Top Things to do in Victoria
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What to do and see in Victoria, Australia: The Best Islands
Discover the best top things to do in Victoria, Australia including Gabo Island, Griffiths Island, Rigbys Island, Phillip Island Nature Parks - Koala Reserve, Churchill Island, Herring Island Park, French Island National Park, Scilleys Island, Belsar Island, Lambert Island Nature Conservation Reserve.
Restaurants in Victoria
1. Gabo Island
2. Griffiths Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 759 reviews
Reviewed By Jos_k108 - Melbourne, Australia
Fabulous walk and diverse views to soak in from sea to inland, rocks to the light house and wild animals if you're lucky. We did the whole round and saw wallabies in the setting sun. Beautiful lighting for time of day to take great photos. Didn't get to see any mutton birds but got to enjoy and sunset.
3. Rigbys Island
4. Phillip Island Nature Parks - Koala Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,215 reviews
koala conservation centre. Meet our koalas ‘face to face’ from our amazing treetop boardwalks at this unique ecotourism attraction. This area of natural bush land isalso home to an amazing variety of birds and wildlife.
Reviewed By abcdefghijklm222
Wonderful stop with boardwalks through the reserve and terrific signage to see Koalas up close. Loved this place
5. Churchill Island
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 506 reviews
churchill island heritage farm. Our Australian working Farm. Churchill Island is a uniqueeco tourism attraction. The beautiful island offers a range of farming activities and natural attractions..
Reviewed By Shine9999 - Dallas, United States
Very cool experience after all. Medium size farm, not very huge but got everything they claimed they have. We'd got the 3 parks pass online. Gardens and ancient cottages were very beautiful and nicely taken care of. Got the chance to milk a cow, first time seeing sheep shearing with my own eyes it was eye opening. That one peacock was really pretty with those colorful fur on it that my family couldn't get our eyes off it. Blue sky, blue sea, green grass and sheeps made a beautiful scenery at sunset. My whole family enjoyed this experience very much. I would definitely recommend this place if you plan to visit Phillip Island!
6. Herring Island Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 10 reviews
Reviewed By F12MPpeters - Rome, Italy
Review covers Herring Island, Yarra River, South Yarra We were on our way that morning to the National Exhibition of A4-Sized Artworks being held by the Contemporary Arts Society of Victoria in their gallery on Herring Island. We’d parked on Alexandra Avenue close to Como Landing – where you catch the Parks Victoria ferryboat/punt to the island. Herring Island? We had never actually heard of the place before and it was only from following the promotional literature of the art exhibition that we came to explore the paintings displayed and, perhaps equally, to enjoy the pleasure of this unique geographical feature – the Yarra River’s only island – and the quirkiness of this patch of native vegetation completely immersed in the urban hinterland of South Yarra and close to some of the most expensive real estate in the city. Park your car close by on Alexandra Ave, make that coffee call at the Kanteen Café that’s located above Como Landing – there’s no coffee on the island – and then catch the Parks Victoria ferryboat across to South Landing. There’s a deal of pleasure in sitting coffee-in-hand, looking around and taking in the novelty of the location – and particularly first-time. Remember too that you’ve got just two hours parking available according to the road sign … but, for us, it proved sufficient for that coffee, ferryboat crossings, art exhibition and a walk around the island to see the handful of sculptures on display. We stopped for a picnic lunch just across the river from the Kanteen café and next to the open patch of land mid-island with the covered BBQ seating area which, at the time, contained a group of ‘mature people-out-for-the-day’ eating their lunch. Start with the art exhibition then. It was in the northern corner of the island and housed in a light single-story building that had once belonged to the local scouts - the island had been leased to the Scouts Association during the 1950s & 1960s before shifting to an interim management group and, in the 1990s, to Parks Victoria. The island takes its current name from the patron of the scouts during the earlier period who was also the Lieutenant Governor of Victoria - Sir Edmund Herring. Before that the island had been known as Como Island. You needed to register in compliance with Covid-19 restrictions before entering the exhibition hall. Entry is/was free-of-charge. There were >600 original A4-sized paintings/features available in addition to a handful of sculptures