The State of Victoria, in the south-east of Australia
offers an enormous range of attractions: you can dine out at one of the many magnificent restaurants of Melbourne, take a drive along the Great Ocean Road and view the rugged western coastline, play a round of golf in the north of the State beside the mighty Murray River or look over the magnificent snow-capped Great Dividing Range from a chalet at a ski resort.
Victoria is a small state, so the ideal way to tour is by road -magnificent beaches, the desert country in the north-west and many of the state's national parks or reserves are all only a day trip from Melbourne.
The capital of Victoria, Melbourne, located on Port Phillip Bay, is a vibrant city. It hosts many international events, including the Australian Formula One Grand Prix and the country's biggest horse race, the Melbourne Cup. There is the diverse beach culture of St Kilda, and beautiful parkland along the Yarra River. The city also features an exotic range of excellent restaurants, museums, the Crown Casino, exciting nightlife and world-class sporting venues, plus parks and gardens which can be explored by foot or bicycle. There is a great tramway system for getting around town.
To the north-east of Melbourne are the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges, home to a number of Victoria's wineries. This region is favoured by Melburnians for quiet retreats. The Dandenong Ranges are full of lush, ferny forests, and a drive along the scenic road to the top of Mount Dandenong offers magnificent mountain scenery. Once at the top, there is a panoramic view of the city of Melbourne and the surrounding area, all the way out to Port Phillip 2023 Australian calendars Bay -which provides a spectacular light show at night.
Melbourne and much of Central Victoria were built from the profits of the gold rush that swept the area in the mid- to late 1800s, just as the state was beginning to take shape. The goldfields region, bordered by Bendigo, Ballarat and Maryborough, is an hour from Melbourne. Bendigo and Ballarat are large towns, and have many attractions, including the goldfields theme park, Sovereign Hill. The small towns of Castlemaine and Maldon, with their wide streets and restored historic buildings (which are now antique and 2023 Australian calendars cottage craft shops), will also take you back in time.
The Goulburn River starts its journey from the Murray River on the New South Wales border and winds its way down through the centre of the State to Lake Eildon, less than three hours' drive from Melbourne. There is a large
irrigation system running off the Goulburn River throughout this region, and the area now supports a prosperous dairy and fruit-growing industry. The waters of the Goulburn also feed into many reservoirs -Lake Nagambie and Lake Eildon in particular are popular with water sports enthusiasts and anglers.
Perched on the extreme western edge of the Great Dividing Range to the west of Melbourne is a series of blue peaks, known as Gariwerd, which forms a striking outline on the horizon. This rugged mass of sandstone pinnacles, part of the Grampians National Park, is very popular with walkers, abseilers and climbers. During spring the whole region is covered in a mosaic of colourful wildflowers; in winter, water tumbles down over the rugged escarpments to waterways below. This region is a haven for wildlife, and many birdwatchers frequent the area, especially in spring.
Winding its way along the west Victorian coastline, the Great Ocean Road -originally built to honour those who served in World War I -offers some of the world's most spectacular coastal scenery, including the famous natural sculptures known as the Twelve Apostles and London Bridge. Sandy beaches nestle between towering cliffs and dolphins and whales can sometimes be seen playing in the roaring seas to the south. The Great Ocean Road leads to some of Victoria's best surfing locations and most popular coastal holiday towns. Many ships have met their end on the rugged western coastline, and the region is often referred to as the 'Shipwreck Coast'. The whole coast from Port Phillip Bay to the border of Victoria and South Australia and beyond is popular with divers, as they can explore many of the wrecks which foundered there.
The peninsula region of South Gippsland, south-east of Melbourne, also has plenty to offer visitors, including the magnificent Wilsons Promontory National Park. This park is one of Victoria's oldest, and features a great diversity of environments -lush rainforests and coastal heathland, granite landscapes and pristine beaches. The park has many walking tracks, of varying lengths and difficulties.
Closer to Melbourne is the nature wonderland of Phillip Island. It is here that you will find one of Victoria's greatest international attractions, the Penguins on Parade. Every evening thousands of penguins swim to the shores of this island to return to their burrows. The island is also home to seals and koalas, and offers excellent surfing and swimming -it is the perfect seaside holiday destination. It is connected to the mainland by a bridge.
Gippsland is a rich dairy farming district and is also rich in coal deposits, which have been mined since the 1800s. Coal Creek, in Korumburra, is a theme park which outlines the history of coalmining in Victoria. Tours of the large power stations in the heart of Gippsland offer an insight into the State's energy system.
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Public Last updated: 2022-08-03 05:27:26 AM