89 Highly Awesome Outdoor Melbourne Adventures to Try
There's got to be at least one in here for you. At least.
89 Highly Awesome Outdoor Melbourne Adventures to Try
There's got to be at least one in here for you. At least.
Melburnian adventurers, this one's for you. Over the last little while, we've been going on about pristine waterfalls right outside the city, we've given you the keys to secret gardens around town, and we've sent you valiantly exploring on Melbourne's very best walks.
Haven't done it all? Haven't kind of sort of gone camping? Haven't elegantly dog paddled with your dog at a nearby pooch-friendly beach? Yet to take your ol' trusty two-wheeler on the city's best bike trails? Fill up your canteen with water (wink), pack a little lunchbox and get going this weekend. Here's a little guide to help you.
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With the weather heating up, there’s nothing better than stripping down to your togs, baring your skin to the glaring summer rays and cannon-balling into a swimming hole. The trick is finding the ones without the gaggles of sunburnt tourists. Luckily, we’ve done the research. Grab your Kmart-inflatables and get ready to practice the art of floating. Here are our picks of the ten most unusual swimming spots around Melbourne – be they waterfall, beach haven or billabong.
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Beyond the freeway, hidden behind that thick shrub, off that back street — that’s where a secret garden is waiting. With no shortage of blissful spring days on the horizon, there’s no better time to be a little adventurous and explore one of these lesser known gardens. Why wouldn’t you want to swap the cement jungle for a green oasis and breathe in the heavenly scent of eucalyptus trees? Sit back, slip off your shoes, feel the grass between your toes and chase a frisbee around one of these top secret spots.
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There are all the standard ways to keep refreshed. A dip at the local pool is always a solid option, as is a tumble down a slip ‘n’ slide. Or you can stick your head in the fridge. (Just whatever you do, stay out of the Yarra.) For those of you feeling a little more adventurous, we recommend a swim beneath one of Victoria’s many beautiful waterfalls. Here are four such locations within a reasonable drive of the city. Watch out for the currents and the leeches, and you’ll have a picture-perfect time.
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Camping is a wonderful idea — reconnecting with nature, breathing in the ambience of peace and quiet and the fresh non-city air. It’s the perfect escape from the urban jungle of life. But the logistics of camping are difficult. Packing all that stuff, unpacking that stuff, erecting the tent and praying that the thin synthetic material is enough to protect you from an impending storm or the swarming mosquitoes out to get your blood. Thankfully glamping, the luxurious older sister of that other activity, provides a classy alternative to simply roughing it outdoors. Combining both the beauty of nature with the mod cons and comfort of a hotel means you can have your wilderness experience and goose-feather down quilt too.
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Despite popular belief, walking is not just an activity reserved from getting from A to B (i.e. your house to the tram stop), but a delightful way to spend a leisurely Sunday afternoon. Whether you’re looking for a walking track to sculpt killer calves, or a more Zen-like English garden stroll, Melbourne has hundreds of trails dedicated to the ancient practice of putting one foot in front of the other. So lace up your runners and feel the dirt underneath your feet with the best walks in and around the city.
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Lighthouses have been the guiding beacon of lonely seas for centuries. Although nowadays we are blessed with GPS technology and automated glowing lights, these romantic towers guided fisherman, shabby sailors and new migrants safely to the rocky shores around Melbourne, a city which was then only just finding its feet. Visiting and climbing the steep spiralling staircases of these historical lighthouses is a romantic and windy experience that is best combined with a picnic or some quality local fish and chips on the lookout or a nearby beach.
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With the warm afternoons, long evenings and those sunsets, now is the best time to reunite with your two-wheeled friend and power through on the pedals. Whether you want to ride across town, whiz downhill, or simply take it slow and meander leisurely through suburban parks and gardens, there’s surely a bike track that can lure you back into the saddle. So gear up for a Sunday afternoon ride — or a sweaty Saturday morning calve-defining workout — because Melbourne has plenty of bike trails that will get you wheeling all around the city and the suburbs.
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Nothing beats getting together with a few mates for a leisurely afternoon in the sun. And while the weather doesn’t always want to cooperate here in Melbourne, we’ve got no shortage of comfortable picnic spots for when it does. Grab yourself a rug, a basket, a Frisbee if you’re feeling energetic, and without further ado, set up camp at one of our ten favourite spots around (and just outside of) the city.
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Just like you, your four-legged friend enjoys escaping the daily grind — that is, running laps of the backyard (or your apartment). They need to have adventures, feel the earth under their paws and happily frolic, roll and chase after balls, seagulls and unassuming strangers. They need to experience new surrounds and — if they’re lucky — socialise with other dogs. But where can one’s pooch experience this kind of freedom only an off-leash area can provide? Luckily, there are a plethora of dog parks (and beaches!) in Melbourne that will welcome you and your fur-baby with open arms. And if you’re merely an unashamed, dog-less puppy pervert, that’s okay too. These spots are prime for pup-watching — and you might even get to snuggle a couple if it’s okay with the poochies and their owners. Or, you could simply borrow a pup for the day.
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The words ‘public pool’ usually evoke a montage of manky images collected over time from forced school swimming lessons and carnivals. Bandaids bobbing gently to and fro along the pool floor, fears of foot fungi if you forgot your thongs, freaking out when a naked older woman asks you to help with the clasp of her bra in the change rooms — gross public pool experiences are basically a right of passage for primary school kids. But now you are an adult, it doesn’t have to be this way! There is actually a whole luxurious world of publicly accessible swimming pools just waiting for you to glide into their cool, blue waters.
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