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Victoria’s most memorable guided tours to book now

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

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.

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)
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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This little-known heritage rail journey takes you past charming towns, artworks on silos and lakes

    Joanne KarczBy Joanne Karcz
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    Board the heritage Grainlander and step back in time for a rail journey discovering silo art, Lake Tyrrell and Victoria’s Mallee region.

    One of the best ways to experience Australia is on board a train, and the heritage Grainlader showcases both the beauty of the sprawling Victorian plains and the towering artworks along the Mallee Silo Art Trail.

    Below, I take you on a journey to discover what it’s like to spend two nights aboard this iconic locomotive.

    What is the Grainlander?

    Exterior of Overland Sleeper carriage on The Grainlander
    The vintage sleeper train takes patrons on a journey through regional Victoria. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

    The Grainlander is a heritage overnight sleeper train in Victoria operated by Slow Rail Journeys, the public tour arm of Seven-O-Seven Operations. It travels through the state’s regional areas, highlights include the Mallee Silo Art Trail (guided off-train tours of the large-scale murals are part of the journey).

    Vice President of the volunteer-run not-for-profit organisation, Matt Lucas, says their mission is to “share and restore rail heritage and to promote and increase touring in regional Victoria.”

    The journey

    The Grainlander departs Melbourne from Southern Cross Station
    The Grainlander departs Melbourne. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

    Travelling from Melbourne to Sea Lake, we rumble through Melbourne’s western suburbs and Bacchus Marsh to Ballarat. We pass through towns I’ve never heard of: Wycheproof, Nullawil and Buckrabanyule.

    The quick stops are not conducive to alighting from the train, but there’s time for that on the return journey when I alight at Wycheproof for a brisk walk down the main road to see the tracks tracing parallel lines through the town centre. In Maryborough, I stretch my legs and explore the imposing red brick station.

    From Ballarat, we trace a path via Geelong to Melbourne along a line that carried miners and freight to the goldfields in the 1800s, thus providing train enthusiasts with a unique experience.

    The guest who is on a mission to ride every railway track in Victoria, is thrilled.

    Life on board

    There’s plenty of giggling as guests in the 1962 Southern Aurora Car inspect our cosy single cabins. I open latches, turn a little handle to wind up the venetian blinds and delight at the art deco bed lamp. The drop-down toilet is sealed. That’s fine by me. I’d rather use the facility at the end of the carriage.

    Melbourne’s city lights flash past my window. Although it’s after 10pm, I’m not ready to curl into my tightly made-up bed – which folds up during the day.

    Wobbling along the narrow passage to the Club Lounge, I steady myself with my hands. The woman ahead of me says she “feels like a pinball ricocheting off the walls.”

    A group of women have settled in, their wine glasses resting on the marbled green coffee table, its boomerang shape echoing that of the curved brown faux leather couches. They invite me to join them. Already my nerves as a solo traveller have evaporated.

    Waking early, I sit in bed sipping tea and watch the passing parade of silhouetted trees as the sky lightens.

    Gradually the scene comes to life. Early sunlight brightens a field of yellow canola. Sheep gather under a tree, squawking black crows take off and kangaroos bound across green fields. In Wycheproof, a family standing outside their white picket fence wave, their arms forming big arcs.

    Some guests remain in their cabins, reading or perhaps reminiscing about travelling in these very carriages as children. The 1923 heritage wooden sleeper is like stepping back in time with leadlight features, carved detail in the wooden panelling and even a “SMOKING” sign. As in the premium twin cabins, the seats fold into bunk beds at night.

    Being a social animal, I prefer to chat with other guests in the club or seating lounge.

    We eat well. Hearty breakfasts and Sunday lunch are served in the dining car. In keeping with the organisation’s mission to support local businesses, a bakery in Wycheproof prepares Saturday’s picnic lunch and dinner is in the Royal Hotel Sea Lake, run by a co-operative of local farmers and investors.

    Exploring the Mallee and the Silo Art Trail

    Patchewollock Silo Art by Fintan Magee
    Patchewollock Silo Art by Fintan Magee. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

    Stepping off the train at Nulliwal, we view our first silo art. Jimmy, a black and tan kelpie, looks down from the silo wall. As a special treat, we meet Jimmy himself. Retired from farmwork, he revels in our attention.

    The train pulls into Sea Lake where a colourful mural depicts a young girl on a swing watching the sky change colour as the sun sets. It’s Saturday. Few shops are open, but I still manage to buy a box of Lake Tyrrell Salt. A fellow traveller discovers a Mother Goose teapot for her collector daughter.

    Hotel in Patchewollock
    Patchewollock is one of many charming towns to explore on the journey. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

    We travel by bus to see silo art in the small communities of Lascelles, Roseberry and Patchewollock. The towering works depict local people and represent the resilience, strength and tenacity of those living in the Mallee.

    As the sun sets, the sky at Lake Tyrrell, Victoria’s largest salt lake, itself becomes an artwork. Pastel blues and pinks change to orange and grey as a golden beam spreads across the lake.

    Sunset at Lake Tyrrell
    Stop for sunset at Lake Tyrrell. (Image: Joanne Karcz)

    Details

    From $1,045 per person, fares include all meals and tours. The two-night Slow Rail Journey operates most months except in the hot summer months.

    Guests include rail enthusiasts, couples, solo travellers and mother/daughter duos. The Grainlander is not accessible for wheelchair users. People with mobility issues may have difficulty stepping on board and walking through the train.