Private Charter Tours 24 courses | Scene-A-Roo [official website]

Our 24 Private Charter Tours

Scene-A-Roo tour company offers high quality private tours to beautiful tourist destinations around Melbourne. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority, and we offer a Mercedes Benz Sprinter bus with a high roof for extra comfort and safety. We believe that having many options to choose from, as well as plenty of flexibility, helps to make your tour a truly unique and memorable experience.

Private tours allow you to go at your own pace and be flexible. We are able to adapt our tour itinerary to suit anyone, including elderly travellers, families with young children, honeymoon couples, corporate tours and hiking tours. For those who prefer to travel in a smaller vehicle instead of a 12 seater Mercedes Sprinter bus, one can be arranged on request.

1. THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD AND 12 APOSTLES TOUR

The Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles is the most popular tourist destination in Victoria. There are many different ways and options for doing this tour, such as the classic route or the reverse route. Your guide can help you to decide in the morning by making recommendations based on the weather conditions and the time of the year.The most popular route is to begin at Bells beach, where we search for wild kangaroos. From here we continue on to Lorne, and visit Teddys Lookout. We then stop at Kennet River to search for wild Koalas before stopping for lunch at Apollo Bay. After lunch we visit Maits Rest to do a rainforest walk, before we end the tour at the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge.

Since this is a private tour, you can add to or change the itinerary and do it any way you like. Your guide will be able to explain the different options and give you recommendations in the morning when we leave the city. You have at least 45 minutes to decide how to do the tour before the road forks to the coastal route or the inland route.

If you wish to visit the beautiful and isolated Childers Cove area, about 30 kms further west of the Bay of Islands, we will begin the tour at the 12 Apostles and continue through Port Campbell and the Bay of Islands onto Childers Cove (or do it in reverse and start at Childers Cove and end at the 12 Apostles)

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

Helicopter Ride at the 12 Apostles: https://12apostleshelicopters.com.au/ (3 different flight options starting from $165 per person for a 15 minute flight from the 12 Apostles to London Bridge)
Otway Fly Treetop Adventures: https://otwayfly.com.au (options include Treetop Walks from $23.40 per adult and Zipline Tours from $108 per adult)
Wildlife Wonders wildlife sanctuary: https://wildlifewonders.org.au (a 75 minute Walk with Wildlife tour with a conservationist guide is $59 per adult and $24 per child [4-15])

2. THE YARRA VALLEY TOUR

We start with a pickup at your hotel between 9am and 10am.

The Yarra Valley is located about an hours drive from Melbourne. It is the oldest and best known wine growing region in Victoria, with the first vineyards having been planted here in 1838. It is known as a cool climate wine region, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay being the most awarded wines produced here.

Wine tastings are offered from 10am to 5pm, and a charge of $10 per person for a wine tasting is normal, with most wineries waiving the fee or refunding you if you purchase wine straight after you have completed the wine tasting session. There are usually around 5 or 6 wines to sample, which are a selection of white and red wines, and occasionally sparkling wine and dessert wines are available for tasting too.

The staff at the wineries are very knowledgeable and will explain in detail their wine making process, as well as other interesting aspects about the wines that you are sampling. Some wineries also offer a cellar tour, and many have restaurants that are open for lunch.

We have provided you with a list of recommended wineries, and indicated which ones have restaurants where you can enjoy lunch. If you have time to research, please advise us of your preferences for wineries and the lunch venue in the “comments” section when you make a booking, and we will reserve them for you.If you do not have any preferences, and are happy to let us choose, we will gladly make reservations for you.

If you would like to visit wineries or restaurants which are not on our list, that is no problem. We will take you wherever you like. There are over 80 wineries featuring cellar doors for you to choose from!

On a full day tour of the Yarra Valley, you can do two to three wine tastings before lunch. Depending on how long the wine tastings take, and how long you spend enjoying lunch, another two to three wine tastings may be possible after lunch.

Please note that the Yarra Valley is very busy every weekend throughout the year. If you plan to visit on a Saturday, Sunday or a Public Holiday, booking in advance is essential. We will try to book your preferred venues, but we cannot guarantee availability on those days, especially at short notice.

Optional extras:

4 Pillars Gin Distillery, in nearby Healesville, offers Gin Tastings https:// www.fourpillarsgin.com/distillery/group (Prices start from $15 per person for 5 samples)
Visiting the chocolate and ice cream factory in the Yarra Valley. It can be visited at any time during the day (https://www.yvci.com.au)
Why not take a break from wine tasting and visit the wildlife park, Healesville Sanctuary? https://www.zoo.org.au/healesville There are many native Australian animals, and they runs programs to help fight the extinction of endangered species (Adults $42, Child [4-15] $21)
Cheese Tasting at Yarra Valley Dairy. Standard Tasting is $5 per person for 4 cheeses, while Premium Tasting allows you to taste their entire range (14 cheeses) for $10 per person. They have a mixture of cow’s and goat’s milk cheeses

Popular wineries:

Yering Station (the oldest vineyard in the Yarra valley) – https://yering.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
St Huberts Estate – https://www.sthuberts.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Balgownie Estate – https://www.balgownie.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Rochford Wines Yarra Valley -http://www.rochfordwines.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Soumah of Yarra Valley – https://soumah.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
De Bortoli – https://www.debortoli.com.au/visit-us/cellar-doors/yarra-valley (Restaurant open from Thursday to Monday)
Oakridge – https://www.oakridgewines.com.au (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Dominique Portet – https://www.dominiqueportet.com (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Greenstone – https://www.greenstonevineyards.com.au (Winery open Thursday to Monday, cheese and antipasto platters available)
Coldstream Hills – https://www.coldstreamhills.com.au (Wine Tasting only)
Domain Chandon – https://www.chandon.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week). Domain Chandon Yarra Valley is the Australian division of the Moët and Chandon Champagne house from France, and part of the LVMH (Moet, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton) group . Champagne tasting starts at $18 per person for 5 samples

3. THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA TOUR

We start with a pickup from your hotel at 8am to 9am.

The Mornington Peninsula is a very popular resort area located about an hour south-east of Melbourne. It is loved by Melbourne locals, who flock there on weekends and during school holidays, especially in summertime. You can choose to focus your Mornington Peninsula tour on visiting wineries, or enjoy the natural scenic locations and short walks on offer, or you can do a combination of both.

Wealthy Melburnians have built holiday houses on the Mornington Peninsula since the late 1800’s, and Portsea is its most famous suburb. The historical pub and restaurant called the Portsea Hotel, established in 1876, is a vibrant and famous establishment https://portseahotel.com.au . If it is not too crowded, we will take you there to enjoy a beer, or a glass of wine, in the picturesque beer garden. Lunch is available from Wednesday to Monday. Please let us know if you would like to have lunch here in the “comments” section when you make your booking request.

There are award winning wineries on the Mornington Peninsula, a wide selection of beaches, and lots of beautiful natural scenic areas to explore. We provide you with a list of some of the best known wineries as a guide, but you are welcome to choose your own wineries if you like (there are over 50 wineries featuring cellar doors).

Some wineries also have restaurants which are a good option for lunch. Please let us know of your preferences for wineries and lunch venue in the “comments” section when you make your booking, and we will reserve them for you.

Please be aware that on Saturdays,Sundays and Public Holidays, the Mornington Peninsula gets very busy, and we cannot guarantee availability at your preferred choices, especially at short notice. If you do not have any preferences, and would like us to make the bookings, we will gladly make reservations for you.

Wine tastings are normally $10 per person, with most wineries waiving this fee if you purchase wine from them straight after the tasting.

Popular wineries:

Willow Creek Vineyard https://rarehare.com.au/about-willow-creek-vineyard/
(Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Red Hill Estate https://www.redhillestate.com.au (Restaurant open Wednesday to Sunday)
Montalto https://montalto.com.au (Restaurant open Friday to Monday)
Mont Rouge Estate https://montrougeestate.com.au (Restaurant open Saturday,
Sunday and Public Holidays)
Port Phillip Estate https://www.portphillipestate.com.au (Restaurant open Wednesday
to Sunday)
Point Leo Estate https://www.ptleoestate.com.au There is an outdoor sculpture
gallery at this elegant winery (Restaurant open every day)
Ten Minutes by Tractor https://www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au (Restaurant open
Thursday to Sunday)
Pier 10 https://pier10.com.au (Restaurant open Thursday to Sunday)

Natural locations:

visiting the Mount Martha Beach Bathing Boxes
enjoying the view from Arthurs Seat lookout https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-tosee/
parks/Arthurs-Seat-State-Park and nearby Seawinds Gardens https://
www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/arthurs-seat-state-park/attractions/
seawinds-gardens
doing the popular walk in Portsea called the “Millionaires Walk”. You can stroll along
the shoreline enjoying the sea views on the one side, and some large and very expensive mansions on the other. We can drop you at one end and wait for you at the other end (or at any other point along the walk): https://
www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org/PlacesToGo/Walks/ShortWalksUnder1Hour/tabid/
910/View/5b59369ba5449ddb7533aeae/Millionaires-Walk/Default.aspx
Portsea back beach has a short walk which leads to London Bridge, an interesting rock
formation in the sea http://www.humbletrail.com/listings/london-bridge-morningtonpeninsula/
Another short walk is possible from Sorrento back beach to Sphinx rock http://
bushwalkjournal.blogspot.com/2012/02/sorrento-ocean-beach-and-sphinx-rock.html
The walk to Pulpit Rock at Cape Schanck is highly recommended (https://
thesabbaticalguide.com/pulpit-rock-cape-schanck/). It takes 30 to 45 minutes to
complete.

