Melbourne is a magical city. But Go Beyond Melbourne and you’ll discover the pure alchemy of four extraordinary regions. Travelling between them is simply effortless – and what you discover along the way will stay with you forever. A WORLD OF CONTRASTS The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, Phillip Island, the Mornington Peninsula, Geelong and The Bellarine. Four very different regions, four totally different experiences, which you’ll only fully discover when you spend a few days beyond the city. You can travel effortlessly from mist-wreathed mountain forests to perfect white sandy bays in just 90 minutes. From floating over Yarra Valley vineyards in a hot air balloon at dawn to watching Phillip Island’s penguins waddle up the beach that evening. From riding the 100-year old Puffing Billy steam train through the Dandenongs or wading with platypus at Healesville Sanctuary, to hotlaps around an island Grand Prix Circuit or a lantern-lit wildlife tour – in the same day, without missing a beat. Explore award-winning golf courses and wineries, or dive in to swim with dolphins and seals, snorkel with sea dragons or sink into natural geothermal springs on the Mornington Peninsula, then cruise by ferry across Port Phillip Bay to Queenscliff and follow the Bellarine Taste Trail. The next morning, learn to throw a boomerang, get a taste for bush tucker and learn about ancient dreaming stories at Narana. No wasting time returning to the city in peak hour traffic each night. Simply motor on to your next destination (in about 90 minutes) and relax in accommodation you simply can’t experience in the city: vineyard estates, historic mansions, peaceful country retreats, luxury seaside apartments, romantic B&Bs. Welcome to PLANNING SEAMLESS VISITOR JOURNEYS All four Go Beyond Melbourne regions link to each other or Melbourne via either 60-minute or 90-minute drives, or a scenic cross-bay ferry cruise. Think of Go Beyond as looping, not linear. Planning a visitor itinerary depends on number of travel days, visitor interests and key activities. Within those parameters, there are oodles of choices. You can link two, three or all four regions and create a seamless journey for visitors – a looping route that transitions effortlessly onto the next region without any need to return to the city overnight. Melbourne www.gobeyondmelbourne.com YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Melbourne PHILLIP ISLAND MORNINGTON PENINSULA GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Fingal Queenscliff Sorrento Portsea Cowes Pearcedale Belgrave Wandin Yarra Glen Healesville San Remo AVALON AIRPORT FRENCH ISLAND PENGUIN PARADE CAPE SCHANCK Red Hill Arthurs Seat Geelong Grovedale Curlewis You Yangs Little River Grantville Shoreham YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Melbourne PHILLIP ISLAND MORNINGTON PENINSULA GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Queenscliff Sorrento Cowes Mornington Dixons Creek Coldstream Wandin Woori Yallock Yarra Glen Healesville San Remo AVALON AIRPORT FRENCH ISLAND PENGUIN PARADE Red Hill Geelong Werribee Grantville Fingal DAY ONE: YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Encounter a host of native creatures at Healesville Sanctuary and join a gin masterclass at Four Pillars Distillery. Tiptoe through the tulip fields at Tesselaar Tulip Farm, take a heritage steam train journey on board Puffing Billy or soar through the treetops on flying foxes at Trees Adventure. Take a Segway Tour at Rochford Wines for some serious stand-up fun then finish off the day sipping a glass of Shiraz at Fergusson Winery. Stay overnight at Oscar’s on the Yarra or overlooking the Golf Club at Yering Gorge Cottages, surrounded by kangaroos, or in a self- contained villa at Araluen Boutique Accommodation. DAY TWO: YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES PHILLIP ISLAND Start your day with a sunrise balloon flight with Global Ballooning Australia before travelling to Phillip Island for a wildlife encounter at Maru Koala and Animal Park. Jump on board Phillip Island Helicopters for a bird’s eye view before some crazy full- on fun at A Maze’ N Things. Hit the track at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit or reach new heights with individually themed wall challenges at Clip ‘N Climb. The Phillip Island Nature Parks nightly Penguin Parade is not to be