Getting Oriented

This compact state is a patchwork of spectacular landscapes just waiting to be explored. The Yarra Valley wineries and the Dandenong Ranges are an hour's drive east of Melbourne, while the beaches and vineyards of the Mornington Peninsula are a 90-minute drive south of the city.

The Great Ocean Road begins at Torquay, southwest of Melbourne, and continues along the Southern Ocean coast to Portland, a distance of about 350 km (220 miles). The Goldfields and spa country are between one and two hours northwest of Melbourne. The Grampians and the Murray River region and its wineries are about a three-hour drive north to northeast of the city.

• Side Trips from Melbourne. On the city’s doorstep are dozens of wineries with fabulous restaurants, mist-swathed hills dotted with charming B&Bs and curio shops, forested walking trails noisy with multicolor parrots, gold-era towns flush with grand, boom-time buildings, and glorious beaches. It's a breeze to visit the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, the Goldfields, or the Dandenong Ranges on day trips.
• Great Ocean Road. This is the ultimate road trip along the wave-lashed Southern Ocean. From Melbourne it's a 450-km (280-mile) coastal journey, with occasional detours into wooded hills dotted with fern gullies. Lighthouses, surfing beaches, and lively towns punctuate the road, but the headline attractions are the amazing shapes carved from the coastline, including the Twelve Apostles and the smaller rock stacks on show in this amazing natural sculpture park.
• The Grampians. Encompassing a series of rugged sandstone ranges covered with native bushland, Grampians National Park is a wilderness area three hours from the heart of Melbourne. Spectacular rock formations including the Balconies, the Pinnacle, and the Fortress can be visited via walking trails. The Wonderland Range forms a wall behind the township of Halls Gap, which is a popular hangout for kangaroos.
• Murray River Region. The mighty Murray River forms the border between Victoria and New South Wales, and is an aquatic playground. Houseboats, speedboats, and old paddle wheelers share the river, and golf courses, farms, historic towns, and stands of majestic eucalyptus trees hug its banks. Wineries produce internationally acclaimed fortified wines and full-bodied reds.