Travel Victoria – tourism blog

Category: Holidays

  • Accommodation in Victoria for disabled or mobility impaired travellers

    DisabledIf you or your family have mobility impairments, there are a number of accommodation options throughout Victoria that may suit your needs.

    Hotels and motels are often able to cater for disabled and wheelchair-bound visitors thanks to their modern layout, lifts and the use of ramps instead of stairs.  A growing number of larger hotels, motels and apartments will have certain rooms designed to accommodate those who may need extra space or aids.

    One of the biggest issues for those seeking suitable accommodation is the huge variability in what is classified as “disabled access”, “wheelchair accessible”, or other similar terms. As such, it is always advisable to contact these establishments prior to making a booking to ensure that the facilities are suitable for your level of mobility and requirements.

    When enquiring about room suitability, you may want to ask about:

    • Doorway widths – both internal and external
    • How easy doors are to open
    • The height of door handles and light switches
    • The height of the bed – some may be too high
    • Whether there is enough space on the side of the bed to permit you to easily get into it
    • Easy to reach hanging space in closets
    • Hand rails in the bathroom
    • Shower chairs and raised toilet seats

    As well as enquiring about the suitability of the room you plan to stay in, you may also need to ask further questions about the property as a whole.  For example:

    • Is there suitable parking close by or designated disabled parking spots in a convenient location?
    • Can you access the reception area easily?
    • Are there automatic opening doors at the entrance and throughout the property?  This may be an issue for those who are travelling alone and don’t have someone on hand to help them with heavy or large doors.
    • Is there elevator access to all public areas in multi-storey properties?  You may be able to easily get to your room, but you may not be able to easily get to some of the facilities if access is poor.

    To find accommodation in Victoria which offers facilities for those with disabilities, go to accommodation search page on the Travel Victoria website and in the facilities section select disabled access along with other requirements you may have. This will list all establishments which can cater, to some extent, for guests with mobility impairments.  Don’t forget that when enquiring or booking your accommodation, it is important to make mention of your specific access requirements to ensure the establishment is able to meet your needs.

     

  • Car hire in Melbourne and Victoria

    Car hireVictoria is a diverse state with a multitude of attractions in both Melbourne and the state’s regional areas. When it comes to getting around, public transport isn’t always able to take you everywhere, and it may not always be convenient.  So if you come to Victoria without your own vehicle, hiring a car is a good option to get the most out of your visit.

    Arriving by air

    Most people coming to Victoria by air will land at Melbourne Airport which is located around 20 kilometres north-west of the city. This is Victoria’s only international airport and a major hub for domestic flights.

    The major international hire car companies of Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Thrifty all have booking desks inside the airport terminal buildings, along with Australia’s own Redspot.

    Compare car hire at Melbourne Airport

    Car hire depots are also located at several smaller regional airports in Victoria:

    Arriving by boat

    If you are coming to Melbourne by sea, you will dock at Station Pier in Port Melbourne. Most arrivals will be aboard the Spirit of Tasmania which is a passenger and car ferry that runs services to and from Tasmania on almost every day of the year and sometimes twice a day during peak season.

    While there are no car hire depots located at Port Melbourne, cars can be hired from depots nearby which are easily reached either by taxi or public transport.

    Car hire near Port Melbourne

    Arriving by train

    There are two interstate passenger train lines that enter Victoria and extend to Melbourne. The Overland service runs between Adelaide and Melbourne while the XPT runs between Sydney and Melbourne. All these trains terminate at Southern Cross Station in Melbourne.

    Car hire depots for Avis, Budget and Europcar are located at Southern Cross Station, while depots for other car hire companies are located very close by, either walking distance or a short tram or taxi ride away.

    Car hire near Southern Cross Station

    Getting the best deal

    Most people don’t have too much loyalty to car hire brands, so whoever offers the best deal which matches the renter’s requirements will usually get the deal.

    To save individually comparing rates between all the major car hire companies in Melbourne and Victoria, simply use the comparison tool below. Using your specified pick-up location and hire dates, it will display car hire availability from all the major providers.

    Compare all car hire in Victoria

    Should you pick up a hire car from the airport or elsewhere?

    For those arriving by air, obviously the most convenient option is to pick up your hire vehicle at the airport. Car hire check-in desks are located within the terminal building, and the car you book is waiting for you at one of the closest car parks, usually just a few steps away.

    Airports are regarded by most car hire companies as premium locations, so you will end up paying extra for the convenience of picking up your vehicle there.  If you want to save a bit of money, compare the cost of picking up your hire vehicle at the airport with a location that is either convenient to where you are staying or easily accessible by public transport.  Particularly for long rental periods, the savings can be quite substantial, even when you factor in the cost of transport between the airport to the depot.

