Day Trips from Melbourne When You’re After a Change of Scene

Melbourne, where coffee borders on religion, laneways heave with street art and people photographing it, and every corner hides a culinary revelation. It might be famous the world over for coffee, culture and social capital, but even die-hard Melburnians need to get out beyond the tram lines once in a while.

The state of Victoria has wild ecological diversity that you just don’t see on Brunswick Street. Snow-capped mountains, rainforest gullies, alpine mountain ranges, and some of the best surf breaks in the country, all within two hours drive from Fed Square.

Satisfy your craving for nature, history, hot springs, or just a really good regional wine list with these excellent day trips from Melbourne.

Hamptons charisma meets rugged Aussie coastline, the Mornington Peninsula is where Melbournians go for a little luxury downtime. First stop, the geothermal mineral pools and private baths of Peninsula Hot Springs. Wet and dry saunas, Moroccan and Turkish hammams, a hydrotherapy pool, and the Instagram-famous overlook pool with a 360-degree view of the surrounding farmlands, make this a pampering megacomplex.

Once your fingertips are good and wrinkly, make tracks to Montalto Winery and pair their pinot noir by expert winemaker Simon Black with the kitchen’s legendary fine dining grazing boards. Or if you like to really earn your lunch, the 1000 Steps Trail is a little work for killer views at the Cape Schanck Lighthouse, where cliffs collide dramatically with the ocean.

Getting there: The region is a 90 minutes drive from Melbourne proper. While there’s no public transport into the hinterland area you can take advantage of the benefits from the ALL - Accor Live Limitless car rental partners by hiring a car for the day.

Pro tip: If you’re still around at dinnertime, the masterful Laura at Pt Leo Estate is our pick of the region. Seated behind massive glass walls overlooking a sculpture garden, diners eat from a premium menu of dishes like artfully arranged asparagus with oyster and caviar and lobster flambeed in rum.

Nestled in Warrandyte State Park, Pound Bend is a swimming spot deeply cherished by real-deal Melbournians, just 40 minutes drive from the city. It’s a refreshing escape, with tranquil waters, picnic areas, and a touch of history. In 1870 a mining company constructed a 145 metre tunnel through a loop of the Yarra River at Pound Bend to divert the river's flow for gold dredging.

Today, this man-made tunnel creates a brutalist water-feature, with the river cascading from its outlet into a rock pool, creating a natural spa effect. The loop means you can jump on a lilo and eventually end up back where you started.

Pound Bend Reserve sports picnic tables, amenities, a canoe launching ramp, and some shallow pools perfect for the little ones. The area also has walking tracks that meander through native bushland, offering opportunities to spot local wildlife, including kangaroos and a healthy variety of birds.

Getting there: Public transport options are limited, so driving is your best bet. Head along Warrandyte Road and turn onto Pound Road, following it to the park entrance. Parking is available near the picnic area. Public transport options are limited, so driving is your best bet.

Pro tip: Swimming through the tunnel is dangerous because of the strong currents so our advice is, don’t do it.

The tiny towns leading up to the Dandenong Ranges, scattered throughout forests of maples, elms, oaks, and cold clean air, really are like something out of a children’s book. From the vintage train Puffing Billy Railway steaming through whimsical forests, to the quaint boathouse perched on a tiny lake in the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens in the idyllic town of Sherbrooke.

Here you can also stroll under towering mountain ash trees and listen for the local troupe of lyrebirds that are known for mimicking the sound of chainsaws. It’s oddly soothing.

Getting there: Just an hour from Melbourne central, there are a few different little villages to explore so while you can catch a train to Belgrave, your best bet is to hire a car for the day.

Pro tip: No one will let you leave the mountains without eating too many scones with Devonshire cream at Miss Marple’s Tearoom in Sassafras. Sorry, it’s local law.

Known globally for exceptional grapes, this lush escape an hour from Melbourne is a playground for wine lovers, cheese enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates the finer things. It's also one of the best romantic getaways in Victoria.

Start your day at the golden Domaine Chandon because everyone knows that only sparkling wines are acceptable before noon. When lunchtime hits, head to Innocent Bystander in Healesville for wood-fired pizzas and wine on tap. Giant Steps vineyard and cellar door is conveniently across the road, offering refined wines made from indigenous yeasts and minimal filtration. If reds are your passion, De Bortoli has robust pours and laid-back charm.

With over 80 wineries in the valley, from boutique hobbyists to big-name estates like Hubert Estate. The ultra-modern grounds house a Euro-inspired restaurant, wine store, and the Hubert Gallery of Art which showcases beautiful Indigenous Australian art.

But the Yarra Valley isn’t just wine. Healesville Sanctuary adds a wild twist to your day with up-close encounters with kangaroos, koalas, and even platypuses. Stroll through serene bushland tracks, and don’t miss the Spirits of the Sky bird show, where majestic parrots and birds of prey put on an aerial spectacle.

Getting there: The Hop It Yarra Valley bus service lets you choose your own adventure through the Yarra Valley. Your ticket price includes transportation to chosen stops, a driver, chilled water, sunscreen, and bottle storage.

Pro tip: Don’t miss a stop at the Yarra Valley Dairy, housed in a century-old milking shed, for a round of their amazing double brie.

From the greys of a long Melbourne winter, you would never guess that Victoria is the home state to Australia’s surf capital but it’s true. Torquay is the gateway to the Great Ocean Road and boasts beautiful Bells Beach, where pros ride world-famous waves, and there’s even a National Surfing Museum dedicated to board culture.

Torquay’s rugged cliffs and expansive coastline give way to the Great Otway National Park, where lush rainforests yield secret waterfalls and abundant wildlife for its trail walkers. For panoramic coastal views, head to the Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet, a short drive away.

Getting there: Just one and a half hours from Melbourne, take the West Gate and Princes Freeways to Geelong, then just follow the signs to Torquay.

Pro tip: All day breakfast and exceptionally good coffee at Pond Cafe, on The Esplanade.

If Netflix had a category for ‘bohemian art scandals’, Heide Museum of Modern Art would be the top pick. This sprawling property in Bulleen was once home to John and Sunday Reed, Melbourne’s original art patrons, who turned their home into a creative (and chaotic) hotspot.

Begin in the galleries, where rotating exhibitions of Australian modernist and contemporary art pack serious cultural cred, including Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly series, painted between Heide’s very walls.

Outside the grounds are scattered with large sculptures and lush gardens. Wander, snap some shots, and then get to the best bit of every museum - the gift shop. Heide’s is full of beautiful art books and cool souvenirs.

Getting there: Just a 30 minute drive from the CBD, Google maps might say Bulleen is part of Melbourne but Melbourians will tell you it absolutely is not.

Pro tip: Order the zucchini fritters at Cafe Heide, they’re almost as legendary as Nolan’s love triangles.