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Chinese MuseumCity/Region: Melbourne
The Chinese Museum was established in 1985 to preserve and display the history of Chinese Australians since the mid-1800s. It has become a living part of Melbourne's modern Chinatown, with its five levels of galleries, showcasing artifacts and photographs depicting the life and culture of Chinese Australians. The museum is also the home of Dai Loong, the world's largest dragon. There are numerous other museums catering to different national cultures in the heart of Melbourne.
Address: 22 Cohen Place,
Chinatown
Phone Number: (0)3 9662 2888
Email Address: info@chinesemuseum.com.au
Website: www.chinesemuseum.com.au
Hours: Daily 10am to 5pm
Admission: A$7.50 (adults), A$5.50 (children)
Cooks' CottageCity/Region: Melbourne
This cottage was originally built in the village of Great Ayton in Yorkshire, England, in 1755 by James and Grace Cook, the parents of Captain James Cook. When the cottage was offered for sale in 1933 it was bought by a prominent Melbourne businessman, Sir Russell Grimwade, for 800 British Pounds. He arranged for it to be taken apart brick by brick and transported via ship and train to Melbourne. In early 1934 the cottage was rebuilt on its present site in Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne. Today it provides visitors with the opportunity to glimpse what life was like in 18th century England.
Address: Fitzroy Gardens, Wellington Parade Street
Phone Number: (0)3 9419 4677
Email Address: cookscottage@melbourne.vic.gov.au
Website: www.cookscottage.com.au
Transport: Tram 48 or 75 from Flinders Street or Swanson Street to stop 9 on Wellington Parade; or City Circle Tram to Spring Street
Hours: Daily 9am to 5pm
Admission: A$4 (adults), A$2 (children); concessions available
Yarra RiverCity/Region: Melbourne
A visit to Melbourne would not be complete without a good look at its main river system, the Yarra River. Often the center of many jokes due to its brownish color, it is actually not dirty, just muddy. The Yarra has become the focus of much development in the central business district, with many new buildings, walks and parks having been created along its banks in recent years, including the relatively new Riverside Park. For the best view of the Yarra River walk to Princes Bridge, St Kilda Road, or take a cruise along the river from Princes Walk (below Princes Bridge).
Website: www.yarrariver.info
Government HouseCity/Region: Melbourne
Government House is the official residence of the Governor of Victoria, located within the Botanical Gardens. The house is built in the style known as Italianate, and is one of the finest examples of this type of architecture in Australia. The house was built during the gold rush and is said to be the grandest house in Victoria. Tours of the state apartments start from La Trobe's Cottage (home of Victoria's first Lt Governor, Charles la Trobe) on the corner of Birdwood Avenue and Dallas Brooks Drive, South Yarra.
Address: Government House Drive
Phone Number: (0)3 9656 9800
Website: www.governor.vic.gov.au/govhs.htm
Hours: Visits are by advance booking only and tours operate on Mondays and Wednesdays
Old Melbourne GaolCity/Region: Melbourne
Victoria's oldest surviving remand prison gives visitors a chilling insight into prison life in a model 19th-century gaol. Behind the thick and forbidding walls Ned Kelly, the infamous bushranger, was one of 135 men and women who were hanged on the gaol's scaffold. Visitors can view the Hangman's Box, the Particulars of Execution book and other exhibits relating to this grim period of Victoria's history, as well as the death masks used in the study of phrenology to predict criminal behavior. The Women in Prison exhibition reveals the fascinating stories of the crimes committed by the female inmates. There are free performances every Saturday of The Real Ned Kelly Story - Such is Life at 12.30pm and 2pm, and night performances on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with hangman 'Michael Gately' as he recounts stories of the gaol by candlelight (not for the faint hearted or children under 12 years of age).
Address: Russell Street
Phone Number: (0)3 9663 7228
Transport: City Circle Tram or train to Museum Station
Hours: Daily 9.30am to 5pm (Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day)
Admission: A$12.50 (adults), A$7.50 (children). Concessions available. Night tours: A$25 (adults), A$16.50 (children under 16)
Royal Botanic GardensCity/Region: Melbourne
Established in 1846 by the first Governor of Victoria, Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens are considered one of the worlds finest. They contain extensive landscaped gardens covering 35 hectares (86 acres) and are home to more than 51,000 individual plants, representing over 12,000 different species. The gardens have become a natural sanctuary for native wild life including black swans, bell birds, cockatoos and kookaburras, filling the air with their distinctive song. Free guided walks are available.