on display – far too much to take in with casual wandering unless … you had picked up a loaned copy of the catalogue provided. Then you can scrutinize those images, media, approaches, styles and subject matter to your heart’s content. There was something for everyone in the galaxy of choice provided. Everything you see had a price affixed; everything is/was for sale (apart from those that had already been sold). Prices varied, of course, with the majority within the range $100-$250. A couple of favourites that we picked out: poppies in the one and sunflowers in the other dominating the foreground with images of the Apennines in the background and, in the one, a faded hilltop town leaning out over the surrounding valley. Same artist. In a separate room behind the art exhibits there was a collection of memorabilia highlighting the First Australians who lived in the area (and in greater Victoria) and the impact of the settlers on their traditional way-of-life. Drawings and early photographs with stories attached provided a glimpse of the people and their times – both peoples. Just outside the window and across the Yarra River 200 years later was the reality of five million people living in one of the World’s most successful cities. Perhaps only the river remains as a reminder of local human history that stretches back >60,000 years. After the exhibition there was the ‘Environmental Sculpture’ to explore - a remnant/reminder of the Melbourne Festival of the late 1990s. There’s nine larger-than-life exhibits scattered amongst the trees around the western side of the island. Not particularly well marked but we followed trails that enabled us, we figured, to check on half-dozen of the sculptures – like jungle explorers coming across the remains of civilizations that had receded into the past. That said, at one site we stood and watched one enthusiastic craftsman at work on a shallow curved crescent wall set into the ground with grinder in-hand and surrounded by tools and materials. He was much too busy to interrupt with the usual question … ‘What are you doing?’ And, finally, there’s the island itself, which is sort of triangular in shape and just 3 ha in area. Derived in part from flood control developments during the 1920s, the Yarra River was diverted into a new channel cut through what had once been Richmond Quarry. Instead of filling the original channel the island was formed and has remained. Dredging the river originally provided spoil with which to build up the island, and native trees, shrubs and grasses were planted throughout the period to form the pleasant bush/park-like environment that exists today. Herring Island has been a public park since 1994. Illustrated information boards outside the art gallery describe the biology of the island – the flora, fauna that you may come across. What you can’t escape, however, is the surrounding city and, in particular, the impact of the Monash Freeway that follows the Yarra River to the north of the island – visuals, noise, emissions, run-off and more. This is, realistically, your urban environment in all its dominant 21st century impact. The art exhibition draws the visitors in; at other times of the year crossing to the island would be a challenge – you would need to bring your own boat. It’s illegal to swim in the lower reaches. Perhaps I should add that the ferryboat is/was a freebee, but it’s only available during office hours at weekends and public holidays to coincide with the different art exhibitions held on Herring Island during the Summer months. The service is/was due to stop on Easter Monday 05April21. The island had been a pleasant surprise. Who would have figured this small urban park on an island on the Yarra River that dates from almost 100 years ago? Peter Steele 01April2021
7. French Island National Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 7 reviews
French Island National Park has much to offer including unspoiled natural bushland and walking along beaches where your only companions are hundreds of wading birds. Experience wonderful walks and bike rides through a range of habitats. There are day, half day and shorter walks and rides starting at Tankerton Foreshore Reserve. French Island supports a large population of the Long-nosed Potoroo, as well as containing the most significant population of koalas in Victoria. The koalas reproduce so successfully that they eat themselves out of house and home. Each year over 200 are transferred to reserves in other parts of Victoria.
Reviewed By melbwanderer86 - Melbourne, Australia
The most beautiful koalas, beaches and bushland. You can hike, swim, and see mangroves and wildlife just outside of Melbourne
8. Scilleys Island
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By robynkiddell23 - Melbourne, Australia
Unfortunately access to island from main road closed. Bridge is under repair. Looked good with picnic tables scattered around.
