29 Nov 2018
With new events, openings and awards coming in every month, Melbourne and the state of Victoria prove themselves to be the perfect start to any holiday in Australia. This season there's been a record number of whale sightings in Gippsland; Melbourne is set to welcome Australia's first rooftop pool, bar and leisure club; and luxury accommodation has opened up on the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula and in Hepburn Springs.
Pinot Celebration Australia coming to the Mornington Peninsula in February
Victoria's Mornington Peninsula is hosting the Pinot Celebration Australia festival on 8th and 9th February 2019. The event, organised by the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association, will be a celebration of all things Pinot Noir – one of the grape varieties grown in the Peninsula – and will feature interesting talks and discussions from growers and winemakers from Victoria, Australia and the world, discussions, lunches and, of course, wine tastings. The event's 2019 theme is to understand the development and history of Australian Pinot. This celebration will see the introduction of concurrent sessions and opportunities for visitors to get out and about in the region, showcasing the latest new developments including Point Leo Estate.
Just an hour south of Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is conveniently located on route some of Victoria's most scenic drives, ideal for road trip lovers: Go Beyond Melbourne touring route – which also covers the regions of the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges, Phillip Island and the Bellarine Peninsula – and the iconic Melbourne to Sydney Coastal Drive.
https://mpva.com.au/events/detail/pinot-noir-celebration
2019 dates for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix announced!
The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2019 event dates have just been announced as 14-17 March 2019. The Australian Grand Prix Corporation has revealed the dates earlier than usual so that racing and motorsport fans have longer to plan their trips to Melbourne and regional Victoria. With crowds of nearly 100,000, this is an opportunity for sporting fans to gather in the world's most liveable city, which will also host the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival and the beginning of the AFL season in March 2019.
Melbourne is renowned as the events and sports capital of Australia and is the only city in the world to host two major sporting competitions: the Australia Open and Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
Gippsland celebrates record-breaking whale sightings
Gippsland, Victoria's largest region, is in the midst of a record-breaking spring whale watching season at Wilsons Promontory, where visitors have the opportunity to see an abundance of wildlife both on land and at sea in the very special National Park. Since mid-September, tour operator Wildlife Coast Cruises has recorded an incredible 90 whale sightings aboard their Wilsons Promontory cruises – including a very impressive 22 in just one day. The majority of the sightings have been humpback whales, with a number of elusive southern right whales.
Gippsland, around 3 hours away from Melbourne, boasts vast, striking landscapes and some of Australia's most spectacular national parks, lakes and waterways. Nature lovers will appreciate the remote wilderness of the region and its coastal villages, country galleries and local produce, including local brews and fine wines.
www.visitvictoria.com/regions/gippsland/
Camera House launch Photography Tours
Tapping into the trend of people returning to “proper” cameras having sparked an interest in photography via their phones, Camera House offers new photography tours in the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and the Dandenong Ranges. The company offers tips and training for people who have invested in a new camera as well as for those who want to capture the perfect shot and refine their techniques. Tours start well before sunrise to get the best light and shots, including working with company Global Ballooning to capture hot air balloons as they prepare for flight at dawn
Melbourne to welcome Australia's first rooftop pool, bar and leisure club
Melbourne is set to welcome Australia's first rooftop pool, bar and leisure club in November. The Reunion Island Pool Club, located at the top of St. Jerome's – The Hotel, will be styled to give the nostalgic elements of a public pool but with modern twist and palm trees retreat. The rooftop pool oasis will offer yoga, pilates and massages in the early morning hours, and by day to evening it will be the perfect summer spot for a social splash and poolside fun with an after work cocktail. The Reunion Island Pool Club will be open from November 2018 until April 2019, from 7am to 11pm.
