What are the best towns in Victoria, Australia, for visitors?
The best towns in Victoria include the Great Ocean Road towns of Torquay, Lorne, Apollo Bay and Port Campbell. Alternatively, try Echuca, Swan Hill and Mildura on the Murray River or Halls Gap in the Grampians. Victorian High Country towns Beechworth and Glenrowan are worth visiting too.
The state capital, Melbourne, is the main drawcard for visitors to Victoria. Melbourne’s CBD has a fabulous combination of street art-packed laneways, glamorous shopping arcades and historic buildings. Head out of the centre, and you’ve got beachside St Kilda, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, bohemian Fitzroy and Aboriginal cultural tours in the Botanic Gardens.
But Melbourne isn’t all Victoria has to offer. Head to regional Victoria, and series of enchanting Victorian towns make excellent bases for exploring the Australia’s attractions.
Best towns on the Great Ocean Road
Several of the best towns in Victoria are along the Great Ocean Road to the south-west of Melbourne. The main dilemma is picking which town to stay in. The top choices are listed in the order you reach them from Melbourne.
Torquay: The home of the Australian surfing industry offers up surf lessons, Tiger Moth flights and the Australian National Surfing Museum.
Anglesea: This beachside town is best known for the kangaroos that inhabit the local golf course.
Lorne: Perhaps the most appealing Great Ocean Road town to stay overnight in, Lorne combines beach activities with rainforest walks in the Great Otway National Park.
Apollo Bay: Another logical overnight stop, Apollo Bay provides a top drawer beach and kayaking with seals in the Marengo Reefs Marine Sanctuary.
Port Campbell: Best known as the gateway to the Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell’s strength is coastal walks and scenic flights.
Timboon: A detour inland off the Great Ocean Road, Timboon does a nice line in local produce. There’s also an excellent distillery in the old railway station.
Warrnambool: Warrnambool, population 35,532, marks the end of the Great Ocean Road, but offer land-based whale-watching at Logans Beach (alas, while the Warrnambool weather is at its rainiest). There’s also the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village with reconstructed historic buildings, and the animal-packed Tower Hill Reserve inside an extinct volcanic crater in Koroit.
Best Goldfields, Macedon Ranges and Goulburn Valley towns
Ballarat: The hugely impressive Sovereign Hill open air museum is worth a visit in its own right. But you can also drop by the Ballarat Wildlife Park for big wombats and Lake Wendouree for the Olympic memorial.
Bendigo: The powerhouse of the gold-mining industry offers underground tours in the Central Deborah gold mine.
Nagambie: This Goulburn Valley town, based around Lake Nagambie, has quietly turned into a food and drink hub. Try the Mitchelton Winery or Nagambie Brewery for a tasting session.
Woodend: The Mount Macedon Winery and Hanging Rock Winery should be enough to attract wine-lovers to this 19th century resort town. But the real reason to visit is the Summit Walk to the top of the fabled Hanging Rock.
Best towns in Victoria high country
The Ned Kelly legend infuses much of the Victoria high country. But there’s plenty of heritage beyond the infamous bushranger. The best towns in Victoria high country are Beechworth and Glenrowan.
Beechworth: The most attractive high country town has a fabulous bakery and a string of heritage buildings. The Burke Museum is a good starting point, and the Ned Kelly walking tours are really entertaining.
Bright: Flanked by mountains and national parks, Bright is wholesomely outdoorsy. Enjoy tandem paragliding, a mountain bike park and several riverside walking trails.
Glenrowan: Glenrowan’s was the scene of the Kelly Gang’s last stand. Find out all about it on Siege Street, or take a photo of the Big Ned Kelly outside the post office.
Best towns in the Grampians
Dunkeld: Home to destination dining restaurant, the Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld also offers good walking up the Piccaninny and Mount Sturgeon.
Halls Gap: The Grampians is all about the national park’s lookouts, rock climbing and Aboriginal rock art. But picturesque Halls Gap makes a great base, and is one of the best places in Australia to see kangaroos.
Best Murray River towns
The Murray River is the longest river in Australia. It forms the border between New South Wales and Victoria for most of its length, before passing through South Australia towards Adelaide. There are inviting towns on both sides. The best towns on the Victorian side of the Murray include Echuca, Swan Hill and Mildura.
Echuca: Once Australia’s largest inland port, Echuca is best known for its giant wooden wharf and paddlesteamer cruises. Beyond the river activities, the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre and Port After Dark ghost tours give an engaging account of the town’s history. Echuca also makes a great base for birdwatching in the Murray Valley National Park, Aboriginal-themed walks in the Barmah National Park and food tasting on the Murray Farm Gate Trail.
Swan Hill: Home of the Giant Murray Cod, Swan Hill plays the heritage card heavily. The Pioneer Settlement, with dozens of relocated heritage buildings, is the star. But you can also do paddlesteamer cruises here, too.
Mildura: Murray River irrigation schemes have made Mildura the hub of one of the biggest fruit and wine-producing regions in Australia. Many wineries and fruit farms are open to the public, but Mildura is best used as a gateway to the surrounding national parks. Pick Mungo National Park for colossally important Aboriginal heritage. Alternatively camp out in the evocative mallee country of the Murray Sunset National Park, or take a tour amongst the lakes and wildlife of the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park.
Best towns in Gippsland
Mallacoota: In the far east of Victoria, Mallacoota has several excellent ocean beaches, but you may enjoy boating or kayaking on the Mallacoota Inlet more. It’s also the gateway to the Croajingolong National Park and Gabo Island, Cheap accommodation is available at the Mallacoota caravan park.
Noojee: On the banks of the Latrobe River, Noojee is home to the Noojee Trestle Bridge Rail Trail. This offers scenic walking and cycling through the eucalypt forest on an old railway line. Toorongo Falls is nearby.
Walhalla: This former gold rush town is now best known for the Walhalla Goldfields Railway, a narrow gauge heritage train ride across gorges and through forests.
Warragul: The regional centre of West Gippsland is all about parks and wineries, and the Mount Worth State Park is on the doorstep.
Best towns in other states
The best towns in Queensland for visitors.