Optional extras:

Visiting Moonlit Sanctuary https://moonlitsanctuary.com.au (Adults $26, Child [4-17] $13). Moonlit Sanctuary is an award winning wildlife park which helps rescue
threatened and endangered native Australian animals. They run breeding programs for
critically endangered species, with the aim being to release them into the wild one day.
You can feed the many different species of kangaroos, pademelons and wallabies,
which roam freely in a wide open area . The tiny little Tammar wallabies are especially
cute, and make for great photo opportunities! Your guide will be on hand to take
photos of you feeding the wallabies, as well as to give you commentary about the
various unique Australian animals at Moonlit Sanctuary, such as the rare and
endangered meat eating marsupials called Spotted Quolls.
Visiting the Japanese style Peninsula Hot Springs and Spa https://
www.peninsulahotsprings.com (Prices for the Hot Springs start at Adults $30 and
Child [3-15] $20 for 60 minutes) There are therapeutic massages and private spa
sessions available (booking in advance is essential) Please remember to bring a
bathing suit if you want to relax in the hot spring
Riding the Gondola (cable-car) at Arthurs Seat https://aseagle.com.au. You can ride
one-way (either going up or going down) and your guide will be waiting for you at the
end station to pick you up (Adult one-way $20.50, Child [4-16] $12.95)
Horse Riding on the beach with Gunnamatta Trail Rides https://gunnamatta.com.au .
Their most popular ride is the St Andrew’s Beach Ride which is suitable for beginners
(10 years and up) and takes 2 hours. Prices are $195 per person for a reservation which
does not allow for any changes and $275 per person for a flexible booking which
allows for rescheduling. Riding a horse on an isolated beach is sure to provide an
unforgettable memory!

4. THE PUFFING BILLY, DANDENONG MOUNTAINS AND YARRA VALLEY TOUR

We start with a pickup from your hotel between 8am and 9am.

We drive for around an hour to the Dandenong Mountains, which are thickly forested and offer a wide variety of hiking trails and walks. We stop at Grants Picnic Ground https://www.dandenongrangespoint.com.au/attractions/grants-picnic-ground where we can do a short walk in the forest. There are magnificent Mountain Ash trees around here, the largest species in the Eucalyptus family. They can grow to over 100 metres high.

Depending upon the amount of available time, we may also be able to visit the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/sites/alfrednicholas-memorial-garden

You have the option to visit the observatory on Mount Dandenong (height 633m) to take in the view. The entrance fee to Mt Dandenong observatory is $8 for a car (max 7 people), $15 for a minibus (max 12 people) and $25 for a coach (13 people or more) https://www.skyhighmtdandenong.com.au

After doing the short forest walk at Grants Picnic grounds, we head to Belgrave, where you can board the Puffing Billy and ride the historic old steam train to Lakeside station. The journey passes through the Sherbrooke Forest, and is on a specially designated track which operates for the Puffing Billy alone.

The journey takes around an hour. Your guide will be waiting for you at Lakeside Station. From Lakeside Station it takes around 45 minutes to drive to the Yarra Valley, where you can enjoy lunch. After lunch, you will be able to do two to three wine tastings.

Popular wineries:

Yering Station (the oldest vineyard in the Yarra valley) – https://yering.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
St Huberts Estate – https://www.sthuberts.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Balgownie Estate – https://www.balgownie.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Rochford Wines Yarra Valley -http://www.rochfordwines.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Soumah of Yarra Valley – https://soumah.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
De Bortoli – https://www.debortoli.com.au/visit-us/cellar-doors/yarra-valley (Restaurant open from Thursday to Monday)
Oakridge – https://www.oakridgewines.com.au (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Dominique Portet – https://www.dominiqueportet.com (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Greenstone – https://www.greenstonevineyards.com.au (Winery open Thursday to Monday, cheese and antipasto platters available)
Coldstream Hills – https://www.coldstreamhills.com.au (Wine Tasting only)
Domain Chandon – https://www.chandon.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week). Domain Chandon Yarra Valley is the Australian division of the Moët and Chandon Champagne house from France, and part of the LVMH (Moet, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton) group . Champagne tasting starts at $18 per person for 5 samples

If you have preferences for the wineries you would like to visit, and which restaurant to have lunch, please let us know in the “comments” section when you make your booking, and we will make reservations for you. If you do not have any preferences, and are happy to let us choose, we will gladly make reservations for you.

We arrive back in Melbourne at 6pm to 7pm

5. THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD AND 12 APOSTLES REVERSE TOUR

We start with a morning pickup at your hotel between 7am and 9am.

After leaving Melbourne, we take the inland route, and stop for a coffee break at Colac, before heading to the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and Gibson Steps.

The 12 Apostles is the most famous tourist attraction in Victoria, and is a must see!

There were originally 9 limestone rock stacks (there were never 12), some reaching up to 50 metres in height, and the stack which once occupied a prominent position in the foreground collapsed in 2005. The remnants are still visible. New stacks are being formed and old ones are eroding away in rapid geological time due to the power of the waves from the mighty Southern Ocean. Rain and wind also play an important part in the erosion of these rock stacks and the adjacent cliffs (from which new rock stacks will eventually emerge).

This stretch of coastline is known as the “Shipwreck Coast” due to the unusually high number of ships which have floundered and sunk here. Winters can occasionally produce storms with winds of hurricane like intensity and gigantic 10 metre waves. The ships that sailed from Europe to Australia in the era before engines were invented didn’t stand much chance of escape if they were caught in one of these terrifying storms close to the coast.

One reason why there are so many shipwrecks is that the coastline offers little in the way of safe harbours for boats to shelter from storms in. Another reason why there are so many shipwrecks is the powerful psychological pull of “gold fever” after the largest reserves of alluvial gold ever discovered were found in Ballarat in 1851. It caused people to become irrational and lose their patience. Some would risk everything, including their lives, by chancing their luck and choosing to sail during the dangerous winter months, when the probability of encountering one of these treacherous storms was highest. Many wanted to reach the goldfields as quickly as possible,thinking it would increase their chances of striking it rich before others got there. Australia remains, to this day, the country with the highest rate of gamblers in the world!

By doing the tour in reverse, we arrive at the 12 Apostles between 11am and 12pm. The advantage of arriving in the morning is that it is less crowded, and the angle of the sun is better for taking photos of yourself in the foreground and the 12 Apostles rock stacks in the background.

Loch Ard Gorge is named after a ship that was shipwrecked on nearby Mutton Bird Island in 1878. It has a beautiful beach flanked by steep cliffs, which is a favourite photo location for many visitors.

Gibson Steps are steep stairs cut into a cliff face which lead down to a wild ocean beach. The gate near the top of Gibson Steps may be locked when the sea levels are high.

We stop next at Maits Rest, where you can do a short walk in a remnant of ancient Gondwana rainforest, before we reach picturesque Apollo Bay, where you can enjoy a late lunch.

After lunch, we travel along the scenic part of the Great Ocean Road between Apollo Bay and Lorne, where the road hugs the coastline, and passes dramatic cliffs and small river-fed coves.

We stop at Kennet River to search for wild Koalas, before visiting the popular “Teddy’s Lookout” at Lorne.

We continue on to Anglesea Golf Course to search for wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos, before stopping near the world famous surfing destination of Bells Beach to enjoy a last look of the Bass Straight, the sea which separates mainland Australia from Tasmania.

From Bells Beach we return directly to Melbourne.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

If you want to do any of these optional extras, please advise us in the “comments” section when you make a booking, and we will make a reservation for you. Please note that doing an optional extra will affect the time schedule for the suggested itinerary, and certain destinations may have to be omitted. During the school holiday period and peak tourist season bookings cannot be guaranteed, especially at short notice.

Helicopter Ride at the 12 Apostles: https://12apostleshelicopters.com.au/ (3 different flight options starting from $165 per person for a 15 minute flight from the 12 Apostles to London Bridge)
Otway Fly Treetop Adventures: https://otwayfly.com.au (options include Treetop Walks from $23.40 per adult and Zipline Tours from $108 per adult)
Wildlife Wonders wildlife sanctuary: https://wildlifewonders.org.au (a 75 minute Walk with Wildlife tour with a conservationist guide is $59 per adult and $24 per child [4-15])

6. THE 12 APOSTLES AND BAY OF ISLANDS TOUR

We start with a morning pickup at your hotel between 7am and 9am.

The Bay of Islands is a beautiful and tranquil location with stunning scenery, which lies around 30km further west of the 12 Apostles. Some people say that it is even more beautiful than the 12 Apostles!

This itinerary is a Scenearoo original, and we are confident that even second time visitors to the Great Ocean Road and the 12 Apostles will be happy and pleasantly surprised, since there are many attractions on this itinerary which are not offered on the Great Ocean Road tour by other tour companies.

After leaving Melbourne we stop at Apollo Bay, a beautiful seaside port town, before continuing on to Mait’s Rest, where we will do a short walk in remnant of ancient Gondwana rainforest.

Next we go looking for wild Koalas in the Otways National Park. In 2022 the Australian government changed the status of Koalas from “Vulnerable” to “Endangered”. The Otways National Park (area approximately 1000 square kms) is one of the few places left in Australia where there is still a thriving population of wild Koalas. Please be aware that since these are wild animals, we cannot give you a 100% guarantee that we will be able to find them, but if we are lucky, we will be able to see at least a few of these solitary and enigmatic marsupials. Seeing Koalas in the wild is becoming increasingly difficult to do in many parts of Australia, largely due to habitat destruction, but also as a consequence of the catastrophic 2019 bushfires.

After searching for wild Koalas we visit Gibson Steps, the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge, before stopping for a late lunch at Port Campbell.

The 12 Apostles is the most famous tourist attraction in Victoria, and is a must see!

One reason why there are so many shipwrecks is that the coastline offers little in the way of safe harbours for boats to shelter from storms in. Another reason why there are so many shipwrecks is the powerful psychological pull of “gold fever” after the largest reserves of alluvial gold ever discovered were found in Ballarat in 1851. It caused people to become irrational and lose their patience. Some would risk everything, including their lives, by chancing their luck and choosing to sail during the dangerous winter months, when the probability of encountering one of these treacherous storms was highest. Many wanted to reach the goldfields as quickly as possible, thinking it would increase their chances of striking it rich before others got there. Australia remains, to this day, the country with the highest rate of gamblers in the world!

Gibson Steps are steep stairs cut into a cliff face which lead down to a wild ocean beach. The gate near the top of Gibson Steps may be locked when the sea levels are high.

After stopping at Port Campbell, where you have an option to enjoy lunch, we continue on to London Bridge, a spectacular rock arch in the sea which was connected to the mainland until 1990, when part of it collapsed. Two tourists were on the rock when it collapsed, and had to be rescued by helicopter. It was subsequently renamed London Arch after the bridge section collapsed, but locals continue to call it London Bridge!.

