Upstate Victoria & The Yarra Valley
Chris & Janelle Wedding Information
The state of Victoria is about the same size as England & has lots of beautiful regions including coastal drives, spa country as well as a stunning mountainous region. They are all within relatively easy reach by car from the city.
The Yarra Valley
Healesville wildlife sanctuary – fabulous wildlife park worth a visit where you can see Kangaroos, Koalas, Wombats etc. We might do a group trip during the weekend of the wedding as its really nearby.
Vineyards – loads to chose from. You could do a tour. Most have nice restaurants. Main wineries to visit include Domain Chandon for Sparkling Wine, Yering Station, St Huberts & Tokar Estate – classy restaurant. A nominated driver/non drinker is required.
Yarra Valley Dairy – at the end of St Huberts Rd (where wedding is). Really nice café & good cheeses.
Healesville – the main tourist town in the valley with some shops and the tourist information centre is. Nice high street & beautiful hills around. It sits on edge of the Yarra Ranges National Park.
Warburton – a beautiful town in an adjacent valley about 25 minutes from Healesville surrounded by picturesque gum forest-clad mountains. This is where Janelle grew up & is worth the drive. Try Crundish café on the main road. Where Janelle used to work, a good friend runs it & they do great lunches.
Yarra Ranges National Park – the mountains above and beyond Warburton & Healesville form this spectacular national park that is worth driving through for the impressive gumtree forests. Large parts were destroyed by the Feb 2009 bushfires but most of it remains beautiful.
Philip Island & The Penguins
The Mornington Peninsula
On the southern coast below Melbourne, this is a popular holiday destination for locals & the location of the famous Fairy Penguins that reside here. Most tourists come on day trips from Melbourne to watch the penguins walk up the beach at dusk to their burrows. It is really worth coming for if you get a chance.
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The Great Ocean Road
The Grampians
Daylesford & Spa Country
Gippsland
Just to the south of Melbourne, this forms the southern flank of Port Philip Bay, on which Melbourne Lies. It is a beautiful area dotted with vineyards & small towns along the bay that are full of holiday homes. Some of the beaches are lovely, especially at Rye, Sorrento & Portsea at the end of the peninsula. Here you can catch the ferry as an alernative & better way to commence a drive along the Great Ocean Road.
As its name suggests this is great. One of the world’s best coastal drives. The Great Ocean Road is a windy road that hugs the Southern Ocean to the south west of Melbourne. It starts just beyond Geelong, an hour from Melbourne, and heads several hundred kms towards Adelaide, although the impressive bits are in the first 3-4 hours. Key sites to see include:
Anglesea – the beginning of the Great Ocean Road; its golf course has hundreds of kangaroos so drive up and have a look.
Lorne & Apollo Bay – nice coastal towns.
Johanna – brilliant beaches & good place to stop - the Boomerang cottages are spectacular and where my brother honeymooned www.theboomerangs.com
Cape Otway Lighthouse - a bit off the mainroad but worth it for the lighthouse & a good place to see koalas in the trees on the way up.
Otway fly - in this national park you can go for a walk up in the canopy of the forest.
The Twelve Apostles - the most famous landmark of the Great Ocean Road & almost as iconic as Ayers Rock. Marvel at this coastal formation of stacks, seen best at sunset. Unfortunately erosion has educed them down to eight. Watch for penguins below on the beach at dusk.
National park north of the Great Ocean Road often included in a road trip loop back to Melbourne. This is a mountainous region with plenty of walking & outdoor pursuits. I have never been there but it comes highly recommended!
Popular day trip or overnight destination famed for its hot springs. Lots of premium accommodation.
This is a beautiful region south east of Melbourne.
Wilsons Promontory National Park - a beautiful area that forms the most southerly part of mainland Australia & can get cold. Great for walking & spotting wildlife. There is a fantastic white sand beach called 'squeaky beach' that literally squeaks under you.
Lakes Entrance - a few hours further round the coast towards Sydney this is a lovely area of inland lakes & stunning countryside. We camped in a place called Metung over New Year & it was brilliant.
