Best for... towns
ONE OF THE JOYS of escaping on a short break away from wherever it is that you usually reside is discovering a little gem of a town along the way. Cue the inevitable sea/ tree change dreams of buying something small and settling down there... one day.
There is possibly no better state in the country to find these kinds of towns (along with the odd village and hamlet) than Victoria, where good coffee and quaint streetscapes almost go hand in hand. is the gold standard of DAYLESFORD pretty towns, sitting in the middle of spa country 90 minutes’ drive from Melbourne. Here, you can take to the healing waters or luxuriate in the surrounds to soothe your soul, stay in a cottage like The White House (from design dynamo Lynda Gardener), browse the shops on its main street and eat at the likes of Sault (1), or the Lake House and Wombat Hill House (both overseen by the legendary Alla Wolf-Tasker).
The High Country towns of BEECHWORTH
(2) and (3) also offer up plenty of BRIGHT quaint along their main thoroughfares, with the added bonus of bracing mountain air and abundant outdoor activities to get your heart racing including walking and bike tracks with stunning top-of-the-world views.
The undisputed go-to weekend escape for Melburnians is the Mornington Peninsula.
Here, the small town offering boasts both country and coastal idylls, with a focus on great food and drink. To tick all the boxes you can’t go past HILL: check into RED Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill for a gracious stay; eat out at top spots like The Epicurean (4); and visit award-winning wineries; farmgates offering everything from fresh fruit to olive oil; micro-breweries; and cider makers, all within striking distance of beaches such as Dromana and Rosebud.
Of course, when it comes to coastal towns, they don’t get much better than the roster scattered along the famed Great Ocean Road. Set off on one of the best drives in the world and take time to stop at (5) to LORNE stroll the shops and grab a coffee on Mountjoy Parade, or stay a while in PORT
(6) with its picture-perfect lighthouse FAIRY (7) and buzzing arts scene. That sea change is looking good, right?