The five most photogenic day trips in Victoria

Melbourne’s Dandenong Ranges is home to the wonderfully green Alfred Nicholas Gardens – the closest you'll come to visiting the horticultural wonderland from the film The Secret Garden. Located on Sherbrooke Road, this park is home to some of Australia’s best native flora, including flowering azaleas and cherry trees, which change colours all year round. Take a picnic and sit by the picturesque lake.

The Yarra Valley region of Victoria is made for the ‘gram. Rolling hills covered in vines, paddocks with cows aplenty, and maybe most importantly, wine and plenty of good grub. Hit up TarraWarra Estate for a quintessential Yarra Valley cellar door experience where, for $20 a person, you can book in for a 30-minute wine tasting flight with up to 16 guests. Following that, make a pit stop at Yarra Valley Dairy for a cheese plate that comes with fresh bread and regionally produced charcuterie. Grab your pals and take that quintessential shot in front of the vineyards. 

People bang on about the Grampians for good reason: it’s positively glorious-looking. Populated by high sandstone peaks, gorgeous wildflowers and the epic Pinnacle Walk, it’s the perfect place to get close to nature.

South-east of Melbourne lies the Mornington Peninsula. With all its beaches, wineries, cafés and award-winning hot springs, it’s pretty easy to take a back seat and let the ‘Ninsh show you the way. Hop on the Arthurs Seat chairlift to nab a killer view or go for a dip in the cool waters over at Mount Martha. Can you picture it? 

If you’re a city bumpkin, it’s not as easy to see adorable Australian wildlife as most tourists may think. You actually have to head outside the city – and the iconic Great Ocean Road is the perfect place for it. Head out to the Cape Otway Lighthouse to spy these cute marsupials in their own habitats, and play a game of I Spy with furry koala bums in the forks of the gum trees.