Festival & Events

?Local Gurus? from Victoria are sportier than their New South Wales counterparts who favour walking and relaxing on the beach. Victorians rate their top activity as playing and watching AFL, and also enjoy a range of other sports, priding themselves on being home to the Australian Open, F1 Grand Prix and Melbourne Cricket Ground. The top ten experiences, as indicated by Victoria?s ?Local Gurus? are as follows: 1. Footy ? Victorians love their footy. Whether playing or just watching, AFL ranked especially high in all regions of Victoria, topping the list in Melbourne and Victoria?s Western Region. 2. Walking ? whether it be a sunset stroll in cosmopolitan Apollo Bay, a bushwalk through the Dandenongs or through the treetops of the Otway Fly, walking came up number two. 3. Wining and dining ? with so much fresh produce on offer, it?s little wonder Victorians love their food. Great suggestions included the Gippsland Gourmet Deli Trail, St Kilda?s Cicciolina and fish and chips on the beach in Lorne. 4. Sport ? just like most Aussies, Victorians love their sport. Everything from backyard cricket to extreme skiing was worthy of a mention, with particular emphasis on events and arenas such as the Australian Open, Grand Prix and the MCG. 5. Parks and gardens ? from rugged bushland

such as the Otway Ranges and the Grampians to Melbourne?s Botanical Gardens, Victorians appreciate their natural surrounds in every possible way, with camping, four wheel driving and picnics popular suggestions. 6. Shopping in Melbourne ? every Aussie knows that Melbourne is renowned for its shopping. Victorians? clear favourites included famous Chapel Street and the Queen Victoria Market. Chadstone also rated extremely highly. 7. Melbourne?s history ? to get a taste for Melbourne?s history, respondents suggested exploring sites such as Federation Square, the Immigration Museum, The Old Melbourne Gaol and the Melbourne Museum. 8. Museums ? Victorians, proud of the entire state?s heritage have listed numerous museums in every region. Travellers are encouraged to visit everything from the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo to the Port Albert Maritime Museum in South Gippsland. 9. Beach ? unlike those from New South Wales who rate the beach number two, Victorians have it listed at number nine. The breathtaking beaches that topped the list were Lorne, Portsea, Sorrento, Apollo Bay and Torquay. 10. Day spas and hot springs ? for the ultimate in indulgence Victorians love hot spas and springs. Daylesford and Hepburn Springs were mentioned endlessly, as was Healesville.