Capital of the state of Victoria, Melbourne is a combination of old and new architecture, elegant streetscapes, ethnic communities and lavish parks and gardens.

Melbourne has a lively passion for eating and drinking, which is reflected in thousands of restaurants serving up gastronomic experiences from around the world. What's more, everywhere you look you'll find an array of fashionable cafes, where you can enjoy Melbourne's fantastic coffee culture to the full.

The city also features a non-stop program of festivals, major art exhibitions and musical extravaganzas, sporting fixtures and a range of crowd pleasing events - from the Australian Grand Prix to the beautiful floral displays of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

Venturing outside Melbourne, you'll find diverse regional areas and attractions - coastal vistas, outback wildness, vineyards, rugged peaks and thrilling wildlife.

The Great Ocean Road - winds westwards from the major regional city of Geelong to the South Australian border. Along with striking ocean views, the region contains laidback coastal towns and maritime villages, and there are plenty of opportunities for bushwalking, swimming, surfing fishing and whale watching.

One of the most visited stretches of the road is the Port Campbell National Park, buffeted by the wild seas and fierce winds, the coastline has been sculpted over millions of years to form a series of striking natural features. You can wander the boardwalks and paths at the Twelve Apostles, remarkable limestone rock stacks rising from the ocean, while further along, London Bridge is another amazing formation not to be missed.