Here are some hidden places to visit in Victoria, Australia, and excursions to try on your next road vacation. This beautiful state is full of hidden places to visit in regional Victoria, both geological and man-made, and many road trips. Make a beeline for some of these regional secrets the next time you drive through unusual places to visit in Victoria.
When should you go to Victoria, Australia?
The weather varies greatly depending on location, with ocean winds keeping winters warm and summers cool.
However, the best time to visit Victoria is late summer (March-April), when the weather is still warm (around 28°C or higher) and more settled. Short-tailed shearwaters return in September, and southern right whales arrive from May to September to give birth in the warm waters before returning to Antarctica.
If you want to visit the Twelve Apostles, avoid peak summer because it’s brutally hot and the convoys of cars and coaches make getting there extremely unpleasant. If you do go, try to go as early or late in the day as possible to avoid crowds.
1. Cape Otway National Park
The Great Ocean Road is at the top of Victoria’s best road trip lists. On the other hand, Otway is one of the lesser-known settlements along this road. It is worth the drive to Cape Otway National Park, hidden among its exquisite fruit, waterfalls, and hinterland.
There will be a rough coastline, rock formations, beaches, ferny woods, and, ideally, Australia’s largest remaining marsupial carnivore, the tiger quoll. The Otway Ranges’ woods, woodlands, and seashore are among the few surviving homes for this unique species, which is on the verge of extinction. Keep your eyes open.
Hopetoun Falls is a must-see. There is a viewing platform 20 meters from the parking lot where you can see the waterfall from the top.
2. Phillip Island to French Island
Discover passionate producers, nature-based activities, and famed surf breaks — might Phillip Island be the ideal coastal getaway? Yes. It’s especially appealing since it has access to French Island, Victoria’s largest coastal island best road trip in Victoria.
This island paradise is home to around a hundred individuals and this is one of the best-hidden places to visit in Victoria. Approximately 70% of its 170 square kilometers has been designated as a national park, with the remaining being privately owned freehold land, including some of Victoria’s most premium real estate. It is located in Western Port, just north of Phillip Island, and is accessible by daily ferries from Stony Point.
Not to be missed: Because of its isolation – an unusual place to visit in Victoria, French Island has remained remarkably unspoiled over the years. As a consequence, the flora and animals have thrived.
3. Silo Art of Western Victoria
Silo art trails are becoming popular in Australia as a fun new way to enjoy the countryside while also getting your culture fix. This one, in Victoria’s west, is the biggest outdoor gallery in Australia, covering over 200 kilometers and connecting six tiny country villages.
Guido van Helten, an artist from Canberra, painted an unnamed, multi-generational quartet of female and man farmers over four GrainCorp silos constructed in 1939. He revolutionized the character of the Wimmera Mallee region by connecting Brim with other communities to form the Silo Art Trail.
Visitors may now drive themselves on the self-guided tour. Stop to take in the sights and sounds of each place and reflect on the region’s historic Indigenous roots and history as one of Australia’s most significant grain-growing areas.
Don’t miss: Take a picturesque trip with Grampians Helicopters to see the silos from above. Learn about the people and locations drawn by the pilot born and bred in the area.
4. Budj Bim National Park
It isn’t well-known among most Victorians, an unusual place to visit in Victoria, but it should be. Budj Bim is a Gunditjmara name for Mount Eccles, a long-dormant volcano that previously poured lava 50 kilometers into the sea.
Lake Surprise, which developed in the crater of Mount Eccles, provides a gorgeous setting and a playground for plenty of amusement. There are areas for camping, hiking, mountain biking, and 4WDing, as well as fishing and birdwatching.
The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is the first Australian World Heritage property designed solely for its Aboriginal cultural significance and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It also has the world’s oldest live example of aquaculture, with a tradition of eel farming reaching over 6,000 years.
Don’t miss: Budj Bim Tours has been highlighting the Gunditjmara people’s important history since 1999. Visit the remnants of a settled lifestyle, including circular stone dwellings and the remains of Australia’s first and largest freshwater stone aquaculture system.
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape’s cultural excursions allow tourists to build deeper ties to the Country and the history and culture of Budj Bim, regardless of the time period. There’s a tour for everyone, whether you have a few hours or an entire weekend.
5. The Bellarine Taste Trail
The vast, sun-drenched environment of the Bellarine Peninsula is one of the country’s richest food granaries. With local producers selling everything from olives to cool-climate wines.
If you’re hungry, follow the Bellarine Taste Trail to find a treasure of a road trip to Victoria. Some seriously decadent foodie establishments embrace the farm-to-fork philosophy within easy walking distance of the town center.
