3. Victoria Capital: Melbourne Population: 4,644,950 (70% lives in Melbourne) Victoria has been inhabited by Aboriginal people for thousands of years and their culture continues on today within the area. In 1851, the gold rush attracted many to Victoria. 30,000 immigrants from Britain, Europe, America and China subsequently arrived in Victoria. Today, tourism makes up a large portion of Victoria’s economy. 9% of the workforce is dedicated to tourist attractions to accommodate the 600 thousand international visitors and nearly 11 million domestic visitors each year. Victoria’s 1850s Gold Rush
5. Places to visit in Victoria Great Ocean Road Dandenong Ranges
6. Melbourne The capital of Victoria is flooded with restaurants and entertainment with a unique blend of culture. Places to check out: Restaurants: Brunetti Babka Bakery Café Stokehouse Attractions: National Gallery of Victoria Flinders Street Station Ian Potter Center
7. Brunetti 214 Flinders LaneMelbourne, 3000 Serves breakfast, brunch, coffee, & desserts Popular café with a sweet twist on coffee cake & other desserts Downside: extremely busy; not good for large groups pricey
8. Babka Bakery Café 358 Brunswick St Fitzroy Available menu items: breads, pastries, breakfasts, sandwiches, blinis and borscht Price: $7-$15 Downside: Very busy, not good for large groups
9. Stokehouse 30 Jacka BlvdSt Kilda, 3182 Relaxed beachside fine dining experience with Australian, Italian, and Mediterranean style food Renown wine list and critically acclaimed menu Featured in “Taste of Melbourne” Downside: Expensive
10. National Gallery of Victoria 180 St. Kilda Road Melbourne 8004 Australia’s oldest art gallery Est. 1861 General admission is free, but special exhibits charge an entrance fee Interactive areas for children to explore Collection includes work by: Picasso, Stubbs, Rothko to Bernini, Rembrandt, Rubens, Tiepolo, Tintoretto, Titian, Uccello, and Veronese Downsides: Some exhibits can be expensive Kiki with African mask1926 Man Ray Rare and unexpected sightings of the Embroidered Merops and the SpinifexGrasswren2003 John Wolseley
11. Flinders Street Station Take a ride through Melbourne on this historically significant railway Oldest station in Australia Busiest suburban railway station in the southern hemisphere Popular meeting place in Melbourne
19. Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village Explore Shipwreck Coast, where over 180 ships have sunk over the years Great Circle Gallery features artifacts and treasures discovered on the local shipwrecks Nighttime light and laser show View the Loch Ard Peacock statue
25. Puffing Billy Oldest steam railway system in Australia Travels through the Dandenong Ranges and surrounding forest area Open sided carriages allow uninterrupted views of surroundings Themed railway nights including: Jazz on Puffing Billy Railway, &Steam & Cuisine Wine Train featuring TarraWarra Estate and Helen's Hill Winery
26. William Ricketts Sanctuary Clay sculptures of aboriginals designed by William Ricketts which exist within the surrounding environment of Victoria’s rainforest 92 human and animal sculptures Project began in 1930 when Ricketts purchased the property Created sculptures until his death in 1993
29. A Unique World 30% of frog, marsupial, & reptile species throughout Australia 65% Australia's bat & butterfly species One of the most complex ecosystems on earth Many rare primitive animal species Mountain ranges to explore along with streams and waterfalls available in this dense rainforest.
30. Skyrail Over 7.5 km over the Australian rainforest Convenient and comfortable way to explore Reasonable individual & family pricing options
31. Skyrail Rainforest Exploration Most sustainable tourist attraction in Queensland Good for groups with children and those who cannot otherwise explore the rainforest on foot Virtual Skyrail Experience: http://www.skyrail.com.au/virtuals.html
32. Wildlife Rare and unique animals, some found nowhere else in the world reside within Australia’s rainforests
38. A Threatened World The rainforest is one of the most threatened environments in the world. Each second, an area equivalent to the size of a football field of rainforest is destroyed in the world. Many undiscovered plants, which can potentially be used in future medicine development, exist within the rainforest. Each acre of rainforest that is destroyed could contain hundreds of these species.
