Back to nature: The best spots for outdoor day trips near Melbourne
Melbourne is Australia’s most livable city, and it’s hard to get tired with everything that’s on offer across the city.
But sometimes it’s nice to get out of the bustle of city life, and escape the concrete for a day or more. To make that a little easier, we’ve made a list of the best spots for back-to-nature day trip from Melbourne. Jump in a GoGet and get out of town this weekend!
Great Otway National Park:
The Great Otway National Park stretches from Torquay through to Princetown and up through the Otways hinterland towards Colac. The park features rugged coastlines, sandy beaches and rock platforms. There are also excellent camping opportunities throughout the Park if you’re that way inclined.
Whether you’re looking for a family friendly place to park your share car or a solitary night under the stars, there’s something here for you. The Park is a 3.5 hour drive west of Melbourne CBD.
Port Campbell:
Port Campbell National Park is world famous for its extraordinary collection of wave-sculpted rock formations and the Twelve Apostles. Loch Ard Gorge, site of a 19th century shipwreck ‘Loch Ard’, as well as the (now collapsed) Island Archway and London Bridge are other highlights.
This park is arguably the most famous of all on the Great Ocean Road. The best part is how close it is to Melbourne – it’s around 3 hours west of Melbourne CBD.
Wilson’s Promontory:
At the southernmost tip of mainland Australia, Wilson’s Promontory offers spectacular scenery of huge granite mountains, open forest, rainforest, sweeping beaches and coastlines. Great bushwalks range from under an hour to over three days.
Visitors can camp, caravan or stay in huts, cabins, wilderness retreats or lodges. The park is located 3 hours east of Melbourne CBD.
Hanging Rock:
Rising 105 metres, Hanging Rock is actually a small steep-sided volcano. Rainwater has gradually created unusual rock formations, including the Black Hole of Calcutta and the Cathedral.
A visit to hanging rock also makes reading John Lindsay’s classic novel a little more real! The Rock is an hour’s drive north of Melbourne CBD.
