Running, surfing, tours and activities in and through Geelong
Explore regional Victoria – here are some backpacker hostels in regional towns and cities.
Escape the city to a farmstay in regional Victoria. Check details and book online
Blairgowrie is on the southern end of the Mornington Peninsula, between Rye and Sorrento, on the Port Phillip side.
Accommodation in Blairgowrie
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Choose from these holiday homes, motels, and bnb accommodation in Blairgowrie.
Rye is on the southern end of the Mornington Peninsula, between Rosebud and Blairgowrie, on the Port Phillip side. Rye offers sandy beaches, boatramps, picnic areas, a jetty, playgrounds and walking tracks.
Accommodation in Rye
Choose from these apartments, motels, holiday park, and holiday homes in Rye available through booking.com.
Rosebud is on the southern end of the Mornington Peninsula, between Rye and Dromana, on the Port Phillip side. Rosebud has a shopping and commercial centre, and a cinema complex. Beachfront facilities include parks and bushland and Rosebud Pier.
Holiday Accommodation in Rosebud
Choose from these apartments, motels, holiday homes and bnbs in Rosebud available through booking.com
Skydiving in Torquay and along the Great Ocean Road
Quick Links: Booking.com for accommodation in Melbourne and Victoria
Quick Links: Booking.com for accommodation in Melbourne and Victoria
Quick Links: Booking.com for accommodation in Melbourne and Victoria
Yarrawonga is a picturesque town on the Victoria / New South Wales border. Lake Mulwala is a man-made dam built across the Murray River between Yarrawonga in Victoria and Mulwala in New South Wales. The lake provides irrigation water for the surrounding district. Yarrawonga is a popular holiday destination. See the Yarrawonga Mulwala Tourism site for local events.
Yarrawonga Accommodation
The Yarra Valley and Dandenongs Region is renowned for its wineries, gourmet foods, landscape and snowfields. The main towns of the area are Healesville, Yarra Glen, Lilydale, Upper Ferntree Gully and Emerald.
Puffing Billy – Healesville, Yarra Valley & Dandenongs
Puffing Billy, built in 1900, is Australia’s oldest steam railway.
Yarra Valley & Dandenongs
The Yarra Valley and Dandenongs Region is renowned for its wineries, gourmet foods, landscape and snowfields. The main towns of the area are Marysville, Healesville, Yarra Glen, Olinda, Lilydale, Belgrave, Gembrook, Upper Ferntree Gully and Emerald.
Yarra Valley & Dandenongs Accommodation
Yarra Valley & Dandenongs Tours, Attractions and Activities
Yarra Valley & Dandenongs Wineries
Yarra Valley & Dandenongs School & Community Links & Information
Officially named ‘Yarragon’, the Village is located 117 kilometres east of Melbourne, within the Gippsland Discovery Region. The town has expanded significantly in the last decade as it capitalizes on the tourist thoroughfare.
Yarragon Village Accommodation
The Yarra Valley and Dandenongs Region is renowned for its wineries, gourmet foods, landscape and snowfields. The main towns of the area are Healesville, Yarra Glen, Olinda, Lilydale, Upper Ferntree Gully and Emerald.
Quick Links: Booking.com for accommodation in Melbourne and Victoria
Yarra Glen is in the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs Region. It is a picturesque town in the heart of the wine region, and a popular tourist destination.
Yarra Glen Accommodation
Yackandandah is a town in Victoria’s High Country region about 28 kilometres south of Wodonga, and 23km by road east of Beechworth. The commercial area of the town, with its historic streetscape, is National Trust-classified. The Yackandandah Folk Festival is held in March each year.
Yackandandah Links & Information
Yackandandah Accommodation
Warrnambool is 257 km south west of Melbourne, on the shores of Lady Bay. It boasts beautiful ocean views and first class entertainment facilities. It is also the site of over 100 shipwrecks and marks the western end of the Great Ocean Road.
Warrnambool Tours
Situated on the border of Victoria and New South Wales, and on the coasts of the Murray River, Wodonga is often paired with its interstate counterpart as one community, Albury-Wodonga. Wodonga is a popular base for a holiday as a result of its proximity to the Murray river and the nearby Lake Hume.
Wodonga Accommodation
Woodend is 70 kilometres north west of Melbourne, and around 85 kilometres south east of Bendigo. The area is a gateway to a large range of tourists attractions and boasts a large horse-racing community.
Woodend Accommodation
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Situated 106 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, Warragul is home to a prosperous dairy-farming industry, as well as an important commercial centre.
Warragul Accommodation
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Walhalla is situated in the dense mountain country of the Gippsland Discovery Region. The town is set in a narrow valley, framed by sheer cliff face.
