Experience the magic of regional Victoria in all its autumn glory. The crunch of leaves underfoot, an explosion of red, orange and gold foliage. Marvel at nature's spectacular show of colour through March, April and May, in leafy towns, historic parks and along tree-fringed avenues.
Take the Great Alpine Road to the town of Bright. Gateway to national parks and ski slopes, Bright is renowned for its magnificent autumn display. Large deciduous trees, including oaks, elms, poplars and Japanese maples, paint the town in shades of crimson and bright yellow. Come for the Bright Autumn Festival to fully embrace the season and local produce, then take a side trip to Mount Beauty, just 30kms east of Bright. Mountain-biking is big in Mount Beauty, and this time of year makes for a glorious ride.
The tiny High Country town of Jamieson is a pretty patch 40kms south of Mansfield and home to an amazing array of significant trees, many dating back to the 1800s, making autumn the perfect time to visit.
Just outside the historic gold rush town of Beechworth ;(worth a stopover) lies tiny Stanley, known for apple, hazelnut and walnut orchards and pretty autumn scenes. Stroll through town and pick up produce from surrounding barns and farm gates.
In Mount Macedon, sprawling gardens and stately homes are alive with colourful maples, liquid ambers, silver birches and pin oaks. The Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival showcases the area's many arts, crafts and farmers markets at this picturesque time of the year.
Ballarat's Avenue of Honor, the first of its kind in the country, spans a massive 22 kilometres and puts on a fiery display of crimsons, ambers and golds in autumn. It incorporates the Ballarat Arch of Victory, for an extra photogenic aspect.
The towns and gardens of the Dandenong Ranges, Healesville and Warburton offer a dazzling parade of russet and yellow foliage. Maples, beech trees and a pretty lake framed by golden ginkgos paint an idyllic picture at Sherbrooke's historic Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens. Nearby, George Tindale Memorial Gardens provide spectacular autumnal vistas.
Ramble the tree-laced towns of Castlemaine and Daylesford and buy some delicious seasonal apples from nearby Harcourt. Visit Lake Daylesford, where maples and weeping willows turn red and gold. Heathcote's picnic-perfect Valley of Liquidambers is awash with orange foliage in May.
In Gippsland, call at the tiny town of Walhalla, which is cradled by mountains and filled with deciduous trees, or spend some time in the heritage town of Buchan. It might be more known for the underground wonders of Buchan Caves but, above ground, the colours of the autumnal maples and golden ash are spectacular.
