Travel Tips 101: Victoria {my 2nd Home} in a Rush …

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{in a ‘RUSH’ because: I am juggling this request – ahem! yes, feel guilty – with work work work and a bad bad flu that has lingered on way too long … sapping my energy … and also in a ‘RUSH’ because … (read below)}

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Ok. I thought I had better start this off with a big RED BLAZING WARNING!!! 

You have to be absolutely MAD (institutionalized insane mad) to do this itinerary … or unless you are ‘married to the brand’ like we are in the Bank*!

And here’s why I’m saying it’s insane.
First, the base is (1) – Melbourne. The areas that my friend would like to cover in 7-and three quarters days are:
(5) Phillip Island – for the penguins,
(6) Great Ocean Road (GOR),
(9) Mt. Buller – skiing,
(3) Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, and
(1) Melbourne of course.


For me, GOR is best done on an overnight trip with some light trekking involved and Mt. Buller is a 3D/2N (ideal) or (at the very least) a 2D/1N.

Also note that it is CRIMINAL to expose one self to the elements along the GOR and Philip Island, this time of the year … so do this in Spring … and just so you know Australia is Down Under and yes, the weather is up-side-down which means its freaking bone chilling Winter. The winter gets worse along the coastal fronts with chilling winds blowing from the Antarctic. Sure, you’d have the beaches to yourself, but it will be deserted windswept beaches.
:p

{you bet I am enjoying this – coz he is so stubborn!}

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the ITINERARY

Day 1 (Saturday)

Flight arrives @ Tullamarine Airport 11:10 am

Collect rented car (with GPS!) @ Airport

settle-in Melbourne CBD 

2 hours drive to Phillip Island 

{!!! advance ticket bookings needed. Recommended “Penguin Plus” tickets. Click HERE to buy !!!}

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Day 2 (Sunday)

1-day coastal and farmland drive to Great Ocean Road

 Activities:

Lunch at Apollo’s Bay

explore Port Campbell National Park

(stop along this rugged coast line to visit “The Shipwreck Coast”, The Huge Stone Monoliths of the Twelve Apostles, Island Arch, Razorback and Loch Ard Gorge)

{ !!! stop at Gibson´s Steps for stunning view of the Twelve Apostles from the water´s edge !!! }

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Day 3 (Monday)

Easy, late drive to Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges 
 Activities:
visit Healesville Sanctuary wildlife park
Ride on the Puffing Billy
Vineyard visit and wine tasting
Overnight 

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Day 4 (Tuesday)

Early morning drive to Mt. Buller

 Activities:

Explore Mt Buller Alpine Village

Explore the mountain using sightseeing chair lift

Fun in the Snow

Beginner’s Skiing Lessons

Drive back to Melbourne and return rented car

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.Day 5 (Wednesday)
 around Melbourne CBD | Cosmopolitan Sights
 Activities:

Federation Square

Melbourne Cricket Ground (National Sports Museum)

Fitzroy Garden

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Little Bourke Street (Chinatown)

Old Melbourne Goal

Royal Exhibition Building

Lygon Street

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. Day 6 (Thursday)

around Melbourne CBD | Waterfront

   Activities:

Eureka Skydeck 88 

 Southbank – Yarra Promenade – Crown Entertainment Complex 

St. Kilda Esplanade – Luna Park – Fitzroy St. (St. Kilda)

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 Day 7 (Friday)
 around Melbourne CBD | Shopping & Bargain Hunting!

 Activities:

Individual Branded Warehouse Shopping @  Bridge Road, Richmond

Shoes! Shoes! Shoes! @ Swan Street, Richmond

DFO @ Spencer Street, Melbourne CBD

Sportsware and Quirky shopping @ Smith Street, Fitzroy & Collingwood

Eclectic clothes, bookshops, designer jewelery shops and interesting one-off boutiques @ Brunswick Street, Fitzroy 

{ !!! click on http://www.streetsonline.com.au/ for real life view of streets !!! }

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Day 8 (Saturday)
 Flight departs Tullamarine Airport midnight
 around Melbourne CBD | Markets 
Activities:

Docklands 

Shop at Queen Victoria Market

Bourke Street Mall

Arcades & Lanes

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for {tips} + my POV

 

click HERE for Melbourne and its surroundings

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other useful TRAVEL VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA links

Melbourne Victoria Tourism

{a quick and informative guide about Victoria, Australia}

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Metlink

{guide to public transport in Melbourne and Victoria}
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Streets Online Australia

{life street views}
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That’s Me!bourne 

{informative and updated events in Melbourne as well as download-able brochures and maps}

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.*(i) totally, insanely committed and devoted to the job, (ii) reports to a pain in the rear boss that is (i)

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