    Will others be driving your hire vehicle?

    It is important to consider whether people other than yourself will be driving the rental vehicle. This may be relevant if you are planning a trip away with your partner, family, friends or business associates.

    Some hire car companies allow you to nominate additional drivers at no cost, while others will charge extra fees.

    Hire car company Fees for additional drivers Exemptions from fees
    Avis None –
    Budget None. –
    Europcar $5.75 for each additional driver, capped at $28.75 for the whole rental period. –
    Hertz $5.50 for each additional driver, capped at $27.50 for the whole rental period. Immediate family members, employers or employees.
    Redspot $5.50 for each additional driver, capped at $33.00 for the whole rental period. If the rate level you have selected is the “top dog” all inclusive rate.
    Thrifty $5.50 for each additional driver, capped at $27.50 for the whole rental period. Corporate club and auto club members hiring vehicles pay no additional driver fees.

    What sort of insurance should you take?

    All cars you hire are insured against accidents. They also include roadside assistance for use in emergencies.

    If your vehicle is involved in an accident, you will need to pay an insurance excess fee, which can be several thousands of dollars depending on the type of vehicle and if it was a single vehicle accident.

    As well as accidents, any damage you cause to the vehicle that requires repairs, such as windscreen or tyre replacement, will also need to be paid for.

    Hire car companies usually offer add-ons whereby you can pay an extra daily charge to reduce or completely eliminate the cost you would normally occur in the case of an accident or vehicle damage. These add-ons can inflate the daily hire charge by up to 50%, so it is important to consider some economical options if you wish to avoid paying out large sums of money in the event of an accident or damage to the vehicle.

    If you only have the vehicle for a day or two, the simplest and cheapest way may simply be to accept the hire car company’s offer of paying more to eliminate excess charges.

    If you are hiring a vehicle for more than a couple of days, a cheaper option is to take out independent travel insurance.  Most general travel insurance plans include hire car excess charges, although you will need to verify they will cover the full amount as they usually set a limit. In fact, you may already have travel insurance arranged for your trip, so why not take advantage of all its features, including coverage for hire car excess fees.

    How to pay for toll roads

    In Melbourne there are several toll roads which you may use during your travels. Fortunately you shouldn’t have to worry about paying those tolls as vehicles hired through most hire car companies are registered with toll road operators.  This ensures you will be automatically billed for toll road usage.  This billing process will differ between hire care companies.

    For Avis, Budget, Europcar and Thrifty, as well as incurring the actual cost of using a toll road, there is also a $3.30 daily service fee which is charged only on the days you use a toll road.

    Redspot simply add a $1.43 fee to every toll charge you accumulate.  For a single trip in a day this is good value, but it can end up getting expensive if you make multiple toll road trips within a day. Note that when booking a vehicle, if you select the “top dog” all inclusive rate, then all toll road usage is covered an no additional cost.

    Hertz operate quite differently and offer unlimited toll road usage with a fixed daily charge of $14.30 which applies to every day of rental period whether you use toll roads or not.  Alternatively, you can opt for an arrangement whereby you pay an upfront $16.50 administration fee and then you are automatically billed only for usage. This is recommended for longer term hiring or when you don’t expect to use toll roads every day.

    Fuel options

    When picking up the vehicle, it will have a full tank of fuel. Three options are usually available when returning the vehicle.

    1. Pay for a whole tank of fuel. This mean the hire car company assumes you will return the vehicle with an empty tank, so you will be charged for a full refueling, no matter how much is left. In reality, it is impossible to return a vehicle with not one drop of fuel left in it, so this can be an expensive option, particularly if you have a significant amount of fuel left in the vehicle, although usually the cost charged for a whole tank of petrol will be very competitive.
    2. Pay a “fill up” charge.  You can return the vehicle with any amount of fuel left in the tank, and you will only be charged to fill it up. While this may seem an attractive option, the cost per litre and fill up charge will be much more than what it would cost for you to buy fuel yourself.
    3. Return the vehicle with a full tank.  This is the cheapest option if you have the time, and if a petrol station is located not too far away from the car hire depot. That way you only pay for exactly the quantity of fuel you use.

    Are you guaranteed to get the car you booked?

    When looking at types of cars offered by the rental companies, they will tend to classify cars by their size, style, number of seats and luggage capacity by using terms such as “compact”, “intermediate”, “standard” or “full size”.  They usually provide an illustration of an example car that fits that size.

    It is important to note the clause that says “or similar”. Car hire depots usually have various models within each category, so depending on availability, you can’t be guaranteed to get exactly the model advertised.  If you do have a specific preference for a model or a vehicle colour, make the hire car company aware of that at the time of booking and they may be able to arrange it when you pick it up.

