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Travelling In Your 30s
Most of us still associate a “gap year” as being only for the youngins Aged between 18-21, who need to
Home to Australia’s most liveable city, Melbourne, the state of Victoria is the perfect destination to start your working holiday. It’s known for some incredible beaches and the iconic Great Ocean Road, not to mention heaps of national parks.
Victoria also has all four seasons, you can ski in winter and be on the beach in summer. But it’s Victoria’s location that makes it an ideal starting point for your backpacking trip; head East to Canberra and Sydney and then up the East Coast to Queensland; head west to Adelaide, along to Perth and up the West Coast.
Not sure how to go about exploring this amazing state? Join us on either our Welcome to Melbourne or Melbourne Mini Pack tours or chat to our community team to plan your own epic personalised adventure.
Packed with culture, Melbourne is a favourite for a reason. Wander around the city spotting street art, enjoy the city’s strong coffee culture and discover the latest live music wafting through the lanes. Melbourne holds onto its secrets 🤫 and the more you explore, the more you discover. Take a ride on the historic 35 tram for a free whirlwind tour of the city, take in the cultural offerings at the Victoria State Library, Art Gallery and Federation Square. In the suburbs shop for vintage finds at the Fitzroy markets, enjoy a night out on Chapel Street and don’t miss out on the beach suburb of ☀️ St Kilda.
With any big city, there really is something for everyone in Melbourne; it’s artistic, cultural, political with plenty of hidden gems. In the CBD you’ll find the cultural offerings, shops and plenty of rooftop bars. Over in St Kilda is where you’ll find most of the backpackers with hostels and share houses aplenty. Then each suburb has its own unique feel and offerings too, from the best live music to sporting hubs.
When it comes to exploring the city, make the most of the free public tram zone. In the north, wander around the stalls at Victoria Markets, to the east lounge in the Botanical Gardens, in the south you have the beach suburbs and the west is where you’ll find the Docklands.
If you’re thinking to yourself, how can I possibly find all of Melbourne’s hidden gems? Then our Welcome to Melbourne tour is made for you, we’ll show you around the city so you’ll know it like a local; the best happy hours, the hidden street art and an insight into Melbourne aboriginal heritage. If you’re short on time and wanting to get straight into work, our Melbourne Mini Pack will help you land on your feet when you first arrive in the city. Whichever tour you join, you’ll also get access to our exclusive work and travel advice throughout your time in Australia.
The Award Winning Welcome to Melbourne tour is our OG tour. This tour has over 1,000 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews on Google.
One of the most iconic road trips in the world. Experience it with your new found travel family straight after your tour!
Short on time but want to see the city and still get work and travel help? Our Melbourne Minipack is for you!
All we need to convince you to visit Phillip Island is one word: penguins. Yes there are penguins in Australia, no they don’t live in the snow and yes you can see them on Phillip Island. Join the nightly Penguin Parade, where hundreds of tiny penguins make their way back to land and waddle up the beach. If cute penguins weren’t enough to make the two hour trip out of Melbourne, then Phillip Island’s stunning beaches, breathtaking nature and chilled-back vibe should be.
Phillip Island is a nature-lovers dream, along with those cute penguins, you’ll see wallabies, seals and more. Plus, stunning views over the coast from The Nobbies and the beautiful sandy coastline and beaches. Talking of beaches, Smith Beach is the best place on the island for newbies to catch the surf, while Cape Woolamai is reportedly the Hemsworth brothers’ favourite surf spot.
But if you’re visiting for the Penguin Parade, and let’s be honest, that’s why we all want to be there! As well as watching the penguins come over the beach, take the time to wander slowly up the boardwalk to get a closer look as they waddle past and make their way to their nests. Cuteness overload.
