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The Australian Holidays Getaway Project :
A National Collaboration
A previous version of this
website encouraged people
throughout Australia to contribute useful facts and travel related information
about their town and/or district. The initiative met with mixed success and the
following contributions for Victoria are published
as an extract from the original.
Alexandra
Anglesea
Apollo Bay
Ararat
Avoca
Bacchus Marsh
Bacchus Marsh is a picturesque rural town situated in an attractive fruit and
vegetable growing valley. Located 60km West of Melbourne (on the Western
Highway), you enter through the leafy historic Avenue of Honour commemorating
the local men who served in the First World War. Bacchus Marsh caters for bush
walking, fishing, sight seeing and offers the opportunity to experience, fresh
from the orchard, fruits such as apples, cherries, Nashi pears, apricots and
peaches.
The Lerderderg and Werribee
Rivers transverse the valley, each with their own gorges providing a great spot
for a relaxing picnics or BBQs with spectacular scenery. Bacchus Marsh also
boasts several National Trust buildings - the Manor House, the Blacksmith's
Cottage, Court House, National Bank and Express Office.
Jan Lowe
Bairnsdale
About a 5 hour drive from Melbourne. A Large town set on the Michell River which
opens onto the ocean at Lakes Entrance. Good accommodation for day trippers and
keen fishermen on the nearby rivers of Nicholson and Tambo. Buchan Caves, Snowy
Mountains, and the lake and boating towns of Metung and Paynesville are all
accessible trips from Bairnsdale. Lew
Ballarat
Bass
Beaconsfield
Beaufort
Beaumaris
Beechworth
One of the old gold towns in Northeastern Victoria, sights are the old
Beechworth gaol (jail) and of course the famous Beechworth bakery which is still
furnished old-style and just makes the best cakes etc! Also part of the V-Line
track from Bright to Wangaratta with further connection to Melbourne.
Katia
Belgrave
Benalla
Bendigo
Blackburn
A quite Eastern Melbourne suburb about 25 minutes drive from the city centre,
with some of the most beautiful walking tracks in Melbourne. Blackburn is a
beautiful place to stay while visiting Melbourne.
Kristy Proudlock
Blackwood
Bright
A picturesque and popular holiday town busy in Summer and Winter -for the Ski
season. Four hours drive from Melbourne A good base for trips to all main
snowfields. Walking paths along the Ovens River. Lew
Brighton
Brunswick
Buxton
Buxton, nestled between the Blue and Black ranges is a Mecca for fishermen, from
trout to cod, carp and various other species. It is about 1.5 hrs from
Melbourne's eastern suburbs and has 2 service station roadhouses, one hotel (of
course called the Buxton Hotel), a Post office and general store. Buxton is part
of the Triangle, and has its own newspaper "The Triangle News". The nearby town
of Marysville has a very colourful history as it was part of the Victorian gold
rush of the late 1880's and is situated within 30 Klm's of the best slalom ski
site in Australia. William Smith
Camberwell
Camperdown
Cann River
Cape Schanck
Castlemaine
Cavendish
Chadstone
Clunes
Cohuna
Colac
Coleraine
Corryong
Cowes -see Phillip Island
Craigieburn
Croydon
Dandenong
Daylesford (see Hepburn Springs)
Diamond Creek
Doncaster
Dromana
Dunkeld
Dunkeld, is a small town of 400 nestled at the base of Mt.Abrupt and Mt.
Sturgeon which are the end mountains in the Grampians Mountain Range. It is
250kms west of Melbourne and 65kms S.W. of Halls Gap. Situated on the Glenelg
Highway it is 100kms from Warrnambool and 70kms from Mt.Eccles National
Park.Stunning scenery, walking tracks, local museum, sheep dairy and wineries
are in this fertile area which produces the finest wool in the world.Hamilton,
the wool capital of the world, is the major town only 30kms west on the Glenelg
Highway. John Smith
Echuca
Edenhope
Eltham
Emerald
Fawkner
Ferntree Gully
Flemington
Footscray
Forest Hill
Foster
Situated in the rolling hills of South Gippsland (170kms SE of Melbourne),
Foster is a convenient base for exploring the scenic delights of the region.
Chief amongst them is Wilson's Promontary NP (universally known as "the Prom"),
which has many superb walks. Noarlunga Marine Park has good boating, accessible
from nearby Port Welshpool. There are now also several wineries in the area (one
in Foster and three south of Koonwarra). Desmond Lane
Frankston
French Island
About an hour and a half from Melbourne and accessible only by water or air. It
lies in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula Western Port Biosphere - a place
of international significance. Less than a hundred residents are lucky enough to
live surrounded by National Park in Victoria's island wilderness and are self
sufficient when it comes to electricity, water and other services. French Island
is home to Victoria's largest population of Koalas and echnidnas abound.
Potaroos, rare orchid and other plant species and hundreds of bird species make
this a natural treasure trove. If you want to stay there's even an eco-friendly
B&B. Jeff Walsh & Pat O'Connell
Geelong
Genoa
Great Western Wine Village
Historic picturesque wine village 2 and 1/4 hours from Melbourne on the Western
Highway. Beautifully restored cottages line the streets, a village that has
defied the trend of 'built' tourist attractions.. An historic tollgate is hidden
away but visible through glass doors at the local Mechanics Institue. An old
portable jail stands proudly in the park. Historic pub, romantic self contained
cottages, shearers quarters or gracious homestead........great places to stay to
explore the wineries.
