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Attractions Nearby Melbourne
(Melbourne, Victoria - VIC, Australia AU)



Melbourne is full of many fantastic tourist attractions, but nearby central Melbourne there are an enormous number of world-class tourist attractions, historic sites and national parks, such as Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, Daylesford and Hepburn, Ballart, the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island, all of which are close to Melbourne.

These important tourist attractions are easy to reach from Melbourne and are well worth visiting when staying in the Melbourne area. Whether you are looking for historic sites, scenic attractions nearby Melbourne, or beautifully landscaped Melbourne gardens or parks, you can be sure that you won't have to travel far from Melbourne. Here are some of the top tourist attractions, sights and things to do nearby Melbourne.




Melbourne Attractions Nearby: Geelong - Melbourne, Victoria (VIC), Australia AU
Geelong is the largest provincial city in the Victoria area and has a population of around 180,000. This historic, bayside city is best known for the Cats Football team, a major star of the Australian Football League and also features numerous parks, gardens, museums, art galleries, more than 100 National Trust classified buildings, restaurants and an exciting nightlife. Geelong is located to the south-west of Melbourne and some of the main tourist attraction in Geelong include:

• The National Wool Museum - one of Geelong's most popular tourist attractions, dedicated to the history of Australia's important wool industry
• Barwon Grange - a large house overlooking Eastern Beach, with neo-Gothic style architecture
• The Heights - a historic house, full of exceptional period features
• The Geelong Naval and Maritime Museum - full of local maritime memorabilia and shipping artefacts
• The Geelong Art Gallery - with a good collection of modern and more traditional Australian art work
• The Geelong Performing Arts Centre - home to some of the best theatre companies in Australia
• The Ford Discovery Centre - celebrating Geelong's Ford motor industry with many interesting historic exhibits
• Eastern Beach - recently renovated at a cost of millions, this is now a particularly trendy area of Geelong
• Geelong Botanic Gardens - splendid landscaped gardens, incorporating large collections of exotic and native Australian plants
• Eastern Park - with large expanses of grassland, mature trees, shrubs and flower borders

Melbourne Attractions Nearby: Mornington Peninsula - Melbourne, Victoria (VIC), Australia AU
Mornington Peninsula is around one-hours' drive from central Melbourne and is located to the north-east of Melbourne city centre. With high-quality beaches, strong waves for surfing and many attractions for tourists, Mornington Peninsula regularly attracts locals from Melbourne. Attractions in the Mornington Peninsula include:

• Sorrento - the oldest town in the area, with an enchanting seaside atmosphere and fine beaches
• Portsea - with some exceptional beaches and tall cliffs, which have become popular with hang-gliders
• Mornington Peninsula National Park -
• Flinders - a charming village with a busy fishing fleet, golf course and excellent surfing opportunities

Melbourne Attractions Nearby: Bellarine Peninsula - Melbourne, Victoria (VIC), Australia AU
Located on the western side of Port Phillip Bay, the Bellarine Peninsula is situated just beyond Geelong, close to central Melbourne. This is a particularly popular holiday destination and is full of things to see and do. The Bellarine Peninsula is close to Melbourne and some of the main tourist attraction in the Bellarine Peninsula include:

• Queenscliff - a small town with a wealth of history from the Gold Rush in the 1880s
• Queenscliff Historical Centre - exhibiting various local Bellarine Peninsula artefacts and historic documents
• Bellarine Peninsula Railway - featuring lovingly restored steam locomotives and run by local railway enthusiasts
• Marine Discovery Centre - offering local boat trips and snorkelling excursions
• Point Lonsdale - a small, relaxed and charming coastal town with a large lighthouse which was built in 1902
• Ocean Grove - popular with surfers and scuba divers, this small town is located on the ocean side of the Bellarine Peninsula
• Barwon Heads - a quiet and attractive resort next to the mouth of the Barwon River
• Torquay - one of the most popular surfing and summer resorts in the Melbourne and Victoria area
• The Great Coastal Road - without doubt one of the most spectacular coastal routes in the world, featuring breathtaking scenery of the coast, cliffs and lush rainforests

