One state - 1,000 possibilities
Longing destination at the other end of the world: Australia has always held a special fascination for travelers. Not least because of its great distance from Europe, the huge country between the Indian and Pacific Oceans exudes exotic charm and awakens the desire to travel in young and old alike. Located in the south-east of the country, the state of Victoria with its vibrant capital Melbourne is considered the gateway to the Australian continent and promises a unique mix of millennia-old culture, delicious cuisine, magnificent nature and a wide variety of activities for a travel experience that is second to none.
Here you will find Five reasonswhy Victoria is considered Australia's treasure chest.
Victoria is located around 14,000 kilometers from Austria in the southeast of the Australian continent. It takes around a day to get there by plane; from London, Down Under can be reached in around 17 hours without a stopover. The capital of Victoria is the Lively metropolis Melbourne with 4.5 million inhabitants - the city has not only regularly been voted the most liveable city in the world in the past, but also impresses every year as the venue for major sporting events such as the start of the Formula 1 season or the Australian Open, one of the most important tennis tournaments in the world.
Victoria also has a lot to offer outside the capital: The state is roughly the size of Great Britain and offers an incomparable variety of different landscapes on its almost 230,000 square meters of land - from miles of dream beaches to densely overgrown, evergreen rainforest to mountain regions several thousand meters high, where you can even go skiing in winter. The distances between the individual highlights are manageable; all regions of Victoria can be easily reached by car from Melbourne within a few hours, meaning you spend less time behind the wheel and have plenty of time for adventure and relaxation. Despite this compactness, the state is characterized in many places by its picturesque unspoilt nature and soothing seclusion, ensuring a vacation away from overcrowded sights and mass tourism. Victoria is a true paradise for self-drivers in particular - many of the numerous, picturesque roads are among the most beautiful and exciting of all.
In Victoria there are a total of 54 National parksAround 30 percent of Australia's endemic wildlife is found in this state alone. In the diverse landscapes, travelers discover Kangaroos and wallabies a range of other fascinating animal species such as koalas, emus and even the extremely rare platypus. A special highlight is the regular Penguin migration on Phillip Islandan island off the mainland.
In the course of the so-called Penguin Parade countless cute birds waddle back to their nests every evening just in time for sunset. The abundance of different natural areas in Victoria is no less spectacular. Whether it's the eucalyptus-covered, mountainous Grampians National Park, the world-famous Port Campell National Park with its monumental Twelve Apostles or the Dandenong Ranges National Park with its lush rainforest - no travel wish remains unfulfilled here.
Aborigines settled in what is now Victoria 30,000 years ago. Even today, impressive evidence of this eventful history can be found throughout the state, for example in the form of cave paintings. The Koories, as the indigenous people in this region of Australia call themselves, still maintain and live their traditional culture and are always happy to share it with travelers. On guided tours, including through the botanical garden in Melbourne, holidaymakers learn everything worth knowing about the Aboriginal way of life and learn ancient skills such as how to throw a boomerang correctly.
In addition to the culture of the indigenous people, the Search for gold a significant role in the history of Victoria: in particular around the Gold mining town Ballaratwhich became an important center of the global gold industry in the mid-19th century, the remnants of this once so productive industry are still visible today and travelers can experience the adventurous spirit of the gold miners first hand when visiting the Sovereign Hill attraction.
Melbourne is not only the Food hotspot Victoria, but is even considered Unofficial culinary capital Australia. From Michelin-starred restaurants to soup kitchens, from food trucks to fine dining restaurants, it's always just a stone's throw away. The metropolis is particularly proud of its distinctive coffee culture, which is one of the most exclusive in the world. In general, food and drink are very important in Victoria.
The federal state is the Australia's largest food exporter and is also the largest wine producer in the country with over 800 wineries. So it's no wonder that Victoria mostly serves fresh, regional and sustainable food.
With so much variety in terms of nature, culture and cuisine, it is only natural that Victoria has a wide range of exciting activities and excursions to offer its guests. Various touring routes lead travelers precisely from one highlight to the next - the best known of which is probably the Great Southern Touring Route with the picturesque Great Ocean Roadone of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world.
The choice of hiking trails is almost endless - from short trips to tours lasting several days, everything is possible. The advantages of Victoria can also be experienced at any time on two wheels; especially the Vineyards in the Yarra Valley and the Lakelands of the Gippsland Lakes are an excellent destination for this. The national sport of the locals is surfing - if you want to plunge into the waves yourself, the best place to do so is Bells Beach in Torquay. Alternatively, surfing is also possible at numerous other beaches in Victoria. The unique flora and fauna in the state can be admired in a variety of ways: Snorkeling with fur seals, watching kangaroos in the wild or watching koalas eat - Animal lovers and amateur photographers are spoiled for choice. Unusual activities such as a trip on a historic paddle steamer on the Murray River or glamping on Phillip Island round off the diverse range of activities on offer.