missed! Stay overnight at The Island Accommodation – YHA, Ramada Resort Phillip Island, or Bimbadeen Phillip Island – a real Aussie working farm. DAY ONE: GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Create forever moments on the Bellarine Taste Trail and stroll hand-in-hand along the promenade on Waterfront Geelong. Sprawl on a blanket under age-old trees at Geelong Botanic Gardens before sharing a cultural experience at The National Wool Museum. Enjoy superb food and wine at Terindah Estate or at Oakdene Vineyards, Restaurant & Cellar Door then head to Barwon Heads for ocean views. Finish the day with a 4-hour, 6-course dégustation on board Australia’s premier train restaurant, The Q Train. Stay overnight in the exclusive Lon Retreat & Spa, in a unique themed room at Oakdene Vineyards, or in a luxury villa at BIG4 Beacon Resort. DAY TWO: GEELONG & THE BELLARINE MORNINGTON PENINSULA Brunch at Jack Rabbit Vineyard, a showpiece for the gastronomic gems of The Bellarine before departing for the Mornington Peninsula on board Searoad Ferries. Cruise out to swim with wild Bottlenose dolphins with Polperro Dolphin Swims. Sink in and sigh at Peninsula Hot Springs or indulge at Endota Spa. Escape the crowds and explore Heronswood House and Gardens before flying high above Mornington Peninsula in a state-of-the-art gondola on Arthurs Seat Eagle. Stay overnight in a chalet at Woodman Estate, lakeside among the vines at Lakeside Villas at Crittenden Estate, or in artistic designed award- winning Jackalope Hotel. DAY ONE: YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Kick start the day sampling gin at Four Pillars or a glass of bubbles at the iconic Domaine Chandon. Dine in awarded vineyard restaurants; Oakridge, Coombe, De Bortoli and Rochford to name a few. Soak up the views over a regional cheese platter at Yarrawood or TarraWarra where art, food and wine combine. Finish the day with a cleansing ale at Detour Beer Co or head over to Innocent Bystander for great food, wine and company. Stay overnight and dine in opulence at Chateau Yering or select a delightful vineyard villa at Wild Cattle Creek Estate or stay at The Farmhouse at Meletos. DAY TWO: YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES PHILLIP ISLAND Revel in a fruit-tasting tractor tour at Rayner’s Orchard and pick-your-own cherries at Cherryhill Orchards. Lunch at Rusty Water Brewery Restaurant and Bar, Phillip Island Winery or The Cape Kitchen where the views stretch on forever. See non-stop chocolate-making in action at Phillip Island Chocolate Factory. Enjoy nature at its best on Churchill Island or waddle on the wildside to witness little penguins at sunset during the nightly Penguin Parade. Stay overnight perched between the sea and sky at Clifftop Accommodation or opposite Cowes Beach at The North Pier Hotel or at Comfort Resort Kaloha. DAY ONE: GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Werribee Open Range Zoo offers a taste of African adventure just outside Melbourne. Travel on to the beautiful You Yangs to see and learn about conserving Australian wildlife with Echidna Walkabout. Get to know more than 100 sculptures depicting characters galore on the Baywalk Bollards trail. Learn the Australian story of wool, fibre and textiles at The National Wool Museum. Step back into Geelong’s industrial age at Little Creatures Brewery or discover Australian bush tucker at Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Stay overnight at Discovery Parks Geelong or waterside at BIG4 Beacon Resort. DAY TWO: GEELONG & THE BELLARINE MORNINGTON PENINSULA Savour a guided tasting, stone- based pizzas and legendary grazing platters at Leura Park Estate before heading to Queenscliff to for an adventure with Sea All Dolphin Swims. Keep watch for seals, dolphins and passing ships while you cross three marine national parks on board Searoad Ferries. Try sailing, scuba diving, stand-up paddling or kayaking with Bayplay Adventure Tours. Treat the kids to amazing views from Arthurs Seat Eagle or join them in some serious fun at The Enchanted Adventure Garden & Tree Surfing. Stay overnight at Portsea Village Resort, RACV Cape Schanck, or glamp at Bayplay Iluka Retreat. PHILLIP ISLAND On Phillip Island, thrill to hot laps around the Grand Prix Circuit, breakfast at a cliffside café overlooking the ocean and cruise out to Seal Rocks for a fur seal meet-up. Amble