Walhalla was one of Victoria’s richest gold mining towns until the gold ran out and the town was virtually abandoned. Just over 2 hours drive from central Melbourne, Walhalla is now popular with tourists for its historic buildings and dramatic scenery.
Attractions include the Walhalla Goldfields Railway, the Long Tunnel Extended Goldmine and the hillside cemetery. Nearby is the Baw Baw National Park and in winter ski at either Mt St Gwinear or Mt Baw Baw. See Parks Victoria – Walhalla Historic Area
Walhalla Hotel Accommodation
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Located on the coast of the Gippsland Discovery Region, the small town of Waratah Bay is a popular holiday destination. It is 180 kilometres south east of Melbourne, close to Wilsons Promontory National Park.
Waratah Bay Accommodation
Wangaratta, in north-eastern Victoria, is an ideal base to explore the high country, winery regions and the Murray River. Wangaratta is on the main Hume Highway/Freeway route from Melbourne to Sydney between Benalla and Wodonga. Although it is used as a holiday base, the fertile area also produces wool, wheat, tobacco, and fruits and nuts. The Wangaratta Festival of Jazz is held in October/November each year.
Wangaratta Region Accommodation
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Traralgon is the largest city in the Latrobe Valley, and is approximately 172 kilometres east-south-east of Melbourne along the Princes Highway. It is in the Gippsland Discovery Region, east of Moe and Morwell.
Traralgon Hotels & Accommodation
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Just 21 kilometres south of Geelong, Torquay is a popular coastal town. Torquay is at the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road – the beginning of this famous drive if you are starting from Melbourne.
Torquay Services
Torquay School & Community Links & Information
Just 21 kilometres south of Geelong, Torquay is a popular coastal town at the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road. Torquay is in the Surf Coast Shire
Torquay Accommodation
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The Murray / Goulburn and Murray Waters
Often referred to as the Goulburn and Murray Waters, the Murray Region, including the Goulburn Valley, contains some of the richest farming country in the state. The main towns in the region are Kerang, Cohuna, Torrumbarry, Echuca, Rochester and Shepparton.
The Murray Accommodation
The Murray Council Links
Murray Cruises & Tours
The Grampians
The Grampians region is in the west of Victoria and consists of ancient mountains, forests, lakes, cliffs and swampland as well as hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops. It is the site of much Aboriginal rock art. The main towns of the region are Lake Bolac, Coleraine, Ararat, Halls Gap, Horsham, Murtoa, Donald, Warracknabeal, Birchip and Hamilton.
The Grampians Accommodation
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Or follow the links above for accommodation listings in each town.
The Grampians Community Links & Information
Tours from Melbourne to the Grampians
The Gold Rush from 1850 to 1900 brought many immigrants into the region and forms much of its history. The Goldfields is now a popular tourist destination with many gold related attractions and the preservation of the Victorian architecture. The main towns of the area are Bendigo, Castlemaine, Ballarat, Creswick, Maryborough, Wedderburn and Charlton.
The Victorian Goldfields Railway runs between the historic towns of Castlemaine and Maldon.
The Goldfields Community Links & Information
Tours to The Goldfields
Swan Hill is approximately 335 kilometres north west of Melbourne. The old river port on the shores of the Murray River has become a major holiday centre. Fishing, boating and water sports are popular on the river and nearby lakes. Swan Hill is home to the Giant Murray Cod.
Swan Hill Accommodation
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The town of Stawell is around 130 kilometres north west of Ballarat, and is popular is a base for tours to the Grampians. The Stawell Gift annual foot race has been run on Easter Monday since 1878.
Stawell Accommodation
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Sorrento is an historic coastal town with beautiful bay and ocean beaches, near the tip of the Mornington Peninsula. The Surf Lifesaving Club of Sorrento has more than 400 members. Each patrol season club members perform between 10 and 20 rescues and over 200 preventative actions on the main ocean beach.
Sorrento Accommodation
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Shepparton is 172 kilometres north of Melbourne, and is viewed by some as the capital city of the Goulburn Valley. It is home to 4000ha of orchards and 4000ha of market gardens.
Shepparton Accommodation
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The city of Sale is located in the Lakes and Wilderness region, round 200 kilometres east of Melbourne, and is the main administrative centre of the area.
Sale Accommodation
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Seymour, Central Victoria
Seymour, in Central Victoria, near the junction of the Hume and Goulburn Valley Highways approximately 100km north of Melbourne, on the banks of the Goulburn River. Seymour is also on the Melbourne to Sydney rail line.
Seymour is the largest town in Mitchell Shire. The military base of Puckapunyal is close by.
The Seymour Military Heritage Weekend celebrations began in 2012.
More about Seymour
Seymour is a picturesque town at the base of the Great Divide’s Tallarook Ranges. The township, established in the mid 1850s, is encircled by Victoria’s largest river, the majestic Goulburn River. All major services converge at or near Seymour. The Hume and Goulburn Valley Highways cross at the junction of the main Melbourne Sydney rail line. The town has grown and prospered as a regional centre to service transport, armed services, tourists, wine industry and farming communities. Accommodation of all levels is available, parks and gardens are plentiful, sporting activities and service clubs of most types are long established.
The horse racing and breeding industries have found the fertile valley with its mild climate attractive and over recent years the equine influence on the community has grown exponentially. Art and culture are well catered for with an award winning Fine Art Gallery at the Old Post Office established in 1992 and other venues promoting art and craft. Food and Wine enthusiasts are amply catered for with long established Goulburn Valley wineries and eateries ranging from a la carte to takeaway. Seymour has something for everyone.
– Louise Barling (This description was written by a BCL reader.)
Seymour Accommodation
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The small town of Queenscliff is situated at the entrance to Port Phillip, on the Bellamarine Peninsula. The town’s main industry is tourism.
Queenscliff Accommodation
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Rutherglen, a major town in the High Country region, is also the centre of one of the most prominent winegrowing areas in Victoria. Rutherglen is in the Indigo Shire Council area.
Rutherglen Accommodation
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The Pyrenees region in central Victoria, just west of Ballarat, was named after the French mountain range, the Pyrenees Wine Region of Victoria is becoming very well regarded. The main towns in the area are Beaufort, Avoca, Moonambel and Redbank. The area is agricultural, predominantly cereal and hay, wool, viticulture and forestry.
The Western Highway which runs through Beaufort is the main road route from Melbourne to Adelaide and Perth. The Sunraysia Highway runs north Mildura. The Pyrenees Highway runs from Maryborough to Ararat. A passenger rail service operates twice a day between Ballarat and Ararat, stopping at Beaufort.
Pyrenees Wine Region Accommodation
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Portsea
Portsea, on the Mornington Peninsula, is a popular tourist destination It is situated between Port Phillip Bay and the Bass Strait, and boasts of an exemplary coastline suitable for scuba-diving and snorkelling.
Portsea Accommodation
Portland is 72 kilometres east of the South Australian Border, and is the only deep-water port between Melbourne and Adelaide. It is an industrial and commercial centre, and its beautiful coastal and forest scenery draws in tourists all year round.
Portland Accommodation
Port Fairy is an historic fishing town on Victoria’s far south-west coast, between Portland (to the west) and Warrnambool (to the east) along the Great Ocean Road. Port Fairy is on the Moyne river. Many of the cottages and bluestone buildings are classified as National Trust. Local Council: Moyne Shire Council
Port Fairy is known for its festivals…
Port Fairy Accommodation
Port Campbell is a small seaside village in the centre of Port Campbell National Park. It is on the Great Ocean Road. The local council is Corangamite Shire Council
Port Campbell Accommodation
Portarlington is a coastal town situated 27 kilometres from Geelong. It is situated between lush mountains that are home to vineyards and olive groves and Port Phillip Bay.
Portarlington Accommodation
See also listings of accommodation in Cowes
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Phillip Island
Phillip Island is a small island off the coast of the south west corner of Victoria, famous for its international motorcycle and car racing events on the famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit – the Superbike World Championship and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. Car racing includes the Australian Touring Car Championship, V8 Supercars, Island Magic, Historic Car and other racing events.
However, Philip Island is also known for its wildlife, the Phillip Island Wildlife Park, Koala Conservation Centre and Oswin Roberts Reserve which provide a safe home for the island’s koala population, and tracks and boardwalks along the rugged south coast. The Rhyll Wetlands and Rhyll Inlet are popular for bird watching. The Churchill Island Festival is held every Easter and Farmers Markets held monthly on Churchill Island. Cowes, on the northern side of the island, is the main town on Phillip Island. Cowes night markets are run on the Esplanade during the summer months.
The main towns on the island are Beachcomber, Cowes, Newhaven, Rhyll and San Remo, and its main attractions are its abundance of fairy penguins.
Phillip Island Accommodation
Phillip Island Tours and Activities
More Tours & Experiences on Phillip Island
Nagambie, on the shores of the picturesque Lake Nagambie, is on the Goulburn Valley Highway between Seymour and Shepparton. The Goulburn River, one of Victoria’s largest inland river systems, passes through Lake Nagambie and on to the historic Goulburn Weir. Skydiving is a popular activity at Nagambie.
Nagambie Accommodation
Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads are actually two towns. Both are situated at the mouth of the Barwon River, one on either bank. The towns are linked by a bring, and are popular because of their proximity to Geelong (26 kilometres northwest from the area), and because of their own coastal beauty.
Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads Accommodation
Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads Tours and Activities
Olinda is in the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs Region. Olinda is a popular tourist town in the bushy and scenic Dandenong Ranges, between Mount Dandenong and the villages of Sassafras and Kallista.