White Fisheries sells Port Phillip Bay fish harvested the same day. Lonsdale Tomato Farm and its traditional farmgate store are on a quiet rural lane. The Gourmet Traveller’s national restaurant awards selected Igni, the 2017 Regional Restaurant of the Year, and the fire-driven degustation menu is jaw-dropping. Wattle Grove Honey uses its own beehives to make genuine Australian honey and beeswax products. More information is available here.
A stay at Campbell Point House -an unusual place to visit in Victoria is a must. If you’ve always wanted to, this is the only way to stay in elegant, 20-million-dollar luxury accommodation.
6. The Macedon Ranges
While not as well-known as some other places on our list, the Macedon Ranges provide one peculiar feature not found elsewhere. Straw’s Lane, also Anti-Gravity Hill, is an optical illusion landmark in just a few locations worldwide.
The phenomenon is the world’s southernmost Gravity Hill. A location where automobiles appear to roll upwards, defying gravity’s principles. Judging the slope gradient becomes difficult when the horizon is obstructed or curved. Your perception of the landscape changes as your eyes adjust.
Don’t forget to include a stop in Woodend, which has distinctive volcanic rock formations (better known as the perpetually spooky Hanging Rock). Pack a picnic to reenact Joan Lindsay’s novel and Peter Weir’s renowned film.
7. Goldfields town
Bendigo’s reputation isn’t as bad as Ballarat’s, but the other Goldfields town in Central Victoria (and one-time richest city in the world) has drawn visitors from all over the world since the 1850s gold rush.
As a cultural and gourmet powerhouse, the city now pays respect to a new type of riches. Wineries, artisan breweries, and boutique food producers abound (Bendigo was named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2019), all nestled within the heritage of great buildings, antique gardens, avenues, and attractive residences.
The Bendigo Art Gallery is a must-see – a hidden place to visit in regional Victoria. It is regarded as one of the best regional galleries in the country. It has made a name for itself with blockbuster fashion and design exhibitions such as Marilyn Monroe and Marimekko: Design Icon 1951-2018.
8. Lake Mountain
Lake Mountain is the nearest and cheapest Alpine Resort to Melbourne. It features 30 kilometers of tracks and is the world’s third-most-visited cross-country skiing destination. It’s a picturesque two-hour journey from Melbourne. But it is a hidden place to visit in regional Victoria.
The area is designed for snow play, which includes cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and other activities. Downhill skiing and snowboarding are not permitted. When the snow melts and the tourists abandon their ski boots in favor of board shorts and bikinis, you’ll discover rolling green mountains begging to be walked and biked.
Don’t miss: Marysville, a nearby town, has been experiencing a wonderful rebirth following the tragic Black Saturday bushfires of 2009. It is an unusual place to visit in Victoria. The 20-kilometer drive down from Lake Mountain is one of Australia’s most scenic alpine drives, full of adventure: the town’s surroundings are a haven for hikers, foodies, and market shoppers.
9. Pink Lakes of Murray Sunset National Park
Pink Lakes is located on the outskirts of Murray Sunset National Park, which is sometimes regarded as Victoria’s own outback. It is beautiful and unspoiled, and in today’s fast-paced world, it provides an opportunity to reconnect with nature.
The pink hue of the water changes by the hour, depending on the cloud conditions above, due to the Pink Lakes’ combination of salt-loving algae and high salinity levels. Pinks are most noticeable on cloudy days; at other times, they have more of a fairy-floss hue. That is a hidden place to visit in regional Victoria.
The vegetation and animals at the Pink Lakes are diverse and numerous. Look out for red kangaroos and the Murray Lily bloom. And if you’re a bird watcher, bring your guidebook since there are many colorful and secretive species to uncover. The region is ideal for bushwalkers, especially in the spring when the wildflowers bloom. Easy treks around Lake Hardy and Lake Becking, as well as the lengthier Kline nature route, are available.
Murray Sunset National Park is a must-see for anybody interested in astronomy. Make a night of it and reserve a campground to see the nighttime show.
10. Black Spur Drive
The Black Spur Drive’s eerie, calm driving experience through the towering, narrow galleries of Mountain Ash is memorable. It is a hidden place to visit in regional Victoria.
The serpentine and steep Black Spur highway runs through the rainforest. It connects the Yarra Valley to the mountain areas. It is known for its 27-kilometer twists of towering trees and breathtaking valley views.
Fernshaw picnic spot with rest facilities is located at the base of the Black Spur. Dom Dom in Marysville State Forest, a little farther on, also offers a few basic facilities.
Make a beeline for the local animals at Healesville Sanctuary before commencing your Spur experience. Forget everything you know about zoos; this forest sanctuary specializes in native Australian species and has a long history of breeding and preservation.