The London Bridge is followed by the Bay of Martyrs, where the lookout offers a view of a wide, sweeping bay with many rock stacks in the distance.

After the Bay Of Martyrs we finally end with a visit to the Bay of Islands. The true beauty of the Bay of Islands, apart from being a visual feast for the eyes, is how tranquil and quiet it is there. There are very few visitors compared to the more famous 12 Apostles. The reason for this is that none of the tour companies offering one day tours to the 12 Apostles visit The Bay of Islands.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

Helicopter Ride at the 12 Apostles: https://12apostleshelicopters.com.au/ (3 different flight options starting from $165 per person for a 15 minute flight from the 12 Apostles to London Bridge)
Otway Fly Treetop Adventures: https://otwayfly.com.au (options include Treetop Walks from $23.40 per adult and Zipline Tours from $108 per adult)
Wildlife Wonders wildlife sanctuary: https://wildlifewonders.org.au (a 75 minute Walk with Wildlife tour with a conservationist guide is $59 per adult and $24 per child [4-15])

7. THE 12 APOSTLES AND BAY OF ISLANDS REVERSE TOUR

We start with a morning pickup at your hotel between 7am and 9am.

We leave Melbourne and stop at Colac for a coffee break, and then head straight to the Bay of Islands.

The true beauty of the Bay of Islands, apart from being a visual feast for the eyes, is how tranquil and quiet it is there. There are very few visitors compared to the more famous 12 Apostles. The reason for this is that none of the tour companies offering one day tours to the 12 Apostles visit The Bay of Islands.

After the Bay of Islands, we visit the Bay of Martyrs, where the lookout offers a view of a wide, sweeping bay with many rock stacks in the distance.

We continue on to London Bridge, a spectacular rock arch in the sea which was connected to the mainland until 1990, when part of it collapsed. Two tourists were on the rock when it collapsed, and had to be rescued by helicopter. It was subsequently renamed London Arch after the bridge section collapsed, but locals continue to call it London Bridge!.

We then stop at Port Campbell, where you have an option to enjoy lunch, before continuing on to the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and Gibson Steps.

The 12 Apostles is the most famous tourist attraction in Victoria, and is a must see!

One reason why there are so many shipwrecks is that the coastline offers little in the way of safe harbours for boats to shelter from storms in. Another reason why there are so many shipwrecks is the powerful psychological pull of “gold fever” after the largest reserves of alluvial gold ever discovered were found in Ballarat in 1851. It caused people to become irrational and lose their patience. Some would risk everything, including their lives, by chancing their luck and choosing to sail during the dangerous winter months, when the probability of encountering one of these treacherous storms was highest. Many wanted to reach the goldfields as quickly as possible, thinking it would increase their chances of striking it rich before others got there. Australia remains, to this day, the country with the highest rate of gamblers in the world!

Gibson Steps are steep stairs cut into a cliff face which lead down to a wild ocean beach. The gate near the top of Gibson Steps may be locked when the sea levels are high.

We continue on to Mait’s Rest, where we will do a short walk in remnant of ancient Gondwana rainforest, before ending at Apollo Bay, a beautiful seaside port town. From Apollo Bay, we take the inland route back to Melbourne.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

Helicopter Ride at the 12 Apostles: https://12apostleshelicopters.com.au/ (3 different flight options starting from $165 per person for a 15 minute flight from the 12 Apostles to London Bridge)
Otway Fly Treetop Adventures: https://otwayfly.com.au (options include Treetop Walks from $23.40 per adult and Zipline Tours from $108 per adult)
Wildlife Wonders wildlife sanctuary: https://wildlifewonders.org.au (a 75 minute Walk with Wildlife tour with a conservationist guide is $59 per adult and $24 per child [4-15])

8. THE 12 APOSTLES, BAY OF ISLANDS AND CHILDERS COVE TOUR

We start with a morning pickup at your hotel between 7am and 9am.

This itinerary gives you a chance to experience 2 stunning destinations visited only by Scenearoo: the Bay of Islands, and Childers Cove.

The Bay of Islands is a uniquely beautiful and tranquil location, which lies around 30km further west of the 12 Apostles. Due to the limited time available on a one day tour, we take the inland route via Colac in both directions in order to be able to see the 12 Apostles, the Bay of Islands, and Childers Cove, on the same day.

Childers Cove https://portfairyaustralia.com.au/explore/childers-cove/ is a remote, beautiful, unspoilt stretch of coastline about 30 minutes drive further west of the Bay of Islands. This is the furtherest place that you can go to from Melbourne on a one day tour which includes a visit to the 12 Apostles.

This original Scenearoo itinerary offers spectacular scenery in an isolated location, where you are almost guaranteed to be alone. There is a long stretch of beach with several dramatic rock stacks in the sea, as well as cliffs, fantastically shaped rocks, and isolated coves to explore.

After leaving Melbourne, we stop for a coffee break at Colac and head straight to Childers Cove. After Childers Cove, we stop at the Bay of Islands.

After the Bay of Islands, we visit the Bay of Martyrs, where the lookout offers a view of a wide, sweeping bay with many rock stacks in the distance.

We then stop at Port Campbell, where you have an option to enjoy lunch, before continuing on to the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and Gibson Steps.

The 12 Apostles is the most famous tourist attraction in Victoria, and is a must see!

One reason why there are so many shipwrecks is that the coastline offers little in the way of safe harbours for boats to shelter from storms in. Another reason why there are so many shipwrecks is the powerful psychological pull of “gold fever” after the largest reserves of alluvial gold ever discovered were found in Ballarat in 1851. It caused people to become irrational and lose their patience. Some would risk everything, including their lives, by chancing their luck and choosing to sail during the dangerous winter months, when the probability of encountering one of these treacherous storms was highest. Many wanted to reach the goldfields as quickly as possible, thinking it would increase their chances of striking it rich before others got there. Australia remains, to this day, the country with the highest rate of gamblers in the world!

Gibson Steps are steep stairs cut into a cliff face which lead down to a wild ocean beach. The gate near the top of Gibson Steps may be locked when the sea levels are high.

We return from Gibson Steps to Melbourne via Colac.

9. THE PHILLIP ISLAND PENGUIN PARADE FULL DAY TOUR

The world famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade happens every night of the year shortly after the sun sets. This can be as early as 5.20pm in winter, and as late as 8.45pm in summer.

We start the tour with a morning pickup at your hotel between 9am and 10am in midwinter (June, July, August), between 10am and 12pm in the Autumn and Spring seasons (March, April, May; September, October, November), and between 12pm and 1pm in midsummer (December, January, February).

After you have completed your booking request on our website, we will give you a pickup time when we confirm your booking. Please let us know of your choices, such as seating at the Penguin Parade, or any optional extras, in the “comments’ section when you make your booking request. We will let you know if we have been able to reserve your choices when we confirm your booking request.

At the Penguin Parade, there are three options for where you can view the little penguins as they come out of the sea and waddle back to their nests. These are:

the General Viewing seating area,
Penguin Plus (an enclosed enclave where there are more penguins to be seen), and
Penguin Underground, which is located underneath the Penguin Plus viewing platform. The Penguin Underground offers the closest views of the penguins from a ground level angle through one way glass, but is limited to 70 people, so it is often sold out.

Please note that it can get very cold at the Penguin Parade, especially in winter, so be sure to bring extra warm clothing. Having rainproof protective clothing, gloves, and a woolly hat is a good idea in winter. Even in summertime when the days are hot, it is recommended that you bring something warm like a jacket or a windbreaker with you, because it can get cold quickly.

We can book your Penguin Parade tickets for you, or else you can make your own bookings here: https://penguins.org.au

For General Viewing, tickets are $27.70 per adult and $13.70 per child (4-15).

For Penguin Plus (limited to 300 people) tickets are $65 per adult and $32.50 per child (4-15).

For Penguin Underground (limited to 70 people) tickets are $75 per adult and $37.50 per child (4-15)

Whenever we go to Phillip Island to view the Penguin Parade, we will stop at a beautiful beach on Phillip Island first (weather permitting). We will also take you to The Nobbies Nature Reserve, which has a short walk offering spectacular, rugged coastal scenery https://www.visitphillipisland.com.au/products/the-nobbies-walk , before going on to the Penguin Parade.

We recommend taking an hour to watch the Penguin Parade, but if you would like an extra fifteen or twenty minutes, it’s no problem.

It takes around two hours to return to Melbourne from the Penguin Parade.

Suggested Itinerary:

We begin this tour by picking you up from your hotel and heading straight to Phillip Island. It takes around 2 hours to reach Phillip Island from Melbourne.

There are many interesting things to do on a full day tour of Phillip Island, apart from viewing the Penguin Parade:

You can choose from a variety of walking trails, if you enjoy walking in unspoiled, natural surroundings. For a list of walking trail options, click here: https://www.visitphillipisland.com.au/see-do/walks-trails/walking-trails. We will take you to the starting point of the walk, and wait for you at the finishing point. We highly recommend the Cape Woolamai walk (1.5 hour and 2.5 hour options are available)
You can explore the main town of Cowes and do the Cowes main beach and do the Esplanade Walk https://walkingmaps.com.au/walk/3883
We can visit nearby San Remo Pier at 12pm to watch Pelican Feeding https://srfco.com.au/pelican-feeding/ (the restaurant at the San Remo Fishermans Co-Op is a popular lunch option offering freshly caught seafood)
We can take you to enjoy walking (or in summertime you can enjoy suntanning) along some of Phillip Island’s pristine beaches such as Woolamai beach, Smith’s beach and Cowrie Beach.
We can take you to The Nobbies Nature reserve and walk to The Blowhole https://www.phillipislandpoint.com.au/attractions/blowhole/

Optional Extras:

Visiting Churchill Island https://www.penguins.org.au/attractions/churchill-island/ (Adult $13.70, Child [4-15] $6.85),
Visiting the Koala Conservation Reserve https://www.penguins.org.au/attractions/koala-reserve/ (Adult $13.70, Child [4-15] $6.85),
Visiting the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Visitor Centre. The Australian MotoGP is held here every year in October. The Visitor Centre has some exhibits, and you have the option of seeing a History of Motorsport Display https://www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au (Adults $17.50, Child [5-15] $8.50)
Another exciting option is to ride go-karts next to the world famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit https:// www.phillipislandgokarts.com.au (Prices start at $35 per driver for a ten minute session)
You can take a scenic helicopter ride over the island https://www.phillipislandhelicopters.com.au ( Prices start from $125 per person for an 8 minute flight)
You can take a boat cruise to see the seal colony at Seal Rocks https://www.wildlifecoastcruises.com.au/cruises/seal-watching/ (Adults $92, Child [4-15] $64) The cruise takes 2 hours and departs from Cowes Pier at 2pm every day
You can go on a Dolphin and Whale cruise (available from June until early August only) https://www.wildlifecoastcruises.com.au/ cruises/winter-whale-cruise/ (Adults $120, Child [4-15] $80) The cruise takes 3 hours and departs from Cowes Pier at 1pm
You can have surfing lessons and learn how to master the basics of surfing with a professionally qualified surf instructor https:// www.prosurfcoaching.com (2 hour group lessons are $80 per person, and 2 hour private lessons are $120 per person)

There are many restaurant options for lunch or dinner in Cowes, the biggest town on Phillip Island. During the summer months, you will have time to enjoy dinner in Cowes before continuing on to the Nobbies and the Penguin Parade.

