Mornington Peninsula
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Located to the south of Melbourne at the south-eastern tip of Port Phillip Bay, Mornington Peninsula has long been Melbourne's summer playground. The boot-shaped promontory separating two contrasting bays - Port Phillip and Western Port - is a favourite destination for lazy beachside getaways that come with green hinterlands and wild ocean beaches on the side.
Dandenong Ranges
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If you are visiting Melbourne and want to experience the Australian bush, there is no better place to go for a day's outing than the Dandenong Ranges, to the east of Melbourne. An area of gently rolling hills covered in at times dense forest interspersed by farms, orchards and picturesque villages, the Dandenongs became popular with tourists from the 1870s onwards; Scenic drives through the Ranges are just as popular today and are the best way to see and appreciate all that the Dandenongs have to offer. The Ranges are rich in wildlife with 130 native bird species, 31 native mammals, 21 reptiles and nine amphibian species recorded; these hills are the Lyrebird's most favoured habitat.
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Visiting by car, it is possible to enjoy a picnic at one of the many picnic areas; follow one of numerous walking tracks for a short family stroll or longer hike; experience the coffee shops and restaurants, stay at a cosy bed and breakfast, or explore the many craft shops, antique shops and feature gardens (best in Spring, Sept-Nov) dotted throughout the Ranges. If you are not driving a car, you can visit the Dandenongs on day trips offered by coach tour operators, or take the train from Melbourne to Belgrave for a ride through the bush on the heritage narrow gauge Puffing Billy train.
Contact: Website. Location: 40 km east of Melbourne. How to get there: by car, drive from Melbourne via Burwood Highway or Canterbury Road (approximately 1 hour). Alternatively, take the train to Upper Ferntree Gully or Belgrave station. Melway maps 52, 65, 74, 75, 120 and 122 give additional details.
Yarra Valley
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The closest wine region to the city of Melbourne, the Yarra Valley is Victoria's oldest wine region, with over 3,600 hectares under vine. It is also Victoria's most visited wine area, located just one hours drive from Melbourne's CBD. A leading Australian cool climate wine region, its wineries, which offer cellar door tastings and sales, specialise in most cool climate styles, from sparklings, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, to complex pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and more. There is far more to the Yarra Valley than just wineries, however, it is equally well known for its art galleries, accommodation, restaurants, cafes, antique stores, markets, woodland nature walks and recreational attractions such as the Healesville Sanctuary (see entry rigtht), Paintball Skirmish, Ballooning (Global Ballooning & Balloon Sunrise), Hedgend Maze, Marysville Salmon & Trout Ponds, Lavender Farm and Tourist Railway. (see full list) Yarra Glen township
Contact: Wine Region Website | Visitors Guide Website.
Location: 50 km east of Melbourne.
Getting There: by car, take the Eastern Freeway (83) from the city until the Nunawading exit. Turn right into Springvale Road and then left onto Whitehorse Road which later becomes the Maroondah Highway. Proceed to Lilydale and then onto Healesville (B360) which is well signposted. If you’re heading to Yarra Glen, veer left onto the Melba Highway (B300) at Coldstream.
By coach tour, numerous tour operators offer day tours. Tours leave from Southern Cross station bus terminal, Spencer Street, city.
Macedon Ranges
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Known for its beautiful gardens and plantations that thrive in its rich volcanic soil, the Macedon region is a one hour drive from Melbourne. The ranges were once a haunt for some of Australia's most infamous bushrangers in the goldrush days.
The towering peak of Mount Macedon and nearby Hanging Rock are part of a six million year old dormant volcano. Many historic towns within the region have retained their early European influence, offering visitors a unique visual and culinary experience. In the region's north-west, towards Ballarat, are a number of historical former gold mining towns including Clunes and Creswick.
Bellarine Peninsula
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Just over an hour from Melbourne and with the townships generally not more than ten kilometres apart, there is plenty to see on a day tour or stop in one place for the perfect short break.
Activities on The Bellarine include all the water-based sports and pleasures you can think of – snorkelling, jet-skiing, swimming with dolphins, surfing, kayaking, fishing, marine sanctuaries, sailing and more. World class wineries are peppered throughout the area, as are superb restaurants, quaint cafés, fresh local seafood and Sunday markets.
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Werribee Open Range Zoo
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An African-style Game Park not far from Melbourne. A visit to Werribee Open Range Zoo is very much like a visit to an African Game Park, but without the expense of a trip to South Africa. Set in 225 hectares of wide, open savannah country, the Zoo is full of grazing animals - rhinos, giraffes and zebras, see cheeky monkeys and cheetahs. A 45-minute safari tour, which is included in the admission price, allows visitors to get close to a pride of lions in the Lions on the Edge Experience or meet a family of hippos in the Kubu River Hippos Experience. Entry fees apply.
Hours: 9am - 5pm daily
Contact: (03) 9731 9600. Website.
Location: K Road, Werribee.
