Day-tripping to regional towns from Melbourne is a popular activity for locals, but most tend to drive. However, there are alternatives that offer a more enjoyable and eco-friendly experience. Instead of facing the city fringe traffic, why not take a relaxing train ride and take in the picturesque Victorian countryside along the way? Once you arrive at your destination, be prepared for a pleasant walk ranging from 20 minutes to two hours. If you prefer a quicker mode of transportation, you could bring a bike to shorten your journey. Every step or pedal stroke will be worth it, as each of these locations offers delightful surprises, such as outstanding local beer and wine, often available at the respective wineries and breweries. By going car-free, you not only save yourself the stress of driving but also get to immerse yourself in the beauty of the surroundings. So why not hop on the V/Line (regional train line) or ferry and embark on a rewarding day trip to discover the wineries, galleries, and splendid beaches just a stone's throw away from Melbourne?
For art and Chinese history: Bendigo
Settled on Dja Dja Warrung and Taungurung country, Bendigo is known for its goldfields but its quality offerings these days are art, tastefully stocked mash-up stores and – if you get a tip-off – great food.
Bendigo Art Gallery strikes a pose on Mitchell Street, the centrepiece of the city’s close-knit arts precinct. The gallery is Victoria’s second most-visited and specialises in fashion, design and celebrity. Currently, it’s showing an exhibition of stunning silk batiks made by women from five Indigenous central desert communities. The exclusive Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion exhibition, meanwhile, lured so many Melburnians that impeccable local restaurant Masons made a cocktail of the same name, placed alongside its all-Victorian wine list and locally-sourced food – each dish served with an inventive herb flourish.
Ghosty Toasty is part toasty joint and part film processing lab. But most of it’s all a place where a chat is a mandatory menu item too. “I see how isolation affects people when they’re not connected in their community,” says owner Nick Styles.
Mungo national park: where alien landscapes reveal ancient culture
The Golden Dragon museum is a tad ye olde but you’ll see artefacts you can’t see in China due to the Cultural Revolution’s destruction. Bendigo’s Chinese history is enlivened by guides who’ll point to photographs of their grandparents in the displays, and the world’s oldest imperial parade dragon, Loong, is here too, as is a chariot made of jade.
Getting there: The V/Line to Bendigo takes two hours.
For a bush-walk with a winery payoff: Macedon
Given how many people I saw here (none), I’m guessing Macedon Regional Park is criminally under-hiked. Yet it’s one of the only parks close to Melbourne you can reach by train, and I spent five minutes hanging with an echidna.
Perhaps people go to nearby Hanging Rock instead? Yet the same Joan Lindsay juju permeates Macedon Regional Park too. Perhaps it’s the incessant creak of the stringybarks or the confounding six-way intersection I stalled at? Put it this way: if you’re solo, stick to Middle Gully Road from the train station.
A 90-minute amble will bring you to Mount Macedon winery, previously owned by Olivia Newton-John. At 680 metres above sea level, it’s one of Australia’s highest altitude wineries, meaning hotter weather has not forced it to move to Tasmania’s Tamar Valley like many of Victoria’s cool climate wineries.
Alternatively, hike early and take the V/Line six minutes to Woodend. There you’ll find 16 beers to sample at Holgate Brewhouse’s new taproom, a homewares store called Into The Woods that will delight bird-lovers, and the sustainably run Maison Maloa cafe, which serves fresh country fare with care.
Getting there: The V/Line to Woodend or Macedon (Bendigo line) takes around one hour.
For a true country town feel: Warragul
You won’t find croissants in the big smoke better than those sold as a side hustle by a local audiologist at Warragul farmers market. Held in a lush West Gippsland park on the third Saturday of every month, growers also come to connect with community; it’s a flurry of chatter and chucking babies’ chins.
The produce ranges from the usual suspects to saffron, biodynamic lamb, white strawberries, Wild Dog gin, local beer and cider, heritage apples and wild caught seafood. The longest line is for scones cooked in onsite ovens, but no one minds because a nearby choir is belting out Bohemian Rhapsody.
