Victoria Explorer

Sunny Melbourne continually tops the list of most liveable cities in the world, and it’s easy to see why. Here, among the stylish architecture, swanky boutique shops and lively cafés, there’s plenty going on, with arts exhibitions, sports events and music and comedy festivals all regular occurrences. While in town, you’ll explore the cafés and treasures of the laneways and spend a day in the picturesque Yarra Valley wine growing region.

Pick up your car and set off for the Mornington Peninsula, a spit of land with glorious family-friendly beaches on one side and wild wave-battered scenery on the other. The Peninsula’s sunny interior is carpeted in fruit fields and vineyards, and touring the wineries, tasting the wine, then lingering over a gourmet vineyard lunch is the number one experience here, closely followed by beach chilling, coastal walks and watching out for wombats, koalas and kangaroos.

Penguin enthusiasts (let’s face it, who isn’t a penguin enthusiast?) flock to Phillip Island’s colony of adorable little penguins, which waddle endearingly up the beach every evening after a hard day’s fishing, in a spectacle known as the Penguin Parade. When not hanging out with the penguins, look out for Koalas and the large colony of Australian fur seals and why not try your hand surfing with award-winning surf schools or just hang out at the beach – the island is also home to the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, which is open to visitors.

Affectionately known as “the Prom,” Wilson’s Promontory National Park is the southernmost point of the Australian mainland. This is an outdoor-lover’s paradise, with over 80km of walks and hikes among glorious coastal scenery, as well as swimming and surfing in the sea. There’s plenty of wildlife to spot here, including kangaroos and wombats, and believe it or not you can even scuba dive or snorkel to spot colourful corals, anemones and southern rock lobsters.