If you’re joining us on our Welcome to Melbourne Tour, which we think you definitely should, we’ll take you on an overnight trip to Phillip Island to watch the Penguin Parade, teach you how to surf 🏄 and take you for a spot of wine tasting 🍷 on the Mornington Peninsula. If that doesn’t tempt you to join our tour, then we don’t know what will. But if you’re joining us on a Mini Pack or Welcome to Sydney, we’ll forgive you and help you plan an epic day trip to watch the Penguin Parade, or you can hire a car and explore in your own time. And if you leave Melbourne without seeing this little island, the penguins alone are one main reason to come to Victoria.
If the Great Ocean Road isn’t already on your Australian bucket list, it should be. Grab a bunch of your new friends and hit the road 🚐. This stretch of coastline is a few hours drive out of Melbourne, take time to grab pics at the 12 Apostles, Loch and Gorge, and London Bridge. While you can do the Great Ocean Road in a day, you’ll thank us when we tell you it’s worth taking a few days to road trip.
If you’re a keen surfer then start your Great Ocean Road trip in the surf town of Torquay, the birthplace of Rip-Curl and Quicksilver. Our backpacker tip; this is also where you’ll find a bargain 💰 in their outlet stores! If you can’t catch the surf just yet, chill out on the beach or enjoy the excellent seafood along the seafront. Then it’s time for the big event, The Great Ocean Road.
If you combine your Great Ocean Road trip with the Grampians, which is the way our add-on tour goes, then you’ll be driving the reverse route of The Great Ocean Road. This means one huge perk: quiet crowds. Get up early because this road trip is worth the early alarm. Start off at the beach town of Lorne before stopping off at the viewpoints of The Grotto and London Bridge. Then you’ll finish with the main event: the 12 Apostles.
We highly recommend leaving the week after your Welcome to Melbourne tour free so you can join your new friends on our Great Ocean Road Trip, this is exclusive for the travellers on your Welcome Tour. Not joining our Welcome Tour in Melbourne? Don’t fret – we can help you with day trips options (including a reverse itinerary) or even hire you a car and help you with your route so you can road trip it yourself.
It’s time to get out into the Australian bush. The Grampians National Park has some incredible hikes, but it’s the sunset and sunrise views that are the most impressive. Drive a few hours out of Melbourne to the small town of Apollo Bay, here up a twisty mountain road you’ll find our favourite Grampians hike: The Pinnacles. With impressive rock formation and celebratory-worth view at the top, this hike is a must.
We love Melbourne, but we also love getting out of Melbourne. And the relatively short drive (by Australian standards anyway) to the Grampians transports you inland with incredible scenery to match. This is the place to hike, and there’s plenty of options to suit everyone’s styles from short jaunts to 3 or 4 hour long circuits. Whatever you choose you’ll certainly be met with rewarding views.
In the Grampians you’ll have a pretty strong chance of seeing kangaroos in the wild! Tick that off your Australia bucket list. Then when it comes to driving around here, especially at dawn and dusk, keep an eye out for them jumping into the road. This is the one time you don’t want to meet a kangaroo as they can make quite a dint in any car… thank goodness for insurance.
Wondering how on earth you get there? Four wheels are your friend, whether you hire a car and stay in hostels along the way, or jump in a camper. But most of all, get a group of friends together as these scenes are best shared. Our tip? Join our exclusive Great Ocean Road Trip which includes two days in The Grampians before you hit The Great Ocean Road. This tour is exclusive for our Welcome to Melbourne groups, so you’re guaranteed to be with your new found friends. And we do all the hard work with your car hire and hostels booked for you, so all you have to do is follow our exclusive itinerary.
The Award Winning Welcome to Melbourne tour is our OG tour. This tour has over 1,000 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews on Google.
One of the most iconic road trips in the world. Experience it with your new found travel family straight after your tour!
Short on time but want to see the city and still get work and travel help? Our Melbourne Minipack is for you!
We love to hear from you and help you with your travel plans. If you have any questions at all then feel free to get in touch. Not only can you message us, we also offer free travel advice calls meaning you can have a real conversation with a real person that’s been in your shoes.
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