10. THE MELBOURNE CITY SIGHTS, MOONLIT SANCTUARY AND PENGUIN PARADE TOUR

The world famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade happens every night of the year shortly after the sun sets. This can be as early as 5.20pm in winter, and as late as 8.45pm in summer.

At the Penguin Parade, there are three options for where you can view the little penguins as they come out of the sea and waddle back to their nests. These are:

the General Viewing seating area,
Penguin Plus (an enclosed enclave where there are more penguins to be seen), and
Penguin Underground, which is located underneath the Penguin Plus viewing platform. The Penguin Underground offers the closest views of the penguins from a ground level angle through one way glass, but is limited to 70 people, so it is often sold out.

We can book your Penguin Parade tickets for you, or else you can make your own bookings here: https://penguins.org.au

For General Viewing, tickets are $27.70 per adult and $13.70 per child (4-15).

For Penguin Plus (limited to 300 people) tickets are $65 per adult and $32.50 per child (4-15).

For Penguin Underground (limited to 70 people) tickets are $75 per adult and $37.50 per child (4-15)

Whenever we go to Phillip Island to view the Penguin Parade, we will stop at a beautiful beach on Phillip Island first (weather permitting).

We will also take you to The Nobbies Nature Reserve, which has a short walk offering spectacular, rugged coastal scenery https://www.visitphillipisland.com.au/products/the-nobbies-walk , before going on to the Penguin Parade.

We recommend taking an hour to watch the Penguin Parade, but if you would like an extra fifteen or twenty minutes, it’s no problem.

It takes around two hours to return to Melbourne from the Penguin Parade.

Suggested Itinerary:

We begin this tour by visiting some of the popular Melbourne City sights. Your guide will help you to choose which ones to visit, according to the time available. Popular destinations include:

Fitzroy Gardens and Cook’s Cottage https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-todo/ cooks-cottage,
St Patricks Cathedral
The Old Treasury Building https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au,
The Royal Exhibition Building https://museumsvictoria.com.au/reb/
The Queen Victoria Market markethttps://qvm.com.au/
The Shrine of Remembrance https://www.shrine.org.au
The Royal Botanical Gardens https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/
Luna Park in St Kilda (usually we stop to take photos at the entrance to Luna Park, which is a popular photo location)
The Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/services/facilitiesand- venues/brighton-beach-bathing-boxes

After we have visited St Kilda and the Brighton Beach Boxes, we recommend continuing on to Moonlit Sanctuary https://moonlitsanctuary.com.au (Adults $26, Child [4-17] $13).

It takes around 1 hour to reach Moonlit Sanctuary from the Brighton Beach Boxes.

Moonlit Sanctuary is an award winning wildlife park which helps rescue threatened and endangered native Australian animals. They run breeding programs for critically endangered species, with the aim being to release them into the wild one day. You can feed the many different species of kangaroos, pademelons and wallabies, which roam freely in a wide open area . The tiny little Tammar wallabies are especially cute, and make for great photo opportunities! Your guide will be on hand to take photos of you feeding the wallabies, as well as to give you commentary about the various unique Australian animals at Moonlit Sanctuary, such as the rare and endangered meat eating marsupials called Spotted Quolls.

After leaving Moonlit Sanctuary, we head to Phillip Island. The drive from Moonlit Sanctuary to Phillip Island takes around an hour, and your guide can give you suggestions about things to do at Phillip Island along the way.

Depending upon the amount of time available, you may be able to do a few of the options or optional extras outlined in the Phillip Island Penguin Parade Full Day tour page (please refer to tour itinerary number 6), before finishing the tour at the Penguin Parade.

11. THE YARRA VALLEY AND PENGUIN PARADE TOUR

The world famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade happens every night of the year shortly after the sun sets. This can be as early as 5.20pm in winter, and as late as 8.45pm in summer.

We start the tour with a pickup at your hotel between 9am and 10am in midwinter (June, July, August), between 10am and 12pm in the Autumn and Spring seasons (March, April, May; September, October, November), and between 12pm and 1pm in midsummer (December, January, February).

At the Penguin Parade, there are three options for where you can view the little penguins as they come out of the sea and waddle back to their nests. These are:

the General Viewing seating area,
Penguin Plus (an enclosed enclave where there are more penguins to be seen), and
Penguin Underground, which is located underneath the Penguin Plus viewing platform. The Penguin Underground offers the closest views of the penguins from a ground level angle through one way glass, but is limited to 70 people, so it is often sold out.

We can book your Penguin Parade tickets for you, or else you can make your own bookings here: https://penguins.org.au

For General Viewing, tickets are $27.70 per adult and $13.70 per child (4-15).

For Penguin Plus (limited to 300 people) tickets are $65 per adult and $32.50 per child (4-15).

For Penguin Underground (limited to 70 people) tickets are $75 per adult and $37.50 per child (4-15)

Whenever we go to Phillip Island to view the Penguin Parade, we will stop at a beautiful beach on Phillip Island first (weather permitting).

We recommend taking an hour to watch the Penguin Parade, but if you would like an extra fifteen or twenty minutes, it’s no problem.

It takes around two hours to return to Melbourne from the Penguin Parade.

Suggested Itinerary:

We begin by visiting the Yarra Valley first, before heading to Phillip Island.

You should have enough time to do wine tasting at 2 to 3 wineries before heading to Phillip Island (weekends and public holidays can be very busy, so it may take longer to do wine tastings then).

You can enjoy lunch at a restaurant in the Yarra Valley, and dinner at Cowes on Phillip Island (in winter it may be better to have dinner after seeing the Penguin Parade- your guide will be able to give you more details on the day of your tour)

Popular wineries:

Yering Station (the oldest vineyard in the Yarra valley) – https://yering.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
St Huberts Estate – https://www.sthuberts.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Balgownie Estate – https://www.balgownie.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Rochford Wines Yarra Valley -http://www.rochfordwines.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Soumah of Yarra Valley – https://soumah.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
De Bortoli – https://www.debortoli.com.au/visit-us/cellar-doors/yarra-valley (Restaurant open from Thursday to Monday)
Oakridge – https://www.oakridgewines.com.au (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Dominique Portet – https://www.dominiqueportet.com (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Greenstone – https://www.greenstonevineyards.com.au (Winery open Thursday to Monday, cheese and antipasto platters available)
Coldstream Hills – https://www.coldstreamhills.com.au (Wine Tasting only)
Domain Chandon – https://www.chandon.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Domain Chandon Yarra Valley is the Australian division of the Moët and Chandon
Champagne house from France, and part of the LVMH (Moet, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton) group . Champagne tasting starts at $18 per person for 5 samples

It takes around 2 hours to reach Phillip Island from the Yarra Valley. Your guide can give you suggestions about things to do at Phillip Island along the way, taking into account the time of the year and the weather forecast for the day.

12. THE PUFFING BILLY STEAM TRAIN AND PENGUIN PARADE TOUR

The world famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade happens every night of the year shortly after the sun sets. This can be as early as 5.20pm in winter, and as late as 8.45pm in summer.

At the Penguin Parade, there are three options for where you can view the little penguins as they come out of the sea and waddle back to their nests. These are:

the General Viewing seating area,
Penguin Plus (an enclosed enclave where there are more penguins to be seen), and
Penguin Underground, which is located underneath the Penguin Plus viewing platform. The Penguin Underground offers the closest views of the penguins from a ground level angle through one way glass, but is limited to 70 people, so it is often sold out.

We can book your Penguin Parade tickets for you, or else you can make your own bookings here: https://penguins.org.au

For General Viewing, tickets are $27.70 per adult and $13.70 per child (4-15).

For Penguin Plus (limited to 300 people) tickets are $65 per adult and $32.50 per child (4-15).

For Penguin Underground (limited to 70 people) tickets are $75 per adult and $37.50 per child (4-15)

Whenever we go to Phillip Island to view the Penguin Parade, we will stop at a beautiful beach on Phillip Island first (weather permitting).

We recommend taking an hour to watch the Penguin Parade, but if you would like an extra fifteen or twenty minutes, it’s no problem.

It takes around two hours to return to Melbourne from the Penguin Parade.

Suggested Itinerary:

We start this tour by picking you up from your hotel between 9am and 11.30am.

Riding on the Puffing Billy steam train https://puffingbilly.com.au is very popular with Melbourne locals, especially kids, as well as interstate visitors. Recently, foreign visitors are enjoying riding on this lovingly restored historic old steam train too. It’s a fun ride for people of all ages!

We recommend taking a one-way ride from Belgrave Station to Lakeside Station, (Adult $35 Child [4-15] $18). The travel time is approximately one hour. The journey passes through the Sherbrooke Forest, and is on a specially designated track which operates for the Puffing Billy steam train alone. Your guide will be waiting to pick you up at Lakeside station.

