Warrnambool

Warrnambool is a city of around 36,000 people on the south-west coast of Victoria, roughly 260 kilometres from Melbourne. It was established in 1847 as a whaling station and port, and grew through the 19th century as the service centre for the rich dairy country of the Western District. Today it is a regional university city with a growing food scene and one of the most reliable wildlife experiences on the Victorian coast.

The city's biggest drawcard is the southern right whale nursery at Logans Beach, on the eastern edge of town. Between June and September each year, female southern right whales return to the shallow waters off Logans Beach to give birth and nurse their calves. A purpose-built viewing platform on the dunes gives a clear line of sight to the whales, which often come within a few hundred metres of shore. It is one of the most accessible and reliable land-based whale watching sites in Australia, and there is no charge.

Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is a recreated 19th century port settlement built around the original lighthouse and signal station on the hill above Lady Bay. The centrepiece of the museum is the Minton peacock, a magnificent ceramic piece salvaged from the wreck of the Loch Ard in 1878. The Shipwrecked sound and laser show, held nightly in season, retells the story of the Loch Ard disaster and is a genuinely engaging production.

The city has several good beaches, with Lady Bay (the main swimming beach) offering calm water in a sheltered cove, and Levy's Beach and Shelly Beach on the western side providing wilder surf. The Mahogany Walking Trail runs 22 kilometres from Warrnambool to Port Fairy along the coast and is one of the best half-day coastal walks in western Victoria.

Warrnambool has a strong food and dairy culture, and the surrounding country produces some of Victoria's best cheese, butter and cream. The weekly farmers market on Saturday mornings is well regarded. The city is also the starting point for drives to the Tower Hill volcanic crater (15 minutes west), a wildlife reserve where emus and koalas wander freely among visitors.