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Victoria’s most memorable guided tours to book now

Lara Picone Lara Picone
Get around the natural beauty and bounty of regional Victoria on a guided tour that reveals extraordinary moments from coast to country.

Walk the Great Ocean Road

forest walk along the Great Ocean Road
Swap your car for walking shoes on the Great Ocean Road.

The Australian Walking Co’s immersive three-day, lodge-based walk is absolute bucket-list fodder. The easy-going, guided coastal hike is marked by epic scenery and end-of-day luxury. You’ll have no need for heavy packs or tents, instead expect fresh-caught crayfish, post-walk canapés and local wines. Each day explores the drama of this ocean-facing landscape with an approachable three-hour-ish walk, leaving plenty of time to unwind at the lodge.

Swim with seals and dolphins at Port Phillip Heads

dolphins swimming in Port Phillip Head Marine Park
Swim with dolphins in Port Phillip Head Marine Park.

Dive into Popes Eye, within Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, for this wild swimming experience with mankind’s BFFs of the sea. On the See All Dolphin Swims 3.5-hour experience, departing from Queenscliff, you’ll begin in shallow, calm waters before venturing off to Chinaman’s Hat and beyond to meet seals and dolphins in their own habitat. All gear is provided and all ages are welcome.

Get your ghost on in the Grampians

For those with a penchant for the paranormal, get ready for goosebumps when you embark on the Lantern Tours J Ward Paranormal Investigation excursion that takes place under the moonlight in the west wing of Aradale Lunatic Asylum. As you keep a lookout for supernatural activity, you’ll enjoy tales of the criminally insane inmates that will make the hairs on your neck stand to attention.

Paddle along the mighty Murray

a woman on a stand-up paddle board along the Murray
Glide along the scenic Murray on a stand-up paddleboard.

Swoosh softly through the silky waters of the mighty Murray on a stand-up paddle board with Echuca Moama Stand Up Paddle. This gentle downstream sojourn meanders for one-and-a-half hours covering 4.5 kilometres of the river, taking in the beauty on the banks and the vibrant birdlife.

Drift into the ultimate slow escape… a houseboat holiday on the Murray River is all about golden mornings, lazy afternoons and the kind of quiet that feels like magic.

From Echuca Moama slip under the Moama Bridge and glide beside its iconic paddlesteamers and the historic port.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Sip and cycle in the Yarra Valley

cyclists exploring Yarra Valley
Cycle around Yarra Valley wine country.

Wine and wheels make a great pairing on the Tour De Vines six-hour Yarra Valley tour that weaves through vine-threaded roads. It’s a relaxed pace along 20 kilometres of the Warburton Rail Trail as you spot native birds and stop in at local vineyards and produce stores. You’ll pull in at a local winery for a tasting and enjoy lunch before hitting up a couple of cellar doors. Depending on your pedal power, there may be time to sneak in a visit to a chocolate or cheese factory.

Dig for gold in Bendigo

Think you have what it takes to unearth a gilded treasure? Try your hand at prospecting and learn the art of gold-digging (in the geological sense) on the two-hour Gold Nugget Hunter tour in the Loddon Valley. On the tour, mine the wisdom of locals Shane and Jackie – who have honed their hobby of gold-detecting into an art – to learn how to read the land and use a gold detector. You may even go home with a nugget of your own.

Cruise around Wilsons Promontory

the Skull Rock in Wilsons Prom
Cruise around Skull Rock in Wilsons Prom. (Image: Connor Vaughan)

It’s a thrill to drive directly from the sand into the waves aboard the Wanderer Adventures’ bright-yellow amphibious boat. On this 2.5-hour tour, you’ll skip along the water to take in Wilsons Prom’s top highlights, such as the imposing Skull Rock, The Glennies, Anderson Islets and Anser Island. Spot seals, penguins and seabirds as you absorb the tranquillity of this stunning environment.

Walk with llamas in the Macedon Ranges

a llama in the Macedon Ranges
Make friends with a llama in the Macedon Ranges.

If you’ve always felt an affinity for long-lashed camelids, then bonding with a llama on a leisurely walk might just be the thing for you. Opt for either a three-hour, five-kilometre hike or a longer 12-kilometre trek along the Domino Rail Trail paired with a gentle, hooved friend. Things kick off with a llama orientation, where you’ll learn how to lead and look out for your new mate before you hit the track. It’s a lovely way to explore the beauty of the region with a sensitive and curious companion by your side.

