Here are five great Day Trips out of town:
YARRA VALLEY WINERIES: Some of Austraia’s best wines are made in Victoria’s Yarra valley - only a 60 minute drive from town. Many of the wineries have restaurants and they all have cellar door sales so if you want to buy a bottle or two to enjoy later you can. The scenery is beautiful and you get a real feel for the Australian country. You can hire a car and drive yourself. Here is a link to a great map with all the wineries. Or if you don’t want to drive, you can use a tour operator to take you there and bring you home. Here are a couple to try: Australian Wine Tour Company & Yarra Valley Winery Tours.
MT DANDENONG/BELGRAVE/SHERBROOKE FOREST: When we were kids this was one of favorite days out. Take a drive up to Mt. Dandenong Observatory which is under 60 minutes from town, and get a birds eye view all over the city. Try a walk in Sherbooke Forest where you can have a BBQ or a picnic right in the real Aussie bush. If you’re lucky you might even see a Lyrebird. Take a ride on our century old steam train - Puffing Billy or in Spring, visit the amazing Tulip Farms. If you have a spare day and want to get out of the city, the Dandenongs is one of my top picks. So much to see & do, and great to just take in the Aussie bush.
THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD: If the seaside is your thing, there is no better day tour than driving the Great Ocean Road to Lorne. The spectacular surf beaches, the 12 Apostles, Bells Beach, Lorne - a great day’s drive. If you don’t want to drive there are some day bus tours from Melbourne. Here are a couple. AAT Kings. Melbourne Tours.
PORT PHILLIP BAY: Spend a day on our bay, fishing or just cruising around. There are loads of fishing charters that leave from St.Kilda - just a few minutes from town. Here is one I know of - Melbourne Fishing. Or if you just want to cruise the bay try Cruise Victoria. If you go to Mordialloc on the train, you can hire you own boat with Blueys Boat House. No licence required.
A DAY AT THE SNOW: In winter, if you start early, it is possible to have a full day’s skiing at Mt. Buller and still be back in town before 9pm. We have done this many times. If you leave town at 5am, driving yourself, you can have skis on the snow before 9.30am. Back in your car at 5pm and home by 8.30pm. It’s a big day out but Mt Buller is a great ski resort and well worth the effort. If you just want to sight see in the snow you can do that too. The are are many restaurants on the mountain and it is all very friendly for kids as well. The best lunch restaurant, on Saturdays & Sundays in Ski Season is Pension Grimus. Great accom too if you want to stay for a night or two. You can also go to Mt.Buller on a day bus tour. You can hire all your skis clothes boots snowboards etc on the mountain. I suggest you take your own hat and ski gloves.