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City Guide - Melbourne - Excursions | ||
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Excursions For a Half Day Phillip Island: A 90-minute drive from Melbourne, Phillip Island (web site: www.phillipisland.net.au) features a nature park and numerous attractions. Highlights include The Penguin Parade (tel: (03) 59 56 74 47; web site: www.penguins.org.au), which takes place nightly at sunset when the world's smallest penguins emerge from the sea and waddle up the beach to their burrows for the night. The Koala Conservation Centre (tel: (03) 59 56 83 00; fax: (03) 59 56 83 94) and Seal Rocks Sea Life Centre (tel: (03) 97 93 67 67; fax: (03) 97 93 68 68; web site: www.phillipisland.com), home to the largest fur seal colony in Australia, are open daily (1000-dusk). A pass (A$27.50) covers all the attractions on the island; or individually the penguins cost A$10.50, the koalas A$5 and the seals A$15. For a Full Day Dandenong Ranges and Healesville Sanctuary: The hills of the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne are covered in vineyards and banks of flowers, and distinctly Australian gum trees. The Dandenongs can be reached in an hour from Melbourne by car or by taking a train to Belgrave station at the end of the Melbourne metropolitan line and then by Puffing Billy Steam Railway (tel: (03) 97 54 68 00; fax: (03) 97 54 25 13; web site: www.pbr.org.au) through forests and fern gullies to Emerald Lake Park. The return trip takes two hours and ticket prices range from A$7 to A$26 depending on the distance travelled. A car is needed to visit Healesville Sanctuary (tel: (03) 59 57 28 00; web site: www.zoo.org.au/Healesville), where rescued and orphaned animals can be seen in their own habitat. The sanctuary is open daily 0900-1700 (cost: A$14.50). The Moet & Chandon winery at nearby Domaine Chandon (tel: (03) 97 39 11 10) offers daily guided tours (1030-1630) showing the traditional 'methode Champenoise' and the opportunity to taste some of the wines. Great Ocean Road: The Great Ocean Road is a spectacular drive along the coast to Adelaide starting 72km (45 miles) to the west of Melbourne at Geelong. For much of the route the road hugs the rugged coastline overlooking some excellent surfing beaches and passing through Otway and Port Campbell National Parks to the spectacular rock formations know as the Twelve Apostles. Sovereign Hill: This open-air museum tells the story of life in Ballarat during the gold rush. The streets of Sovereign Hill (tel: (03) 53 31 19 44; web site: www.vtoa.asn.au/attract/p160.htm) bustle with people dressed in period costume going about their business in the shops, hotels and school. Visitors can still pan for real gold. The museum is located 110km (68 miles) from Melbourne and is open daily 1000-1700 (cost: A$18). It can be reached from Ballarat station. |