a coastal nature walk then get centre stage for the nightly show, when the little penguins splash out of the sea and waddle up the beach to their burrows. MORNINGTON PENINSULA Mornington Peninsula is a land of abundance; of farmgate trails, cellar doors and chef’s hatted restaurants. Of bubbling thermal hot springs and lantern-lit after-dark wildlife adventures. Dive with the dolphins, swim with the seals and golf like no one’s watching. Follow the wine, food and farmgate trail then settle into a vineyard estate surrounded by stunning vistas or a seaside apartment and drift off to the sound of crashing waves. GEELONG & THE BELLARINE In Geelong & The Bellarine, do a twirl on an 1890s carousel and promenade along Geelong’s glittering waterfront built for the ages. Take the famous Baywalk Bollards Trail stretching along the foreshore, then lunch at Little Creatures Brewery, built in a huge refurbished factory site. Head to one of the seaside villages for quirky shopping, grand hotels, glorious beaches and wineries galore including Jack Rabbit Vineyard, Leura Park Estate, Oakdene Vineyards, Scotchmans Hill or Terindah Estate. Creature close-ups and action thrills 5 Day Itinerary 5 Day Itinerary 5 Day Itinerary 5 Day Itinerary Create forever memories Taste sensations at every turn Full-on fun, together DAY THREE: PHILLIP ISLAND MORNINGTON PENINSULA Get up close and personal with Australian wildlife at the Koala Conservation Centre or spot fur seals on a Wildlife Coast Cruise. Watch brewers in their element at Mornington Peninsula Brewery. Dine at Pt Leo Estate overlooking the vines and spectacular sculpture park or tuck into wines and seasonal produce at Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove. Soak up the vistas at Max’s Restaurant at Red Hill Estate and enjoy delicious morsels at Green Olive at Red Hill. Stay overnight at the lovely Lindenderry at Red Hill, Lakeside Villas at Crittenden Estate or Jackalope Hotel. DAY FOUR: MORNINGTON PENINSULA GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Pick-your-own at Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm. Gaze and graze at T’Gallant Winemakers. The Blue Mini Eatery & Emporium is perfect for a mid-morning pick-me-up before sampling an ale at St Andrews Beach Brewery. Board Searoad Ferries to reach historic Queenscliff. Explore a showcase of regional produce at Queenscliff Brewhouse, or dine with harbour views at 360Q Restaurant. Visit the quirky upside-down cellar door at Oakdene then drop into nearby Barwon Heads for a unique village shopping experience. Stay overnight at Oakdene Vineyards, Restaurant & Cellar Door or at Lon Retreat & Spa. DAY FIVE: GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Discover unique food and drink experiences of The Bellarine on the Bellarine Taste Trail. Make a stop at Jack Rabbit Vineyard, Scotchmans Hill, Terindah Estate or Flying Brick Cider House on your way to Little Creatures Brewery and Little Malop Street Precinct in the heart of Geelong. DAY THREE: MORNINGTON PENINSULA PHILLIP ISLAND Taste strawberry themed produce at Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm and get lost at Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens. Pet a koala and enjoy hands-on encounters with friendly dingoes at Moonlit Sanctuary. Reach new heights or immerse in virtual reality at Clip ‘N Climb or flip over the world-class Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Stop for a bite at Phillip Island Lone Pine Bistro or at Westernport Hotel before ending the day with the Penguin Parade. Stay overnight at Phillip Island Apartments, Anchor Belle Holiday Park, or North Pier Hotel. DAY FOUR: PHILLIP ISLAND YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Get interactive and into augmented reality at Phillip Island Nature Parks – Antarctic Journey. Dive in for fun at the always puzzling A Maze’ N Things then wind up into the Dandenong Ranges on Puffing Billy heritage steam train. Harness up and hang-out at Trees Adventure or meet the vets and nurses who care for more than 1,500 native animals at Healesville Sanctuary. Stay overnight at Yarra Gables, in a villa at Wild Cattle Creek Estate or at Yering Gorge Cottages where kangaroos roam freely. DAY FIVE: YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Wander through delightfully themed Alowyn Gardens, take a fruit tasting tractor tour at Rayner’s