AustraliaA Journey through Victoria & the Rainforests

Victoria

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

Places to visit in Victoria

MelbourneMornington

Places to visit in Victoria

Great Ocean Road

Dandenong Ranges

MelbourneThe capital of Victoria is flooded with restaurants and entertainment with a unique blend of culture.Places to check out:

Restaurants:BrunettiBabka Bakery CaféStokehouse

Attractions:National Gallery of VictoriaFlinders Street StationIan Potter Center

Brunetti • 214 Flinders Lane

Melbourne, 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

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

Stokehouse• 30 Jacka Blvd

St 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

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 mask 1926 Man Ray

Rare and unexpected sightings of the Embroidered Merops and the Spinifex Grasswren 2003 John Wolseley

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

Mornington•Seaside town•Galleries, spas, and cafés to explore•Wine region to experience

Mornington Vineyards• Especially famous for regional pinot noir• Opportunities to speak with vineyard owners and

international wine enthusiasts• Main Ridge Estate

▫ 80 William Rd, Red Hill, Victoria 3937▫ First commercial vineyard in the region▫ Rosalie and Nat White are passionate about winemaking

and offer wine tasting and guest vineyard exploration.

Outdoor Activities• Horseback riding• Scuba diving• Surfing• Sailing

Great Ocean Road•World’s most scenic ocean drive•12 Apostles•Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village

12 Apostles• Set of twelve

massive rocks that rise up in the Southern Ocean on the coast of Victoria

• Created millions of years ago by the erosion of limestone cliffs

• Stop by Cape Bridgewater after seeing the ancient rock formations▫ Amazing views of

a petrified forest right on the water

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

Dandenong Ranges•Shops & galleries to explore in surrounding villages of Olinda, Belgrave, & Sassafras•Several cozy cafes and restaurants to unwind in•Ride Puffing Billy the steam engine & enjoy the sights the national forest has to offer•Explore William Ricketts Sanctuary•Many outdoor and family activities available to guests

Olinda• One of the highest

villages in Dandenong Range

• Explore the National Rhododendron Gardens

• Wide variety of boutiques, including The Touchstone Craft Gallery

• A visit to Olinda: http://www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/Yarra-Valley-and-Dandenong-Ranges/Destinations/Olinda.aspx

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

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

The RainforestDaintree RainforestSkyrailWildlifePreservation

Daintree Rainforest

1,200 square kilometersLargest Rainforest in Australia

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.

SkyrailOver 7.5 km over the Australian rainforestConvenient and comfortable way to exploreReasonable individual & family pricing options

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

WildlifeRare and unique animals, some found nowhere else in the world reside within Australia’s rainforests

Green Tree Snake

Chameleon Gecko

Boyd’s Forest Dragon

Southern Cassoway

Sarus Crane

Australian King Parrot

Rainforest Dingo

Rainforest Wallaby

Nursery Frog

Dwarf Tree Frog

Ulysses Butterfly

Brown Kurrajong

Tulip Oak

Rainforest PreservationAustralian Rainforest Foundation

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.