Touring Regional Victoria

Melbourne's playgrounds offer just about everything. There are mountains and ski resorts, endless golden bays and beaches, craggy ocean cliffs, rolling green hills, towering rainforests and red sandy deserts. And what makes Victoria so special is that all of these treats are wrapped into one very accessible package.

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia provides delegates with endless opportunities for touring. Make sure your conference program provides delegates with a taste of the culture, cuisine, fashion, sports, adventure and history that makes Australia unique. Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau can provide expert advice to help facilitate pre- and post-touring options which are sure to impress.

Many people travel within Victoria for its natural attractions, history, gastronomic excellence or to participate in the major sporting, fashion and cultural events. Sport, including golf, is a major interest, with Victoria boasting five of Australia's top 10 golf courses. Of the 400 public and private courses throughout the state, most are open to the public and many, like Shearwater Cape Schanck and The National on the Mornington Peninsula, appear in breathtaking natural settings.

It's not only golfers who will find Victoria exhilarating. Food and wine lovers know the state for its superb fresh produce, wineries, gourmet food producers and award-winning country restaurants. Victoria has about 560 wineries - more than any other state in Australia - with many of them also operating charming restaurants.

For an overwhelming choice of fine food, take a scenic drive through the Yarra Valley near Melbourne or around the Milawa Gourmet Region in the King Valley and sample delicious cheeses, mustards, honey, nuts, chutneys and preserves. From Stefano's in Mildura to the fresh seafood at Lakes Entrance, Victoria is a food lover's paradise.

Victoria also serves up lashings of history. In its earliest days, this was a state besotted with gold. By the mid-19th century, tens of thousands of prospectors had travelled to Victoria's goldfields with their picks and prospecting pans. Now, these towns have become lively modern cities, balancing stunning period architecture with art galleries, cosmopolitan cafés and luxury retreats.

At Phillip Island Nature Park, visitors can meet koalas at the Koala Conservation Centre and the Little Penguins as they waddle out of the ocean at sunset, or view Southern Right Whales as they return to the waters of Logans Beach near Warrnambool to calve. Moving inland, Daylesford is the spa capital of Victoria, where visitors can sample the rejuvenating mineral waters.

Elsewhere, natural wonders, such as the rugged Grampians, provide archetypal Victorian bushland: ancient yet beautiful. The Great Ocean Road, with its scenic coastline, is another unforgettable icon of regional Victoria. The majestic Murray River, with its breathtaking sunsets, stretches across the top of the state, while the Great Alpine Road offers endless views of snow-tipped mountains, fields of wildflowers and rustic country towns, before arriving at the spectacular Gippsland Lakes, Australia's largest inland lake system.

Finding the many secrets of Victoria is as easy as looking at the map. But don't forget to enjoy the journey - Victoria also has the nation's most scenic roads. So pack a camera, a spare roll of film or memory card and prepare to explore.

Go to Visit Victoria (Regional) for further information.