Olinda offers craft and antique shops, restaurants and cafes and a range of accommodation options. Walking tracks, BBQ and picnic facilities, and the Olinda Falls can be enjoyed in the Dandenong Ranges National Park. National Rhododendron Garden are host to brilliantly coloured blooms of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, cherries and daffodils. Seasonal changes ensure the gardens are a delight all year around.
Olinda Accommodation
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Paynesville is a town 18 kilometres south-east of Bairnsdale. It is renowned for its fishing, boating and water-skiing. Paynesville is part of the Lakes and Wilderness or East Gippsland Region.
Paynesville Accommodation
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Mount Macedon is a town located on the slopes of a mountain by the same name. Its historic and beautiful 19th century style gardens are renowned. It is part of the Daylesford and Macedon Region.
Mount Macedon Accommodation
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Mount Beauty in Victoria’s High Country Region is approximately 338 kilometres north east of Melbourne, in the Upper Kiewa Valley. The town lies at the foot of Mount Bogong.
Mount Beauty is a popular tourist town, just 30 kilometres from the Falls Creek ski resort and close to Mount Buffalo and Mount Hotham. The Mount Beauty Music Festival is a major annual event.
Mount Beauty Accommodation
Situated on the slopes of a mountain with the same name, the town of Mount Buller is approximately 208 kilometres from Melbourne.
Mount Buller Accommodation
Mornington Peninsula Winery Tours
The Mornington Peninsula looks onto three seafronts: Port Philip, the Bass Strait and the Western Port. It is a popular holiday destination just an hours drive from Melbourne. The region has an impressive hinterland with many wineries and restaurants, walking tours and golf as well as its beautiful coastline. The main towns in the region are Portsea, Sorrento, Mornington, Merricks and Stony Point.
Mornington Peninsula School & Community Links & Information
Morwell is 135km from Melbourne. It is between Traralgon and Moe in Victoria’s eastern region of Gippsland.
Morwell Accommodation
The Mornington Peninsula offers plenty of opportunities for water activities in Port Philip, the Bass Strait and the Western Port.
Lots of different sightseeing opportunities on the Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula offers plenty of opportunities for boating in Port Philip, the Bass Strait and the Western Port.
Mornington Peninsula Hotels & Accommodation
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Rosebud
Mildura is approximately 557 kilometres North of Melbourne, on the banks of the Murray River. The town is popular with tourists as a result of its mild winters and picturesque settings. The major industry of the area is citrus. Major events include
Mildura Accommodation
Mildura School & Community Links & Information
Mildura Tours
The Milawa Gourmet Region is surrounded by the High Country Region. The main towns in the region are Tarawingee, Markwood, Whorouly, Milawa and Oxley. It produces gourmet foods such as cheeses, as well as wines.
Gourmet Region Accommodation
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Metung is a small town situated in Lakes and Wilderness Region between Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance, around 315 kilometres east of Melbourne.
Metung Accommodation
Merrijig, in Victoria’s High Country, is in the Delatite River valley. Merrijig is just 15 minutes from Mansfield and 15 minutes from the base of the Mt Buller and Mt Stirling. Popular activities include bushwalking, horse riding, four wheel driving, fishing.
The High Country Region contains the Victorian Alps and their surrounding areas. The main towns in the region are Wangaratta, Benalla, Rutherglen, Wodonga, Beechworth, Mount Beauty, Bright, Falls Creek, Mansfield, Nagambie, Yackandandah, and Alexandra.
Merrijig Accommodation
Marysville is a township located on the Yarra Valley and Dandenongs Region, approximately 34 kilometres north-east of Healesville. Local Council: Murrindindi Shire Council
Marysville has rebuilt after the devastating bushfires of 7th February 2009.
Marysville Accommodation
Maryborough is a small city within the Goldfields Region, on the northern slopes of the Great Dividing Range, approximately 70 kilometres North of Ballarat. It is the centre of an agricultural area, and its main industries are sheep farming and the gold rush.
Maryborough Accommodation
Mansfield is around 3 kilometres east of Lake Eildon, and is in the High Country Region. It is a popular town for tourists, as it is the nearest sizeable town to many of the ski resorts. Accommodation options range from luxury resorts, to motels, to bed and breakfast and self-catering cottages.
Mansfield Accommodation
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The Macedon Region is also known as the Spa and Garden Country because of the large number of natural spring spas, stunning landscapes and European-style country gardens. It’s main towns are Macedon, Mount Macedon, Bacchus Marsh, Sunbury, Kilmore, Woodend, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs.
See wineries on the Macedon Ranges Tourism site.