    There are some vehicle models which you can be guaranteed to get when booking, but these are usually if you hire prestige or sports vehicles.

  • The Wotif grid is back

    Wotif was established during 2000 in Australia as an online hotel booking service. It was bought by United States travel giant Expedia during late 2014.

    Up until recently, what set Wotif apart from other online booking and comparison service was its grid or matrix of hotel prices and availability.  Many other competing services required a traveller to provide their exact check-in date and duration of stay before they were presented with a matching list of hotel availability options.  In striking contrast, Wotif simply presented an availability and pricing grid across all hotels so travellers could see at a glance their options. This particularly suited people who were flexible with their travel arrangements or who were hunting for the best deal.  See the example below.

    Wotif availability grid

    At the time, Wotif’s executive general manager underlined the difference between Wotif and other online booking services by these quotes in regards to its availability and pricing grid / matrix:

    • “It’s one of those things we know has a big fan base…and continues to provide an easy way to compare rates for price sensitive travellers who have flexibility about when they want to travel.”
    • “The grid layout is now also somewhat unique. On most sites, customers would have a hard time knowing if the next or previous day or week offered a better deal.”

    In early 2015, Wotif changed their availability display style to match the theme of Expedia which meant travellers needed to specify specific dates and stay durations before they could search for availability. This caused the following issues:

    • If someone was wanting to find availability or the best rates for a weekend stay, but had flexibility about which weekend, it would require them to conduct a separate search for each weekend and write each one down to compare. With the Wotif availability grid, a traveller could see instantly the availability across a range of hotels, and simply flick the calendar forward to get to the next weekend
    • Someone with flexibility in regards to the duration of their stay would now need to conduct separate searches with different durations to see the availability and tariffs.  Whereas with Wotif’s former matrix, travellers could see, at a glance, whether they could change the length of their stay and which hotels could accommodate them.

    Many people have some degree of flexibility when it comes to their travel plans, particularly if it is for leisure purposes, so having to go through a time consuming process of trying various combinations of check-in dates and stay durations can seem very cumbersome with Wotif’s new Expedia interface than simply casting one’s eye over a availability grid which covers a range of accommodation properties, dates and prices.

    Like many others, we here at Travel Victoria missed the Wotif availability grid.  So we did something about it!

    As an official Wotif affiliate partner, we had the opportunity to request access to the Wotif API through Expedia, which would allow us to extract availability and pricing from their live database without having to go through the web interface.  This meant we could build a customised table of availability across a range of hotels. Thus we were able to recreate a simplified version of the much loved Wotif matrix, as shown below for our St Kilda accommodation list:

    St Kilda accommodation

    We do have a few limitations:

    1. It is not a real-time availability matrix as it actually takes a few hours to build up the matrix of availability for the several hundred hotels in Victoria we have chosen to feature in the grid.  At the moment, it is automatically updated once a day, with this process concluding in the late afternoon.
    2. It only covers 3 months. People looking for accommodation more than 3 months into the future will still need to do a traditional (and cumbersome) search by date.
    3. It only shows availability for stays which have a minimum duration of 3 nights or less, as testing for longer minimum stays would slow down the database update significantly.
    4. It only shows the base or minimum rate for the cheapest room.  To get the rates for all room types and numbers of guests, people will still need to go through the regular Expedia style interface.  Wotif actually had a second level grid which would open up if you restricted your search to a specific hotel, thus showing all room types and rates.

    So the Wotif grid is back, alive and well, although in a much simpler form,  now on the Travel Victoria website!

  • The 12 Days of Christmas in Victoria

    With Christmas just around the corner, here is our version of the timeless carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas“.

    On the 12th day of Christmas, Victoria gave to me…

    …12 famous apostles

    12 Apostles
    12 Apostles, Great Ocean Road

    The 12 Apostles are Victoria’s most famous coastal attraction consisting of towering limestone stacks near Port Campbell on the Great Ocean Road. However, they are the 12 Apostles in name only.  Just 8 remain standing today due to relentless wind and ocean erosion over the years.

    …11 public holidays

    Horse racing
    Racing at the Melbourne Cup

    There are 11 days of celebration in Victoria that are declared non-working days. Unique to Victoria is a public holiday to mark the running of Australia’s richest horse race, the Melbourne Cup, which is held on the first Tuesday of November. Due to the good weather that time of year, some people also take the Monday off work (sometimes illegitimately!) and turn the Melbourne Cup holiday into a mega 4 day long weekend.