Address: Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra
Phone Number: (03) 9252 2300
Website: www.rbg.vic.gov.au
Transport: Tram 3, 5, 8, 16, 64 or 67 from Flinders Street Station to Domain Road Interchange; Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle from Melbourne Museum
Hours: Daily 7.30am to 8.30pm (November to March); 7.30am to 6pm (April, September, October); 7.30am to 5.30pm (May to August)
Admission: Free
National Gallery of VictoriaCity/Region: Melbourne
The National Gallery collections are divided between the redeveloped gallery at St Kilda Road, which houses Victoria's impressive international collections (including Picasso's Weeping Woman) and the Ian Potter Center, the spectacular new home for the country's most important Australian collection.
Address: International collections: 180 St Kilda Road; Ian Potter Center: Federation Square
Phone Number: (0)3 8620 2222
Email Address: enquiries@ngv.vic.gov.au
Website: www.ngv.vic.gov.au
Hours: Daily 10am to 5pm (closed Mondays except when a public holiday)
Admission: Free. An admission is charged for special exhibitions
Gippsland Lakes Coastal ParkCity/Region: Phillips Island and Gippsland
This park is unique and picturesque, offering lakes, wetlands, marine and terrestrial environments. It is a narrow coastal reserve covering 17,584 hectares along a portion of Victoria's Ninety Mile Beach, from Seaspray to Lakes Entrance. There are designated camping sites and a picnic area. Access to the park is from Seacombe.
Address: Sperm Whale Head Road, Seacombe
Phone Number: (0)3 8627 4699
Website: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Admission: Free
National Vietnam Veterans MuseumCity/Region: Phillips Island and Gippsland
Next to the Phillip Island Airfield is Australia's only museum that deals with aspects of the Vietnam War, with more than 5,000 artifacts, memorabilia and photographs on display. The museum relies on volunteer staff who are veterans of the Vietnam War or connected family members, all uniquely suited to guide and answer visitors' questions. Displays vary from large vehicles and weapons to articles of clothing, badges, maps and personal letters.
Address: 5 Churchill Road South, Newhaven
Phone Number: (0)3 5956 6400
Email Address: vvmuseum@nex.net.au
Website: www.vietnamvetsmuseum.org
Hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm; weekends and public holidays 10am to 5pm
Admission: By donation
Agnes Falls ReserveCity/Region: Phillips Island and Gippsland
Agnes Falls, at 194ft (59m), are the highest single span falls in Victoria. The falls are situated 100 miles (160km) southeast of Melbourne near Toora on the South Gippsland Highway. The Agnes Falls Reserve protects a small remnant of the forests that once covered the Stzrelecki Ranges. The canopy of eucalyptus provides food and nesting areas for a variety of birds, including the laughing Kookaburra and a range of honeyeaters. All plants and animals in the reserve are protected, and camping is not permitted. There are designated walking trails.
Address: Silcocks Hill Road, Toora
Phone Number: (0)3 131 963 (Parks Victoria Information Center)
Website: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Phillip Island Grand Prix CircuitCity/Region: Phillips Island and Gippsland
At Cowes, racing enthusiasts enjoy visiting the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, originally opened in 1956, which annually hosts two international motorcycle events, the Superbike World Championship and the Qantas Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The Circuit has a Visitor Center, which includes information displays on the history of motor sport on Phillip Island, a circuit viewing area, a café, water gardens and wildlife enclosures. Guided walking tours take visitors to off-limits areas around the track, including the winner's podium, the pit lane and the control tower. Visitors may also experience an adrenaline-pumping triple lap ride with an experienced racing driver in the HSV Hot Laps.
Address: Back Beach Road, Phillip Island
Phone Number: (0)3 5952 9400
Email Address: info@phillipislandcircuit.com.au
Website: www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au
Hours: Visitor Center open daily 9am to 7pm. Guided tours daily 11am and 2pm. HSV Hot Laps from 5pm Monday to Friday
Admission: Guided tours: A$18 (adults); A$9 (children 5-15); HSV Hot Laps: A$199, A$299 or A$349 for one, two or three people respectively
Wilsons Promontory National ParkCity/Region: Phillips Island and Gippsland
The Promontory (known as 'the Prom') once linked Tasmania to the mainland. It has been a reserved area since 1898, with its 80 miles (130km) of coastline framed by vast granite masses, mountains, forests and fern gullies. The focus for tourism and recreation is at Tidal River, about 19 miles (30km) inside the park boundary, where visitors enjoy the sandy beach at Norman Bay, and Squeaky Beach with its pure white quartz sand. It is possible to walk up Mt Oberon or take 'the Prom Lighthouse Trek' with a ranger along the southern section of the Park.
