List of latest Melbourne Promotions

Discover the diversity and beauty of Victoria's regions. From the world-class wineries of the Yarra Valley to the mineral springs of Macedon Ranges and Spa Country, the coastal villages of the peninsulas to alpine towns in the High Country, the state of Victoria has something for everyone.
Drive along the scenic Great Ocean Road, survey vineyards and farmland from a hot-air balloon, pull on your walking boots and follow tracks and trails through the Grampians, or experience the vibrant nightlife, shopping and food and wine of Melbourne. So, what are you waiting for?

** Not inclusive of Air Fare

Best of Melbourne Journeys Travel Validity : 01 March - 30 September 2011

3D2N Great Southern Touring Route
Package Includes :
- 1N stay at Apollo Bay (BW Apollo Bay or similar)
- 1N stay at Warnnambool (Sebel Deep Blue)
- Choice of 2-course Seafood lunch @ Apollo Bay OR Shipwrecked Show with 2-course dinner @ Warnnambool
- Sovereign Hill Gold Mountain Admission @ Ballarat
- Ballarat Wildlife Admission @ Ballarat
- 3 Days Car Rental

For more info, download the pdf

Places Of Interest - Information

Great Ocean Road - Information courtesy of www.greatoceanrd.org.au

Recognised as one of the world’s most scenic drives, the Great Ocean Road follows the stunning coastline of Victoria’s south-west. Stretching 243 kilometres from Torquay, just south of Geelong, to Allansford, just east of Warrnambool, the road winds along cliff tops, up to breathtaking headlands, down onto the edge of beaches, across river estuaries and through lush rainforests offering panoramic views of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean at every turn.

Spectacular vistas
The stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is considered by many to be the most picturesque section of the Great Ocean Road. The highway is carved into sheer cliffs that drop away into the ocean, offering commanding views of the waves swelling and crashing onto the rocks and beaches below.

Twelve Apostles
Outside Apollo Bay the road winds through the centre of the Great Otway National Park with its beautiful untouched rainforests, before returning to hug the coast for the entire length of the Port Campbell National Park. This is the most famous section of the Great Ocean Road featuring an amazing collection of rock formations known as the Twelve Apostles which have been carved out of the headland by the fierce waves of the southern ocean.

Phillip Island - Information courtesy of www.visitvictoria.com

See the iconic penguins on parade at dusk on Phillip Island's sandy beaches, and come face-to-face with koalas, seals, waterbirds and wallabies in this island wildlife wonderland.

Penguins plus
People from all over the world flock to Phillip Island to behold Australia's most popular wildlife event – the daily parade of little penguins emerging from the sea to make their way to burrows in the sand dunes.

Arrive early to see more furry and feathered inhabitants. See koalas dozing in the treetops, and visit Australia's largest colony of fur seals at Seal Rocks. See wading birds landing at Rhyll and catch the annual shearwater migration at Cape Woolamai.

Surf's up
Walk along the Bass Strait coastline to witness rugged ocean beaches and beautiful scenery. Cool off at sheltered bay beaches and play, beach cricket with the kids and try a spot of fishing. Grab the surfboard to take advantage of superb surf and swimming beaches.

Sovereign Hill & Historic Ballarat - Information courtesy of www.visitvictoria.com

One of Victoria’s most popular tourist attractions, Sovereign Hill is a fabulous re-creation of the hustle and bustle of life in Ballarat in the 1850s. Set on a former goldmining site, the compound has more than 60 buildings, while over 200 people volunteer to dress in period costume on a regular basis.

You can do all the traditional activities like pan for real gold, buy boiled sweets from the confectioner’s, ride in horse-drawn carriages, travel underground on a tour of the Red Hill Mine, or simply observe the working and living conditions that existed last century.

At night, Sovereign Hill holds a spectacular 80-minute sound and light show on the Eureka Rebellion, dramatically called ‘Blood on the Southern Cross’, which is Australia’s only uprising and took place in 1854 at Ballarat.

If you want to ‘wake up in the 1850s’, you can stay on-site at Sovereign Hill Lodge, which has a range of rooms to suit all budgets. As well as accommodation, Sovereign Hill has plenty of cafés, restaurants and picnic areas, while opposite the site, the interesting Gold Museum is crammed with coins, nuggets, alluvial deposits and temporary exhibitions.

