Melbourne G O B E Y O N D M E L B O U R N E Welcome to Opposite: Flinders foreshore, Mornington Peninsula 1. Wild Adventures Melbourne, Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges 2. Indented Head and St Leonards, The Bellarine 3. Hot air ballooning over the Yarra Valley 1 2 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 the 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 train through the Dandenongs or searching for platypus at Healesville Sanctuary, to go-karting a scale replica Grand Prix Circuit or a lantern-lit wildlife tour – in the same day, without missing a beat. Explore historic villages on the Mornington Peninsula, then cruise by ferry across Port Phillip Bay to Queenscliff and explore the Bellarine Taste Trail. The next day, join Sea All Dolphin Swims for a close encounter with marine life or take a delicious gastronomic journey aboard the Q Train. 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. INSPIRATION, TOOLS, ITINERARIES We’re here to help plan an itinerary that perfectly suits every lifestyle: food and wine indulgences, family fun, romantic and wildlife. You’ll find inspiring, customised itineraries in this manual. Within each itinerary are activities to surprise and delight: get up at dawn for wildlife spotting or hot air ballooning, take an evening lantern-lit tour of rare and endangered species, or star gaze from a thermal pool. 3 5
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