Mallacoota is a seaside township and a popular holiday destination at the mouth of Mallacoota Inlet in the far eastern corner of Victoria, halfway between Sydney and Melbourne on the Princes Highway, and just south of the border with New South Wales. Mallacoota is surrounded by the Croajingolong National Park. See Mallacoota local tourism association
for local information.
Mallacoota Accommodation
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Lorne is on the Great Ocean Road, and is one of Victoria’s most popular and lively coastal resorts with great shops, cafe and accommodation just opposite the beach.
Local attractions include the Great Otway National Park and the Erskine Falls. Lorne is on the Cumberland River and Loutit Bay.
Annual festivals include the annual Falls Festival and the Festival of Performing Arts – Culture By The Sea in September, and the Lorne Sculpture Biennale.
Lorne Accommodation & Activities
Tours to Lorne
Lorne offers a full range of accommodation including bed and breakfast, cabins and cottages, holiday parks, hotels and motels.
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Lilydale, on the eastern fringe of Melbourne, is the main gateway to the wine and fruit growing areas of the Yarra Valley
Lilydale Accommodation
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The town of Lakes Entrance in the East Gippsland or Lakes and Wilderness region is a popular holiday spot, as it is located at the eastern end of the Gippsland Lakes and just minutes from the coast. It is also bordered by mountain country to the north.
Lakes Entrance Accommodation
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Lakes and Wilderness
Also known as ‘East Gippsland’, the Lakes and Wilderness Region of Victoria contains a scenic hinterland as well as a beautiful coastline. Its main towns are Bairnsdale, Sale, Paynesville, Lakes Entrance, Metung, Buchan, Orbost and Marlo.
Lakes and Wilderness Accommodation
Please follow the town links above for accommodation options.
Lakes and Wilderness School & Community Links & Information
Kyabram is in the centre of the Goulburn River Valley, between Shepparton and Echuca, and 200 kilometres north of Melbourne.
Kyabram is the Campaspe Shire’s second largest town and provides retail, commercial, industrial and community services in the eastern part of the Shire. Kyabram is also an important service centre providing health services with a hospital, aged care, ambulance and dentists for the area.
The Kyabram Fauna Park covers 55 hectares of open woodland, wetlands and lakes which provide habitats for over 140 species of native birds, animals and amphibians.
Kyabram Accommodation
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Horsham is the chief town of the Wimmera area, and is part of the Grampians region. It is located at the junction of the Western, Henty and Wimmera highways.
Horsham Accommodation
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Holiday Parks and Tourist Parks in Victoria
Holiday parks offer a range of self-catering accommodation with all you need to relax and unwind. They have become increasingly popular in Australia with families who want a complete package of self-catering accommodation, entertainment and activities.
High Country
The High Country Region contains the Victorian Alps and their surrounding areas. The main towns in the region are Wangaratta, Benalla, Rutherglen, Wodonga, Beechworth, Mount Beauty, Bright, Falls Creek, Mansfield, Merrijig, Nagambie, Yackandandah, and Alexandra.
This region is Kelly Country and you’ll find lots of museums and reminders of the bushranger. Other attractions in the region include Winton Motor Raceway.
High Country Accommodation
- Alexandra cottages, B&B
- Beechworth motels, B&Bs, cottages
- Benalla motels
- Bright hotels, motels, cottages, apartments, holiday parks and more
- Falls Creek hotels, resorts, spas, apartments
- Mansfield motels, cottages, apartments
- Merrijig hotels, motels, apartments, backpackers
- Mount Beauty chalets, spas, apartments and motels
- Nagambie hotels, motels, leisure park
- Rutherglen motels and an historic hotel
- Wangaratta hotels, motels and apartments
- Wodonga motels, see also Albury accommodation across the border
- Yackandandah motel, B&B
High Country School & Community Links & Information
Hepburn Springs, along with nearby Daylesford, is a spa town, with 65 mineral springs. It is a part of the Macedon Region.
Hepburn Springs Accommodation
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Heathcote is a small country town just over an hour from Melbourne and around 47 kilometres south-east of Bendigo, on the shores of the McIvor Creek. Heathcote Tourism has a good website with information about events and attractions in the area.
Heathcote Accommodation
see accommodation in nearby Bendigo
Heathcote School & Community Links & Information
Hamilton is a prosperous and growing city mid-way between Portland and Warrnambool to the south and the Grampians to the North. The main industry is the production of wool.
Hamilton Accommodation
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Healsville, 60 km east of Melbourne, in the Beautiful Yarra Valley Wine Region, is known for its vineyards and the Healesville Sanctuary. The Yarra Ranges Shire Council also has maps and local information. The Yarra Valley Grape Grazing Festival is held in February each year.
Healesville Accommodation
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Halls Gap The village of Halls Gap is in the heart of The Grampians Region, surrounded by the Grampians National Park and adjacent to Lake Bellfield.
