Australia

Explore Victoria

paddle steamers at the wharf at Port of Echuca

Hugging the tip of Australia’s east coast, Victoria is Australia’s second-smallest state, covering 227,600 square kilometres – roughly the size of the British Isles.

Victoria is home to many diverse regions and attractions are packed into our area of Australia, with panoramic coastlines, pristine beaches, national parks and forests teeming with wildlife. Our wineries, lakes and mountains offer skiing, climbing and hiking. Best of all, many of Victoria’s unique and varied landscapes are easily reached as day trips from Melbourne.

Melbourne flinders st stations

Melbourne

Victoria’s capital, Melbourne, sits on the banks of the Yarra River and around the shores of Port Phillip Bay. Melbourne boasts a full schedule of festivals and events, with Australia’s best and most stylish shopping. Melbourne is renowned for its lively food and drink scene and supports a flourishing arts scene. For sports lovers, Melbourne is often referred to as the sporting capital of the world

old world brick building with picknic table in Autum

Seasons and climate

Despite our small size, Victoria’s climate varies across the state. The north has much drier and warmer weather than the south. Australia’s seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere. The climate is warm to hot to very hot in summer (December to February), mild in autumn (March to May), crisp in winter with snow in the Alpine regions (June to August), and cool in spring (September to November).

Melbourne Australian open tennis

Events

Melbourne and Victoria host some of the most important domestic and international events in Australia. The most popular and important events throughout the year, including the Spring Racing Carnival culminating in the Melbourne Cup in November, the Australian Open Tennis in January, Melbourne Food & Wine Festival and the Formula 1™ Australian Grand Prix in March, Melbourne International Comedy Festival March to April, international jazz, film and writers’ festivals May through September, and Melbourne Festival in October. Victoria also hosts an ever-changing schedule of blockbuster exhibitions from around the world at the NGV and the Melbourne Museum.

Castlemaine steam train

Heritage

Victoria is Australia’s second-largest state and has a population of 5.3 million people. It is home to many natural and cultural landmarks such as the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Lygon Street, Melbourne’s Chinatown. There are also a number of historic buildings in Victoria that have been preserved as a reminder of Victoria’s ‘Gold Rush’ past. Grand nineteenth-century architecture and elegant gardens remain to this day

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