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When you explore the outdoors it can boost your wellbeing, reduce stress, and connect you to country all while being more physically active. You can breathe in fresh air, spot local flora and fauna, and spend time with your friends and family.
Exploring can be a great way to get your 15 minutes of movement, four times a day.
Get Your Move On campaign ambassador Darcy Vescio encourages other young Victorians to head outdoors and explore places near them.
Junior Rangers
If you love exploring nature, the Junior Rangers is for you! Our friends at Parks Victoria offer heaps of fun things to do and read to help you explore the wonders of Victoria’s parks.
Visit Junior to find out more.
Exploring across Victoria
Whether you want a trip to the beach, a hike on a bush trail, or a visit to an urban park oasis, there are so many places for young people and their families to explore in Victoria. To find places to explore near you, you can search online or visit Parks .
Stuck for ideas? Check out our recommendations below.
Discover Melbourne’s urban parks
Yarra Bend is Melbourne’s largest natural bushland park, with dog-friendly walking and cycling trails that wind through woodland and along the Yarra River to Dights Falls. Rent a boat, spot local wildlife or have a picnic near the colony of Grey Headed Flying Foxes.
Albert is easy to reach from the Melbourne CBD. Go boating or fishing in Albert Lake, or bring the dog and take a walk along the flat pram accessible path.
Jells has a great playground, and Brimbank features an all-abilities Playscape.
Take a hike
Lysterfield in the Dandenong Ranges is a great day trip just outside of Melbourne. Keep an eye out for kangaroos, koalas, wallabies and native birds as you explore the bushland tracks and the Lake Circuit (suitable for bikes and off-road prams).
You Yangs Regional is a dog-friendly day trip just one hour away from Melbourne. Hike around granite peaks and boulders or take a volunteer-led guided walk up to Big Rock.
Take a walk in the Grampians National for mountain and forest landscapes, or the Mornington Peninsula National for coastal scenery.
Explore our parks by bike
Point Nepean National offers flat cycle rides with coastal scenery and historic sites. Try to catch a glimpse of Bottle-Nosed Dolphins and Australian Fur Seals.
Follow mountain biking trails of Arthurs Seat State for summit views over the Mornington Peninsula and Port Phillip Bay.
For urban nature rides, visit Jells or Yarra Bend .
Have a guided tour
The Wonthaggi State Coal is a popular heritage attraction. Book a tour led by Parks Victoria staff and volunteers and go underground into the coal mine.
Step back into historic grandeur at the heritage-listed Werribee in Werribee . An entry fee provides access and a guided tour of this opulent 60-room mansion and gardens.
Wildlife watching is a great way to get closer to Australia's unique native fauna.Tower Hill Wildlife is home to many native animals, including emus, kangaroos, koalas, swans and blue wrens. Guided tours of the park, its wildlife and Aboriginal cultural heritage are provided by Worn Gundidj.
Serendip offers wildlife tours, and is a short drive from Melbourne or Geelong.
Marvel at Victoria’s natural wonders
Port Campbell National is home to some of Victoria's most iconic Great Ocean Road scenery, including the 12 Apostles. Bay of Islands Coastal offers equally amazing sights, without the crowds.
Head into Great Otway National and explore walking tracks through towering native forests and spectacular waterfalls.
Buchan Caves , near the Snowy River National Park, is the largest cave system in Victoria. Take a guided tour through unique limestone formations of Fairy Cave and Royal Cave, formed almost 400 million years ago.
Murray-Sunset National is a short drive from Mildura. See the famous Pink Lakes of the Murray River and enjoy a spectacular sunset.
Reviewed 07 December 2022