Halls Gap Accommodation
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Great Ocean Road The Great Ocean Road highway stretches along the South Eastern coastline of Victoria, connecting Geelong and Warrnambool. The main towns along the route are Belmont, Torquay, Anglesea and Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell. The Great Ocean Road, which actually starts in Torquay and attracts over 2.5 million travellers annually, is known for its scenic views of both the coast and natural rock formations, including ‘The Twelve Apostles’.
Map of Victoria showing the Great Ocean Road going west
along the southern coastline to the border with South Australia
Map: Courtesy Tourism Victoria
click for larger map
Tours and packages including Great Ocean Road
- Great Ocean Road Tours day tours and extended tours from Melbourne, Melbourne to Adelaide, Adelaide to Melbourne – book online
Great Ocean Road Accommodation
Follow the location links below for accommodation options.
Locations going west along Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Road School & Community Links & Information
South Gippsland runs along the coast south-east of Melbourne. Its main towns are Walhalla, Drouin, Warragul, Moe, Morwell, Traralgon, Seaview, Korumburra, Leongatha, Yarram, Foster, Inverloch, Welshpool, and Waratah Bay. The area is popular for its beautiful coasts and Wilsons Promontory National Park, and the abundance of wildlife, including penguins and seals. Further inland, industries such as wine, dairy and gourmet foods thrive as a result of lush pastures and rich agriculture.
Tours & Accommodation
South Gippsland School & Community Links & Information
Geelong is Victoria’s largest provincial city. It is a major centre for the production of wool, and is situated on the picturesque Corio Bay. Geelong is the gateway to the Great Ocean Road on Victoria’s southern coast. Geelong is approx 1 hour drive from Melbourne – see map
Geelong Accommodation
Geelong Things to See & Do
Geelong School & Community Links & Information
Falls Creek
Falls Creek is a popular ski resort in Victoria’s High Country region. It is 350 kilometres from Melbourne, and 30 kilometres from Mount Beauty.
Falls Creek Accommodation
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Euroa is a small town approximately 150kilometres north-east of Melbourne, one and a half hours along the Hume Highway. Euroa is a good base for exploring the Strathbogie Ranges, and is remembered as the site of one of the Kelly gang’s infamous robberies.
Euroa Accommodation
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Eltham in the Shire of Nillumbik is less than 25 kilometres north-east of Melbourne.
The annual Eltham Jazz & Blues Heritage Festival on Australian Day weekend is one of the premier jazz and blues events in Melbourne. Eltham Town Festival is the annual festival for Eltham held in November. Saturday in Eltham Town Square is followed by evening entertainment and fireworks in Alistair Knox Park. All day fun and entertainment on Sunday in Alistair Knox Park.
Eltham Accommodation
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Echuca
Echuca and Moama are two cities that are separated by the junction of the Murray, Campaspe and Goulburn Rivers as well as state lines. Moama is in south west New South Wales, while Echuca is a Victorian city. Nevertheless, the two cities live as one community, and are often referred to as the area of Echuca-Moama. The cities are joined by an historic iron bridge.
Echuca is Australia’s largest inland port. Echuca is approximately two and a half hours drive from Melbourne. Nearby towns include Kyabram and Shepparton
Echuca Moama Links & Information
Dunkeld is approximately 32 kilometres north-east of Hamilton, and is a gateway to the Grampians.
Dunkeld Accommodation
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Drouin is a major service town, 90 km east of Melbourne, just off the Princes Highway, in West Gippsland. Drouin hosts the Ficifolia Festival affectionately known as the “Gum Nut” Festival in the second week of February each year to celebrate the local flowering Gums.
Set in the heart of Gippsland’s ‘Gourmet Country’, Drouin is a regional centre for some of Victoria’s finest boutique food and wine producers.
Drouin Accommodation
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BCL Victorian Cities, Towns and Regions
Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria and Ballarat is Victoria’s major inland city.
The Great Dividing Trail is a 280km public walking trail follows the top of the Great Dividing Range from Bacchus Marsh to Blackwood, Daylesford, Castlemaine, Bendigo, Creswick, Ballarat and Buninyong.
Cities and Towns in Regional Victoria
Victorian Highways
- Hume Highway runs inland from Sydney and is shorter than the Princes Highway.
- The Princes Highway (1) runs from Sydney, south along the NSW and Victorian coastlines to Melbourne. (approx 1040 km). Victorian towns along the way include Mallacoota, Lakes Entrance, Metung, Bairnsdale, Sale, Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Yarragon, Warragul, and into the eastern suburbs of Melbourne
Maps of Melbourne & Victoria
Victoria Links
Daylesford
Daylesford, along with nearby Hepburn Springs, is a spa town, with 65 mineral springs. It is a part of the Macedon Region.