After riding on the Puffing Billy, we can take you directly to Phillip Island (it takes around one and a half hours to drive from Puffing Billy Lakeside Station to the Penguin Parade) and you can enjoy your time exploring Phillip Island before visiting the Penguin Parade, or you can ask your guide about other options that are available, such as visiting the Dandenong Mountains or Moonlit Sanctuary, before heading to Phillip Island. On Phillip Island, depending on the amount of time available, you may have time to do a few options or optional extras outlined in the Phillip Island Penguin Parade Full Day tour page (tour option number 6)

Please note that it may not be possible to do this tour in the summer season (December, January, February) because the last Puffing Billy train departs from Belgrave Station at 12.45pm (it takes around an hour to drive to Belgrave Station from Melbourne which means we have to pick you up by 11.30am in order to ride on the 12.45pm train) . However, during the summer school holiday period, there is an additional train which departs Belgrave Station at 2.15pm. This means that a pickup from your hotel up to 1pm is possible. If you are interested in doing this tour during the summer season, please contact us via email or phone before making a booking, to check if it is possible.

13. THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA AND PENGUIN PARADE TOUR

The world famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade happens every night of the year shortly after the sun sets. This can be as early as 5.20pm in winter, and as late as 8.45pm in summer.

At the Penguin Parade, there are three options for where you can view the little penguins as they come out of the sea and waddle back to their nests. These are:

the General Viewing seating area,
Penguin Plus (an enclosed enclave where there are more penguins to be seen), and
Penguin Underground, which is located underneath the Penguin Plus viewing platform. The Penguin Underground offers the closest views of the penguins from a ground level angle through one way glass, but is limited to 70 people, so it is often sold out.

We can book your Penguin Parade tickets for you, or else you can make your own bookings here: https://penguins.org.au

For General Viewing, tickets are $27.70 per adult and $13.70 per child (4-15).
For Penguin Plus (limited to 300 people) tickets are $65 per adult and $32.50 per child (4-15).
For Penguin Underground (limited to 70 people) tickets are $75 per adult and $37.50 per child (4-15)

We recommend taking an hour to watch the Penguin Parade, but if you would like an extra fifteen or twenty minutes, it’s no problem.

It takes around two hours to return to Melbourne from the Penguin Parade.

Suggested Itinerary:

After leaving Melbourne, we head to the Mornington Peninsula.

You can choose to focus your Mornington Peninsula tour on visiting wineries, or enjoy the natural scenic locations and short walks on offer, or you can do a combination of both. Please note that you will only have a half day tour of the Mornington Peninsula on this tour, so if you want to only visit wineries and do wine tastings, you will be able to visit 2 or 3 wineries before we have to head to Phillip Island. Alternatively, you could do one or two short walks, or optional extras. You will have plenty of time to discuss options with your guide in the morning, on the way to the Mornington Peninsula.

Depending upon how long you choose to stay on the Mornington Peninsula, we can either drive you to Phillip Island later in the day so that you can spend most of your time enjoying the Mornington Peninsula before watching the Penguin Parade, or you could choose to leave the Mornington Peninsula earlier in the day, in order to spend more time exploring Phillip Island, before finally heading to the Penguin Parade. It takes 1.5 hours to 2 hours to reach the Penguin Parade from the Mornington Peninsula.

Wine tastings are normally $10 per person, with most wineries waiving this fee if you purchase wine from them straight after the tasting.

Popular wineries:

Willow Creek Vineyard https://rarehare.com.au/about-willow-creek-vineyard/ (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Red Hill Estate https://www.redhillestate.com.au (Restaurant open Wednesday to Sunday)
Montalto https://montalto.com.au (Restaurant open Friday to Monday)
Mont Rouge Estate https://montrougeestate.com.au (Restaurant open Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays)
Port Phillip Estate https://www.portphillipestate.com.au (Restaurant open Wednesday to Sunday)
Point Leo Estate https://www.ptleoestate.com.au There is an outdoor sculpture gallery at this elegant winery (Restaurant temporarily closed)
Ten Minutes by Tractor https://www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au (Restaurant open Thursday to Sunday)
Pier 10 https://pier10.com.au (Restaurant open Thursday to Sunday)

Natural locations:

visiting the Mount Martha Beach Bathing Boxes
enjoying the view from Arthurs Seat lookout https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-tosee/ parks/Arthurs-Seat-State-Park and nearby Seawinds Gardens https:// www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/arthurs-seat-state-park/attractions/ seawinds-gardens
doing the popular walk in Portsea called the “Millionaires Walk”. You can stroll along the shoreline enjoying the sea views on the one side, and some large and very expensive mansions on the other. We can drop you at one end and wait for you at the other end (or at any other point along the walk): https:// www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org/PlacesToGo/Walks/ShortWalksUnder1Hour/tabid/ 910/View/5b59369ba5449ddb7533aeae/Millionaires-Walk/Default.aspx
Portsea back beach has a short walk which leads to London Bridge, an interesting rock formation in the sea http://www.humbletrail.com/listings/london-bridge-morningtonpeninsula/
Another short walk is possible from Sorrento back beach to Sphinx rock http:// bushwalkjournal.blogspot.com/2012/02/sorrento-ocean-beach-and-sphinx-rock.html
The walk to Pulpit Rock at Cape Schanck is highly recommended (https:// thesabbaticalguide.com/pulpit-rock-cape-schanck/). It takes 30 to 45 minutes to complete.

Optional extras:

Visiting Moonlit Sanctuary https://moonlitsanctuary.com.au (Adults $26, Child [4-17] $13). Moonlit Sanctuary is an award winning wildlife park which helps rescue threatened and endangered native Australian animals. They run breeding programs for critically endangered species, with the aim being to release them into the wild one day. You can feed the many different species of kangaroos, pademelons and wallabies, which roam freely in a wide open area . The tiny little Tammar wallabies are especially cute, and make for great photo opportunities! Your guide will be on hand to take photos of you feeding the wallabies, as well as to give you commentary about the various unique Australian animals at Moonlit Sanctuary, such as the rare and endangered meat eating marsupials called Spotted Quolls.
Visiting the Japanese style Peninsula Hot Springs and Spa https:// www.peninsulahotsprings.com (Prices for the Hot Springs start at Adults $30 and Child [3-15] $20 for 60 minutes) There are therapeutic massages and private spa sessions available (booking in advance is essential) Please remember to bring a bathing suit if you want to relax in the hot spring
Riding the Gondola (cable-car) at Arthurs Seat https://aseagle.com.au. You can ride one-way (either going up or going down) and your guide will be waiting for you at the end station to pick you up (Adult one-way $20.50, Child [4-16] $12.95)
Horse Riding on the beach with Gunnamatta Trail Rides https://gunnamatta.com.au . Their most popular ride is the St Andrew’s Beach Ride which is suitable for beginners (10 years and up) and takes 2 hours. Prices are $195 per person for a reservation which does not allow for any changes and $275 per person for a flexible booking which allows for rescheduling. Riding a horse on an isolated beach is sure to provide an unforgettable memory!
Strawberry picking at Sunny Ridge farm between November and April https:// sunnyridge.com.au (Adults $12 for 500gm strawberries, Child [4-12years] $6 for 250gm strawberries

14. THE MELBOURNE CITY SIGHTS AND YARRA VALLEY TOUR

We start with a pickup from your hotel between 8am and 9am.

We begin this tour by visiting some of the popular Melbourne City sights. Your guide will help you to choose which ones to visit, according to the time available. Popular destinations include:

Fitzroy Gardens and Cook’s Cottage https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-todo/ cooks-cottage,
St Patricks Cathedral
The Old Treasury Building https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au,
The Royal Exhibition Building https://museumsvictoria.com.au/reb/
The Queen Victoria Market markethttps://qvm.com.au/
The Shrine of Remembrance https://www.shrine.org.au
The Royal Botanical Gardens https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/
Luna Park in St Kilda (usually we stop to take photos at the entrance to Luna Park, which is a popular photo location)
The Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/services/facilitiesand-venues/brighton-beach-bathing-boxes

We can either have lunch in the city between 12pm and 1pm, or else in the Yarra Valley between 1pm and 2pm. After lunch, you will be able to do 2 to 3 wine tastings before we leave the Yarra Valley and return to the city.

Popular wineries:

Yering Station (the oldest vineyard in the Yarra valley) – https://yering.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
St Huberts Estate – https://www.sthuberts.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Balgownie Estate – https://www.balgownie.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Rochford Wines Yarra Valley -http://www.rochfordwines.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Soumah of Yarra Valley – https://soumah.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
De Bortoli – https://www.debortoli.com.au/visit-us/cellar-doors/yarra-valley (Restaurant open from Thursday to Monday)
Oakridge – https://www.oakridgewines.com.au (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Dominique Portet – https://www.dominiqueportet.com (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Greenstone – https://www.greenstonevineyards.com.au (Winery open Thursday to Monday, cheese and antipasto platters available)
Coldstream Hills – https://www.coldstreamhills.com.au (Wine Tasting only)
Domain Chandon – https://www.chandon.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week). Domain Chandon Yarra Valley is the Australian division of the Moët and Chandon Champagne house from France, and part of the LVMH (Moet, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton) group . Champagne tasting starts at $18 per person for 5 samples

Please let us know of your preferences for wineries and lunch venue in the “comments” section when you make a booking, and we will reserve it for you. Please note that on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays, the Yarra Valley is very busy, so we cannot guarantee that your choices will be available, especially at short notice. If you do not have any preferences, and are happy to let us choose, we will gladly make reservations for you.

We arrive back in Melbourne between 6pm and 7pm

15. THE MELBOURNE CITY SIGHTS FULL DAY TOUR

We start with a pickup from your hotel between 8am and 9am.

