Chinese Museum,Melbourne
The Chinese Museum was established in 1985 to preserve and display the history of Chinese Australians since the mid-1800s. It has become a living part of Melbourne's modern Chinatown, with its five levels of galleries, showcasing artefacts and photographs depicting the life and culture of Chinese Australians. The museum is also the home of Dai Loong, the world's largest dragon. There are numerous other museums catering to different national cultures in the heart of Melbourne.

Admission:
A$7.50 (adults), A$5.50 (children)

Opening time:
Daily 10am to 5pm

Cooks' Cottage,Melbourne
This cottage was originally built in the village of Great Ayton in Yorkshire, England, in 1755 by James and Grace Cook, the parents of Captain James Cook. When the cottage was offered for sale in 1933 it was bought by a prominent Melbourne businessman, Sir Russell Grimwade, for 800 British Pounds. He arranged for it to be taken apart brick by brick and transported via ship and train to Melbourne. In early 1934 the cottage was rebuilt on its present site in Fitzroy Gardens, East Melbourne. Today it provides visitors with the opportunity to glimpse what life was like in 18th century England.

Admission:
A$4 (adults), A$2 (children); concessions available

Opening time:
Daily 9am to 5pm

Yarra River,Melbourne
A visit to Melbourne would not be complete without a good look at its main river system, the Yarra River. Often the centre of many jokes due to its brownish colour, it is actually not dirty, just muddy. The Yarra has become the focus of much development in the central business district, with many new buildings, walks and parks having been created along its banks in recent years, including the relatively new Riverside Park. For the best view of the Yarra River walk to Princes Bridge, St Kilda Road, or take a cruise along the river from Princes Walk (below Princes Bridge).

Government House,Melbourne
Government House is the official residence of the Governor of Victoria, located within the Botanical Gardens. The house is built in the style known as Italianate, and is one of the finest examples of this type of architecture in Australia. The house was built during the gold rush and is said to be the grandest house in Victoria. Tours of the state apartments start from La Trobe's Cottage (home of Victoria's first Lt Governor, Charles la Trobe) on the corner of Birdwood Avenue and Dallas Brooks Drive, South Yarra.

Opening time:
Visits are by advance booking only and tours operate on Mondays and Wednesdays

Old Melbourne Gaol,Melbourne
Victoria's oldest surviving remand prison gives visitors a chilling insight into prison life in a model 19th-century gaol. Behind the thick and forbidding walls Ned Kelly, the infamous bushranger, was one of 135 men and women who were hanged on the gaol's scaffold. Visitors can view the Hangman's Box, the Particulars of Execution book and other exhibits relating to this grim period of Victoria's history, as well as the death masks used in the study of phrenology to predict criminal behaviour. The Women in Prison exhibition reveals the fascinating stories of the crimes committed by the female inmates. There are free performances every Saturday of The Real Ned Kelly Story - Such is Life at 12.30pm and 2pm, and night performances on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with hangman 'Michael Gately' as he recounts stories of the gaol by candlelight (not for the faint hearted or children under 12 years of age).

Admission:
A$12.50 (adults), A$7.50 (children). Concessions available. Night tours: A$25 (adults), A$16.50 (children under 16)

Opening time:
Daily 9.30am to 5pm (Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day)

Royal Botanic Gardens,Melbourne
Established in 1846 by the first Governor of Victoria, Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens are considered one of the worlds finest. They contain extensive landscaped gardens covering 35 hectares (86 acres) and are home to more than 51,000 individual plants, representing over 12,000 different species. The gardens have become a natural sanctuary for native wild life including black swans, bell birds, cockatoos and kookaburras, filling the air with their distinctive song. Free guided walks are available.

Admission:
Free

Opening time:
Daily 7.30am to 8.30pm (November to March); 7.30am to 6pm (April, September, October); 7.30am to 5.30pm (May to August)

National Gallery of Victoria,Melbourne
The National Gallery collections are divided between the redeveloped gallery at St Kilda Road, which houses Victoria's impressive international collections (including Picasso's Weeping Woman) and the Ian Potter Centre, the spectacular new home for the country's most important Australian collection.

Admission:
Free. An admission is charged for special exhibitions

Opening time:
Daily 10am to 5pm (closed Mondays except when a public holiday)

Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park,Phillips Island and Gippsland
This park is unique and picturesque, offering lakes, wetlands, marine and terrestrial environments. It is a narrow coastal reserve covering 17,584 hectares along a portion of Victoria's Ninety Mile Beach, from Seaspray to Lakes Entrance. There are designated camping sites and a picnic area. Access to the park is from Seacombe.

Admission:
Free

National Vietnam Veterans Museum,Phillips Island and Gippsland
Next to the Phillip Island Airfield is Australia's only museum that deals with aspects of the Vietnam War, with more than 5,000 artefacts, memorabilia and photographs on display. The museum relies on volunteer staff who are veterans of the Vietnam War or connected family members, all uniquely suited to guide and answer visitors' questions. Displays vary from large vehicles and weapons to articles of clothing, badges, maps and personal letters.

