Victoria, Australia

Here’s my Favourite Thing in Each Australian State:

1. Tasmania: Kate’s Berry Farm in Swansea — man, I was sorry when I ate the last of her jam. If you go, it would be a huge mistake to leave without trying her ice cream!

2. Queensland: I took a flight over World Heritage listed Fraser Island in a six-seater plane. The runway was “The Great Sandy Highway”. It cost a bit more but at the prospect of going up to look for whales, how could I resist? The view of the sandblows’ path was so cool.

3. South Australia: Barossa. Barossa. Barossa. Definitely going back to see the rest of the vineyard areas.

4. Northern Territory: Some (silly people) say “it’s just a rock”–but it’s not. Kata Tjuta National Park offers more than the World’s Largest Monolith (the sandstone formation formerly known as “Ayers Rock”), what early European settlers called “the Olgas”, the Kata Tjuta hikes made me so happy.

(PS. Read up on all of the knowledge the traditional owners of this land already had for which we needed computers and technology to re-discover.)

5. Victoria: Ok, Melbourne is a wicked city. So I’ll give you another place I loved instead: The Buchan Caves are Buchan good!

6. Western Australia: I climbed a 60 metre tree without any rope–but just 2 feet long pegs in the tree (not very environmentally-friendly; they’ve been there a long time). I was a little worried about this and the fact that the supposed “safety net” was chicken wire which looked like it would probably do more harm than good should I fall. But the view from this old fire-lookout, and the photos I took mid-way make me happy. The Gloucester Tree is in The Valley of the Giants (needless to say, it’s a BIG forest), between Perth and Albany.

7. New South Wales: Surprisingly, I’m not going to say the Opera House. Or Mardi Gras. Try the Jenolan Caves and tell me you don’t love them. Go ahead–tell me. I know, two cave recommendations–but what can I say? I love them!

8. ACT (Canberra): The National Gallery was terrific. I have never enjoyed art more than when I stood in front of the Turner to Monet exhibit and experienced the colours used Van Gogh used in his massive canvasses. I’m not an arty-type.

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Although, on the note of skiing, Lake Mountain (accessible from Marysville) might be the most expensive day of country skiing you could have (considering it is usually free in Canada), but it is really fun and was totally worth it since there were many trails and your pass entitles you to a full day, and a wide range of high quality (mostly) equipment.

1. Phillip Island:

watch the little penguins come in from a day of fishing on the surf and rush up the beach to their burrows. In close proximity to the Penguins is a Koala sanctuary. And it was there I saw a Kookaburra and a snake and realised who was going to eat who… You can see seals out on their rock at the Nobbies nearby. It’s a wildlife bonanza!!!

2. Yarra Valley:

Healesville Sanctuary (see baby koalas being fed and ‘roos; and it’s the only place they have successfully bred platypus); Yarra Valley Wine Touring is another great day out.

3. Great Ocean Road:

12 Apostles and the many shapes and shipwrecks of Victoria’s famous limestone Coast…it’s amazing. If you can stay the night and make it a two-day trip you can enjoy it more slowly, but you can drive pretty far along past Geelong and still come back to Melbourne that night. Bell’s Beach, Victorian surfers’ favourite spot, is accessed from Torquay.

4. Otways:

Although this area is famous for its ‘Otway Tree-Top walk’, I had an amazing weekend there without even getting that far! There is a cheap little cabin campground which allows you to in their backyard and count wild koalas very intimately–I saw 20 in one afternoon! From there you can also do a hearty walk to the old lighthouse (Victoria’s first). Ok this might be tough in a day, but you could do it.

5. The Peninsula:

There are hot springs, wineries and chartered fishing on the peninsula. You could even bike to here along the Bay (past Frankston).

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