Touring Regional Victoria

Travel beyond Melbourne city for a breath of fresh air and a new dining, outdoor or cultural experience. Welcoming villages, local produce, fine wine, traditional and innovative art, history, extensive forests, coastal roads, mountains and fertile valleys - regional Victoria has it all.

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia provides delegates with endless opportunities for touring. Make sure your conference program provides delegates with a taste of the culture, cuisine, fashion, sports, adventure and history that make Australia unique.

Melbourne is the gateway to Victoria's regional escapes. Travel for less than two hours in almost any direction and you will find yourself in one of the state's food and wine, scenic, adventure or relaxation regions. Plan your retreat to national parks and forests, historic villages, vine-filled valleys and rugged coastlines, all within a short drive of the city.

Great Food and Wine

Victoria is home to more than 850 wineries, of which 650 offer tastings at cellar doors, in 21 distinct wine regions. Call in at the welcoming cellar doors of some of the great Australian names of winemaking or sample wines matched with local produce served at vineyard restaurants in stunning settings. From the cool climate varieties of the Yarra Valley to the big reds of Rutherglen, create your own Victorian wine experience.

Great Golfing

There's no shortage of opportunities to play golf in Victoria, as there are nearly 400 public and private golf courses located throughout the State, including over 200 courses within 90 minutes of Melbourne. Visitors can play quality, world-class courses designed by renowned architects and players such as pro golfer Greg Norman, or join the galleries and watch the stars of the game compete in international tournaments.

Victorian courses are diverse and challenging and set in every kind of landscape, from sand based links and steep mountain set courses to beachside beauties and fern gully fairways.

Bays, Beaches and Peninsulas

Head out of the city to the bays and peninsulas around Melbourne. Take in great views from bay-side cafés and historic hotels, sun yourself on a sheltered bay beach, surf an ocean beach, or swim with local dolphins and seals on the Mornington Peninsula. At Phillip Island Nature Parks, watch little penguins waddle up the beach at sunset. Each year, Southern Right Whales are spotted in the waters of Logans Beach near Warrnambool, where they come to calve.

See Some of Victoria's Natural Wonders

The Great Ocean Road, with its scenic coastline, is a Victorian icon. See rock art at the Grampians National Park or follow the passage of the Murray River, with its glorious sunsets and red gums, along the New South Wales and Victorian border. The Great Alpine Road is a stretch of seasonal wildflowers, mountain views and snowfields finishing at Bairnsdale and the spectacular Gippsland Lakes.

Places to Stay

Explore the historic tree-lined streets of Goldfields villages, where grand architecture and local attractions tell the stories of hopeful miners who arrived in the 1850s to search for gold. Find a seat in a classic hotel in Healesville for a great meal matched with local wines. Visit the towns once frequented by bushrangers and high country cattlemen in Victoria's High Country, or relax in boutique spa accommodation in Daylesford. You can expect a warm welcome, comfortable accommodation, great local food and wine, and proximity to adventure, leisure and family activities at towns around the State.

Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) can provide expert advice to help facilitate pre- and post-touring options that are sure to impress.

Contact MCVB:

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+613 9693 3333

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mcvb@mcvb.com.au

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www.mcvb.com.au