Classic Victoria

Welcome to Melbourne! Upon leaving the airport, you'll be privately transferred to your hotel, leaving you the rest of the day to settle or explore the city at your will!

Be dazzled by the wondrous sights of Australia's most vibrant city and learn about Melbourne's fascinating history with your expert guide.

Join a small group tour with Oceania to make the most of your stay as you zoom in and around the city, visiting such wonders as Federation Square, the MCG and our world-famous sports precinct, St Patrick's Cathedral, Albert Park Lake (Formula 1) and over to St Kilda Beach. You can even take a stroll in the gardens and visit St Patrick's Cathedral when permitted.

Your tour will finish by visiting Melbourne's famous Eureka Tower where you can scrape the sky to see the awe inspiring skyline at Eureka Skydeck 88 where you will be spoiled with 360 degree views of the city, Port Phillip Bay and out to the Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley.

There will be a maximum of 11 people in your group, so you will have plenty of opportunities to ask your guide questions and get to know your fellow travelers.

Your animal adventures will start with a visit to Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park with fascinating Australian animals at every turn. You have up-close encounters with animals like kangaroos, wombats and echidnas. Next, we will head to the island (Phillip Island) where will head to Woolamai Surf Beach to catch a glimpse of the awesome waves and die-hard surfers (weather permitting). We then cross the island to reach the dramatic west coast and the Nobbies where you will be awe-struck by the crashing waves.

And finally, it's time for the main event, the Penguin Parade. There is a reason that this is one of Australia's top attractions and the little penguins will not disappoint! You will sit on the protective platform to see possibly hundreds of little penguins waddling onto the beach. This fabulous natural spectacular is run by a non-for-profit organisation where all profits are directly reinvested in conservation efforts to protect the little penguins.

Venture outside of Melbourne with pick-up directly from the hotel. We travel through the vast volcanic plains on route to Geelong where you have time to stroll along the beautifully transformed waterfront. We start our journey along the Great Ocean Road at Torquay, stopping at various places along the coast including Bells Beach and our scenic morning tea location. Our focus then turns to Australian native wildlife as we observe Eastern Grey Kangaroos in the wild. Our journey then begins travelling the very scenic, cliff-hugging section of the Great Ocean Road. While winding our way along we stop to view sites such as the 'Memorial Arch' and tell you of the intriguing story of this incredible road. After lunch in Lorne, the largest of the seaside villages, we cruise along the spectacular road, stopping at many scenic spots including Kennett River where we can see koalas and many colorful native birds in the wild. Travelling through Apollo Bay we go into the Great Otway National Park. We take you on a 1km guided walk through a cool temperate rainforest gully to see the world's tallest flowering plants, prehistoric trees and ferns and unique features such as 'Yabbie Chimneys'. We visit the township of Apollo Bay before checking in to 'Beacon Point Ocean View Villas'. Your private self contained villa is set high on a hill overlooking the Southern Ocean provides an amazing setting is a great place to relax and unwind for a couple of hours. There are plenty of birds in this natural bush setting and it is not unusual to spot Koalas, Wallabies or even Echidnas. Tonight, we dine at the award-winning restaurant 'Chris' at Beacon Point'. This is regarded as the best restaurant in the region and has a fantastic menu that utilizes great local produce. Included in the tour is a two-course dinner that can be made up of any of their wonderful entree's, mains or desserts.

Your journey after breakfast on day two starts with us travelling through the Otway ranges and onto the 'Shipwreck Coast'. Our first stop is at Castle Cove overlooking the Aire river valley. In this area millions of years ago when Australia was part of the great southern land, Gondwana, dinosaurs were roaming the land. A unique find along the coast in 1987 uncovered important clues into the world's pre-historic past. natural beauty. We arrive as the stacks are lit with the morning sun making them perfect for photos and crowd free. This is a bonus for taking a 2-day trip as the stacks are silhouettes in the afternoon and overcrowded. After hearing of the creation of the stacks and holding some of the limestone rock you can explore the boardwalks or brave a helicopter flight along the coastline (own expense). We then visit 'Loch Ard Gorge', the site of the most famous 19th century Australian shipwreck. While approaching the site you hear of the tragic story composed by a local historian. His story retells the tale of a calm voyage, the tragic wreck, the courageous survivors and their post-wreck lives. While hearing the tale you will be able to see and hold some original artifacts, photos and documents from the 'Loch Ard' contained in our treasure chests. Port Campbell is our lunch stop for today. The small fishing village of just 500 is set in a beautiful natural port and has some wonderful cafes and restaurants for food and views. After lunch we travel to a lesser known but highly impressive area of the Great Ocean Road west of Port Campbell. This section takes in London Bridge, Bay of Islands, Bay of Martyrs, and Boat Bay before our journey turns inland and travels through open farmland towards Melbourne arriving there around 6pm.