Orchard or try fishing at Buxton Trout & Salmon Farm. Get into gourmet cherry delights at Cherryhill Orchards and enjoy live entertainment, tractor rides, treasure hunts, plus food and wine (and tulips of course!) at the Sep/Oct Tesselaar Tulip Festival. HIGHLIGHTS • Over 80 winery, micro-breweries, cider houses and distilleries to explore including signatures: Domaine Chandon, De Bortoli, Fergusson and Rochford Wines • Dine at internationally acclaimed restaurants in stunning locations overlooking vineyards or nestled in tall tree forests • Cycle the Warburton Rail Trail or swing the family through the trees at Trees Adventure • Stay and Play the Greg Norman designed champion golf course at The Eastern Golf Club • Take a gin masterclass at Four Pillars, the much-awarded small gin distillery that’s making a big impression on the world • Find your sweet spot at Rayner’s or Cherryhill Orchards – pick your own peaches, apricots or cherries from the tree! • Wander through exquisite native and Botanical gardens. There’s a garden in bloom to enjoy all year round HIGHLIGHTS • Let tour boat operators get you close up to wild ocean creatures in their natural habitat • Thrill to a unique heli adventure – choose from chopper packages that take personalised touring to new heights • Revel in four national surfing reserves • Stroll along The Nobbies boardwalk for unforgettable views – see the awesome blowhole, a spectacular sea cave that thunders during big southern swells • Get close up and personal with wildlife at Maru Koala and Animal Park, Warrook Farm and Moonlit Sanctuary • Witness the world-famous penguin parade from an exclusive viewing station with Phillip Island Nature Parks • Dive in for family fun at the always puzzling A Maze’ N Things and ever-sweet Phillip Island Chocolate Factory • Find hidden experiences with Dianne’s Adventure tours or tour a working farm at Bimbadeen HIGHLIGHTS • Book a first class experience on Australia’s premium train restaurant – The Q Train – and savour a dégustation menu in a private dining compartment for two • Experience the world’s oldest living culture first hand with a guided tour at Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre • Play a round at Curlewis Golf Club, one of Australia’s Top 100 Golf Clubs, or hit-out at their state-of-the-art driving range, The Range @ Curlewis • Little Malop Street Precinct in the Geelong CBD boasts a lively zone packed full of wine bars, pubs, cafés, trendy eateries and live entertainment spaces • Take a short cut to The Bellarine with Port Phillip Ferries, the passenger ferry service connecting Portarlington with Docklands in Melbourne • See and learn about conserving Australian wildlife in the beautiful You Yangs with Echidna Walkabout, a small group eco-tour operator YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Spend daybreak in a hot air balloon, gliding over mist-tinged vineyards followed by cellar door drop-ins at some of Australia’s most famous wineries. Ride Puffing Billy steam train through the lush fern-filled Mountain Ash forests and listen out for the elusive Lyrebird in its natural habitat. Get close up to native animals at Healesville Sanctuary before heading to a romantic luxury retreat for the night. YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES PHILLIP ISLAND MORNINGTON PENINSULA GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Melbourne Little River Queenscliff Sorrento Cowes Pearcedale Belgrave Yarra Glen Dixons Creek Healesville San Remo AVALON AIRPORT YOU YANGS MELBOURNE AIRPORT FRENCH ISLAND PENGUIN PARADE Arthurs Seat Bellarine Geelong Grovedale Fingal Shoreham Koo-wee-up Werribee CAPE SCHANCK YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES PHILLIP ISLAND MORNINGTON PENINSULA GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Melbourne Queenscliff Barwon Heads Sorrento Cowes Mount Dandenong Coldstream Yarra Glen Healesville Marysville Newhaven AVALON AIRPORT FRENCH ISLAND PENGUIN PARADE Arthurs Seat Yarra Junction Geelong Fingal Shoreham Koo-wee-up DAY THREE: PHILLIP ISLAND MORNINGTON PENINSULA Take a leisurely tour with Wildlife Coast Cruises or Naturaliste Tours, followed by hand-feeding wallabies and koala encounters at Moonlit Sanctuary. For breath-stealing bay and city views board the Arthurs Seat Eagle gondola or try the Big Zip and Tree Surfing at The Enchanted Adventure Garden on the Mornington