Walk (55 minutes) or bike (beware, it’s uphill) to Hogget Kitchen for lunch in a room so bright you’ll need sunnies. Encircled by vineyards, the artisanal butchery and restaurant opened in 2017 and while locals enjoy the view of the Strzlecki Ranges too, the clientele is mainly from Melbourne. Perhaps because chef Trevor Perkins just won a hat in the 2020 Good Food Guide.
Providers are written on a blackboard, with a shout-out to “mum’s veggie patch”, and with no perceptible pressure to turn around tables everyone seems to be long lunching. After, you can walk past the gnarled vine cuttings used to smoke and cook the meat, past the bush-tucker garden and around the lake.
Getting there: The V/Line to Warragul (Gippsland line) takes 90 minutes.
For artisanal everything: Kyneton
The heritage strip of bluestone buildings on Piper Street, Kyneton, is rather like the IRL version of Ballarat’s 1850s gold rush recreation, Sovereign Hill.
Setting the tone nicely is Lost Trades: The Artisans Store, a place you can grasp the past in your own two hands – and then buy it. Brimming with good shopping for blokes, the store stocks a range of functional items such as knives, axes, leather belts, rocking chairs and horsehair brushes. All made the “old way” by fairly paid master artisans.
Seated by the window at a table beautified by a native posy, a few hours can be happily spent at the hatted Source Dining, described by the Good Food Guide as mirroring Kyneton’s “mod country” mood, with chef Tim Foster taking inspiration from his mother’s mother.
On the rails: four Australian cycleways built on abandoned train tracks
For a splash of “edgy shit” (says sculptor and co-owner Jason Waterhouse) pop down to the old butter factory Stockroom, now a sprawl of art surprises and Victoria’s largest privately owned contemporary art space. Across the road, Animus Distillery is all natural light, happy houseplants and wickedly good gin. Cocktails are expertly handled by Iceland expat Ziggy, and chilled by long, translucent ice spear care of a boutique hand-cut ice company from Fitzroy.
Return to the station via the towering cedars, oaks and redwoods of the Kyneton Botanical Gardens, one of Victoria’s oldest.
Getting there: The V/Line to Kyneton (Bendigo line) takes around 70 minutes.
For the ‘other’ Mornington Peninsula: Bellarine Peninsula
Resting on the mantelpiece of the Grand Hotel in Portarlington, the charming town at the end of Bellarine Peninsula, there sits an article from 1886, originating from the Geelong Advertiser. The article beautifully describes the region as an idyllic combination of "splendid beach and seaside walks, bold cliffs, trees, gardens, and shady nooks." Amidst the staying options in the area, the hotel standing dominantly on the heart of the city, offers excellent accommodations with stunning views of the peninsula offering an experience quintessential to the Victorian era. Over the years, the beauty of this area has remained untouched, with one exception - the introduction of a new Melbourne ferry, which has revolutionized travel options and connectivity between the Bellarine and the city. This small town's charm is indeed a true reflection of Victoria's vibrant history and natural beauty.
Thanks to the advent of this convenient ferry, locals believe that the Bellarine Peninsula is poised to become the next sought-after destination, much like the popular Mornington Peninsula. Offering wifi and comfortable seating, the ferry allows commuters to travel effortlessly while enjoying the picturesque surroundings. Stepping off the pier, an enchanting esplanade awaits, leading curious visitors to discover secluded beaches perfect for a refreshing swim.
If you're up for an adventure, consider arranging a Bella e-bike hire to meet you at the esplanade and embark on a delightful journey to Terindah Estate. While the road might be bustling, the reward is certainly worth it. Take a leisurely ten-minute ride to reach Terindah Estate and indulge in a tasting of their exquisite sparkling wines. Declaring themselves as The Whiskery, you may assume whiskey production; however, it is a gin distillery, home to the famed Teddy and the Fox gin. Depending on the season, you can choose to relax by a cozy fire, explore the charming gardens, or enjoy a drink on the patio of the old farm shed, savoring every sip of your carefully crafted cocktail.
Getting there: To embark on this memorable day trip, make your way to Harbour Esplanade. A short five-minute walk will lead you to the central pier at Docklands. The Port Philip Ferry offers an 80-minute scenic journey to Portarlington, which is not only wheelchair accessible but also equipped with bike racks for those wishing to explore the area on two wheels.