Discover Victoria: Hiking, nature and coastline

Discover Victoria according to your travel interests, whether through multi-day hikes, coastal landscapes, nature experiences or culture.

Hikes in different formats

The Southern Prom Circuit is a three- to five-day overnight trail through warm temperate rainforest to the white sand beaches and clear waters of Sealers Cove and Waterloo Bay. Its stated duration and overnight stays make it a distinct multi-day travel option.

Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park has numerous high-quality walking trails and hikes, as well as scenic drives. A much longer option is the Grampians Peaks Trail: this one-way hike takes 13 days, or 12 nights, and passes 11 walk-in campgrounds that can only be reached on foot. These details help you distinguish between individual hikes and an extended tour with overnight stays along the way. The Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing, in turn, features alpine ridges, green river valleys and alpine landscapes along its route.

Coast, water and wildlife watching

At Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park, diving and snorkelling are possible at Norman Beach, on the south side of Picnic Bay and in Refuge Cove. The park is home to rich marine ecosystems with sponge gardens and diverse underwater life. These specific locations can help you plan water-based activities into your trip. The 12 Apostles offer a different coastal highlight: these rock stacks rise from the Southern Ocean off Victoria’s dramatic coastline.

Wildlife and nature watching are also among the possible travel interests. Koalas, emus, kangaroos and numerous waterbird species roam freely in Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, which is located in an extinct volcano. In the Otways, you can watch glow-worms at Melba Gully. MacKenzie Falls in Grampians National Park flows year-round.

Culture, cycling and wine country

In the Diggings area of Sovereign Hill, visitors can pan for real gold using the same techniques miners used in the 1850s. The First Peoples exhibition at Melbourne Museum explores the history, cultures, achievements and survival of the First Peoples of south-eastern Australia. It includes more than 600 cultural objects and 38 Victorian languages. Alongside nature and outdoor activities, this offers a distinct cultural focus for planning your trip.

For mountain biking, the Forrest Mountain Bike Trails pass through tall eucalypt forests, dry heathland and dense fern gullies. The Yarra Valley has more than 70 wineries around Healesville and in the hills of Nillumbik, Hurstbridge and Kangaroo Ground. To reach the Yarra Valley, you can take the Lillydale railway line from Melbourne to Lillydale Station or bus routes 683 and 679 from Melbourne CBD. Lillydale Station is accessible.

If you’d like to focus your search on a particular region, you can also explore Falls Creek. To compare with another destination, New South Wales is also available.

For the main travel overview: Australia.