Puffing Billy - Information courtesy of www.visitvictoria.com

All aboard for a ride through thick forests and lush fern-filled gullies on Puffing Billy, Australia's oldest surviving steam railway.

The best way to travel the Dandenongs
Join the kids dangling their feet out of the open-sided carriages as the iconic steam engine chuffs along its 25-kilometre narrow-gauge track through towering forests and cool fern gullies, rumbling across trestle bridges and toiling up hills between Belgrave, Emerald Lake Park and Gembrook.

Catch the train at any of the stations along the way, or simply watch the hissing, huffing, shiny flanks go by from one of the station refreshment rooms.

A Puffing Billy experience for all
Imitate the romantic days of steam travel. Book a first class ticket and enjoy fine Yarra Valley food and wines for lunch or dinner in the refurbished dining cars. Go one step further and dress as an Agatha Christie character for an intriguing night of murder, mystery and suspense at the annual Murder on the Puffing Billy Express.

Take a 'Day Out With Thomas' and see a live in full steam 'Thomas the Tank Engine' and a pantomime at Emerald Station. Challenge yourself against this hulking beast and race against Puffing Billy in the annual 13.2 kilometre Puffing Billy Great Train race. Trumpet along with live jazz music with dinner and drink as part of the Jazz on Puffing Billy Railway event.

Puffing Billy: the history
The railway line on which Puffing Billy chugs to and fro was built in 1900 to develop the region, but failed when a landslide blocked the line in 1953. Local enthusiasts rallied to save the railway from government closure and got the train running again on its unique narrow-gauge rails.

About the Yarra Valley wine region - Information courtesy of www.visitvictoria.com

Sample the balanced, elegant wines of the Yarra Valley in the cellar door of an iconic winery and understand why this region has bewitched visitors for generations.

The birthplace of Victoria's wine industry
Cruise around Healesville, Yarra Glen, Dixon's Creek and Coldstream, or Nillumbik, Hurstbridge and Kangaroo Ground, past golden hills criss-crossed with vines and framed by misty blue ranges and imagine the region as it was when vines were first planted in the 1800s. The region's wineries pay homage to this pioneering history; at the same time innovating to maintain their ever-increasing international reputations.

A cool climate and diverse soil types have seen the Yarra Valley become synonymous with wines of great elegance and restraint. Taste the signature chardonnay, pinot noir and sparkling wines, but also seek out the excellent examples of shiraz, riesling, pinot gris and sauvignon blanc.

Matching local wines and regional produce
The regional emphasis on the quality and flavour of wine has spread to the local produce grown in the same fertile soil and expertly tended. Expect the finest contemporary fare and ambient dining in some of the most picturesque settings in Victoria, with renowned chefs creating masterpieces inspired by the local produce in winery restaurants.

Visit cellar doors in tin sheds or in designer statements and prepare to be inundated with information about the estate wines and the winemaking process from the passionate vintners and their families.

Sip local wines anywhere from one of the many cafés, restaurants, produce stores, farmers' markets and farm gates featuring everything from fruit and vegetables to chocolate and cheese, and of course, grapes.

Healesville - Information courtesy of www.visitvictoria.com

Get your foodie fix in Healesville, a regional food and wine hub surrounded by stunning scenery, before experiencing iconic encounters of the wildlife kind.

Meet your favourite Australian animals
Stare into the snarling jaws of a Tasmanian Devil and peer at a joey in its mother's pouch at Healesville Sanctuary. Get up-close-and-personal to 200 species of native wildlife on meandering paths and walk-through exhibits.

Wine and dine any way you like
You may be in awe of the iconic names of Healesville's wineries, including Domaine Chandon, Rochford Wines and Coldstream Hills, but the approachable winemakers ensure a visit to the cellar door is both educational and entertaining.

Pick up some winery specials to enjoy with a gourmet picnic in the peaceful fern gullies and mountain ash at Badger Weir Park.

Sate your appetite in town with gourmet pizzas and artisan breads at Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander, or a posh pub meal at Healesville Hotel.

Local artistic culture
Find artistic inspiration at Toolangi Pottery and in the handcrafted jewellery at Silvermist Gallery. Snap up vintage bargains in second-hand shops or hand-made items at Healesville Community Market.