Getting There: by car, exit Melbourne via West Gate Bridge. 30 minutes drive from Melbourne, via the Princes Highway on route to Geelong.
By bus, the Werribee Park Shuttle Service operates daily return trips from central Melbourne to Werribee Park, Werribee Open Range Zoo, Point Cook RAAF Museum and Point Cook Homestead. Further information and bookings, phone (03) 9748 5094 or visit their website.
By coach tour, numerous tour operators offer day tours that include this locality in their itineraries. Tours leave from Southern Cross station bus terminal, Spencer Street, city.
Healesville Sanctuary
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Opened in 1934, Healesville Sanctuary is a showcase for more than 200 species of native birds, mammals and reptiles, all viewed in a natural bushland setting just over an hour's drive from the city centre. Permitting visitors to get closer to Australia’s wildlife than normal zoos, the Sanctuary has made a feature of the unique experiences visitors can have with kangaroos, koalas and Australia's birds of prey. On the path that weaves through the Sanctuary, it is not unusual to encounter colourful birds, meet an Emu, hear dingoes howl, watch the flight and hunting skills of wedge-tailed eagles or take a stroll amongst kangaroos. "The Sidney Myer World of the Platypus", which opened in December 1994, is the most comprehensive Platypus exhibit ever constructed. It affords an intimate encounter with the Platypus in its nocturnal creek habitat. Around these animals, living ferns, mosses and lichens grow above waterfalls and rapids, and tangled tree roots shelter little-known animals such as water-rats, native fish and eels.
Contact: Website.
Location: Gleneadie Ave., Healesville, 65 kilometres or one hours drive from Melbourne in the Yarra Valley region.
Getting There: by car, take the Eastern Freeway out of Melbourne then drive east along Maroondah Highway through Ringwood and Lilydale to Healesville. Turn right into Badger Creek Road just past the township centre. From there road signage will guide you to the Sanctuary car park. By rail, catch the Lilydale train from Flinders Street station, then a connecting bus to the Sanctuary.
By coach tour, numerous tour operators offer day tours. Tours leave from Southern Cross station bus terminal, Spencer Street, city.
Phillip Island
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Few people who visit Melbourne escape the almost obligatory trek south to see the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island, a nightly ritual in which hundreds of Little (Fairy) Penguins come ashore after nightfall and head for their burrows in the sandhills. To protect the Penguins and make viewing easy for the thousands who flock there each year, an elevated timber boardwalk has been constructed, aiding photography of the birds, and allowing close access to them while keep human encroachment into their natural habitat at a minimum. Most coach tour operators run single-day coach tours which take in the island's Wildlife Park, Churchill Island, Koala Conservation Centre and the Penguin Parade before the 2-hour night drive back to Melbourne. Alternatively, you can hire a car and drive yourself, moving on as and when you chose. Multi-day tours are also available as there is so much to see and do on Phillip Island it can't all be seen in one day.
Location: 140 kilometres south-east of Melbourne.
Getting there: by car, leave Melbourne via Monash Fwy. or Dandenong Rd to Dandenong. At Dandenong or Doveton, take the South Gippsland Hwy/Fwy, Cranbourne, follow signs to Phillip Isld via Bass Hwy. Numerous coach tour companies operate coach tours out of Southern Cross Station.
Puffing Billy Railway, Belgrave
Puffing Billy Railway: the restored Puffing Billy Steam Train takes travellers on a memorable journey on Australia's most notable narrow gauge railway through lush ferns and towering timbers in the Dandenong Ranges. A century-old steam train that runs on its original mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook, Puffing Billy travels 24.5 km up and back with mountain scenery and panoramic views constantly passing the windows of the fully enclosed heritage carriages. At Lakeside, the intermediate stop of the railway is inside the beautiful Emerald Lake Park. Passengers can alight here for a few pleasant hours of bushwalking, swimming or just relaxing in the peaceful country setting and catch the return train for their return journey. Special Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner trains run from time to time, see website for schedules. Travel charges apply.
Hours: Roughly 10 AM - 4 PM, but check the website for precise schedules from each point on the line
Contact: (03) 9757-0700; Website; Email
Location: All Puffing Billy trips depart from and return to Belgrave station in the Dandenong Ranges, 40 km east of Melbourne.
Getting There: By rail, take the train from Flinders St, or any city station, to Belgrave station on the Belgrave line (70 min.). The Puffing Billy platform is close to Belgrave Railway Station.
By car, drive to the end of Burwood Hwy to Belgrave (Melway Map 75 F10) and park near the station. Alternatively, take Wellington Road to Clematis, then turn left toward Menzies Creek or Right toward Emerald, Lakeside and Gembrook. Car parking is available near these stations.
By coach tour, operators offer Day Trips to the Dandenong Ranges which include a ride on Puffing Billy in their itineraries. Tours leave from Southern Cross station bus terminal, Spencer Street, city.
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The City of Melbourne provides a range of visitor information services to assist visitors. These services include:
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