On this tour, we visit some of the popular Melbourne City sights. Your guide will help you to choose which ones to visit, according to the time available. Popular destinations include:

Fitzroy Gardens and Cook’s Cottage https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-todo/ cooks-cottage,
St Patricks Cathedral
The Old Treasury Building https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au,
The Royal Exhibition Building https://museumsvictoria.com.au/reb/
The Queen Victoria Market markethttps://qvm.com.au/
The Shrine of Remembrance https://www.shrine.org.au
The Royal Botanical Gardens https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/
Luna Park in St Kilda (usually we stop to take photos at the entrance to Luna Park, which is a popular photo location)
The Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/services/facilitiesand- venues/brighton-beach-bathing-boxes

Optional extras:

Visit the Melbourne Skydeck https://www.melbourneskydeck.com.au (Adults $28, Child $18), located on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. It offers a 360 degree panoramic view of Melbourne. The Skydeck, at 285 metres, is the highest public vantage point in a building in the southern hemisphere. It is open from 12pm to 9pm.
The Aboriginal Heritage Walk https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/what-son- melbourne/aboriginal-heritage-walk/ is offered at the Royal Botanical Gardens from Sunday to Thursday at 11am. It takes one and a half hours (Adult $35, Child $17.50). This is a great way to learn about the First Peoples of Australia, and the Kulin Nation, who lived in this area for tens of thousands of years. You can walk around the Gardens with an Aboriginal Australian guide, and learn about their plant uses, customs and connection to country.
The Royal Botanical Gardens offer a guided tour in an electric open-air minibus https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/what-s-on-melbourne/gardens-explorer/ (Adults $10, Child $5). It takes 30 minutes and has live commentary. It is offered every day between 11am and 5pm except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. Please bring a jacket or something warm to wear, especially in winter. We can take you to the starting point, and be waiting for you when you return.
Rippon Lea Estate https://ripponleaestate.com.au, (Adult $15, Child [3-15] $9) is a beautiful Victorian mansion set in 14 acres of gardens, which come to life in springtime, when the flowers are in bloom. It was built in 1868 by Sir Frederick Sargood, a wealthy businessman who made a fortune selling goods on the goldfields. In the 1880’s Melbourne was the richest city in the world, due to the Gold Rush. This mansion evokes the grandeur of a bygone era, when the city was known as “Marvellous Melbourne”, and gives one a glimpse into how the wealthy lived in those times.
Take the ferry from Melbourne to Williamstown. You can buy a one way ticket and your guide will be waiting for you at Williamstown pier. The journey takes 1 hour. There are several different operators to choose from. Here are a few choices : https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne-city-and-williamstown-ferry-cruise They depart from Berth 2 in Southbank (Adult $24, Child [3-12] $14) https://www.melbcruises.com.au/williamstown-ferry/ They depart from Berth 1 and 2 at Southbank, and Federation Wharf (Adult $30, Child [3-12] $25) https://williamstownferries.com.au They depart from Southbank Landing (Adult $22, Child [4-14] $10)
The Melbourne Museum https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum (Adult $15, Child [up to 15] Free) is directly opposite the Royal Exhibition Building. It has many interesting exhibits, including dinosaur fossils, and there is a wonderful display of Australian insects! The museum was opened in 2000, and has a unique, modern design. It won the Best Tourist Attraction at the Australian Tourism Awards in 2011.
Take a guided tour of the Road Laver and Margaret Court arenas https:// www.tennisworld.net.au/tours/ (Adult $30, Child [5-12] $16). You can go behind the scenes of the Australian Open Grand Slam Tennis tournament, and see the Player Change Rooms, Tournament Control Room, Players Lounge and training areas. The tours run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and take 1 hour and 15 minutes. There are interruptions to the tour schedule when the arenas are used for events, so please check the date with us to make sure it’s available.
Visit the Old Melbourne Gaol https://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au (Adult $33, Child [5-15] $20) which has self-guided tours in many different languages using an audio app which is available to download. This means that having a smartphone, and earplugs or headphones, is essential. It was built in 1845, and closed in 1924. 133 prisoners were hanged there, the most famous of them being the outlaw bushranger called Ned Kelly, who is a celebrated figure in Australian folklore.
Enjoy an MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) tour https://www.mcg.org.au/tours (Adult $30, Child [5-15] $15) . This is the largest stadium in the southern hemisphere, and it seats more than 100 000 spectators. It is used predominantly for Cricket in the summer months, and Australian Rules football in the winter months. You can view the players changing rooms, walk on the arena, and get a feel for the atmosphere of this legendary stadium. It was the centrepiece stadium of the Summer Olympic Games held in Melbourne in 1956. The nearby Australian Sports Museum can also be visited in conjunction with this tour.
Do a brewery tour of Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) https:// www.carltonbrewhouse.com.au/pages/brewery-tours ($31 per person). This company is the largest brewer in Australia, and it produces many of the biggest selling and most famous beers in Australia, including Carlton, Cascade,, Crown Lager, Foster’s Lager, Melbourne Bitter, and, arguably the most popular beer in Australia, Victoria Bitter.
Visit the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) Art Gallery, which is beautifully designed and has some major artists works exhibited. We can drop you off and return to pick you up at any time you choose. Exhibitions change every few months, and to see what will be on display at the time of your visit, please look at their website https:// www.ngv.vic.gov.au . Ticket prices vary but for International travelling exhibitions the admission fee is normally around $30.

16. THE MOUNT BULLER SKI TOUR

We start with a pickup from your hotel between 6am and 8am.

Mount Buller offers the best skiing and snowboarding close to Melbourne. This tour is offered in the winter, when snow conditions are favourable on Mt Buller.

It takes about 3 hours to drive to Mt Buller from Melbourne, and there are multiple ski lifts and runs for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and levels, from beginners to experts. Lessons for beginners are available.

Everyone can enjoy the views from the chairlift, not only skiers and snowboarders (there is an option of buying sightseeing tickets for the ski lifts), and there are toboggan runs for kids, and for those who want to enjoy playing in the snow.

Mt Buller is 1800 metres (5922 ft) high, and lies about 250 kms away from Melbourne. Ski and snowboard equipment can be hired on the mountain, or else from the town of Mansfield, about 45 minutes before Mt Buller. For ski lift passes, snow conditions and weather reports, rental hire, ski and snowboard school information and more, please check the official Mt Buller website https://www.mtbuller.com.au/Winter/.

Most of the ski lifts operate from 9am to 4.30pm (weather permitting). We depart Mount Buller at 3pm to 5pm and return to the city between 6pm and 8pm.

17. THE SOVEREIGN HILL AND BALLARAT TOUR

We start with a pickup from your hotel at 8am to 10am.

Ballarat lies about 120km west of Melbourne, and provided the richest deposits of alluvial gold in the world, after gold was discovered there in 1851. People came from all over the world, with dreams of striking it rich.

Sovereign Hill is a living museum which recreates the colourful life on the goldfields as it was in the first ten years after gold was discovered. It covers 15 hectares of a former gold mining site, and has costumed characters, coach rides, 1850’s shops, blacksmith’s workshops, schools, saloons and more.

The gold diggings are the highlight, and visitors can pan for real gold. There are also two mines which offer guided tours and underground displays, including a replica of the 69kg “Welcome Nugget,” which made headlines around the world and added to the Gold Rush frenzy after it was found in 1858. It was the biggest nugget of alluvial gold ever discovered.

The gold rush was a crucial moment in modern Australian history. The population doubled in ten years, and the miners rebellion against colonial rulers at the Eureka Stockade near Ballarat led to major reforms, and the beginning of a new and more democratic society.

Sovereign Hill is a nationally acclaimed tourist attraction in Australia, and is one of Victoria’s most popular tourist attractions. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.You can book tickets from the official website, or we can make reservations for you: https://sovereignhill.com.au (Adults $39, Child [5-15] $20)

It takes about one and a half hours to drive to Ballarat from Melbourne. You can choose to spend an entire day at Sovereign Hill, or you can leave early and visit the Ballarat Wildlife Park: https://wildlifepark.com.au (Adults $36, Child [5-15] $19.50) or the Ballarat Botanical Gardens: https://ballaratbotanicalgardens.com.au.

We can also take you to Sovereign Hill Lookout and Black Hill Lookout to enjoy the views of the historical town https://vicscreen.vic.gov.au/choose-victoria/locations/black-hilllookout-ballarat

18. THE WALHALLA TOUR

Walhalla is a wonderfully atmospheric, isolated old gold mining town located on the southern edge of the Victorian Alps about two and a half hours drive from Melbourne. At its peak, in the late 1800’s, it had a population of 4000, and it now has a population of just 20 permanent residents. In December 1998 it became the last town in Victoria to be connected to electricity!

The narrow gauge Walhalla Goldfields Railway https://www.walhallarail.com.au (Adults $30, Child [3-16] $25), and the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine https://www.walhallaboard.org.au (Adults $25, Child [6-18] $20), are the most popular tourist activities here, and are highly recommended.

The self-guided town walk is also very popular with visitors http://www.visitwalhalla.com/wt_download/map/Walhalla_MAP_2014_s.pdf. There are still many historical old buildings and houses that are kept in good condition, which are owned and rented out as holiday houses.

You can consult this website for more information about tourist activities in Walhalla:http://www.visitwalhalla.com, and we recommend to download the pdf guide on Walhalla.

Suggested itinerary:

(only available on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays)

We depart from Melbourne between 7.30am and 8am, and enjoy the drive into the Victorian Alpine wilderness region. We head straight to the Walhalla Goldfields Railway in order to ride the train departing at 11am. The return journey takes one hour (Adults $30, Child [3-16] $25))

After riding the train we can enjoy lunch at the historic Wally Pub (Facebook Page “Walhalla Lodge Hotel”, The Wally Pub)

At 1.30pm you can do the guided tour at the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine (Adults $25, Child [6-18] $20). The tours take around 50 minutes.

After the tour of the gold mine, we can do the self guided town walk (there are signboards at various points on the walk which provide interesting historical information)

We depart Walhalla at 4.30pm to 5pm and arrive back in Melbourne at 7pm to 8pm

19. THE GRAMPIANS NATIONAL PARK TOUR

We start with a pickup from your hotel between 6am and 8am.

The Grampians National Park is popular for having a wide range of hiking options for those who love to get close to nature and enjoy “bushwalking”. Bushwalking in Australia is generally understood to be a short walk in the bush, which can last from ten minutes to several hours, and does not require anything to be carried apart from a water bottle (and a camera or phone). Sun protection and hats are expected to be applied and worn, especially in summer. Comfortable walking shoes and something warm, like a jacket (incase the weather suddenly changes), are required.

There are many longer trails in the Grampians which are for serious hikers, but there are also many short walks which lead to stunning viewpoints. It is possible to enjoy these short walks as part of a one day tour. We do not offer guided walking tours. We will take you to the starting point of the walk, and wait for you at the end point of the walk, but we will not accompany you. You are expected to obey the rules, and stick to the paths. You are responsible for your own safety.

