As any local will tell you, regional Victorian towns are treasure troves of so much goodness. From world-class restaurants to innovative galleries and top-notch hotels to stunning natural surrounds, our state has it all. Not to mention, we're home to a beach that was just named as the second best in the whole wide world.
The entirety of Australia is laiden with fantastic travel destinations, there are so many hidden gems across the country. Wotif's Aussie Town of the Year Awards recognises the ten most trending destinations for the year ahead, as according to data, 78 per cent of Aussies plan to travel domestically this year – and Wotif has made it their mission to shine a light on the best towns in Australia to explore. The results are based on the increase in accommodation searches on Wotif.com from 2023 to 2024, also factoring in affordability, quality, quantity of accommodation options and average traveller reviews. In 2024, a Victorian locale Bendigo claimed the number one spot in an annual ranking of the best regional towns in the country, much to our delight. This year, two Victorian towns have made the top ten on the list, and we're just as proud.
The town of Beechworth, of bakery and bushranger fame, was ranked fifth on the top Aussie towns list. Located in Victoria's far north, this tiny town was a bustling hub of gold rush activity back in the 1800s, and but now has a top-notch food and wine scene in the gorgeous surrounds of our state's High Country. Visitors can learn the historic story of infamous bushranger Ned Kelly and grab a tasty beer at Bridge Road Brewers – what's not to love? Just behind in sixth position in the rankings was the coastal town of Port Campbell, which sits along the beloved Great Ocean Road. It's a super tiny town, but it's very close to the hugely popular 12 Apostles attraction. Soon, it'll be even more popular, with the addition of a swish hot springs attraction.
So which Aussie town made the number one spot for 2025? First place was awarded to the NSW town of Port Stephens, with its spectacular sand dunes, beaches and abundance of natural beauty, located two hours north of Sydney. You can find out more about each of the top ten Aussie towns here.
These are the top 10 Aussie Towns of the Year in 2025:
- Port Stephens, NSW
- Cairns, QLD
- Mandurah, WA
- Denmark, WA
- Beechworth, VIC
- Port Campbell, VIC
- Murray Bridge, SA
- Kingscliff, NSW
- Yamba, NSW
- Mackay, QLD
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