Daylesford Accommodation
Daylesford School & Community Links & Information
- Postcode: 3460
- Local Council: Hepburn Shire Council
- Schools:
- The Great Dividing Trail, a 280km public walking trail follows the top of the Great Dividing Range from Bacchus Marsh to Blackwood, Daylesford, Castlemaine, Bendigo, Creswick, Ballarat and Buninyong.
Daylesford & The Macedon Region
The Macedon Region is also known as the Spa and Garden Country because of the large number of natural spring spas, stunning landscapes and European-style country gardens. Its main towns are Macedon, Mount Macedon, Bacchus Marsh, Sunbury, Kilmore, Woodend, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs.
The Macedon Region Accommodation
Auberge Bed and Breakfast - 40 Plants Lane, Woodend, 3442
4star or equiv with Booking.com
Offering rooms with free breakfast, Auberge Bed and Breakfast is 6 minutes' drive from Woodend. It offers a children's playground and a communal lounge with a fireplace. Guests receive chocolates, biscuits and port wine upon arrival. More... on
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The Macedon Region School & Community Links & Information
Daylesford offers a wide range of holiday accommodation and retreats.
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Just 18 kilometres north of Ballarat, Creswick is home to one of the richest alluvial goldfields in the world. The Great Dividing Trail is a 280km public walking trail follows the top of the Great Dividing Range from Bacchus Marsh to Blackwood, Daylesford, Castlemaine, Bendigo, Creswick, Ballarat and Buninyong.
Creswick Accommodation
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Colac is situated on the edge of the volcanic plain that covers much of western Victoria. It is located on the shores of Lake Colac, and boasts of a thriving agricultural industry.
Colac Accommodation
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Cowes is the main town on Phillip Island, and is located on the northern side of the island. It is a popular tourist destination. See Phillip Island Tours including tours from Melbourne to Phillip Island
Cowes Accommodation
Cobram
Set on the shores of the Murray River, the town of Cobram is an industrial centre and a fruit-growing area. Cobram/Barooga is at the centre of a rich pastoral, dairy, fruit and wine-growing district, known as the ‘the food bowl of Australia’.
Barooga is on the other side of the Murray, in NSW.
Cobram Accommodation
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Castlemaine, in The Goldfields Region, has a rich goldrush heritage still visible in many of the buildings today. Castlemaine is part of Australia’s cultural history – it was the original home of Castlemaine XXXX beer and the “wild colonial boy” in the folk ballad. “‘Tis of a wild Colonial Boy, Jack Doolan was his name, Of poor but honest parents he was born in Castlemaine.”
The Great Dividing Trail a 280km public walking trail follows the top of the Great Dividing Range from Bacchus Marsh to Blackwood, Daylesford, Castlemaine, Bendigo, Creswick, Ballarat and Buninyong.
Castlemaine is 120 km a drive from Melbourne. Visit the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historic Museum
Castlemaine Accommodation
Camperdown is a small town is the south-west of Victoria, almost 200km south-west of Melbourne, at the foot of Mount Leura. It is the centre of a rich agricultural district, and is well-known as a base for fishing in the nearby crater lakes. (not to be confused with the Sydney suburb of Camperdown)
Camperdown Accommodation
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Bendigo Hotels & Accommodation
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Cabins and Cottages in Victoria
Get away for a short break with family, friends… or even by yourself. Head to the mountains, indulge at some wineries, go bushwalking or head to the beach.
Bright is a small town in Victoria’s High Country, within Ovens Valley and at the foothills of the Victorian Alps. Bright is 3 to 4 hours drive north from Melbourne, 3 to 4 hours drive south from Wagga Wagga and 5 1/2 hours from Canberra. The closest Airport is Albury, a scenic 90 minute hour drive away. It is in the Alpine Shire Council local government area.
The town is a major tourist centre because of its proximity to the ski resorts of Mt Hotham and Mt Buffalo, as well as because of the still-visible remains of alluvial goldfields. Celebrate spring at the annual Bright Spring Festival.
Bright Accommodation
Benalla, in Victoria’s High Country, is a small city around 40 kilometres south-west of Warrangatta along the Hume Highway. Benalla is also the closest major centre to Winton Motor Raceway.
Benalla Accommodation
Benalla – Winton Motor Raceway
Winton is on the Hume Highway in Victoria’s High Country. See nearby accommodation in Benalla and further afield in Wangaratta (north), Shepparton (west) and Euroa (south)
Winton Raceway Car & Motorcycle Experiences
These are experience vouchers, not online bookings.
Bendigo is the geographic centre of Victoria and approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) north-west of Melbourne.
Bendigo had the richest goldfields in the world in the 1880s and has a rich history from the Australian gold rushes. The production of gold began in the mid-nineteenth century and continued for a hundred years.
