Things to Do in Victoria

Charming and picturesque, Brighton Beach is a cove on Port Phillip Bay that is adored for its rainbow bathing boxes and views of Melbourne city skyline.

There is classic coastal feel to Brighton Beach, with its bayside cafes, boardwalk, yacht club, boutique shopping and two cinemas nearby. The cove is protected from southerly winds and patrolled by Surf Lifesavers, making it a safe place to swim if you can brave the water temperature.

Along Dendy Street beach, the bathing boxes have earned tourism icon status, offering a splash of colour against the white sandy shore, and giving the cove a European feel. There are 82 coveted bathing boxes in total, built to heritage standards with weatherboard and timber, and owned by local residents.

The Block Arcade is a heritage-shopping arcade that was built in the late 1800s. Restored to its original glory, the arcade still features its original mosaic tiled flooring, glass canopied ceiling and wrought iron and carved stone finishes.

In conjunction with Melbourne’s Royal Arcade, The Block Arcade forms part of the city’s Golden Mile heritage walk that cuts through the center of the CBD and offers a unique shopping experience.

Much loved shops within the arcade include the popular Hopetoun Tea Rooms (Melbourne’s original spot for high tea and still home to the city’s most drool-worthy window display!), Dafel Dolls & Bears toy shop and Haigh’s Chocolates.

You can enter The Block Arcade from its official entrance on Collins Street or via Elizabeth Street (west) or the pedestrian laneway off Little Collins Street.

With its sandy beaches, windswept bluffs, and miles of rugged walking trails, Cape Woolamai is a place to unwind and simply get back to nature. Stretched across the southeastern corner of scenic Phillip Island, Cape Woolamai is a popular getaway for surfers, birdwatchers, and hikers. On the western stretch, Woolamai Beach has some of the best surfing in the entire state of Victoria, whereas the eastern stretch is covered in sand dunes just a short walk from town. Woolamai Beach is part of the Phillip Island Surfing Reserve and home to a popular lifesaving club, and granite cliffs provide a rugged backdrop to the wide, golden sands. Atop the bluff, a system of walking tracks leads to the highest point on all of Phillip Island, and while it’s only a moderate 370 feet, the viewpoint provides a panoramic vista looking back towards the Australian mainland. Avid hikers can enjoy the 5.3-mile loop that passes the best beaches and viewpoints, and between September and April, birdwatchers can scan the skies for shearwaters that migrate from Alaska. Of all of the cape’s rugged scenery, however, the most striking image is of waves crashing up against the Pinnacles—an iconic collection of eroded sea stacks towards the very end of the cape. 

With a bold profile of gleaming triangular panels in a unique bioframe roof, it’s no surprise that Melbourne’s AAMI Park has quickly become an iconic sporting stadium.

Located only one kilometre from the city centre, between the sweeping Yarra River and the internationally-loved MCG, AAMI Park is Melbourne’s premier medium-sized soccer, rugby union and rugby league venue.

AAMI Park’s star teams include the National Rugby League's Melbourne Storm, Melbourne’s Super Rugby team, the Melbourne Rebels, and soccer’s A-League teams, the Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart.

The stadium has a capacity of more than 30,000 spectators and boasts a popular roof design that offers seating cover and a notable lack of pillars and walls obstructing the view. 

Recognizing the unique value of this Melbourne attraction, in 2012 AAMI Park was awarded the World’s Most Iconic and Culturally Significant Stadium by the Stadium World Congress.

Vibrant, bustling and lined with shops, Chapel Street is an essential urban adventure in Melbourne. This long inner-Melbourne street is perfect for a full day of shopping, café and bar hopping, people watching and riding the classic Melbourne trams that frequent the street.

Melbourne’s oldest food markets, the Prahran Markets, are a local favourite and can be found just off Chapel Street. There you can peruse multicultural flavours and buy fresh bread, produce, seafood and meat, as well as street food snacks like cheesy Turkish pastry and falafel.

If fashion is your weakness, treat yourself to the colourful quality of Gorman, the street wear at Fat, the minimalist designs of Cylk, the specialty denim of Dakota 501 and the Scandinavian style of Dansk, as well as wares from the many other Chapel Street boutiques.

Ready to relax, rejuvenate and indulge? That’s what Daylesford is all about. An easy 90-minute drive from Melbourne (or a train and bus from central Melbourne via the historical gold mining town of Ballarat), Daylesford is a picturesque town perfect for taking time out and soaking up Australia’s natural environment.

With world-class natural spa treatments, a relaxing lake, walking tracks and fresh air galore, you’ll literally feel the stress drift away. Once you’re relaxed, it’s time to enjoy the amazing fresh produce and famous regional wines. Visit one of the town’s famous restaurants – The Lake House is regarded as one of the great fine dining experiences in Australia – or shop locally and prepare your own picnic by the lake.

You’ll find plenty of B&Bs and beautiful hotels to stay in, or you can rent a fully-furnished house if you’re staying more than a few days. And, really, once you’ve spent your first day in Daylesford, why would you ever want to leave?

Take a guided tour through the elegance of wealthy pioneer lifestyle captured in the antique furnishings and manicured land of Melbourne’s Como Historic House and Garden.

Established in 1847 by Edward Eyre Williams, Como House is a well-preserved example of aristocratic style, with fireplaces and chandeliers, gilded mirror frames and rich embroidery. Folktale suggests the house was named in memory of Italy’s Lake Como, where Edward is believed to have proposed to his wife, Jessie Gibbon. Over the years, the house survived the Great Depression and family financial ruin, before being passed through to the Armytage family to endure wartime and 95 years of family dynasty. In 1959, Como House and Garden entered the protection of the National Trust.

Although the House only admits visitors booked in groups of 15 people of more, guided tours are free and allow access to the picturesque gardens after viewing the house.

Best known as the home of Formula 1 Grand Prix in March each year, Melbourne’s Albert Park is also a leafy inner-city retreat with a swan-filled lake, sports venues, playgrounds and a skyline view.

Only three kilometers from the city center, Albert Park is crown land that stretches more than 188 hectares into the south of Melbourne, making it a popular place for runners, dog-walkers and those in need of some fresh, green space.

There are three main picnic areas to enjoy in Albert Park, all with picnic shelters, electric barbecues, shady trees, toilets and tables. From Aquatic Drive, you can take a stroll along the lakeside boardwalk, enjoy fine service and a steak at The Point restaurant, and watch sail boats tack across the lake.

Sports lovers can enjoy the public golf course within Albert Park, try their hand at sailing from the boat shed or take a dip at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. For those less energetic, perhaps try a coffee from the kiosk and relaxing to the sound of song birds in the parkland wilderness.