The Best of Melbourne & Victoria with Airfare

Depart from North America on your flight to Australia.

Today is lost as you cross the International Date Line. You will regain the day on your return journey.

After clearing Australian Customs and Immigration formalities, meet your driver and transfer to your hotel in central Melbourne. The balance of the morning is at leisure to relax.

This afternoon, join the Lanes and Arcades Walking Tour, a lovely and easy introduction to Melbourne. Have you ever been to a city and wondered what all the fuss was about? Or wasted time trying to find that cool local café you were told of, and ended up missing everything? Melbourne's arcades and laneways hide many of these answers. Join this indulgent afternoon walk through Melbourne's beautiful back streets, and get orientated in the life of the city that locals love. Discover artisanal and specialty retailers, that often are only found in the city. Some of the quirkiest cafes, independent designers, street art, architecture, and historical tales are found in these walkways. Soak in the city via all your senses, and engage with passionate creatives. There is something for everyone, locals and visitors alike.

Be dazzled by the wondrous sights of Australia's most vibrant city and learn about Melbourne's fascinating history with your expert guide. Join a small group tour with Oceania to make the most of your stay as you zoom in and around the city, visiting such wonders as Federation Square, the MCG and our world-famous sports precinct, St Patrick's Cathedral, Albert Park Lake (Formula 1) and over to St Kilda Beach. You can even take a stroll in the gardens and visit St Patrick's Cathedral when permitted. Your tour will finish by visiting Melbourne's famous Eureka Tower where you can scrape the sky to see the awe inspiring skyline at Eureka Skydeck 88 where you will be spoiled with 360 degree views of the city, Port Phillip Bay and out to the Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley. There will be a maximum of 11 people in your group, so you will have plenty of opportunities to ask your guide questions and get to know your fellow travelers.

Your unforgettable day will commence with a visit to Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park where you are guaranteed plenty of close encounters with an array of Australian native animals like kangaroos, wombats and echidnas. Next, head to Phillip Island where, time/season permitting, visit Woolamai Surf Beach to catch a glimpse of the awesome waves and die-hard surfers. Following this, travel over to the dramatic west coast of the island. At the Nobbies, stroll along the boardwalk to experience the waves crashing along this dramatic coastline and perhaps spot a few seals and some penguin nests. Finally, your Phillip Island Day Tour is not complete without its black tie gala event: the Penguin Parade. You will firstly head to the Visitor Centre to explore, shop and have a coffee, then last but certainly not least, you will meander along the boardwalk to the viewing platform. It's time to relax and let the show begin. The little penguins will waddle ashore, decked out in their tuxedos as they hurry off to find their burrows. At the end of the evening, your Guide will take you back to your Melbourne hotel.

Take in some of Victoria's best wineries in the stunning region of the Yarra Valley only one hour from Melbourne. The tour features tutored tastings at 4 premium wineries, a superb winery restaurant lunch with wine, finishing the day at the home of Australia's No.1 bubbly, Domaine Chandon, for light tasting platters and a glass of sparkling.

This morning collect your rental vehicle, drive through Geelong and the picturesque Bellarine Peninsula, home to food trails and great wineries. Make your way to Torquay and the home of surfing in Australia (Australian National Surfing Museum is here). From Torquay you start your journey on the Great Ocean Road (the world’s longest war memorial), what a sight! Arrive to overnight in Lorne with its beautiful beach and great pubs, cafes and laid-back lifestyle. Take a dip in one of the safest beaches on the coast.

Drive through the township of Apollo Bay, perhaps drop into Wildlife Wonders and learn about the local wildlife, or call into the Cape Otway Lightstation for a view like no other when you climb the lighthouse. The road weaves its way through the Otways National Park and hugs the rugged coast through to the Port Campbell National Park where you will stop to view the iconic 12 Apostles. Journey onto the unique fishing village of Port Fairy one of Victoria's earliest ports, many homes and other buildings of the last century have been preserved.

On the way from Port Fairy to the Grampians you can choose an indigenous experience, take a tour and learn more about the ancient culture through a guided tour at Worn Gundidj (Tower Hill), explore the regional city of Warrnambool before heading north to Halls Gap and your stay at the lovely Meringa Springs.  Situated northwest of Halls Gap, this beautiful resort on the sunny side of the mountains is your perfect getaway to the Grampians National Park.  Either explore the neighbouring Grampians National Park with its extraordinary beauty and diversity of wildlife and flora, or simply relax by the solar heated infinity edge pool and soak up the serenity.

This majestic mountain range is home to a huge array of wildlife and adventure activities alongside a rich and continuing Aboriginal history.  Rising from the pastoral land of Victoria's west are the Grampians – a playground for adventurers and haven for food and wine lovers, with a fascinating Aboriginal story to tell. The Grampians National Park is home to an incredible mountain landscape dotted with small towns.With so much to do, it's no wonder this nature lover's paradise is a popular escape among Melburnians.

The top stops along the way from the Grampians to Ballarat (with short detours) are Pinnacle Holiday Lodge, Lake Wendouree, and Halls Gap Zoo. Other popular stops include Brambuk the National Park & Cultural Centre.  This afternoon will be driving East to the gold rush city of Ballarat, where you can witness 1850’s life at Sovereign Hill, a fascinating step back in time to when this region produced one of the largest gold strikes known.

* Craigs Royal Hotel to 31 Mar, then Mercure Ballarat

You still have time to get up close to Australia’s wildlife at the Ballarat Wildlife Park, where you can see Koalas and feed kangaroos, or browse the collection or an exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Australia’s oldest and largest regional gallery filled with a treasure trove of early Australian works.

Melbourne, capital and largest city of the Australian state of Victoria is home to over five million people. Renown for its architecture, Melbourne has a strong cafe culture. The new developments at Federation Square and Southbank are must see destinations.

Transfer to the airport today for your flight back to North America.