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Go underground in the Grampians

a subterranean tour of Seppelt Wines
Take a subterranean tour of Seppelt Wines. (Image: Ben Savage/We Are Explorers)

Oenophiles and cave-lovers alike will enjoy going underground at Seppelt’s ‘Drives’. The largest underground cellar in Australia, The Drives were dug by local goldminers in 1868 and meander for three-kilometres – keeping wine treasures at a temperate 16-degrees year-round. A 50-minute tour through the heritage-listed granite tunnels happily conclude with a tasting of the label’s celebrated sparkling wines.

Discover island life in the Mornington Peninsula

a guided tour of French Island
Discover the Mornington Peninsula’s flora and fauna on a guided tour of French Island.

Eject from the mainland on a catamaran bound for the wildlife haven of French Island with Naturaliste Tours. Once you disembark from the boat, you’ll hop into a 4WD to explore the pristine flora and fauna, from salt marshes to vast Fairhaven Beach.

Look out for echidnas and koalas and enjoy short walks and historic sites on this half-day tour.

seals in Wilsons Prom
The southernmost tip is a haven for wildlife. (Image: CMcConville)

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Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
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How a $1 deal saved Bendigo’s historic tramways

    Megan Arkinstall Megan Arkinstall
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    The passionate community that saved Bendigo Tramways has kept the story of this city alive for generations.

    It was an absolute steal: a fleet of 23 trams for just $1. But such a fortunate purchase didn’t happen easily. It was 1972 when the Bendigo Trust handed over a single buck for the city’s historic collection of battery, steam and electric trams, which had transported locals since 1890.

    inside the historic Bendigo Tram
    Bendigo Tramways is a historic transport line turned tourist service. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    The city’s tram network had been declared defunct since 1970 due to post-war shortages in materials to upkeep the trams and declining passenger numbers as motor vehicles were increasing. However, determined locals would not hear of their beloved trams being sold off around the world.

    The Bendigo Trust was enlisted to preserve this heritage, by converting the trams into a tourist service. The Victorian government approved a trial, however news spread that the Australian Electric Tramways Museum in Adelaide had acquired one of the streetcars for its collection.

    a tram heading to Quarry Hill in 1957
    A tram on its way to Quarry Hill in 1957. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    An impassioned group rallied together to make this physically impossible. Breaking into the tram sheds, they welded iron pipes to the rails, removed carbon brushes from the motors, and formed a blockade at the depot. The community response was extraordinary, and a $1 deal was sealed.

    A new chapter for the city’s fleet

    the old Tramways Depot and Workshop
    The old Tramways Depot and Workshop is one of the stops on the hop-on, hop-off service. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Today, Bendigo Tramways welcomes some 40,000 passengers annually, operating as a hop-on, hop-off touring service aboard the restored trams. Fifteen of the now 45-strong fleet are dubbed ‘Talking Trams’ because of the taped commentary that is played along the route. The trams loop between Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Joss House Temple, which has been a place of Chinese worship since 1871, via other sites including the old Tramways Depot and Workshop.

    a Gold Mine Bendigo Tram
    The fleet comprises 45 trams that have been restored. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

    Keeping things interesting, throughout the year visitors can step aboard different themed trams. Tram No. 302 becomes the Yarn Bomb Tram, decorated both inside and out with colourful crochet by an anonymous group of locals.

    During the festive season, Tram No. 15 operates as a tinsel-festooned Santa Tram, and the big man himself hides out somewhere along the route for excited children to find. And on selected dates, the adults-only Groove Tram runs nighttime tours of the city, accompanied by local musicians playing live tunes and a pop-up bar.

    the historic post office turned visitor centre in Bendigo
    Visitors can hop on and off to see the city’s sites such as the historic post office turned visitor centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    As well as preserving the city’s history, however, the continuation of the tram service has kept the skills of tram building and craftsmanship alive in a practical sense. Bendigo’s Heritage Rail Workshop is world-renowned for restoring heritage trams and repurposing vehicles in creative ways.

    Locally, for example, Tram No. 918 was transformed into the Dja Dja Wurrung Tram with original Aboriginal artworks by emerging artist Natasha Carter, with special commentary and music that shares the stories and traditions of Bendigo’s first people. You can’t put a price on preserving history. Nonetheless, it was a dollar very well spent.