    …10 winter snowfields

    Snowfields
    Mt Buller snowfields

    Victoria has 10 designated snowfields, all located in the east and north-east. They include large commercial resorts such as Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Baw Baw. For sightseeing snow and tobogganing that is very close to Melbourne, head to Mount Donna Buang, just over 90 kilometres east of Melbourne via Warburton.

    …9 big things

    Murray cod
    The giant Murray cod at Swan Hill

    Australia is home to many novelty structures that are vastly over-sized monuments to something of local significance. 9 of Victoria’s most iconic big things include a cigar, earthworm, koala, fish, a statute of Ned Kelly, pheasant, potatoes with forks, wine bottle and wool bales.

    …8 diverse islands

    A number of Victoria’s islands are uninhabited or inaccessible, however there are 8 islands which the general public are permitted access to and can reach fairly easily. The most visited is Phillip Island – within easy reach of Melbourne and internationally recognised for its penguin parade and grand prix. Also in Western Port is the heritage farm of Churchill Island and French Island with its significant koala population. Raymond Island, accessible by car ferry from Paynesville, is renowned for its native wildlife, while Griffiths Island at Port Fairy is linked by a pedestrian causeway to the mainland and is home to a large colony of mutton birds. Snake Island is Victoria’s largest sand island, located off the coast of Port Welshpool, noted for great fishing on its beaches. Gabo Island, located off the coast of Mallacoota, is home to large colonies of sea birds and features a pink granite lighthouse. And the final island is Swan Island, located off the coast of Queenscliff. Visitors are welcome to play at the local golf course which boasts being an all weather course given it resides on an island made up of drifting sand.

    …7 historic paddlesteamers

    Emmylou paddlesteamer
    P.S. Emmylou, Port of Echuca

    Echuca, once Australia’s busiest inland port, is home to 7 paddlesteamers that operate from the historic Port of Echuca precinct on the Murray River. Enjoy a short day cruise, a dining experience, special occasion or overnight cruise on one of the paddlesteamers Adelaide, Alexander Arbuthnot, Canberra, Emmylou, Hero, Pevensey or Pride Of The Murray. The paddlsteamer Adelaide is the oldest wooden-hull paddlesteamer that is still operating anywhere in the world.

    …6 wine zones

    Wineries
    Montalto Vineyard, Red Hill

    Victorians love their wine, and the state is divided up into 6 flourishing cool and warm climate wine zones. There are hundreds of wineries ranging from boutique family-owned establishments to large scale operations that export world-wide. Many wineries provide a complete destination experience with their own cellar doors, sales of local produce, restaurants and beautiful gardens.

    …5 enthralling zoos

    Lion
    Lion, Melbourne Zoo

    Zoos Victoria manages 3 zoos in Melbourne and its surroundings – Melbourne Zoo,  Werribee Open Range Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary. There are two other zoos in Victoria which are well worth visiting. The Halls Gap Zoo, located in the scenic Grampians between Halls Gap and Pomonal, is home to over 160 species of animals, with a strong emphasis on native fauna. The Mansfield Zoo, located within picturesque parkland to the south of Mansfield, with particular emphasis on allowing visitors to feed many of the animals.

    …4 mineral springs

    Mineral spring
    Sulphur spring, Mineral Springs Reserve

    Victoria’s Macedon Ranges are home to Australia’s largest concentration of natural mineral springs, and one of the best places to see this is at Hepburn Springs. Head to the Mineral Springs Reserve where you will find the iconic Hepburn Bathhouse health complex, parkland and bush tracks. There are 4 mineral springs within the park that you can sample and fill up at – Locarno, Soda, Sulphur and Wyuna.

    …3 gold mines

    Gold mine
    Central Deborah Gold Mine, Bendigo

    Victoria’s gold rush period of the 1850s has left the state with a lasting legacy of history, wealth and prosperity. Get a taste for what life was like for miners in those days, as they toiled for riches without the equipment and technology of today, by visiting 3 of Victoria’s gold mines that are open for public underground tours. Descend 61 metres below the surface and walk in the foot steps of past miners at Central Deborah Gold Mine in Bendigo. Visit Sovereign Hill at Ballarat and take a fully guided tour in a mine tram for a unique themed underground experience. Or head to the quaint village of Walhalla, where time has stood still, and take a guided tour of the original workings of the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine.

    …2 folklore legends

    Ned Kelly
    Ned Kelly statue, Glenrowan

    There are 2 Australian folklore legends which Victoria is synonymous with. The Man from Snowy River, portrayed in Banjo Paterson’s poem, was written in 1890 and is believed to have been inspired by Corryong stockman Jack Riley. Ned Kelly, the infamous, daring and charismatic bushranger, who spent years defying the law, was eventually captured in the small town of Glenrowan where a large monument dedicated to him stands there today.

    …and 1 award-winning city

    Melbourne
    Tram at Flinders Street Station, Melbourne

    Melbourne was named by the Economist Intelligence Unit as the world’s most liveable city in 2014, scoring very well in areas of health, education, safety, stability and infrastructure. Visit Melbourne today and experience its multicultural heritage, great shopping, abundance of parks and iconic sporting events.

  • How to get to Phillip Island from Melbourne

    Cape Woolamai, Phillip Island
    Cape Woolamai, Phillip Island

    Phillip Island is one of Victoria’s most popular tourist destinations. It is well-known for its famous penguin parade, large fur seal colony,  native wildlife, exciting racing at the island’s Grand Prix circuit, its scenic coastline, quaint fishing villages, beautiful beaches, outdoor dining, and so much more.

    The island’s reasonably close proximity to Melbourne makes it a popular choice for visitors, be it a day trip or longer stay.

    As the crow flies, Phillip Island is only 75 kilometres from Melbourne.  There are a number of ways to get there.

    By car

    Phillip Island map
    Driving from Melbourne to Phillip Island

    Phillip Island is linked to the Victorian mainland by a bridge at San Remo. The distance to drive from the heart of Melbourne to the bridge is just over 120 kilometres.

    Head south-east along the Monash Freeway (M1), taking either the South Gippsland Freeway (M420), Clyde Road (C407) or Koo Wee Rup Road (C422) exit.  Follow the M420 and B420 signs as you travel along the South Gippsland Highway, Bass Highway and Phillip Island Road.

    The journey time is usually around 90 minutes.

    Note that there is no car ferry to Phillip Island, so if you wish to bring your vehicle onto the island, you must use the bridge at San Remo.

    Driving directions from Melbourne to Phillip Island

    By bus

    A number of V/Line bus services run between Southern Cross Station in Melbourne and several towns on Phillip Island including Newhaven, Cape Woolamai, Surf Beach, Sunderland Bay and Cowes.  The journey from Melbourne requires a change of bus at Koo Wee Rup and takes around 2 hours to get to the bridge and a further 20 to 25 minutes to Cowes.

    Refer to the V/Line timetable for Melbourne to Cowes.

    By train and bus

    Another option is to catch a suburban train service to Dandenong. From there, catch a V/Line bus that travels direct to Phillip Island. The train journey to Dandenong takes between 40 to 50 minutes, depending from which station in Melbourne’s city centre is used. The bus journey from Dandenong to the Phillip Island bridge takes around one hour and 45 minutes, and a further 20 to 25 minutes to Cowes.

    Refer to timetable for Melbourne to Cowes which also includes details of the train service to Dandenong.

    By train and ferry

    Passenger ferry service from Stony Point to Cowes
    Passenger ferry service from Stony Point to Cowes

    For something a little different, you can catch a suburban train from Melbourne to Frankston (1 hour), then switch onto a diesel service which runs from Frankston to Stony Point (35 minutes).

    From Stony Point Jetty, board the Inter Island Ferries passenger catamaran which docks at the Cowes Jetty.  The boat trip takes around 45 minutes, usually with a stop at French Island.

    By car and ferry

    Driving from Melbourne to Stony Point
    Driving from Melbourne to Stony Point

    If you have a vehicle but don’t want to drive all the way around the eastern side of Western Port to the Phillip Island bridge at San Remo, you can instead drive to Stony Point and catch a passenger ferry from there.

    Head south-east along the Monash Freeway (M1), take the South Gippsland Freeway (M420) exit and continue along that road which becomes the Western Port Highway (M780/A780) and ends up at Hastings.  Alternatively, take the EastLink (M3) exit off the Monash Freeway, then the Peninsula Link (M11) exit and follow that freeway to the Frankston-Flinders Road (C777) exit which takes you to Hastings.

    Once in Hastings, follow the Frankston-Flinders Road (C777) to Bittern where there is a turn-off to Stony Point Road (C786) which ends up at the Stony Point railway station and jetty.

    There is a public car park in the vicinity of the railway station and jetty. Alternatively, secure parking is available for a nominal daily fee at the Stony Point Caravan Park.

    From Stony Point Jetty, board the Inter Island Ferries passenger catamaran which docks at the Cowes Jetty.  The boat trip takes around 45 minutes, usually with a stop at French Island.

    By air

    Phillip Island Helicopters
    Phillip Island Helicopters

    Did you know that Phillip Island has its own airfield?  So you can get to the island by air!

    Fronting Phillip Island Road at Newhaven are Phillip Island Helicopters who not only conduct scenic flights, but also offer charter services.  In just 30 minutes, you can be flown from suitable landing locations in Melbourne, such as Essendon Airport or Moorabbin Airport, directly to Phillip Island. Avoid the traffic and save time! See  www.phillipislandhelicopters.com.au for further details.

    Join a tour

    Take the hassle out of getting to Phillip Island and finding your way around by joining one of the many guided day tours that departs from Melbourne.

    Day tours include a range of activities such as a visit to the famous Penguin Parade and eco-tours that explore the island’s diverse flora and fauna. Tours may also include visits to Churchill Island, the Koala Conservation Centre, The Nobbies and the island’s beautiful coastline and beaches.

    Phillip Island tours from Melbourne

    Coming from Melbourne Airport?

    If you are coming to Melbourne by air, see our guide to transport between Melbourne Airport and the city centre.  Once in Melbourne’s city centre, choose from the above options to get to Phillip Island.

  • Queensland Vs. Victoria for shopping hours

    As highlighted in our post from last year, Queensland Vs. Victoria for Summer Holidays in the Sun, visitors enjoy several hours of extra daylight in the evening when choosing to holiday in Victoria during summer rather than in Queensland.

    Extra daylight is not the only thing visitors to Victoria enjoy more of. Queensland has some of Australia’s most restricted trading hours. This means that when in Queensland, you do have to plan your holiday around shopping hours. In Victoria, you are set free from those restrictions.

    Pelican Waters Shopping Village
    Shopping in Queensland – restricted trading hours apply.

    To illustrate the differences, let us consider the trading hours for the Woolworths chain of supermarkets in various locations across Queensland and Victoria.

    First, let’s look at the major population centres in Queensland.

    Area of Queensland Day Opening hours
    • Brisbane suburbs
    • Gold Coast (*)
    • Sunshine Coast
    • Major regional cities
    		 Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm
    Saturday 8am to 5 or 5:30pm
    Sunday 9am to 6pm
    (*) Extended trading hours apply to a small number of highly popular tourist areas along the Gold Coast which permits some supermarkets to open later on weekends.

     

    Once you start going to smaller cities and towns in Queensland, both along the coast and inland, you will struggle to even find a supermarket open on a Sunday.

    Area of Queensland Day Opening hours
    • Bowen
    • Charters Towers
    • Dalby
    • Roma
    • Mt Isa
    • Warwick
    		 Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm
    Saturday 8am to 5pm
    Sunday closed

     

    In Victoria, Woolworths trading hours are much simpler and longer than those in Queensland, particularly on weekends.  This is of great benefit for those who are enjoying a weekend getaway and are trying to fit as much into their schedule as possible.  Importantly, these longer trading hours not only apply just to Melbourne’s suburbs and regional cities, but also to smaller country towns throughout Victoria.

    Trading hours in Victoria
    Monday to Friday 6-7am to 10-midnight
    Saturday 6-7am to 10-midnight
    Sunday 6-7am to 10-midnight

     

    Woolworths
    A Woolworths supermaket in Victoria, open 7 days a week and long hours, for the convenience of locals and visitors.

    Visiting Queensland on a Saturday? Chances are major supermarkets only open after breakfast and close before dinner time.  Needing to shop on a Sunday? Good luck in finding a major supermarket that is actually open in smaller regional areas of Queensland.

    Visiting Victoria?  Enjoy our unrestricted trading hours and shop virtually whenever you want, every day of the week.

  • Experience the history and heritage of Victoria’s Gold Rush era

    Melbourne and the state of Victoria boomed in the 1850s after an influx of people from around the world entered the region to try their hand at winning big in the gold rush. In fact, in 1852 more immigrants leaving Britain purchased tickets to Melbourne than to any other destination around the world. While the capital and its surrounds have changed dramatically since then, there are still remnants of the era existing in the state that visitors can explore. If you want to visit Victoria to experience sites of the gold rush past, then read on for some of the top tourist attractions on offer.

     

    Arrive in Melbourne by ship

    spirit of tasmania
    Spirit of Tasmania – a trip to remember

    You can start your journey like so many goldminers did in the 1850s – by ship. However, unlike the gold rush prospectors of the past who battled appalling conditions, scurvy and other diseases on the journey, today’s tourists can instead visit Victoria on the Spirit of Tasmania, a stylish and comfortable cruise liner operating twice daily between Tasmania and Victoria. You can put your car on board in Tasmania and then enjoy a pleasant journey across the Tasman to Melbourne. Once there you have your vehicle on hand to tour around the best historical sites in and near Melbourne.

     

    Sovereign Hill

    Sovereign Hill
    Sovereign Hill – it’s pure gold!

    One of the most popular tourist attractions in Victoria is Sovereign Hill, an outdoor museum in Ballarat that tells the story of the region during the gold rush. Visitors to Sovereign Hill can enjoy feeling like they have stepped back in time on Main Street, where costumed actors parade up and down, or try their luck panning for gold. Children will love visiting the on-site theatre to watch a show or watching steam-driven machinery in action, as well as the multi-million dollar sound and light show that is presented at night. Adults are sure to enjoy the fully-guided gold mine tour, a horse-drawn coach tour of the town, or getting a glimpse of the many gold nuggets in the museum. Family tickets are available for around $117.

     

    Melbourne Museum

    Melbourne Museum
    Melbourne Museum – explore life in Victoria

    Located in inner-city Carlton, the Melbourne Museum provides an affordable day out for families. With tickets just $10 for adults and free for children, parents don’t need to spend a lot to take their family to this museum for an exploration of life in Victoria over the ages. The museum covers a wide array of subjects in its eight galleries, from the state’s culture and history to its natural environment. The Melbourne Story exhibition features over 1200 objects from Museum Victoria’s vast collection, including a Cobb & Co Coach and a gold mining model from 1858.

     

    The Old Melbourne Gaol

    Old Melbourne Gaol
    Old Melbourne Gaol – a crime & justice experience

    Built in the mid-1800s, the Old Melbourne Gaol housed criminals, petty offenders, the mentally ill and the homeless during the peak Gold Rush period. At the oldest prison in Melbourne families can explore the three levels of the gaol and see Ned Kelly’s death mask; take a tour of the cells and visit the Police City Watch House; take part in a trial recreation at the old Magistrate’s Court; or take an evening tour of the facilities…if they dare! Family passes cost around $55 for the day.

     

    Melbourne Walks

    Goldrush cottage
    Visit Melbourne’s oldest residence on a Melbourne Walks tour

    Melbourne Walks is a company that operates walking tours throughout Melbourne. For tourists who would like to learn some more about the Gold Rush period, they can embark on a cottage tour of the city’s oldest residence and its surrounds. The gold rush cottage is owned by George and Lola Russell and was built in 1850. Tours cost around $70 per person, last for approximately 2 and a half hours and include morning or afternoon tea.

  • 6 must see attractions for kids in Melbourne

    Melbourne is a magic city for a fun and family friendly holiday. It’s easy to get around, there are loads to see and do and the kids will be delighted by the novelty of travelling around on the vintage trams. There’s also lots of budget accommodation and fantastic cheap eats, so a holiday in Melbourne needn’t break the family budget.

    Here are six must see attractions in Melbourne and surrounds that all the family will enjoy.

     

    1. Watch the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island

    Penguin Parade
    The nightly penguin parade at Phillip Island

    Take a waddle on the wild side at the famous Penguin Parade on Phillip Island, a 90 minute drive from Melbourne. Every evening at sunset thousands of little penguins (the world’s smallest and cutest) cross the beach and settle into their burrows for the night. A family ticket for two adults and two children costs from $56.50. While at Phillip Island, be sure to stop by the Koala Conservation Centre and Churchill Heritage Farm.

    Phillip Island tours from Melbourne

     

    2. Visit Melbourne Museum

    Phar Lap
    Phar Lap – Australia’s wonder horse

    Located in Carlton, the award-winning Melbourne Museum explores the nature, culture and history of Victoria. Highlights include a complete skeleton of a blue whale, the famous race horse Phar Lap, a living rainforest, the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre and an IMAX theatre. Entry is around $10 for adults, while children up to 16 years of age are free.

     

    3. Old Melbourne Gaol

    Old Melbourne Gaol
    Old Melbourne Gaol – a crime & justice experience

    Located in Russell Street in Melbourne’s CBD, the Old Melbourne Gaol precinct includes Melbourne’s oldest gaol, the historic Magistrate’s Court and former Police City Watch House. A day tour ticket for two adults and two children costs around $55, or thrill children over 12 by taking The Hangman’s tour or an evening ghost tour by candlelight.

     

     

     

    4. Travel on the Spirit of Tasmania

    Spirit of Tasmania
    Spirit of Tasmania – a trip to remember

    Take the kids ‘overseas’ on a side trip to Tasmania cruising across Bass Strait with the Spirit of Tasmania. Choose from day or night sailings between Melbourne and Devonport and enjoy a range of facilities on board including dining and bars, a playroom, games arcade and cinema. Adult day tickets start from around $79 and children $5. Take your car along with you from around $89.

     

    5. Eureka Sky Deck 88

    Eureka Skydeck
    Eureka Skydeck

    Located atop the Eureka Tower in Southbank, the Eureka Sky Deck 88 offers awe-inspiring 360 degree views from the highest public vantage point in the Southern Hemisphere. For a real thrill seeker experience try The Edge, a glass cube that projects three metres out from the building. Family tickets for two adults and two children cost around $42. The Edge experience is extra.

     

     

     

     

     

    6. Fairy Park

    Fairy Park
    Fairy Park – tales, myths and legends

    A one-hour drive from Melbourne, Fairy Park at Anakie is a wonderland for the whole family. Kids can become a knight, a princess, a hero or a villain for the day and enter a world dedicated to storytelling, fairy tales, myths and legends. Tickets are from around $16 per adult and $8 per child, children under three years free.

     

     

    These six must-see attractions are just the beginning of the many family-friendly activities on offer in Melbourne. So take the family to Melbourne for a fun-packed holiday of a lifetime.

  • Queensland Vs. Victoria for summer holidays in the sun

    Sunset in Melbourne
    Sunset in Melbourne.

    Many have the impression that the perfect example of an Australian summer beach holiday is spending time in Queensland with family or friends. However, for those that love the daylight, your number one choice during summer should really be Victoria.

    With Queensland not observing daylight saving time, and being closer to the equator which ensures its summer days don’t get too long, both those factors ensure that sun lovers should consider Victoria for that summer beach holiday.

    Let’s compare the summer sunrise and sunset times for an iconic beach location in those two states:

    21st December 21st January
    Location Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset
    Sorrento
    (Mornington Peninsula, Victoria)    		 5:54am 8:44pm 6:21am 8:43pm
    Surfers Paradise
    (Gold Coast, Queensland)    		 4:47am 6:42pm 5:09am 6:46pm

    If you’re planning to get the first rays of the morning sun on Queensland’s Gold Coast, you’ll need to ensure you’re up at the unearthly hour of 4:47am on 21st December. However, you can almost forget that evening BBQ in the sun, with darkness falling from 6:42pm.

    Compare that to a summer beach holiday at Sorrento, on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Sunrise is at the more reasonable time of just before 6am on 21st December.  And you can still feel the warmth of the sun until just before 9pm at night – perfect for those evening meals, walks and swims.  Fast forward one month, and while the days are half an hour shorter near the end of January, all that lost daylight time is taken out of the morning, so you can sleep in a bit longer and still enjoy those sunny evenings.

    If your ideal summer holiday is evenings filled with daylight right up until quite late, then Victoria is a much better choice than Queensland…by 2 hours a night!

  • Environmentally friendly accommodation in Victoria

    Environmentally friendly
    We can all take steps to protect the environment when travelling or on holidays

    It’s now becoming easier when staying or holidaying in Victoria to ensure that your activities impact as little as possible on the environment. By selecting environmentally friendly accommodation, you can do your bit to reduce waste and conserve the resources of our planet.

    Ecotourism Australia provides certification for tourism operators that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. This assures travellers that the accommodation they are staying at, or the tour they are going on, is backed by a strong and well-managed commitment to sustainable practices.

    Eco certified operator
    The “eco certified” logo

    Look out for the Eco Certified logo or visit www.ecotourism.org.au to search for certified operators.

    There are several levels of certification, with the highest being Advanced Ecotourism. This is awarded to the country’s foremost and innovative operators.  In Victoria. only a small number of accommodation properties have achieved this certification, and one of them is the very special Venus Bay Eco Retreat.

    Venus Bay Eco Retreat
    Venus Bay Eco Retreat – a certified nature retreat

    Venus Bay Eco Retreat offers a truly unique experience, nestled in secluded native bushland within the Gippsland coastal community of Venus Bay.  It’s well away from the tourist crowds, yet within each reach of panoramic beaches and tranquil wetlands.

    The retreat can sleep up to 5 people and is decorated with colours which are inspired by the surrounding forest. It is well-equipped and features a kitchenette, sound system, quality linen, certified organic bathroom products, certified organic breakfast provisions stocked up on arrival, and the use of The Cobb – an eco-friendly outdoor roasting oven and BBQ.  The retreat is ideal for couples, families and small groups.

    As the Venus Bay Eco Retreat is a climate-action certified business, guests are encouraged to reduce landfill waste. Vegetable scraps can be composted and recyclable waste is collected.

    Yoga mats are provided in the retreat, while massages and organic hair and beauty treatments are available nearby and can be booked in advance for guests.

    Blue Wren
    A blue wren – one of many varieties of birds you may spy at Venus Bay Eco Retreat

    Discover nature when staying at Venus Bay Eco Retreat.  The property is home to kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, abundant bird life, echidnas, lizards and ringtail possums. You may be lucky enough to spot some unusual native creatures including as micro bats, native bees and pygmy possums.

    Live simply with respect for nature and stay at eco-friendly accommodation!

    Discover more environmentally-friendly accommodation options when staying in Victoria.