Australia's Victoria

Traveling in the Australian state of Victoria

Victoria, on the eastern end of Australia's southern coastline, is not a region known by name to many outside Australia—but many have heard of its main city, Melbourne, often cited as one of the most liveable cities on Earth.

Melbourne is the exciting cultural melting pot of Australia, and with a third of the population either immigrant or first-generation, there are more ethnic restaurants than you could shake a didgeridoo at. It has a vibrant arts and cultural scene, top shopping, the oldest zoo in the world, and a gold museum that hearkens back to the city's boomtown origins.

Victoria ia also home to the Yarra Valley wine region; the spectacular Great Ocean Road, one of the world's most magnificent coastal drives (and home to the Shipwreck Coast and the Twelve Apostles rock pinnacles); and Phillip Island, swarming with koalas, kagaroos, and penguins.