Seppelt at Great Western houses
an outstanding treasure, an intricate system of tunnels dug by goldminers in the
1860's & 70's, as cellars, which now hold millions of liquid gold. Now heritage
listed these 3 kilometres of tunnels really are a national treasure. The Drives
are as much in use today as they were when they were first excavated. Take a
tour and soak up the history, or just taste some of their wines.
Best's Great Western Wines -
This lovely old wooden slab winery overlooks a 120 year old vineyard and is a
significant piece of Victorian history. The Thomson's always have a warm welcome
for you. Original hand dug cellars still play an important role, with self
guided tours available to visitors. Meryl Bowers & Joy
Halls Gap
Sitting pretty at the foot of the Wonderland Range is the holiday town of Halls
Gap, hub of the relaxing Grampians way of life. The town caters for almost every
need, boasting cafes, gift stores, accommodation ranging from camp sites to
luxurious getaways, and award winning restaurant. Halls Gap is home to Brambuk
the National Park and Cultural centre, a one stop shop for all your park
information requirements. Cultural activity program and tours invite you to look
into the cultural history of the Grampians. Joy
Hamilton
Located 289 km west of Melbourne, with a population of over 9000, Hamilton is
situated a short drive from the Grampian mountains, and a number of spectacular
waterfalls including the famous Wannon falls. It is the wool capital of the
world, its sheep farming an integral part of its people.
Rutter
Hastings
Hastings is a small town (pop about 5000) approx 60km SE of Melbourne located on
the western side of Westernport Bay and the eastern side of the Mornington
Peninsula. Hastings, with its naturally deep water port has several large
industries including BHP steel, and has the best boat launching facilities for
Westernport Bay with good fishing (usually) on the bay, close to local wineries,
gateway to nearby French Island. Alan Millar
Healesville
Healesville is a picturesque town nestled in the Yarra Valley, 65kms, or approx
1 hours easy drive SE of Melbourne. The area is renowned for its wineries, food,
pleasant walks and vistas as well as the world famous Healesville Sanctuary. The
town has many good quality cafes and places to eat, interesting shops, art
galleries (including the Tarrawarra Museum of Modern Art) a weekly organic
Farmers Market, monthly craft markets, Tourist Railway, country race meetings,
and an abundance of picnic spots. Karen Meuleman
Heathcote
Heidelberg
Hepburn Springs
The towns of Hepburn Springs and Daylesford make up what is known as the Spa
Capital of Australia. They are located 110 km from Melbourne via the Western
Highway, about one and a quarter hours drive. The area features the greatest
concentration of Mineral Springs in Australia and for many years the people of
Melbourne have travelled to Hepburn Springs to "take the waters" because of its
reputed curative powers.
These days an increasing number
of travellers visit the area for a period of "pure indulgence". There are many
beautifully restored homes in the form of B&B or self-catering accommodation
available for visitors to stay at for short and longer periods. There are fine
places to dine in a wide range of restaurants and coffee shops.
Bush walks are accessable in
the Hepburn Regional Park and in the Wombat State Forest, galleries tempting you
to browse, second hand bookshops to while away some nostalgic moments and a
massage and spa complex for some serious indulgence. Mostly it is a small
working country town which is a delight to share with the friendly locals. Best
time to go: Mid-week in the Autumn, Winter and Spring seasons.
Craig Ritchie
Hopetoun
Horsham
Inglewood
Inglewood was the last of the great Victorian gold rushes of the 1850's. The
enormous wealth recovered enabled the establishment of the Borough of Inglewood
in 1861, just two years after the discovery of gold in 1859. The streetscape is
one of historic buildings including two-storey hotels and banks, solid evidence
of the town's gold mining history.
Now called the 'Blue Eucy'
town, due to the once vigorous and still active Blue Mallee eucalyptus oil
industry, providing the best quality eucalyptus oil in the world. The goldfields
around Inglewood reveal their secrets from time to time, and gold is still to be
found by those prepared to search. Rose
Kaniva
Kilmore
Victoria's oldest inland town, situated only 60km from the heart of Melbourne,
it still retains its own character and heritage acquired in the gold-rush days.
But no-one in Kilmore feels the need to rush anymore. There are hotels suited to
the passing-by tourists, but for real memorability, enquire about the bed and
breakfast inns. Kilmore has many historic places of interest, and is a haven for
antiques. raj jain
Korumburra
Kyabram
Kyabram is located 192km north of Melbourne and 37km north-west of Shepparton.It
is reputed to be the largest Town in Victoria not on a major highway. An
outstanding feature of the town is Kyabram Fauna Park, a 55 hectare reserve
housing five hundred species of wildlife including free-roaming kangaroos and
emus and a variety of water birds which can be observed from hides. Industries
include dairying and fruit growing.
The town also has one of the
largest jam making factories in the Southern hemisphere. Tourist accommodation
is serviced by three motels, three hotels and two caravan parks.
Bluey Turnbull
Kyneton
[See
Victorian place names L - Z]
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