13 great reasons to visit Victoria

Victoria is the second-smallest state in Australia, but it is packed full of activities that make it a great destination for all ages and interests.

Most people spend their time in Melbourne but there is so much to explore away from this vibrant city.

Whichever direction you go, there are remote wilderness areas to explore, and Victoria hosts two of the world’s greatest road trips and Australia’s first gourmet region.

Grab a map, hire a car, and see what this fantastic state has to offer with our round-up of 13 great reasons to visit Victoria.

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Explore Mornington Peninsula

Go scuba diving then check out the mansions of Australia’s elite

The Mornington Peninsula is one of the most popular places to go diving in Victoria, and the Blairgowrie Pier is a great place to start. There is excellent shallow shore diving and snorkelling around the pier, with an abundance of marine life to find.

Start your day by exploring underwater, then grab a pub lunch overlooking the bay and walk along the famous ‘Millionaire’s Walk’. This stunning cliff-top walk is dotted with summer mansions owned by some of Australia’s richest people.

Swim with stingrays

A 15-minute drive from Blairgowrie will take you to Rye Pier, another popular spot for snorkelling in Victoria. This pier is swathed in marine life, but it is most famous for the enormous resident stingrays that cruise up and down the pier.

When you’ve had enough of watching these huge rays glide by, you can spend the day relaxing on Rye Pier’s white-sand beach. Lapped by shallow, turquoise waters, this beach is reminiscent of the Maldives.

Experience the thrill of shipwreck diving

One of Australia’s most famous shipwrecks is across the water from Blairgowrie. The ex-HMAS Canberra, a former warship of the Australian Navy, is the first artificial reef in Victoria created for divers and lies in 28 metres of water.

If you have an Open Water Diver certification, you can dive this wreck. The dive depths range from 15 to 28 metres and there are numerous dive routes.

You can drift over the main deck, and explore in the bridge, engine rooms, galley, and accommodation quarters of this huge 138-metre-long wreck.

Snorkel with sea dragons

Some weird and wonderful creatures call our ocean home and weedy sea dragons are one of the most captivating.

These small, rare creatures are related to seahorses and resemble, you guessed it, seaweed. With their leaf-like appendages and striking markings, they look otherworldly, and they live in Mornington Peninsula’s waters.

A snorkelling safari to find these sea dragons is a great way to entertain the kids. You can join guided snorkelling tours at Portsea Pier or go diving with weedy sea dragons at Flinders Pier.

Visit the world’s largest Little Penguin colony

Take a drive back up Mornington Peninsula and around Western Port Bay to visit another of Victoria’s wildlife gems, Phillip Island. This famous island is home to the largest Little Penguin colony in the world.

It is well set up for visitors, with viewing platforms and a variety of eateries. Come sunset, you can watch thousands of penguins as they waddle home to their burrows.

Head west of Melbourne

Eat your way around the Bellarine Taste Trail

Hire a car and head west from Melbourne to experience some of Victoria’s most epic views, food, and remote wilderness spaces.

First up, is the Bellarine Taste Trail. This trail boasts almost 50 food and wine destinations, all packed into a small area that you can easily drive around in half a day. There are farmgate producers, unique wineries, breweries, and award-winning cafes to satisfy any hungry road-tripper.

Indulge your inner chocoholic

If you’re willing to take a two-hour detour north, you will be rewarded with a chocolate lover’s heaven.

The Chocolate Mill, an unassuming property tucked away amongst eucalyptus trees, is filled with mouth-watering artisan chocolates that attract tourists by the busload. As well as more types of chocolate than you could wish for, the Chocolate Mill has a café that boasts ‘the ultimate hot chocolate’ in a variety of indulgent flavours.

Go on a Great Ocean Road trip

An hour’s drive west of Bellarine will take you to the Great Ocean Road. This is one of the world’s most spectacular drives and stretches 243km along Victoria’s coast.

It was built by hand by returning soldiers from World War I and is the world’s largest War Memorial. As you drive along this remarkable road, you can learn about the soldiers’ stories and take in famous sights such as the 12 Apostles Marine Park and Bells Beach (home to the Rip Curl Pro surfing competition).

Surround yourself with waterfalls and wild platypus

Make sure you stop at the Great Otway National Park if you drive along the Great Ocean Road. This national park is dotted with beautiful waterfalls and walks for all abilities.

The Forrest section of the Great Otway National Park offers mountain bike riding, whilst a canoe trip on Lake Elizabeth will take you to a wild platypus colony. Spot these shy and iconic creatures at dawn and watch magical glow-worms at dusk.

Grab your camera for jaw-dropping sunsets and pink lakes

The remote and unspoilt far north-western reaches of Victoria attract nature fans and photographers alike, especially to the Murray-Sunset National Park. This park is famous for its jaw-dropping sunsets and bright pink lakes.

You can camp in the park, go walking, canoeing, fishing, or just enjoy the vast array of wildlife that resides there. From September to mid-October, this beautiful wilderness area is covered in pink, yellow, and white wildflowers. It is a feast for the senses and offers unique photographic opportunities.

Explore east of Melbourne

Go on an alpine adventure

The Great Ocean Road might be Victoria’s most famous drive, but its lesser-known inland equivalent, the Great Alpine Road, deserves your attention.

This spectacular road starts at Wangaratta and winds its way through more than 300 kilometres of diverse landscapes, including mountain ranges, plunging valleys, verdant forests, and wine estates.

Whether you drive a short section or the entire road, you can pick and choose from numerous foodie delights en route and join alpine adventures such as horseback riding, caving, and abseiling.

On the way to the Great Alpine Road, make sure you explore Victoria’s most famous wine region, the Yarra Valley. With more than 70 wineries to choose from, plus a selection of craft breweries, it’s the perfect place to start your road trip.

Visit Australia’s home of Prosecco

A side trip off the Great Alpine Road at Wangaratta will take you on a delicious tour of Australia’s home of Prosecco, the King Valley. Sitting next to the famous Milawa Gourmet Region, King Valley is renowned for its Italian wines, Mediterranean delights, and Prosecco.

You could just visit for lunch, but with so much on offer, an overnight stay and a cellar door tour by bike is the best way to go.

North of Melbourne

Hang out at Australia’s largest cactus garden.

Less than three hours from Melbourne lies one of Victoria’s unique highlights. Cactus Country is a 12-acre desert oasis that will transport you to the landscapes of Mexico, the African Sahara, and Argentinian Patagonia.

This desert wonderland has been lovingly curated since the late 1970s and is home to thousands of cacti and succulents. Try homemade cactus ice cream whilst you walk the trails and take in the views from the lookout dome. Kids will enjoy the cacti scavenger hunt and there’s a Mexican restaurant there as well.

Kathryn Curzon is a conservationist, travel writer, and digital marketer in New Zealand.