Travel guide Melbourne

If you have ever had a guided tour that was less than informative, moved too fast or too slow, or just didn’t have the sort of information you were looking for, then Talk’N Tours may be the answer for you.   There is a series of tours in podcast format, allowing you to go at your own pace, stop, start and rewind at will. The company provides tours in and around Sydney and Melbourne at this point, with more to come.   I took the ‘Central Coast Day Tour’ from Sydney and found it to be an interesting and informative way to learn more about the areas mentioned. The tour leaves from Wynyard bus stand and has bus, ferry and rail legs.   At all points there is something new to be learned and as a Sydney local and frequent visitor to the areas covered i... Read more

Generally, the drive from Melbourne to Sydney will take you around ten hours ... but who wants to hurry? The fishing opportunities between these two cities mean that you’ll want to take a few days, if not an entire week. Grab your rods, and let’s take a road trip to see what we can catch! Depart Melbourne and head straight to Metung. This quaint village of 1000 is nestled on the peninsula between Bancroft Bay and Lake King, and is an excellent year-round fishing destination. Here, you’ll find plenty of bream throughout the year, and during the warmer months you’ll find King George whiting, tailor, snapper, trout, and flounder to name a few. Cooler months bring mullet and flatheads. While you’re visiting, consider taking a tour of a winery, or a suns... Read more

We’ve made planning your accessible day trips easy. We have highlighted a variety of wonderful day trips with specific information about the many accessible options that can assist in making touring easier for people with disabilities. Whether it is marvelling at the landscape, visiting the vibrant cities, trying the local produce, or meeting the characters and experiencing the unique Australian way of life en route – these trips will leave you feeling inspired. And no matter whether you pack up a car, board a plane, jump on a train or float on a boat, the stories you’ll bring back will stay with you forever. Bellarine Peninsula – Geelong & Torquay Located 75 km from Melbourne on Corio Bay, Geelong is the second largest city in Victoria. A port city with an ur... Read more

Lucky enough to have a weekend in Melbourne, we decided to do something different and head down to the Docklands to enjoy a sail on gorgeous Port Phillip Bay. Once aboard we were given a quick safety lesson and shown where to stow our valuables – important, as if anything goes overboard – that’s where it stays, except people, of course! We motored up the Yarra River to Port Phillip Bay, passing the navy port and multi-million dollar homes of Williamstown, and watched the spectacle of the loading and unloading of the cargo ships in the docks. The crew are happy to adapt the day to the wishes of those on board, so if you prefer a sedate motor while you sip a glass of champagne and enjoy the scenery and passing parade of vessels, no problem.  However, if you love to ... Read more

BRISBANE BRISVEGAS FASHION AND BEAUTY Brisbanites love to look good and there are many places to give that plastic card some exercise. FORTITUDE VALLEY This is the 'Fashion Hub' of Brisbane and is filled with high-end boutiques. If you love the finer things in life, then this is the place to visit for everything from a wide range of home-oriented retailers to fashion specialty stores for females. ‘The Valley’ stocks the likes of international labels such as, Collette Dinnigan & Collette Dinnigan Enfant, Citizens of Humanity Denim and Christian Louboutin shoes. There are also great male and children ranges thrown into the mix. • Faves are Ultra Suite and Blonde Venus for up-to-the-minute style. • Also, Jean Brown at Emporium, Ann St. A fantastic boutique... Read more

If you are travelling to the southernmost global city  you need to read our Melbourne city guide. Melabourne has for many years enjoyed a reputation as the cultural and sporting capital of Australia. It is also famous for its many beautiful gardens, incredible array of shops and the mix of Victorian and contemporary architecture. The city lies on Port Phillip Bay, and that, combined with its flat topography and the Dandenongs to the east, give the city its famously changeable climate – where it is quite possible to experience “four seasons in one day”! While Melbourne has some fabulous surfing beaches, there are so many choices of activities that the weather is really incidental to having a wonderful time in this most surprising of cities. What to do Allow yourse... Read more

Melbourne is an energetic, cultivated and cosmopolitan city with stunning architecture, world class ... Read more

"French Island attracts visitors who enjoy the beauty and isolation of walking along beaches where your only companions are hundreds of wading birds." Mick Douglas, Ranger, French Island National Park. Only 75 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, French Island has unspoiled natural bushland and is a refuge for a diverse range of native flora and fauna . For those who are fortunate enough to visit its shores, it is a unique island sanctuary where one can stop to appreciate rugged beauty and isolation. The first sight for visitors after departing the ferry is a vast sea of impenetrable scrub, but spend a little time on the island and you'll soon be fascinated by the rich and diverse flora. French Island National Park forms two thirds of the island and features over 580 indigeno... Read more

"The grand Werribee Mansion, with its magnificent pleasure garden, gives visitors a glimpse of how Victoria's squattocracy once lived." Maree Blackburn, Visitor Services Coordinator, Werribee Park Werribee Park is an elaborate heritage property located just 30 minutes from central Melbourne. The jewel in this property's crown is an exquisite 60-roomed Italianate-style Mansion, the largest private residence ever built in Victoria. "Werribee Park is a truly unique property with many stories to tell," says Maree Blackburn, Visitor Services Coordinator based at Werribee Park. "From Aboriginal communities that are known to have lived in the area, to the arrival of Scottish immigrants making their fortune in the 19 th century and subsequent use as a seminary by the ... Read more

"From the Yarra River you get a whole different perspective of Melbourne." Vin Wright, District Chief Ranger, City and Waterways. At the centre of a capital city of three million people, Melbourne's Central Business District bustles and buzzes at all hours. Trams compete with cars and buses, which compete with pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders and skaters, joggers and even the odd horse and carriage; all of which move at a pace and with a purpose through the streets and lanes of this big, confusing city. As a state capital very generously endowed with parklands, there are quite a few venues for quietude in Melbourne. One of the most novel, relaxing and interesting however, is the new Yarra River Shuttle Service, a ferry service that takes advantage of the wide water road... Read more