www.reunionislandpoolclub.com.au
ACCOMMODATION NEWS
Bellarine Peninsula welcomes new luxury hotel and spa: Lon Retreat
Lon Retreat is a new adults-only hotel located in Point Lonsdale, on over 200 acres of rural and conservation land in the Bellarine Peninsula – on Victoria's Go Beyond Melbourne touring route. The hotel features seven luxurious suites that spread throughout the sandstone retreat, each individually designed with its own unique character and connection to the ocean, lakes and surrounding farmland. Each suite is a personal sanctuary, inspired by its natural surroundings combining earthy tones with contemporary luxury. The hotel is also home to Lon Spa, a small and exclusive spa using water from natural mineral springs running beneath the property – ideal for those looking for a tranquil and relaxing escape. Room rates range from $360 to $850 per night. http://lonretreat.com.au/
Clifftop at Hepburn opens new glass shipping container villas
Award-winning hotel Clifftop at Hepburn has recently opened four new stunning shipping container villas. Named after Europe's most romantic cities – Paris, Venice, Rome and Vienna– the villas offer sheer glass floors with waterfall and rock pool views, bottomless infinity daybeds overhanging a spectacular precipice, stand-alone wooden baths tubs, and massage chairs. Brought to life by an eclectic economist-turned-architect, these 'glamtainers' offer guests a unique blend of indulgent romance, homely haute couture, intoxicating design and funky technology. Clifftop at Hepburn is located in Hepburn Springs, a historic town set in the middle of Australia's largest concentration of mineral springs. Hepburn Springs is 90 minutes from Melbourne and a short detour from the Great Southern Touring Route.
The Savoy Hotel set to open following multi-million dollar transformation
The former Vibe Savoy Melbourne is set to return to its heyday as one of the city's most glamorous attractions, following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. Under the name The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins, the new hotel will open this year, exposing the stunning design by Woods Bagot in the heart of Melbourne, with the city's best boutiques, cool laneways and bars on its doorstep. It will have 163 spacious guest rooms, including six luxurious suites and modern and inviting design that will pay tribute to the Art Deco era of the original Hotel Alexander built on the site in 1928. Room rates range from $219 per night.
https://vibehotels.com/hotel/savoy-melbourne
Drift House opens new guest suites
Drift House, the multi award-winning luxury lodging in Port Fairy, has recently added new facilities to its property. These include new guest suites, a bespoke reception area and “The Salon”, a free-standing garden pavilion providing beautifully designed dining and lounging spaces for guests. All suites have spacious modern bathrooms, kitchen facilities, a relaxing lounge area and the very special Drift House Maxi-bar. Drift House is one of the latest additions to the Australian boutique accommodation landscape. Located right in the heart of the beautiful coastal town of Port Fairy – in south-west Victoria and along the Great Ocean Road Touring Route, it sets a new standard of design for luxury accommodation – one that relates to the history of site and the place, but from a contemporary perspective.
DID YOU KNOW... THESE WILDLIFE FACTS?
- Victoria takes up just 3% of Australia's landmass but is home to more than 30% of all native Australian species
- There are 139 mammal species in Victoria including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, possums, wombats, platypus and echidnas
- Australian wildlife is abundant in popular destinations, from koalas along the Great Ocean Road to wombats at Wilsons Promontory National Park
- A wide variety of Australian wildlife – including platypus, kangaroos, emus – can be spotted right on Melbourne's doorstep
- Victoria is home to Australia's largest colony of fur seals, at Seal Rocks. Seal colonies also dot the coastline, with viewing access at towns such as Portland and Apollo Bay
- Phillip Island is home to more than 32,000 small penguins and the nightly return of more than 2,000 penguins to their burrows has become Australia' second most popular visitor attraction
- Victoria's coastline welcomes whale migrations every year, with females nursing their young as close as 100m from coastal viewing platforms in some places
- Dolphins are a familiar sight in Victorian waters, with close encounter experience available through tour boats and snorkelling trips. Popular spots include Port Phillip Bay and the Gippsland Lakes
Ends
About Victoria
Victoria is Australia's second-smallest state and features a wealth of diverse regions and attractions which are easily reached from its lively capital Melbourne: from national parks teeming with wildlife to one of the world's most scenic coastal drives (Great Ocean Road) – plus superb wineries and dining options. For information on visiting Melbourne and the Australian state of Victoria please go to:
