Things to Do in Victoria

Williamstown is a historic port village at the mouth of Melbourne’s Yarra River. The town has rich colonial history and makes a charming Sunday excursion from the city.

Melbourne’s original sea port is characterised with heritage landmarks that have endured more than 150 years on the salty edge of Hobsons Bay and Port Phillip Bay. The Old Morgue is made of bluestone and was built by convicts in 1859. The Timeball Tower at Point Gellibrand was built in 1855 as a lighthouse and timeball, and continues to keep time today. The Mechanics Institute built in 1860 now houses the Williamstown Historic Society and is open to the public every Sunday between noon and 4pm.

Williamstown is also a scenic spot for a walk along the promenade, some fish and chips by the pier and a view of the Melbourne city skyline. Finer dining and boutique browsing amongst Williamstown’s beautiful old buildings is another appealing way to spend an afternoon.

Part of the draw of any visit to Australia is to see some of its much-heralded rustic beauty. Ayers Rock has its fan-base, as does Byron Bay, but to many a Aussie, there’s nothing more beautiful than watching the sun set over the pristine beaches of Wilson’s Promontory.

Lovingly referred to as “The Prom” by locals, this coastal outcropping is the furthest south one can go on Mainland Australia and features 50,000 hectares of untouched granite peaks backed by white sand beaches . Miles of walking tracks meander all through the pristine coastline, and hikers get to see the Australian wilderness as nature intended it. Teams of kangaroos, koalas, emus and wallabies scurry about the brush and grasslands, while penguins come to roost along the beaches at nightfall.

Though Wilsons Promontory is a widely beloved spot, it is famous for its short-yet-seemingly long distance from civilization. The Australian’s designed it this way in order to keep it a habitation for only those critters who originally found the coastal wilderness. A short trip here feels miles away from the bustle of nearby towns, and the silence lets visitors hear the ocean, the breeze, and even the unique “squeak” that comes from walking barefoot on the Prom’s own Squeaky Beach. A unique experience to be sure.

Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm is in Melbourne’s beautiful Mornington Peninsula, about 75 minutes from the city by car.

The farm is one of Victoria’s premium berry producers and visitors can pick strawberries on the farm for a small fee. Known as ‘U-Pick’, the strawberry-picking season starts in late spring (November) and runs until early fall (April).

In addition to picking strawberries at the farm, you can enjoy one of several decadent strawberry desserts at the Dessert Café.

Depending on the season, fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries are available from the Sunny Ridge Farmgate onsite. You can also purchase Sunny Ridge jams, ice creams, sorbets and freeze-dried fruits.

Combine your trip to Sunny Ridge with a visit to one of the Mornington Peninsula’s award-winning wineries.

Stark and solemn, the Shrine of Remembrance is Melbourne’s memorial for all Australians who fought in a war.

The Shrine was originally built to remember those who fought in World War One and is now open to the public for commemoration and education about all Australian victims of war. Permanent exhibitions show medals awarded to soldiers and records of service men and women. Temporary exhibitions and free daily tours at 11am and 2pm also allow visitors a chance to expand their understanding of Australia’s involvement in international conflicts.

The unique shrine is easily recognised by the two identical porticoes supported by eight Doric columns and topped with a pyramidal roof inspired by an ancient Mausoleum. The result of combining the Athenian and Turkish architectural designs in a bold white structure is nothing short of stunning.

The lovely landscaped grounds of Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens spread for almost 100 acres south of the city center, providing Melbourne with the much-appreciated foliage of more than 50,000 plants.

The gardens were established in 1846, and over the years they've become recognised as one of the finest examples of Victorian-era landscaping in the world. The mix of native and introduced species provides inspiration for would-be gardeners, and the manicured lawns are a popular spot for picnics and parties.

You'll find tranquil ornamental lakes dotted with waterbirds, a herbarium and an observatory, plus conservatories and glasshouses filled with exotic blooms. Follow winding pathways past fern gullies and eucalyptus, or join Melbourne's joggers running rings around The Tan, the gardens' running track

Rod Laver Arena is best known as the main venue for the Australian Open – an international tennis tournament that attracts thousands of visitors to Melbourne every summer.

Named after the tennis player Rod Laver, a three-time winner of the Australian Open, the Arena is the centerpiece of the Melbourne Park complex and features a retractable roof to help players cope with the city’s unpredictable weather and, at times, extreme summer heat.

Also hosting music concerts, sporting events and other performances, the Rod Laver Arena, sees over 1.5 million visitors through its doors each year. Attracting some of the biggest names in the music business, past performers include Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, Linkin Park, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Black Sabbath and P!NK.

Tours of the Arena are held daily except when concerts or events are scheduled. Offering visitors the chance to walk in the shoes of some the world’s top tennis players, the tour takes you through Rod Laver Area and the Superbox as well as the Walk of Champions, the Davis Cup Room, and the player’s changing rooms. Keen tennis players can also arrange to have a game on court!

Fill up at Melbourne's marketplace, the historic, fun and friendly Queen Victoria Market! Operating since 1878, Queen Victoria Market is the finest place in town to shop for fresh fruit and veg, gourmet meats and cheeses, condiments, seafood – you name it, and you’ll find it.

Melbourne is a city that loves food, and Queen Victoria Market is where gourmets, chefs, office workers, families and just about everyone who eats come to do their shopping. The atmosphere is particularly busy and vibrant on Saturday mornings, especially if a feast like Christmas or Easter is just around the corner.

On Wednesday evenings in summer, a Night Market with food and entertainment lights up the marketplace. A souvenir and trash and treasure market operates on Sundays, with children's rides and outdoor cafes.

Southgate is a large shopping, eating and entertainment complex on the banks of the Yarra River.

Occupying a central position opposite Flinders Street Station and next to the Victorian Arts Centre and Hamer Hall, Southgate offers an opportunity for visitors to dine in a riverside restaurant or cafe with views of the CBD across the river.

Catering to all types of budgets and tastes, the complex has a large food hall on the ground floor and more refined dining on the upper levels. Shops include a variety of boutique fashion stores as well as gift shops, bookstores and speciality shops.  

Open from 7am until late and located adjacent to the city’s major arts precinct, Southgate is the ideal place to stop for a pre- or post-theatre dinner or drink.

The State Library of Victoria is an iconic Melbourne landmark and an important community resource. On sunny days, the lawns outside the library are strewn with students and inner-city folk taking a breather from the bustling city streets and catching some rays.

Dominating an entire city block on the corner of Swanston and La Trobe Streets, the library is worth exploring for its heritage architecture alone, which includes tiled floors, grand marble staircases, stained glass and bluestone walls. Free-guided tours are available that take you to the library’s spectacular domed-ceilinged and Redmond Barry Reading Rooms as well as the permanent and temporary exhibitions that are held in one of the library’s three galleries.

Many people visit the library for traditional activities such as work or study, or to read the free newspapers and magazines, however, you can also play traditional and online games, listen to music, watch movies or simply take advantage of the free wireless internet. Regular events also take place at the library including children’s activities, screenings, performances, classes and workshops. There is also an excellent bookshop and a popular café.

Though modern Australia was originally settled by poverty-stricken convicts, you’d never know it from the aristocratic grounds of spectacular Rippon Lea. Only 20 minutes from central Melbourne, this manicured, refined, and immaculate estate is a throwback to 19th-century royalty and ornate, Victorian homes. The gardens span across 14 acres and were built in a style that was so advanced they actually harnessed their own water. The mansion itself was also constructed with features ahead of its time, and was one of Melbourne’s original estates with electricity and modern plumbing. When visiting the historic mansion today, stroll through 15 different rooms where each is more lavish than the last. Play a casual game of croquet on the mansion’s well-trimmed lawn, or lay out a blanket while sipping tea in a picnic from days gone by. 

St Kilda is Melbourne’s iconic seaside suburb and is just a short tram ride (6km) away from the CBD. Featuring several attractions including the Victorian-styled fairground, Luna Park, St Kilda Sea Baths and the shopping and restaurant strips of Acland and Fitzroy Streets, St Kilda is a popular base for many travellers, particularly during the summer months.

Once a desirable suburb for Melbourne’s elite in Victorian and Edwardian times, St Kilda has a fascinating history and still features many of its original mansions and iconic attractions today.

Fitzroy Street runs from the southern side of Albert Park all the way down to St Kilda Beach. Packed with notable restaurants, cafes, pubs and shops, as well as budget and top end accommodation, it's a lively street that is great for people watching and hanging out in pavement cafés.

Acland Street runs parallel to the beach and offers more of the same attractions with the addition of the popular Sunday art-and-craft market (on the Esplanade) and some fabulously drool-worthy cake shops.

It is possible to walk along St Kilda beach for several kilometers in either direction. Head north towards the city and the suburbs of Albert Park and Port Melbourne or south to Elwood and the gentrified suburb of Brighton and beyond.

Australia’s foremost outdoor museum, Sovereign Hill takes history to a whole new level and allows visitors to get a real taste of the country's gold rush era. Travelers can wander the streets of this iconic 25-hectare settlement, a reproduction of an 1850s mining town, and pop into carefully crafted houses, shops and trade stores.