Admission:
By donation

Opening time:
Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm; weekends and public holidays 10am to 5pm

Agnes Falls Reserve,Phillips Island and Gippsland
Agnes Falls, at 194ft (59m), are the highest single span falls in Victoria. The falls are situated 100 miles (160km) southeast of Melbourne near Toora on the South Gippsland Highway. The Agnes Falls Reserve protects a small remnant of the forests that once covered the Stzrelecki Ranges. The canopy of eucalyptus provides food and nesting areas for a variety of birds, including the laughing Kookaburra and a range of honeyeaters. All plants and animals in the reserve are protected, and camping is not permitted. There are designated walking trails.

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit,Phillips Island and Gippsland
At Cowes, racing enthusiasts enjoy visiting the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, originally opened in 1956, which annually hosts two international motorcycle events, the Superbike World Championship and the Qantas Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The Circuit has a Visitor Centre, which includes information displays on the history of motor sport on Phillip Island, a circuit viewing area, a café, water gardens and wildlife enclosures. Guided walking tours take visitors to off-limits areas around the track, including the winner's podium, the pit lane and the control tower. Visitors may also experience an adrenaline-pumping triple lap ride with an experienced racing driver in the HSV Hot Laps.

Admission:
Guided tours: A$18 (adults); A$9 (children 5-15); HSV Hot Laps: A$199, A$299 or A$349 for one, two or three people respectively

Opening time:
Visitor Centre open daily 9am to 7pm. Guided tours daily 11am and 2pm. HSV Hot Laps from 5pm Monday to Friday

Wilsons Promontory National Park,Phillips Island and Gippsland
The Promontory (known as 'the Prom') once linked Tasmania to the mainland. It has been a reserved area since 1898, with its 80 miles (130km) of coastline framed by vast granite masses, mountains, forests and fern gullies. The focus for tourism and recreation is at Tidal River, about 19 miles (30km) inside the park boundary, where visitors enjoy the sandy beach at Norman Bay, and Squeaky Beach with its pure white quartz sand. It is possible to walk up Mt Oberon or take 'the Prom Lighthouse Trek' with a ranger along the southern section of the Park.

Admission:
A$9.90 per car per day. Multi-day passes for 2 and 5 days are also available

Dandenong Ranges National Park,Yarra Valley
The famous lyre bird, which has the ability to mimic any other bird, is the most important inhabitant of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, just 25 miles (40km) from Melbourne via Burwood Highway or Canterbury Road. The park, covering 3,215 hectares, plays an important role in protecting the famous birds. Visitors enjoy walking, cycling and picnicking in the park at venues with enchanting names like Ferntree Gully, One Tree Hill or Sherbrooke Forest. The park is rich in wildlife and spectacular mountain ash forests and fern gullies are to be seen. The historic Puffing Billy steam train runs from Belgrave to Lakeside close to the park, and there are numerous craft shops, antique shops, gardens and restaurants in the area.

National Rhododendron Gardens,Yarra Valley
These gardens are world-famous and attract 50,000 visitors a year who come to admire an unparalleled variety of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and daffodils. One can stroll through 43 hectares of scenic gardens or enjoy a picnic by the lake and enjoy a view of the Australian Alps. During the Spring Floral Festival, held each year from August to November, visitors can see the largest undercover display of daffodils in the Southern Hemisphere. The Gardens can be found in the quaint hill town of Olinda, an hour's drive from Melbourne.

Admission:
December to August: A$6.50 (adult); A$3 (children); September to November: A$8 (adult); A$3 (children). Concessions available

Opening time:
Daily 10am to 5pm

Ballarat,Melbourne
This historic town of great elegance and charm is the gateway to the goldfields. The name is an Aboriginal word meaning 'resting place', which is well suited because a tranquil lake and botanical gardens are the focal point of the city. The main Avenue of Honour is lined with 4,000 trees as a memorial to citizens who served in World War I. The city is steeped in the history of the Gold Rush era. Visitors enjoy the Eureka Trail, a two-mile (3km) walk that retraces the route taken by the police and soldiers during the Australian rebellion of the Eureka stockade in 1854. It is also possible to undertake a self-guided Heritage Walk through the inner city's streets.

Great Ocean Road,Melbourne
From Melbourne one of the most popular self-drive routes for tourists to follow is the circular Great Southern Touring Route, which includes spectacular scenery and takes in some of Victoria's most beautiful, scenic and cultural attractions. The first part of the route hugs the coastline going south along the Great Ocean Road, renowned for its coastal scenery, passing lush Otways rainforests and on to the magnificent limestone rock sculptures known as the Twelve Apostles in the Port Campbell National Park. Other attractions along the Great Ocean Road include the historic villages of Port Campbell, Queenscliff, Portland and Port Fairy, as well as resort towns and coastal cities such as Torquay, Apollo Bay, Geelong and Warrnambool.

Grampians National Park,Melbourne
The lofty summits and ridgelines of the Grampians region provide for some inspiring natural beauty in a park that is home to a variety of habitats, unique wildlife and more than one third of all plant species found in Victoria. The park is particularly well known for its colourful displays of springtime wildflowers, particularly during October. There is an abundance of wildlife in the lowlands, including emus, kangaroos, possums, koalas, wallabies and more than 200 species of bird. The park also has some interesting Aboriginal art sites among its 167,000 hectares of woodland, heath, swamp, forest and sub-alpine zones.