Melbourne Attractions Nearby: Daylesford and Hepburn - Melbourne, Victoria (VIC), Australia AU
Daylesford and Hepburn are situated to the north-west of central Melbourne and are set amongst some wonderful scenery, including hills, forests and lakes. This peaceful area, close to Melbourne, is known as the 'spa centre of Victoria' and is a popular retreat for busy Melbourne city life. Attractions for tourists visiting Daylesford and Hepburn include:

• Wombat State Forest - with scenic views, interesting nature trails and a large amount of local wildlife
• Katteminga Lodge - an established horse-riding ranch where you can hire horses by the hour
• The Hepburn Spa Resort - a health spa with excellent facilities, in the Mineral Springs Reserve
• Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens - beautiful landscaped gardens, with mature trees, seating areas and picnic facilities

Melbourne Attractions Nearby: Ballarat - Melbourne, Victoria (VIC), Australia AU
Full with thousands of eager diggers during the 1850s, when plentiful gold was discovered here, Ballarat has a fascinating past. This large town has a huge amount of outstanding Victorian architecture, an interesting Visitors' Centre and many attractions for tourists visiting Ballarat. Located to the north-west of central Melbourne, the main attraction at Ballart is Sovereign Hill, an elaborate reconstruction of a gold-mining town in the mid-19th century. Other attractions in Ballarat include:

• Lydiard Street - widely believed to be one of the best examples of Victorian streets in the whole of Australia
• Ballarat Fine Art Gallery - an excellent provincial art gallery, full of paintings and sculptures
• Lake Wendouree - edged by the glorious Ballarat Botanic Gardens
• Ballarat Wildlife Park - full of local flora and fauna
• Macedon Ranges and Hanging Rock - a scenic area, popular with hikers, cyclists and bird-watchers
• Mount Macedon - an enormous extinct volcano, measuring more than 3,280 feet / 1,000 metres
• Hanging Rock - a popular spot for picnics, with a number of excellent walking trails offering superb views of the surrounding countryside

Melbourne Attractions Nearby: Yarra Valley - Melbourne, Victoria (VIC), Australia AU
Yarra Valley, to the north-east of Melbourne, is one of the most stunning areas in Victoria, full of natural beauty. Featuring walking and cycle trails, numerous vineyards, a Visitors' Centre and much more besides, other tourist attractions in the Yarra Valley include:

• Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary - with a natural bushland setting, this is one of the best place to see some of the local wildlife
• Warrandyte State Park - a tranquil setting, full of native flora and fauna
• Gulf Station - a National Trust-classified farm which dates back to the mid-19th century
• Upper Yarra Historical Museum - with many local Yarra Valley artefacts and important historic documents
• Kinglake National Park - the largest national park near Melbourne, also known as the Forgotten Ranges
• Dandenong Ranges - a peaceful setting, with a tall mountains overlooking the nearby city of Melbourne
• William Rickets Sanctuary - set in damp fern gardens, with waterfalls and many impressive sculptures
• Puffing Billy - a restored steam train that regularly travels between Belgrave and the Emerald Lakeside Park

Melbourne Attractions Nearby: Phillip Island - Melbourne, Victoria (VIC), Australia AU
Phillip Island, located to the south-west of Melbourne, is a rugged and slightly wind-swept island with good conditions for surfing. This popular holiday resort is most famous for its friendly penguins, which have become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australia. Attractions in Phillip Island include:

• Penguin Parade - the local penguins march from Summerland Beach to their nests, some of which are located in the back gardens of locals of Phillip Island
• Seal Rocks - a large group of rocks, known as the Nobbies, home to Australia's biggest colony of fur seals
• Sea Life Centre - with glass walls, offers exceptional views of seals in their natural environment
• Koala Conservation Centre - featuring elevated boardwalks, providing excellent views of the local koala population
• Phillip Island Wildlife Park - full of native animals and birds, with large expanses of wetlands and marshy areas

 
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