you about the Great Ocean Road, the Grampians, the Mornington Peninsula, the Penguins on Phillip Island the Victorian High Country, Wilsons Prom...
Warm regards,
Brigitte Seum
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Brigitte Seum provides insider information about Melbourne. She is a Melburnian by choice and is continuing building her site into an information rich Melbourne resource. Sign up for her free monthly Ezine Insiders Melbourne here.
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