Melbourne has a chip on its shoulder about Sydney and honestly it's earned the right to. The food is better, the coffee is a genuine religion, the street art in Hosier Lane gets repainted by actual artists on a rotating basis, and the live music scene has been punching above its weight for decades. It's a city that rewards people who actually explore it rather than just ticking off the landmarks.
It's also got some of the best day trips in the country sitting right on its doorstep. The Great Ocean Road starts an hour from the CBD and stretches 240 kilometres of coastline that has no business being that dramatic. Phillip Island is 90 minutes away and has a nightly penguin parade that is exactly as good as it sounds. And if you want to go further, Melbourne to Uluru overland tours leave from here and cover some of the most remarkable landscape in Australia on the way through.
Melbourne Tours: Where to Start
The city itself deserves at least 3 days before you start doing day trips. The laneways, the markets (Queen Victoria Market has been running since 1878), the rooftop bars, the galleries, Federation Square, the Botanic Gardens, the MCG if sport is your thing. For the full breakdown of what to actually book, things to do in Melbourne has it covered.
Then there's the day trips. The Great Ocean Road is the one everyone knows about and it delivers. The Phillip Island penguin parade is the one people are slightly embarrassed to admit is on their list until they actually go and then they're very glad they did. And the Melbourne to Uluru overland tours are for anyone who wants to see the inland Australia that most East Coasters miss entirely.
Melbourne as an East Coast Base
Melbourne works as both a starting point and an ending point for an East Coast trip. If you're starting here, the Start in Melbourne packages route you north through Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane, and all the way up to Cairns. The East Coast bus passes pick up from Melbourne too. And if you're heading west rather than north, Adelaide is 8 hours away and a natural next stop before the Red Centre.
Still figuring out the bigger picture? The East Coast fully guided tours have it all built out, or check the Australia hub for the full country overview.
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