Phone Number: Parks Victoria Information Center: 131 963
Website: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Admission: A$9.90 per car per day. Multi-day passes for 2 and 5 days are also available
Dandenong Ranges National ParkCity/Region: Yarra Valley
The famous lyre bird, which has the ability to mimic any other bird, is the most important inhabitant of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, just 25 miles (40km) from Melbourne via Burwood Highway or Canterbury Road. The park, covering 3,215 hectares, plays an important role in protecting the famous birds. Visitors enjoy walking, cycling and picnicking in the park at venues with enchanting names like Ferntree Gully, One Tree Hill or Sherbrooke Forest. The park is rich in wildlife and spectacular mountain ash forests and fern gullies are to be seen. The historic Puffing Billy steam train runs from Belgrave to Lakeside close to the park, and there are numerous craft shops, antique shops, gardens and restaurants in the area.
Address: Monbulk Road
Phone Number: 131 963 (Parks Victoria Information Center)
Website: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
National Rhododendron GardensCity/Region: Yarra Valley
These gardens are world-famous and attract 50,000 visitors a year who come to admire an unparalleled variety of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and daffodils. One can stroll through 43 hectares of scenic gardens or enjoy a picnic by the lake and enjoy a view of the Australian Alps. During the Spring Floral Festival, held each year from August to November, visitors can see the largest undercover display of daffodils in the Southern Hemisphere. The Gardens can be found in the quaint hill town of Olinda, an hour's drive from Melbourne.
Address: The Georgian Road, Olinda
Phone Number: (0)3 9751 1980
Website: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Hours: Daily 10am to 5pm
Admission: December to August: A$6.50 (adult); A$3 (children); September to November: A$8 (adult); A$3 (children). Concessions available
BallaratCity/Region: Melbourne
This historic town of great elegance and charm is the gateway to the goldfields. The name is an Aboriginal word meaning 'resting place', which is well suited because a tranquil lake and botanical gardens are the focal point of the city. The main Avenue of Honor is lined with 4,000 trees as a memorial to citizens who served in World War I. The city is steeped in the history of the Gold Rush era. Visitors enjoy the Eureka Trail, a two-mile (3km) walk that retraces the route taken by the police and soldiers during the Australian rebellion of the Eureka stockade in 1854. It is also possible to undertake a self-guided Heritage Walk through the inner city's streets.
Website: www.visitballarat.com.au
Great Ocean RoadCity/Region: Melbourne
From Melbourne one of the most popular self-drive routes for tourists to follow is the circular Great Southern Touring Route, which includes spectacular scenery and takes in some of Victoria's most beautiful, scenic and cultural attractions. The first part of the route hugs the coastline going south along the Great Ocean Road, renowned for its coastal scenery, passing lush Otways rainforests and on to the magnificent limestone rock sculptures known as the Twelve Apostles in the Port Campbell National Park. Other attractions along the Great Ocean Road include the historic villages of Port Campbell, Queenscliff, Portland and Port Fairy, as well as resort towns and coastal cities such as Torquay, Apollo Bay, Geelong and Warrnambool.
Phone Number: Great Ocean Road Visitor Information Center: (0)3 5237 6529; Port Campbell Visitor Information Center: (0)3 5598 6089
Website: www.greatoceanrd.org.au
Grampians National ParkCity/Region: Melbourne
The lofty summits and ridgelines of the Grampians region provide for some inspiring natural beauty in a park that is home to a variety of habitats, unique wildlife and more than one third of all plant species found in Victoria. The park is particularly well known for its colorful displays of springtime wildflowers, particularly during October. There is an abundance of wildlife in the lowlands, including emus, kangaroos, possums, koalas, wallabies and more than 200 species of bird. The park also has some interesting Aboriginal art sites among its 167,000 hectares of woodland, heath, swamp, forest and sub-alpine zones.
Phone Number: (0)3 5356 4381 (Visitor Center)
Website: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Eureka TowerCity/Region: Melbourne
The Eureka Tower is the tallest building in Melbourne and the tallest residential building in the world, standing at just over 984ft (300m) tall, offering 360-degree views over the city. There is a public observation deck on level 88, the Skydeck, which affords visitors with a head for heights a testing experience: a chance to be suspended above the city in a glass cube (The Edge) that extracts itself from the building by 10ft (3m) to hang out over the city far below. On entry into the cube, the glass is frosted and moves out over the edge of the building, but as soon as the cube is in place the glass unfrosts to the sound of smashing glass.
Address: Riverside Quay, Southbank
Phone Number: Skydeck/The Edge Information: (0)3 9693 8888
Website: www.eurekatower.com.au
Hours: The Skydeck is open daily 10am to 10pm; The Edge may be closed in certain weather conditions
Admission: Skydeck: A$16.50 (adults), A$9 (children 4-16); The Edge: A$12 (adults), A$8 (children). Other concessions available
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