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Victoria Discovery

from £1118 excluding flights

  • 9 nights
  • Year round
Home Destinations Australasia Australia Victoria Discovery

Highlights

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See Phillip Island's penguins, fur seals, koalas and prolific birdlife

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Drive the renowned Great Ocean Road

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Immerse yourself in Melbourne's laneways on a guided walking tour

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Explore the natural attractions of the Mornington Peninsula

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Uncover the goldmining history of Ballarat

Why this trip...

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Tailor made

This itinerary can be tailor made to suit you and is intended to give you a guideline of what is possible in a given timeframe

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Explore at leisure

With the route, transport and accommodation sorted, each day offers the freedom to explore

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Well-researched route

We've put our years of experience into creating this well-paced itinerary that includes the places we know you'll enjoy

Overview

It may be one of Australia’s smaller states, yet Victoria is home to the vibrant city of Melbourne, a wealth of award-winning wineries, a huge variety of endemic wildlife and one of the country’s most scenic coastal drives, the Great Ocean Road.

Whatever your interests and passions – be it wildlife, wine, natural wonders or even surfing, Victoria offers something for everybody. This self-drive itinerary encapsulates its wide variety of attractions.

Explore the beating heart of Victoria, Melbourne, famous for its fine food, art, and coffee. Watch nature at its best with the chance to admire the thousands of resident little penguins on Phillip Island. And explore the wineries, culinary delights and artistic sentiment of Melbourne’s natural playground, the Mornington Peninsula, before driving the famous Great Ocean Road. With its rugged rock formations and endless stretched of beach, this pristine coastline is renowned as one of Australia’s most scenic driving routes.

Itinerary

Arrive in Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, and make your way to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Explore this cosmopolitan city like a local on a guided walking tour of Melbourne’s lanes and arcades. Visit artisan coffee-makers, independent retailers and quirky art galleries whilst hearing about the history of the city. This afternoon is at leisure.

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This morning collect your rental car and head southeast towards the fishing village of San Remo. Stop to admire the daily pelican feeding at San Remo wharf before continuing on to Phillip Island. Head inland to the Koala Conservation Centre and come face to face with native koalas in their natural habitat. Explore the tree-top boardwalks and extensive trails filled with abundant woodland animals such as wallabies, echidnas and even bats. After lunch continue towards Cowes, Phillip Island’s main town in the north of the island. Enjoy the seaside atmosphere, sample some of the local seafood and wander the pretty streets littered with galleries, boutique shops and eateries. Before dusk make your way to Summerland Beach and witness the nightly Penguin Parade. Watch from the specialist viewing platform as hundreds of little penguins, the smallest of their species, make their way home across the beach after a long day at sea.

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This morning make your way to The Nobbies, the most south-westerly point of Phillip Island. From here you can witness Australia’s largest colony of fur seals, where over 16,000 reside on Seal Rocks. Watch from the viewing area as the seals frolic in the water or alternatively join an eco-boat cruise to see these inquisitive creatures up close. After lunch return to San Remo and back to mainland Victoria. Head north along the coast admiring the quaint fishing villages and dramatic coastal views before arriving on the Mornington Peninsula.

Spend the day at leisure on the Mornington Peninsula. Often referred to as Melbourne’s playground, here you can explore the many galleries, cafes and laid-back fishing villages that line the coastline or head towards the hinterland and enjoy the many gastronomic delights this region has to offer. Visit Peninsula Hot Springs, Victoria’s only natural thermal spring and relax in the tranquil oasis here before driving up Arthurs Seat to admire the views across the bay to Melbourne.

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Board the ferry from Sorrento across Port Phillip Bay to Queenscliff and the start of your Great Ocean Road adventure. Stop at Torquay, the undisputed capital of Australian surfing, to admire the waves and the surfers from the cliff-top viewing station at Bells Beach. Continue south via the idyllic seaside town of Lorne, known for its famous waterfalls, before following the coast towards your final destination – the small fishing village of Apollo Bay.

Today explore the dramatic coastline surrounding Cape Otway National Park, a region of dense rainforest and striking coastal scenery. A nature lover’s playground nestled on one of Australia’s most southerly points, here you can walk amongst the ancient plants and giant fern trees or experience the full beauty of this rainforest paradise from above on the Otway Fly Tree Top Walk. Take a tour of the oldest surviving lighthouse in Australia or simply revel in your surroundings. Return to Apollo Bay in time to watch the sunset from Mariners Lookout – an impressive vantage point with stunning views back over the bay.

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This morning rise early to continue your journey along the Great Ocean Road, where crumbling limestone cliffs retreat from the relentless surf. Witness the multitude of natural geological formations along the way including archways, blowholes and of course the famous Twelve Apostles – a group of limestone rocks rising up from the Southern Ocean. Climb down the 86 steps carved into the cliff face for close-up views of these natural phenomena or take to the skies and admire this beguiling coastline from above. Continue the short distance to Port Campbell for an overnight stay.

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This morning drive north towards the city of Ballarat, Victoria’s largest inland city. Steeped in history, Ballarat was once a thriving 19th century goldmining town and remnants of this legacy are still in evidence today. Admire the city’s colonial architecture, gardens and statues on a self-guided heritage walk or visit the open-air gold rush museum at Sovereign Hill. Alternatively the outskirts of Ballarat are ideally suited to producing top quality chardonnay and pinot noir and a variety of wine-related experiences are on offer here.

This morning hails the end of your exploration of Victoria. Drive the short distance back to Melbourne and return your rental car before continuing with the rest of your journey.

Accommodation Options

We will recommend accommodation for this holiday, but with a wide choice available in Victoria, we can adapt to suit your personal preference mixing different grades and styles.

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  • grand hotel melbourne guestroom

Prices and Departures

Price from £1118 excluding flights

Airfares start from around £730 per person and are quoted separately to the holiday price. When enquiring, our Travel Specialists will provide the best fare possible from your preferred airline / airport.
Note: Airfares tend to be cheaper the earlier you book.

What's Included

  • Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom
  • Car rental throughout
  • Guided walking tour of Melbourne’s lanes and arcades
  • Penguin Parade experience, Phillip Island
  • Arrival transfer from airport to hotel
  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
  • No surcharge guarantee
  • Full financial protection24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday

This itinerary starts from £1,118 per person, based on 2 sharing a room in standard accommodation, and vehicle rental with GPS. Prices may vary depending on departure date, or should you prefer alternative categories of accommodation or vehicle size. Please contact us for a detailed quote based on your preferred travel dates, vehicle category and style of accommodation, or to tailor this itinerary.

Tailor made trips

As independent destination specialists, we are able to tailor make holidays to suit you, be that customising the itineraries shown on this website or creating something bespoke.

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Travelling sustainably

We believe travel is about finding the right balance between minimising our impact on the environment and broadening minds through new experiences and cultural interaction.