This 7 day tour will show you the best of Victoria. Visit the Yarra Valleynwineries, see the stunning scenery in the Mansfield area, and take photos of the native birds and animals at Healesville Sanctuary.
- Healesville Sanctuary
- Yarra Valley wineries
- Mansfield area – for stunning scenery in summer and snowfields in winter
- Self-guided historic Ned Kelly Trail in Glenrowan
- Historic paddle-steamer cruise on the Murray River
- Bendigo Pottery and Interpretive Museum
- Victorian Goldfields Railway between Maldon & Castlemaine
- Hepburn Springs – Victoria’s mineral springs resort town
- Sovereign Hill, Ballarat
Suggested Accommodation – stay with BIG4 Holiday Parks along the way. These BIG4 Holiday Parks all have cabin/villa style accommodation available:
- BIG4 Dandenong Tourist Park, Dandenongs
- Melbourne BIG4 Holiday Park, Melbourne
- BIG4 Badger Creek Holiday Park, Healesville
- Yarrolyn Holiday Park, Marysville
- North Cedars Holiday Park, Wangaratta
- Boathaven Holiday Park, Wodonga
- Borderland Caravan Park, Wodonga
- A Shady River Holiday park, Echuca-Moama
- Maiden’s Inn Holiday Park, Echuca-Moama
- BIG4 Bendigo-Ascot Holiday Park, Bendigo
- A Welcome Stranger Holiday Park, Ballarat
- Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park, Ballarat
- BIG4 Ballarat Windmill Holiday Park, Ballarat
Day 1: Melbourne to Healesville
Head north-east from Melbourne, towards Healesville and the Yarra Valley. At Coldstream, turn north to Yarra Glen, the heart of the Yarra Valley. The Yarra Valley is a world-class wine region, with more than 30 wineries, and a region well-known for delicious farm fresh local produce – including cheeses, coffee, eggs, seasonal fruit and vegetables, honey, chocolates, lavender products and a lot more. Continue east to Healesville, famous for the Healesville Sanctuary; this popular sanctuary houses native birds and animals in a mainly natural bushland setting.
Day 2: Healesville to Mansfield
Head north-east from Healesville to ‘The High Country’ – the Australian Alps. In summer the Alps offer stunning scenery and cooler climates than found in other areas. If you’re travelling in winter, this is skiing territory! Continue along the Maroondah Highway through several State Forest and National Park areas, through Narbethong, then detour to Marysville, a quaint subalpine village with forest walks, cafes, arts & crafts. Continue on to Lake Eildon National Park, created in the 1950s, this lake is six times the capacity of Sydney Harbour. Continue on to Alexandra, through Bonnie Doon (made famous in the Australian movie ‘The Castle’) to Mansfield. Mansfield offers easy access to the Mount Buller and Mount Stirling ski areas. A ride up to Mt Buller in the summer months offers stunning alpine views.
Day 3: Mansfield to Wodonga
Travelling north from Mansfield, the first stop is Benalla. Visit Lake Benalla for a lunch picnic, or wander through the Botanic Gardens. This area is known a “Bushranger Country” – especially for the infamous capture of the Kelly gang at nearby Glenrowan in 1880 – your next stop. Take time to do the Selfguide Historic Ned Kelly Trail. The area also has wineries to tempt you. Next, head up to the border towns of Albury-Wodonga, straddling both sides of the mighty Murray River. These twin cities sit astride the Murray River, a popular holiday destination – with wineries, fishing, hot-air ballooning, horse riding and canoe hire available.
Day 4: Wodonga to Echuca
Follow the Murray Valley Highway west towards Echuca. The highway follows the Murray River, stops along the way include Rutherglen, famous as the centre of one of the main winegrowing areas in Victoria, and best known for the local fortified wines; Lake Mulwala; Yarrawonga, where you can visit the Tudor House Clock Museum’s display of hundreds of clocks; Cobram, surrounded by peach, pear, orange and nectarine orchards; and Strathmerton, hosting Cactus Country, Australia’s largest cactus collection. The Goulburn Valley area is Victoria’s richest farming area. At Echuca, a “must do” is to take a cruise on an historic paddle-steamer on the Murray River. Echuca is located at the junction of the Murray, Campaspe and Goulburn rivers – once Australia’s largest inland port.
Day 5: Echuca to Bendigo
South from Echuca, pass through Rochester following the Campaspe River towards Bendigo. Rochester is an attractive town surrounded by dairy and tomato farms. The town has a Historical Plaque Trail, Cemetery Walk and Campaspe River Walk. Continuing south you enter Goldfield territory – an area rich in history and the exciting gold rush days of the past. Gold was discovered in the area near Ballarat in 1851. Bendigo has much to offer the visitor, from the beautiful Pall Mall tree-lined boulevard, heritage buildings and gold mine tours, historic tram rides, Chinese sites (including the restored Joss House and the Golden Dragon Museum), to Bendigo Pottery, and the Bendigo Art Gallery.
Day 6: Bendigo to Ballarat
Head south through Castlemaine where you can take a ride on an authentic steam train to Maldon with the Victorian Goldfields Railway. Near Daylesford, take a short detour to Hepburn Springs, Victoria’s spa capital - a resort town located in the middle of the largest concentration of mineral springs in Australia. The springs are full of health-giving minerals that occur naturally in different formulations, giving every spring a distinctive taste. The town is increasingly known for its resident masseurs and holistic therapists. Continue to Ballarat and visit Ballarat’s key attraction - experience the re-creation of the goldrush days of the 1850s at Sovereign Hill. Visit the Gold Museum and the Eureka Centre to explore the story of the Eureka Rebellion, Australia’s only civil uprising.
Day 7: Ballarat to Melbourne
In the morning, spend a little more time exploring Ballarat and visit the Ballarat Wildlife Park where you will see a range of native Australian animals including wombats, koalas and kangaroos. Return to Melbourne in the afternoon via Bacchus Marsh and Melton along the Western Freeway.
.Top
- Take photos of the native birds and animals at Healesville Sanctuary
- Views of Lake Eildon National Park
- Mountain views and snow (in winter) around Mansfield and the Victorian Alps
- View of the Murray River from an historic paddle-steamer cruise at Echuca
- Heritage buildings in Bendigo
- On board the Castlemaine-Maldon steam train
- Panning for gold at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat