Take the path less travelled and explore the best of Victoria’s outdoor attractions, minus the crowds of the more well-known experiences.
1. Whale watching
View these majestic creatures in their natural habitat, with Portland, Warrnambool and Phillip Island all offering great whale watching experiences. Watch from purpose-built viewing platforms, clifftops and rocky outcrops along the coast or join a scenic cruise to get up closer. Visit Phillip Island in winter and enjoy The Island Whale Festival, which celebrates the whale’s annual migration to the island.
2. River caving explorations
Explore underground cave networks and venture through subterranean river systems, weave through tight passages and pass through cool chambers on a tour with Britannia Creek Caving Adventure in Warburton. While you’re there, learn about the local area and its history, and if you’re lucky, you might spot some majestic glow worms.
Mount Buffalo Underground River Caving offers a similar adventure in the High Country, where guides will have you crawling through holes, climbing up waterfalls and more through a spectacular granite boulder infill cave.
3. Wild kangaroo spotting
Kangaroos and wallabies can be seen in nature parks across Victoria, including Ballarat Wildlife Park, Halls Gap Zoo and Maru Koala and Animal Park, but can also be seen in countless locations in the wild. Halls Gap in the Grampians is a hot spot for ‘roos, spot them at the Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park, out on the trails or at the local footy oval.
You can also spot them at the Benalla Golf Club or join a Kangaroo Tour at the Anglesea Golf Club to see the resident kangaroos.
Take caution when looking for kangaroos and wallabies in the wild. Keep a safe distance and don’t attempt to touch or feed them.
4. For the love of the honeybee
Bees are a vital part of our eco-system and you can get up-close to a working aviary in locations across Melbourne and Victoria.
Learn more about how important bees are for biodiversity and taste the delicious honey they produce on a beehive tour with Maya ‘Xala in Yarrambat, just 26 kilometres north east of Melbourne, or get the kids involved at the Collingwood Children’s Farm Apiary, which is open the second and fourth Sunday of every month.
Head a little further afield to the home of Beechworth Honey in the High Country and participate in an immersive honey experience, where nature, history and food collide.
5. Koala nature trails
Keep your eyes peeled for slumbering local koalas in the treetops of the Great Otway National Park. For guaranteed sightings, stop at nearby Kennett River, or ferry across to Raymond Island in Gippsland and French Island on the Mornington Peninsula, where you can spot these furry natives along coastal and bushland trails.
6. Spot seals on Phillip Island
Let Phillip Island’s resident fur seals entertain you, as they frolic around their home on the south-western tip of the island at Seal Rocks. Home to more than 25,000 seals, the colony is one of the largest in Australia. For a closer look at the seals, jump on a cruise with Wildlife Coast Cruises.
7. The farm life
Calm your mind with a dose of fresh air in wide open spaces at farms in Victoria. Get up close to farm animals and immerse yourself in the life and practices of a working farm. In Phillip Island, be greeted by cape barren geese at Churchill Island. See purple swamp hens and highland cattle lazing in grassy paddocks and participate in sheep shearing or cow milking.
For something a little different, head to Tuki Trout Farm in Daylesford & the Macedon Ranges, where you can try your hand at trout fishing, or in Shepparton, visit Eden Ridge Farm to see their composting program in action, their flourishing vegetable gardens and resident farm animals.
8. Husky sledding in the High Country
Spend a crisp winters day on a snow sled ride and meet and greet session with gorgeous Siberian huskies in the Alpine National Park. Australian Dog Sled tours at Mt Buller and Howling Husky Sled Dog Tours on Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain are the companies to go to if you want a view of the mountains covered in snow and an outdoor experience akin to wilds of Alaska.
9. Chase waterfalls on paths less travelled
Victoria is home to hundreds of cascading waterfalls, some more known than others. But while we love the main attractions, like Mackenzie Falls in the Grampians, Trentham Falls in the Macedon Ranges or Beauchamp Falls along the Great Ocean Road, there are countless other less popular gems well worth a visit.
Some of our favourites are in the High Country. For instance, Masons Falls surrounded by towering gums in Kinglake National Park, or Bindaree Falls which is nestled amidst tranquil Aussie bush and lush ferns near Mount Buller.
10. RockWire at Mount Buller
Get your adrenaline pumping on an experience like no other. Enjoy spectacular views of Mount Buller and the surrounding alpine ranges on Australia’s first Alpine Via Ferrata climb. Join the guided climb and use fixed anchors, steel cables, ladders and bridges to climb the cliff face, getting the thrills of traditional rock climbing, minus a lot of the risks.