After leaving Melbourne, we will head to the Halls Gap Visitor Information Centre (open every day from 9am-5pm) where you can talk to a Park Ranger, who will tell you of the best walks to do, and warn you if there is any bad weather expected, or if there are any closures or other dangers along the walks. They can show you the routes on a map and explain where to go.

Many of the most popular short walks are very easy to follow, with signs along the way.

Your guide will be with you to make sure that you understand what the Park Ranger says. It is strongly recommended that you and the guide both discuss and agree on the walks which you choose to do, so that there are no problems with safety, and with the time schedule. If you do not return on time, your guide will know where you are and will come looking for you.

Some of the most popular short walks include walks to the Pinnacle, MacKenzie Falls, and the Balconies. We take you to Boroka Lookout and Reed Lookout which are accessible by car, and which offer stunning views.

It takes 3 hours to reach Halls Gap Visitor Information Centre from Melbourne. We aim to leave the Grampians National Park by 5pm, and return to Melbourne at 8pm to 8.30pm.

20. WILSONS PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK TOUR

We start with a pickup from your hotel between 6am and 8am.

Scenearoo’s Wilsons Promontory National Park tour is similar to the Grampians National Park tour in that we visit a huge National Park a 3 hour drive away from Melbourne, which offers a wide selection of short walks in a majestic, untouched wilderness setting. However, unlike the Grampians, which is an inland mountainous wilderness region, Wilsons Promontory is located on a peninsula which is surrounded by sea. It is the southernmost point on the mainland of the Australian continent.

We do not offer guided walking tours. We will take you to the starting point of the walk, and wait for you at the end point of the walk, but we will not accompany you. You are expected to obey the rules, and stick to the paths. You are responsible for your own safety. Please bring comfortable walking shoes, something warm like a jacket (incase the weather suddenly changes), as well as sun protection, a hat, and a water bottle.

After departing from Melbourne, we head to the Tidal River Visitors Centre (open from 9am to 4pm every day) where you can discuss the range of short walks available with the National Parks Ranger. The weather conditions may affect the safety of certain walks, so you must always talk with a National Parks Ranger first, in order to make sure that it is safe.

Your guide will be with you to make sure that you understand what the Parks Ranger is saying to you. It is recommended that you purchase a map. It is strongly recommended that you and the guide both discuss and agree on the walks which you choose to do, so that there are no problems with safety, and with the time schedule. If you do not return on time, your guide will know where you are and will come looking for you.

The most popular walks in Wilsons Promontory include the Mt Oberon summit walk (the path is closed in rainy weather), the Big Drift, Squeaky beach to Tidal River (your guide will be waiting for you at the opposite end of the beach), the Lilly Pilly Gully Nature Walk and the Prom Wildlife Walk.

We aim to leave the Wilsons Promontory National Park by 5pm in order to arrive back in Melbourne at 8pm to 8.30pm

Optional Extras:

There is a new optional extra in Wilsons Prom, which has only begun to be offered recently. It was voted Australia’s Best New Tourism Business in 2021. It is Wilsons Promontory Cruises https://www.promcruises.com.au

This unique option offers a cruise in a custom built amphibious boat which departs from Tidal River, and visits South Point, the southernmost point on the Australian mainland, as well as remote offshore islands like the Anderson Islets, the Glennies and Anser Island. One can see an Australian Fur Seal colony, dolphins (usually) and seabirds, and in the winter months, whales are often sighted.

The showpiece and biggest attraction is Skull Rock, a huge and cavernous granite monolith with a bizarre skull-like shape, which stands alone in the sea. This geological freak of nature is bound to have one gasping in amazement.

The Wilsons Promontory Cruises depart every day of the year at 11am, and take two and a half hours to complete. Ticket prices until 30/September/2022 are $135 per adult and $85 per child (up to 16 years inclusive). Ticket prices from 01/October/2022 are $145 per adult and $95 per child (up to 16 years inclusive). The cruise is available for private charter at $3 300 for 1-30 people.

21. THE MELBOURNE CITY SIGHTS HALF DAY TOUR (MORNING)

We start with a pickup from your hotel between 7am and 11am.

The tour lasts for 4 to 5 hours, so a pickup at 7.30am ends with a drop off at 11.30am to 12.30pm, while a pickup at 10.45am ends with a drop off at 2.45pm to 3.45pm.

On this tour, we visit some of the popular Melbourne City sights. Your guide will help you to choose which ones to visit, according to the time available. Popular destinations include:

Fitzroy Gardens and Cook’s Cottage https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-todo/ cooks-cottage,
St Patricks Cathedral
The Old Treasury Building https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au,
The Royal Exhibition Building https://museumsvictoria.com.au/reb/
The Queen Victoria Market markethttps://qvm.com.au/
The Shrine of Remembrance https://www.shrine.org.au
The Royal Botanical Gardens https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/
Luna Park in St Kilda (usually we stop to take photos at the entrance to Luna Park, which is a popular photo location)
The Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/services/facilitiesand-venues/brighton-beach-bathing-boxes

Optional extras:

Visit the Melbourne Skydeck https://www.melbourneskydeck.com.au (Adults $28, Child $18), located on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. It offers a 360 degree panoramic view of Melbourne. The Skydeck, at 285 metres, is the highest public vantage point in a building in the southern hemisphere. It is open from 12pm to 9pm.
The Aboriginal Heritage Walk https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/what-son- melbourne/aboriginal-heritage-walk/ is offered at the Royal Botanical Gardens from Sunday to Thursday at 11am. It takes one and a half hours (Adult $35, Child $17.50). This is a great way to learn about the First Peoples of Australia, and the Kulin Nation, who lived in this area for tens of thousands of years. You can walk around the Gardens with an Aboriginal Australian guide, and learn about their plant uses, customs and connection to country.
The Royal Botanical Gardens offer a guided tour in an electric open-air minibus https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/what-s-on-melbourne/gardens-explorer/ (Adults $10, Child $5). It takes 30 minutes and has live commentary. It is offered every day between 11am and 5pm except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. Please bring a jacket or something warm to wear, especially in winter. We can take you to the starting point, and be waiting for you when you return.
Rippon Lea Estate https://ripponleaestate.com.au, (Adult $15, Child [3-15] $9) is a beautiful Victorian mansion set in 14 acres of gardens, which come to life in springtime, when the flowers are in bloom. It was built in 1868 by Sir Frederick Sargood, a wealthy businessman who made a fortune selling goods on the goldfields. In the 1880’s Melbourne was the richest city in the world, due to the Gold Rush. This mansion evokes the grandeur of a bygone era, when the city was known as “Marvellous Melbourne”, and gives one a glimpse into how the wealthy lived in those times.
Take the ferry from Melbourne to Williamstown. You can buy a one way ticket and your guide will be waiting for you at Williamstown pier. The journey takes 1 hour. There are several different operators to choose from. Here are a few choices : https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne-city-and-williamstown-ferry-cruise They depart from Berth 2 in Southbank (Adult $24, Child [3-12] $14) https://www.melbcruises.com.au/williamstown-ferry/ They depart from Berth 1 and 2 at Southbank, and Federation Wharf (Adult $30, Child [3-12] $25) https://williamstownferries.com.au They depart from Southbank Landing (Adult $22, Child [4-14] $10)
The Melbourne Museum https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum (Adult $15, Child [up to 15] Free) is directly opposite the Royal Exhibition Building. It has many interesting exhibits, including dinosaur fossils, and there is a wonderful display of Australian insects! The museum was opened in 2000, and has a unique, modern design. It won the Best Tourist Attraction at the Australian Tourism Awards in 2011.
Take a guided tour of the Road Laver and Margaret Court arenas https:// www.tennisworld.net.au/tours/ (Adult $30, Child [5-12] $16). You can go behind the scenes of the Australian Open Grand Slam Tennis tournament, and see the Player Change Rooms, Tournament Control Room, Players Lounge and training areas. The tours run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and take 1 hour and 15 minutes. There are interruptions to the tour schedule when the arenas are used for events, so please check the date with us to make sure it’s available.
Visit the Old Melbourne Gaol https://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au (Adult $33, Child [5-15] $20) which has self-guided tours in many different languages using an audio app which is available to download. This means that having a smartphone, and earplugs or headphones, is essential. It was built in 1845, and closed in 1924. 133 prisoners were hanged there, the most famous of them being the outlaw bushranger called Ned Kelly, who is a celebrated figure in Australian folklore.
Enjoy an MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) tour https://www.mcg.org.au/tours (Adult $30, Child [5-15] $15) . This is the largest stadium in the southern hemisphere, and it seats more than 100 000 spectators. It is used predominantly for Cricket in the summer months, and Australian Rules football in the winter months. You can view the players changing rooms, walk on the arena, and get a feel for the atmosphere of this legendary stadium. It was the centrepiece stadium of the Summer Olympic Games held in Melbourne in 1956. The nearby Australian Sports Museum can also be visited in conjunction with this tour.
Do a brewery tour of Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) https:// www.carltonbrewhouse.com.au/pages/brewery-tours ($31 per person). This company is the largest brewer in Australia, and it produces many of the biggest selling and most famous beers in Australia, including Carlton, Cascade,, Crown Lager, Foster’s Lager, Melbourne Bitter, and, arguably the most popular beer in Australia, Victoria Bitter.
Visit the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) Art Gallery, which is beautifully designed and has some major artists works exhibited. We can drop you off and return to pick you up at any time you choose. Exhibitions change every few months, and to see what will be on display at the time of your visit, please look at their website https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au . Ticket prices vary but for International travelling exhibitions the admission fee is normally around $30.

22. THE MELBOURNE CITY SIGHTS HALF DAY TOUR (AFTERNOON)

We start with a pickup from your hotel between 12 noon and 4pm.