Peninsula. For aquatic views snorkel with Bayplay Adventure Tours or swim amongst marine life with Moonraker Dolphin Swims. Squeeze in a cheeky round of golf at Peppers Moonah Links Resort before mineral bathing in a hilltop pool at Peninsula Hot Springs. Stay overnight at 4.5-star Flinders Hotel, glamp at Bayplay Iluka Retreat, or stay at RACV Cape Schanck Resort in a luxury suite. DAY FOUR: GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Depart Sorrento on board Searoad Ferries to reach Queenscliff. Learn about the world’s oldest living culture at Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Join Sea All Dolphin Swims for close encounters with Port Phillip Bay marine life. Sip on site-crafted beers at Little Creatures Brewery and explore the arts in Geelong’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Stay overnight at Discovery Parks Geelong or beachside at BIG4 Beacon Resort. DAY FIVE: GEELONG & THE BELLARINE Stroll Waterfront Geelong and meet the Baywalk Bollards. Head to the You Yangs Precinct and learn about Australian wildlife with Echidna Walkabout. Visit the Werribee Open Range Zoo for a taste of African Adventure. DAY THREE: MORNINGTON PENINSULA PHILLIP ISLAND Lose yourself in Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens or thrill to a high-speed boat ride and close-up marine encounters with Wild Oceans EcoBoat Adventures. Head to Phillip Island’s Koala Conservation Centre before stopping at Rusty Water Brewery Restaurant for hand-crafted ales or visit Phillip Island Winery for wine tasting. Snuggle up to watch the world’s smallest (and cutest!) penguins head back to their burrows at Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade. Stay overnight at Oak Tree Lodge, Clifftop Accommodation or Comfort Resort Kaloha. DAY FOUR: PHILLIP ISLAND YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Get a bird’s eye view with Phillip Island Helicopters and create a personalised masterpiece at Phillip Island Chocolate Factory. Discover unusual heirloom plants at Cloudehill Gardens and dine perched right on top of Mount Dandenong at Olinda Tea House or The Piggery at Burnham Beeches. Breathe deep at Warratina Lavender Farm or explore the many delights of Lake Mountain Alpine Resort. Tranquil surrounds at Blue Lotus Water Gardens will have you unwinding at the end of the day. Stay overnight in grandeur at Chateau Yering Hotel, in luxury at Araluen Boutique Accommodation or in delightful gardens at Healesville’s Yarra Gables. DAY FIVE: YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES Head to Coombe Yarra Valley for a morning garden tour followed by a decadent Melba morning tea or wander through the delightful Cloudehill Gardens atop Mount Dandenong. Enjoy a modern Australian gin at Four Pillars Distillery. HIGHLIGHTS • Board a gondola at Arthurs Seat Eagle and fly up high for a bird’s eye view across the bay and the hinterland • Catch a ferry to French Island and let Naturaliste Tours show you this hidden treasure of natural wilderness • Join Polperro Dolphin Swims for close-up encounters with wild Bottlenose dolphins or Australian Fur Seals • Tee-off at any of nineteen golf courses (links and resort style) • Venture into catamaran sailing, snorkelling with sea dragons or stand up paddle boarding with Bayplay Adventures • Try tree surfing or tube sliding in purpose-built wonderland, Enchanted Adventure Garden • Feed kangaroos and wallabies, cuddle up to koalas or take a lantern-lit night tour at Moonlit Sanctuary • Meet the brewers, cider-makers and distillers on the Beer, Cider & Spirits Trail. WILDLIFE & ADVENTURE FO O D & WINE ROMANTIC INDULGENCE FAMILY FUN GO BEYOND MELBOURNE Go Beyond Melbourne Inc. PO Box 683 Cowes, Victoria 3922 Australia T: +61 417 122 831 E: [email protected] www.gobeyondmelbourne.com Find out more about touring our four extraordinary regions... If you are planning a road trip, this touring map is a great way to get started. However, if you need extra support, we have a fantastic suite of resources that can help. With a trade manual, online trip builder, themed itineraries and high resolution photography, we have the tools to help you create the ultimate Go Beyond Melbourne touring itinerary! www.gobeyondmelbourne.com TOURING MAP YARRA VALLEY & DANDENONG RANGES PHILLIP ISLAND MORNINGTON PENINSULA GEELONG & THE BELLARINE LINKING FOUR EXTRAORDINARY REGIONS