AUSTRALASIA VICTORIA DESTINATIONS I
n recent years, Melbourne’s reputation as a world-class city in its own right has strengthened considerably. The “laneways”, coffee shops, bars and restaurants have an energy to match the best on the planet. But Melbourne’s traditional strength – as a hub for visiting some of the loveliest places in Australia – remains just as valid. Victoria may not pack in the
otherworldly reef and outback attractions of other Australian states, but it does cram an awful lot of prettiness and good living into a relatively small area.
w SELL Wine-tasting, wildlife and walking feature prominently, but Victoria also offers a fair amount of history and adventure. Many of the key destinations
are eminently doable as day trips from Melbourne, although these can feel a touch rushed and perfunctory. The Great Ocean Road is the
classic example – it’s Victoria’s tourist staple, but it’s a long old slog to do in one day. It’s also a drive that’s less about the highlights reel – though the ocean-battered Twelve Apostles and London Bridge rock formations are wonderful – and more about the slow-cooked detail. Laidback coastal towns such as Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Fairy have buckets of charm, alongside marvellous walking trails and waterfalls. Migrating whales can often be seen from the cliffs at Warrnambool, and the Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, just outside the town, is a great spot for seeing emus and echidnas.
The Great Ocean Road drive is less about the highlights reel and more about the slow-cooked detail
Outdoorsy types should
swing back to Melbourne via the Grampians, a cluster of mountain ranges that provide staggering views at virtually every turn, and miles of majestic bushwalking. Mount Arapiles is also Australia’s major rock-climbing centre. If going east rather than west,
the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula are among Australia’s best wine regions. The Yarra
Valley is a classic weekend escape for Melburnians, and is crammed with good restaurants. The Mornington Peninsula, on the other hand, is a little more spread out and wild, although the chic bayside town of Sorrento is very much sunglasses and glass- clinking territory. At the tip of the peninsula,
Point Nepean National Park is fascinating, partly because of the military fortifications that date from the 1870s. And then there’s Melbourne’s
biggest staple – Phillip Island. Huge numbers of tour buses rock up to the Penguin Parade there every night, as people jostle to see the impossibly cute little penguins waddle ashore from the sea. But that’s not all the island has – there are some good surf breaks, plenty of
5 January 2017
travelweekly.co.uk 63
PICTURES: TOURISMAUSTRALIA/TIMEOUT AUSTRALIA/ROBERTO SEBA; TOURISMVICTORIA/ROB BLACKBURN
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