Your travel specialist on: Melbourne, Australia

As an Premier Aussie Specialist, one of only 100 travel consultants in the world with that title, it means I have been to Victoria many, many times , taken lots of examinations, and can recommend to a traveler what they should see and do.

Most Americans are in a rush when they go to Australia, and want to see Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Outback. Americans only get 2-3 weeks holiday, whereas other countries give people 6-8 weeks. They get Spring, Summer and winter leave. If someone can spare the time, I always recommend a few days in Victoria.

This is a city which is easy to walk around. Very cosmopolitan, excellent restaurants, hotels and theatre. A must is the Queen Victoria Market, where you could spend all day wandering around the 1000 stalls. Great place to buy gifts.

I have a few road trips which are worth taking.

The Yarra Valley. Only 37 miles northeast of Melbourne and it is brimming with wineries and boutique tasting rooms. At Stones of the Yarra Valley, you can dine inside the converted stablehand quarters and sip wine on a leafy patio. The winemakers at Maddens Rise only use hand picked grapes, fermenting small batch wines in wild yeasts before aging them in oak barrels.

I spent so much time in the wine regions of Australia, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Barossa Valley, South Australia and Margaret River, Western Australia that I decided to get a wine making degree so I could lecture in greater depth about these regions. I can say I got a wonderful education sipping my way around the land down under.

The Mornington Peninsula is a lovely drive just 90 minutes from Melbourne. A long time beach retreat, lots of sun and surf. It has also become known for its great pinot noir and chardonnays. Stop for lunch at the Port Phillip Estate winery where the vineyard views are rivaled only by family style platters of beautifully prepared local vegetable and fresh seafood plucked from Port Phillip Bay. This is a great area to play golf.

The Great Ocean Road, which runs west along the coast from Melbourne , is one of the world’s most spectacular drives. Visit beach towns like Apollo Bay and spot kangaroos on the way to Australia’s oldest surviving lighthouse at Cape Otway. The pinnacle of this trip is a pilgrimage to the Twelve Apostles, majestic monoliths weathered by the wine and ocean that stand tall against time and tide.

Phillip Island is a must in my opinion. About ninety minutes south of Melbourne and is home to the endearing penguin parade which takes place every day at dusk when 3000 little penguins come ashore and march in a column past spectators to their hillside burrows. Spend an afternoon following frolicking baby fur seals around the Seal Rocks formation, have a meal at the Cape Kitchen with absolutely breathtaking ocean views.

Ready to go – then look at our website – www.allhorizonstvl.com and see offer 1224233, 6 nights exploring Melbourne, Yarra Valley and the High Country, or Offer 1222789 to see Vibrant Victoria for 8 nights. I would recommend a few nights in Sydney, as well, or if you want a change from a city, go to the Northern Territory, and see Alice Springs , and Ayers Rock for a few days, perhaps take a camping safari in the aboriginal lands. They have a wonderful train trip, the Ghan, which is worth taking from Sydney to Ayers Rock.

There are also several excellent cruise opportunities which will stop at various ports in the country, including Tasmania, and Sydney.

Maureen Jones

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.