The tour lasts for 4 to 5 hours, so a pickup at 12.15pm ends with a drop off at 4.15pm to 5.15pm, while a pickup at 3.30pm ends with a drop off at 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

On this tour, we visit some of the popular Melbourne City sights. Your guide will help you to choose which ones to visit, according to the time available. Popular destinations include:

Fitzroy Gardens and Cook’s Cottage https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-todo/ cooks-cottage,
St Patricks Cathedral
The Old Treasury Building https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au,
The Royal Exhibition Building https://museumsvictoria.com.au/reb/
The Royal Exhibition Building https://museumsvictoria.com.au/reb/
The Queen Victoria Market markethttps://qvm.com.au/
The Shrine of Remembrance https://www.shrine.org.au
The Royal Botanical Gardens https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/
Luna Park in St Kilda (usually we stop to take photos at the entrance to Luna Park, which is a popular photo location)
The Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/services/facilitiesand-venues/brighton-beach-bathing-boxes

Optional extras:

Visit the Melbourne Skydeck https://www.melbourneskydeck.com.au (Adults $28, Child $18), located on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower. It offers a 360 degree panoramic view of Melbourne. The Skydeck, at 285 metres, is the highest public vantage point in a building in the southern hemisphere. It is open from 12pm to 9pm.
The Aboriginal Heritage Walk https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/what-son- melbourne/aboriginal-heritage-walk/ is offered at the Royal Botanical Gardens from Sunday to Thursday at 11am. It takes one and a half hours (Adult $35, Child $17.50). This is a great way to learn about the First Peoples of Australia, and the Kulin Nation, who lived in this area for tens of thousands of years. You can walk around the Gardens with an Aboriginal Australian guide, and learn about their plant uses, customs and connection to country.
The Royal Botanical Gardens offer a guided tour in an electric open-air minibus https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/what-s-on-melbourne/gardens-explorer/ (Adults $10, Child $5). It takes 30 minutes and has live commentary. It is offered every day between 11am and 5pm except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. Please bring a jacket or something warm to wear, especially in winter. We can take you to the starting point, and be waiting for you when you return.
Rippon Lea Estate https://ripponleaestate.com.au, (Adult $15, Child [3-15] $9) is a beautiful Victorian mansion set in 14 acres of gardens, which come to life in springtime, when the flowers are in bloom. It was built in 1868 by Sir Frederick Sargood, a wealthy businessman who made a fortune selling goods on the goldfields. In the 1880’s Melbourne was the richest city in the world, due to the Gold Rush. This mansion evokes the grandeur of a bygone era, when the city was known as “Marvellous Melbourne”, and gives one a glimpse into how the wealthy lived in those times.
Take the ferry from Melbourne to Williamstown. You can buy a one way ticket and your guide will be waiting for you at Williamstown pier. The journey takes 1 hour. There are several different operators to choose from. Here are a few choices: https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne-city-and-williamstown-ferry-cruise They depart from Berth 2 in Southbank (Adult $24, Child [3-12] $14) https://www.melbcruises.com.au/williamstown-ferry/ They depart from Berth 1 and 2 at Southbank, and Federation Wharf (Adult $30, Child [3-12] $25) https://williamstownferries.com.au They depart from Southbank Landing (Adult $22, Child [4-14] $10)
The Melbourne Museum https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum (Adult $15, Child [up to 15] Free) is directly opposite the Royal Exhibition Building. It has many interesting exhibits, including dinosaur fossils, and there is a wonderful display of Australian insects! The museum was opened in 2000, and has a unique, modern design. It won the Best Tourist Attraction at the Australian Tourism Awards in 2011.
Take a guided tour of the Road Laver and Margaret Court arenas https:// www.tennisworld.net.au/tours/ (Adult $30, Child [5-12] $16). You can go behind the scenes of the Australian Open Grand Slam Tennis tournament, and see the Player Change Rooms, Tournament Control Room, Players Lounge and training areas. The tours run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and take 1 hour and 15 minutes. There are interruptions to the tour schedule when the arenas are used for events, so please check the date with us to make sure it’s available.
Visit the Old Melbourne Gaol https://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au (Adult $33, Child [5-15] $20) which has self-guided tours in many different languages using an audio app which is available to download. This means that having a smartphone, and earplugs or headphones, is essential. It was built in 1845, and closed in 1924. 133 prisoners were hanged there, the most famous of them being the outlaw bushranger called Ned Kelly, who is a celebrated figure in Australian folklore.
Enjoy an MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) tour https://www.mcg.org.au/tours (Adult $30, Child [5-15] $15) . This is the largest stadium in the southern hemisphere, and it seats more than 100 000 spectators. It is used predominantly for Cricket in the summer months, and Australian Rules football in the winter months. You can view the players changing rooms, walk on the arena, and get a feel for the atmosphere of this legendary stadium. It was the centrepiece stadium of the Summer Olympic Games held in Melbourne in 1956. The nearby Australian Sports Museum can also be visited in conjunction with this tour.
Do a brewery tour of Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) https://www.carltonbrewhouse.com.au/pages/brewery-tours ($31 per person). This company is the largest brewer in Australia, and it produces many of the biggest selling and most famous beers in Australia, including Carlton, Cascade,, Crown Lager, Foster’s Lager, Melbourne Bitter, and, arguably the most popular beer in Australia, Victoria Bitter.
Visit the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) Art Gallery, which is beautifully designed and has some major artists works exhibited. We can drop you off and return to pick you up at any time you choose. Exhibitions change every few months, and to see what will be on display at the time of your visit, please look at their website https:// www.ngv.vic.gov.au. Ticket prices vary but for International travelling exhibitions the admission fee is normally around $30.

23. THE YARRA VALLEY HALF DAY TOUR (MORNING)

We start with a pickup at you hotel between 9am and 12pm.

The tour lasts for 4 to 5 hours, so a pickup at 9.30am ends with drop off at 1.30pm to 2.30pm, while a pickup at 11.15am ends with a drop off at 3.15pm to 4.15pm.

The staff at the wineries are very knowledgeable and will explain in detail their wine making process, as well as other interesting aspects about the wines that you are sampling. You should be able to visit 2 to 3 wineries on a half day tour, and have a light meal, such as an antipasto platter.

Please note that popular wineries can get very busy on weekends and Public Holidays, and booking ahead is essential. Please indicate your choices in the “comments” section when you are making a booking, and we will make a reservation for you. If you would like to have a light lunch platter, please let us know in the “comments” section and we will make a reservation for you. If you do not have any preferences, and are happy to let us choose, we will gladly make reservations for you.

Popular wineries:

Yering Station (the oldest vineyard in the Yarra valley) – https://yering.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
St Huberts Estate – https://www.sthuberts.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Balgownie Estate – https://www.balgownie.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Rochford Wines Yarra Valley -http://www.rochfordwines.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Soumah of Yarra Valley – https://soumah.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
De Bortoli – https://www.debortoli.com.au/visit-us/cellar-doors/yarra-valley (Restaurant open from Thursday to Monday)
Oakridge – https://www.oakridgewines.com.au (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Dominique Portet – https://www.dominiqueportet.com (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Greenstone – https://www.greenstonevineyards.com.au (Winery open Thursday to Monday, cheese and antipasto platters available)
Coldstream Hills – https://www.coldstreamhills.com.au (Wine Tasting only)
Domain Chandon Yarra Valley is the Australian division of the Moët and Chandon Champagne house from France, and part of the LVMH (Moet, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton) group . Champagne tasting starts at $18 per person for 5 samples

24. THE YARRA VALLEY HALF DAY TOUR (AFTERNOON)

We start with a pickup at you hotel between 12pm and 2pm.

The tour lasts for 4 to 5 hours, so a pickup at 12.45pm ends with drop off at 4.45pm to 5.45pm, while a pickup at 1.30pm ends with a drop off at 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

The staff at the wineries are very knowledgeable and will explain in detail their wine making process, as well as other interesting aspects about the wines that you are sampling.

You should be able to visit at least 2 to 3 wineries on a half day tour. It is recommended that you eat an early lunch before the start of the tour. Please note that popular wineries can get very busy on weekends and Public Holidays, so booking ahead is essential. Please indicate your choices in the “comments” section when you are making a booking, and we will make reservations for you. If you do not have any preferences, and are happy to let us choose, we will gladly make reservations for you.

Popular wineries:

Yering Station (the oldest vineyard in the Yarra valley) – https://yering.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
St Huberts Estate – https://www.sthuberts.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Balgownie Estate – https://www.balgownie.com (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Rochford Wines Yarra Valley -http://www.rochfordwines.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
Soumah of Yarra Valley – https://soumah.com.au (Restaurant open 7 days a week)
De Bortoli – https://www.debortoli.com.au/visit-us/cellar-doors/yarra-valley (Restaurant open from Thursday to Monday)
Oakridge – https://www.oakridgewines.com.au (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Dominique Portet – https://www.dominiqueportet.com (Restaurant open from Thursday to Sunday)
Greenstone – https://www.greenstonevineyards.com.au (Winery open Thursday to Monday, cheese and antipasto platters available)
Coldstream Hills – https://www.coldstreamhills.com.au (Wine Tasting only)
Domain Chandon Yarra Valley is the Australian division of the Moët and Chandon Champagne house from France, and part of the LVMH (Moet, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton) group . Champagne tasting starts at $18 per person for 5 samples

Share!

Our 24 Private Charter Tours

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

Optional extras:

Popular wineries:

Popular wineries:

Natural locations:

Optional extras:

Popular wineries:

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

Suggested Itinerary:

Optional Extras:

Suggested Itinerary:

Suggested Itinerary:

Popular wineries:

Suggested Itinerary:

Suggested Itinerary:

Popular wineries:

Natural locations:

Optional extras:

Popular wineries:

Optional extras:

Suggested itinerary:

Optional Extras:

Optional extras:

Optional extras:

Popular wineries:

Popular wineries:

Great Ocean Road Tour Expert

Scene-A-Roo's tours

Information

About Scene-A-Roo

Our 24 Private Charter Tours

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

Optional extras:

Popular wineries:

Popular wineries:

Natural locations:

Optional extras:

Popular wineries:

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

Suggested Itinerary:

Optional Extras:

Suggested Itinerary:

Suggested Itinerary:

Popular wineries:

Suggested Itinerary:

Suggested Itinerary:

Popular wineries:

Natural locations:

Optional extras:

Popular wineries:

Optional extras:

Suggested itinerary:

Optional Extras:

Optional extras:

Optional extras:

Popular wineries:

Popular wineries:

Explore more

Great Ocean Road Tour Expert

Scene-A-Roo's tours

Information

About Scene-A-Roo