|
|
Grampians - Mutton Bird Island
Grampians
Located at termination of Great Dividing Range, the Gramps provide some of Victoria's most
spectacular scenery. One of its features is Mount Arapiles, (Victoria's
'Ayres Rock') which provides excellent rock climbing opportunities. Other features
include Lakes Bellfield, Fryans and Wartook, which combine with Rocklands Reservoir to
form the largest channel network of its kind in the world. There is a nearby museum
and the wildflower displays are also great.
Halls Gap
This town is the centre of roads leading to tourist attractions. It is known for its
koalas and year-round wildflowers. To the south is Lake Bellfield, Silverband Falls
and Wonderland Forest Park. East is Telopea Gardens, Boroka Winery, woollen mills and a
chiming clock. North are several lakes and west are McKenzie Falls, Pearl Falls,
Drummer Falls and Broken Falls.
Hamilton
Centre of rich pastoral area and gained national prominence when local property owner
Malcolm Fraser became the nation's prime minister in 1975. Some main attractions
include one of Australia's leading provincial art galleries, a pastoral museum, a private
art gallery in one of Hamilton's early cottages and a koala sanctuary. At nearby
Wannon River visitors can find a beautiful waterfall and a kangaroo and camel park.
Hotham Heights
Located in scenic heart of Victoria's Alps, it can be reached along the Alpine Road -
another scenic route. Around June and September the steep slopes around the resort
offer some of the best ski runs in Victoria.
Jamieson
Located at head of Goulburn River, it was once a wild gold rush town (like everywhere in
Victoria). Many of its historic buildings still remain, include the Court House
Hotel which is an elegant reminder of a town that sported fourteen hotels and several
breweries in its heyday. Today, Jamieson is a quiet rural town known for its local
trout fishing and gold panning for those visitors.
Kerang
Some attractions in this town include Franklin Homestead pioneering museum, a Fauna park and lookout tower. One of the more notable
attractions is Reedy Lake which is the breeding ground for an estimated 50 000 ibis (those
birds with the long beaks) and some 300 other bird species.
Lake Eildon
Victoria's largest man made lake, with app 500Km of shoreline. The lake is classed
as the safest and most scenic waterway in the state. Some fun things to do with this
water are skiing, fishing and cruising in a house boat.
Lake Eppalock
This is one of Victoria's largest inland lakes and is a popular venue for motorboat
racing. Nearby, is Heathcote region noted for the pink cliffs and canyons created by
sluice mining for gold in 1853. Gold and gemstones are still found in the area by
exploring type people.
Lakes Entrance
It is home to a large fishing fleet and is the entrance to the spectacular Gippsland
lakes. Local attractions include a shell museum, an Aboriginal art museum, a vintage
car and folk museum and the nearby Bachan Caves.
 |
The Baw Baw National Park located in the central Gippsland region of eastern Victoria. The 13 300 hectare park consists of the Baw Baw Plateua and parts of the Thompson and Aberfeldy River valleys. The most outstanding feature of the park is its subalpine vegetation. |
Maldon
Located 14Km west of Castlemaine, it was once the home of 20 000 miners. It is noted
for being the best preserved town of the goldmining era. The main attractions of
this area include rock formations, wildflower displays in spring and nearby Cairn Curran
Reservoir, a pop area for water sports.
Mallacoota Inlet
This is a remote and peaceful lake side resort area known for its fishing and wildlife.
Bordered by Croajingalong National Park and one of the most important natural
feature reserves in Australia, the inlet and surrounding waters are known for their
abalone and oysters, which supplement the local economy.
Mansfield
Mansfield is best known as the film location for The Man From Snowy River.
Other than that, its other role is as an agricultural centre. The main attraction of
the town is a monument erected to commemorate the three policemen who were killed by the
Kelly gang at nearby Stringybark Creek. It is also a popular trout-fishing and
gold-panning locality.
Totems at Melbourne Zoological Gardens.
Mildura
Mildura is an oasis centred in an area of parched, scrubby desert. It is a densely
populated rural production centre noted for its vineyards and orchards. Apart from
its scenic beauty the town's other attractions include museums and art galleries,
wineries, historical paddle-wheelers that cruise the Murray River and Australia's largest
private collection of birds.
Mount Buffalo
The popular tourist resort of Mount Buffalo Chalet is located in a national park of the
same name, where the countryside is steep, rugged and beautiful. Ski runs are
situated at Mount Buffalo, Cresta and Dingo Dell, and ice skating is pop at Lake Catani.
Mutton Bird Island
Located near Port Campbell on the Otway Coast, this island is noted for its colony of
mutton birds which nest there between November and April each year. They then
migrate back to the Bering Sea, a distance of 24 000Km, for the northern summer.
Nearby attraction is Loch Ard Gorge, named in honour of the iron clipper Lord Ard which
was shipwrecked there in 1878.