The Bendigo Easter Festival attracts tens of thousands of tourists to the city over the Easter long weekend each year. Attractions include parades, exhibitions and a street carnival.
Bendigo Accommodation
Bendigo School & Community Links & Information
Bed and breakfasts provide more personalised holidays with hosts able to offer local information.
Bed and Breakfast in Regional Victoria
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Beechworth
Beechworth is an historic goldrush town in Victoria’s High Country region. You can turn off the Hume Highway at Chiltern to drive to Beechworth or from Wodonga, take the shorter but slower 44km route along the Beechworth-Wodonga Road. Beechworth is 35 km east of Wangaratta along the Great Alpine Road.
Beechworth has many National Trust listed buildings including the Powder Magazine, and Beechworth Court House, where Ned Kelly stood trial. The Beechworth Celtic Festival is an annual festival includes a series of concerts and workshops, Celtic food and a street parade.
Beechworth Accommodation
Ballarat Luxury 5 & 4.5 Star Accommodation
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Ararat is an historic city, 200 kilometres west of Melbourne on the Western Highway, halfway between Ballarat and Horsham. Although it was originally a gold mining site, the town’s main industries are now based on farming, wool production and winegrowing.
Ararat Accommodation & Tours
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Bairnsdale is located on the Mitchell River flats, at the junction of Princes Highway, Great Alpine Road, and the road to Lakes Entrance. It is a great base for touring the region. It is part of the East Gippsland Region, which is also known as the Lakes and Wilderness area.
Bairnsdale Accommodation
Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria’s largest inland city, is a major regional retail centre. Part of the Goldfields region, the historic town of Ballarat was originally one of the centres of the gold-boom, and was the site of the Eureka Stockade.
Ballarat is 110 kilometres north-west of Melbourne. It is 450 metres above sea level experiences and temperatures tend to be 2 to 3 degrees below those for Melbourne. Ballarat residents enjoy a temperate climate with four seasons.
Ballarat Accommodation, Things to See & Do
Ballarat School & Community Links & Information
- The main postcode of Ballarat is 3350
- Local Council: City of Ballarat
- Schools, Colleges and Universities:
- City of Ballarat Council website
- Visit Ballarat official tourism site
- viclink public transport in regional Victoria
- Ballarat Begonia Festival The Ballarat Begonia Festival Parade and Festival are annual events
- Ballarat Heritage Weekend website contains details, photos and maps of places to visit
- Ballarat Fine Art Gallery
- Australian Open Road Cycling Championships
- Commerce Ballarat is an independent business group for business and retail operators
- Radio.3BA
- Power FM POWERFM Ballarat services the Ballarat, Creswick, Maryborough, Ararat, Meredith, Daylesford and Ballan region
- Prime TV
- Ballarat Aero Club
- Ballarat Wildlife Park
- Sweet Monas Choir – The group began in 1966 and are based in Ballarat.
- The Great Dividing Trail, a 280km public walking trail follows the top of the Great Dividing Range from Bacchus Marsh to Blackwood, Daylesford, Castlemaine, Bendigo, Creswick, Ballarat and Buninyong.
Apollo Bay
Apollo Bay is a small town along the Great Ocean Road. It encompasses both the beautiful wooded hinterland as well as a beautiful coastline. The annual Apollo Bay Music Festival brings outstanding musicians to this magnificent regional location.
Apollo Bay Accommodation
Popular as both a destination and stopover on the Great Ocean Road means accommodation, Apollo Bay offers a full range of accommodation options from luxury villas, apartments, motels, holiday parks to hostels. See accommodation listings here
Apollo Bay School & Community Links & Information
Anglesea and Aireys Inlet are two seaside towns situated along the Great Ocean Road. They boast of beautiful scenery, and Anglesea’s golf course is renowned for its tame kangaroos. Anglesea’s One Act Play Festival is in August.
Anglesea and Aireys Inlet Accommodation
Popular as both a destination and stopover on the Great Ocean Road means accommodation, Apollo Bay offers a full range of accommodation options from luxury villas, apartments, motels, holiday parks to hostels.
Albury-Wodonga
The cities of Albury and Wodonga are separated by the Murray River and state lines. Albury is in South West New South Wales, while Wodonga is in Victoria’s High Country. Nevertheless, the two cities live as one community, and are often referred to as the area of Albury-Wodonga. Wodonga is on the Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne.
Albury Wodonga Hotel / Motel Accommodation
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Albury Wodonga School & Community Links & Information
Alexandra
Alexandra is located around 26 kilometres west of Eildon in Victoria’s High Country, and in the Murrindindi Shire Council region. It is a popular farming and holiday spot.
Alexandra Accommodation
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Choose from apartments, motels, holiday homes, holiday parks and cottage in Warrnambool, at the end of the Great Ocean Road.
