It might be Australia’s second-smallest state geographically but Victoria is jam-packed with big surprises guaranteed to take you out of the everyday.

Image credit: Visit Victoria

Watch a parade of penguins up close

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There are few wildlife experiences that can match the scale of the nightly Phillip Island Penguin Parade, where more than 1000 Little Penguins waddle across the sand to their burrows. Here, 90 minutes’ drive south of Melbourne, you can skip the crowds on the beachfront grandstands and head out to a secluded beach on the ultimate penguin adventure with a ranger and night-vision scope.

Sail down the Murray River

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Snaking through New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, the Murray River is fringed by some of the country's most majestic bushland and the best way to take it all in is via a leisurely cruise down its tranquil waters. Embarking from the town of Echuca – a two-and-a-half-hour drive north of Melbourne – Murray River Paddlesteamers' PS Australian Star channels old-world luxury while offering guests three-, four- and seven-night all-inclusive itineraries that include on-shore excursions to St Anne's Winery, a riverside dinner under the stars and more. Each of the vessel's 19 rooms is fitted out with luxury linens, a private ensuite, complimentary Wi-Fi and private deck access.

Image credit: Easey’s

Chow down in a train-carriage rooftop burger bar

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Perched high on a rooftop in Collingwood, three kilometres from Melbourne CBD, Easey’s is difficult to miss (just look for the three graffiti-daubed silver Hitachi train carriages). Head on up to find a hipster bar with a gritty attitude, where the music is loud and the burgers are as big as your head.

Wild places are all within easy reach of Melbourne, whether it’s penguin paradise or sky-high rock ’n’ roll. Book your adventure now at qantas.com.

Image credit: Cactus Country

Visit a cool cactus collection

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A prickly landscape of more than 4000 species of cacti and succulents, Cactus Country replicates the Mojave Desert in the red earth of the Murray River region. The 4.8-hectare arid garden in Strathmerton, about three hours’ drive north of Melbourne, has a Mexican-themed café serving frozen margaritas and cactus cake, while a walk along the snaking paths is sure to provide you with brilliant photo ops for the ’gram.

Image credit: Global Ballooning Australia

Drift over the CBD in a hot air balloon

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Fun fact: Melbourne is one of the world’s only major cities where balloons can fly directly over the CBD. Lifting off from a city fringe park, Global Ballooning Australia will take you on an unforgettable serene sunrise adventure, delivering bird’s-eye views of the mist-covered Yarra River and iconic sights such as the MCG.

Drive a long, winding and spectacular road

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Get back to nature from the comfort of the car with a drive along the Yarra Ranges’ scenic Black Spur, about 90 minutes’ north-east of Melbourne. Majestic mountain ash and gullies of towering tree ferns await around every bend of the 30-kilometre road that winds between Healesville and Narbethong. Pack a picnic and your challenge will become deciding which of the countless scenic spots you should stop at.

Balloon over a city, drive the scenic route or wander a desert landscape – but first, book flights at qantas.com.

Image credit: The Pole House

Stay in an architectural marvel

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An icon of the Great Ocean Road, the Pole House is perched dramatically on a single stilt overlooking Fairhaven Beach, just over 90 minutes south-west of Melbourne. Reached via a footbridge from the back road, the renovated modernist marvel has views for miles (quite literally), a cosy fireplace and a plush queen bed for the ultimate romantic getaway.

Image credit: Portarlington Mussel Tours

Mussel in on the action

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Eat premium shellfish straight from the water with Portarlington Mussel Tours, just over 90 minutes south of Melbourne on the Bellarine Peninsula. Casting off from Portarlington on a retro-cute trawler, you’ll learn the farming ropes and enjoy the fruits of your labour cooked by the on-board chef, paired with the region’s premium produce, including cool-climate chardonnay and pinot noir.

Take a city’s sporting pulse

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Melbourne is so sports-mad that it keeps its globally renowned stadiums tucked close to the CBD – you can even take guided tours of its dedicated sports precinct. A 15-minute amble from Federation Square along the Yarra River will take you to the parkland area that includes the iconic MCG, the largest stadium in the southern hemisphere. If you’re not catching a game here, take a tour of the hallowed ground instead or visit the Australian Sports Museum, where historic sporting artefacts meet superstar holograms.

With stunning stays, premium produce and world-class sporting venues, Victoria covers all bases. Plan your perfect stay at qantas.com now.

Image credit: Hotel No

Sleep on a rooftop

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Six silver Airstream caravans parked on a CBD rooftop give Hotel No a distinct point of difference when it comes to choosing Melbourne accommodation. Overlooking Flinders Lane, the renovated 1970s vans have queen-sized beds, ensuites and decks for soaking up the big city vibes. Book the van with a private outdoor spa to bubble in the urban jungle.

Walk the land of the first civil engineers

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Head an hour inland from the Great Ocean Road’s western end to Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, the first site in the world to be given UNESCO World Heritage status based solely on Aboriginal cultural values. A tour with the Gunditjmara traditional owners will reveal more than 6000 years of connection to the land, including sophisticated stone weirs used for eel farming.

Be tickled pink

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The chameleon-like quality of some Victorian salt lakes sees them turn pink when certain conditions cause their naturally occurring algae to take on a photogenic blushing hue. You'll find one in Dimboola in the picturesque Grampians region (above), just under four hours by car from Melbourne. Or if you fancy going further afield, head north-west for Murray Sunset National Park (about seven hours’ drive) and Lake Tyrell, roughly five hours from the Victorian capital.

Make space on the grid for pink lakes, rooftop Airstreams, and ancient volcanic landscapes. Book flights now at qantas.com.

Image credit: Visit Victoria

Lose yourself in an underground wine cellar

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A two-and-a-half hour-drive west of Melbourne, the heritage-listed 'Drives' – a subterranean maze of tunnels housing Seppelt Great Western's extensive collection of wines – is the largest underground wine cellar in the Southern Hemisphere. The hand-excavation of The Drives began in 1868 and and today, it stretches over three kilometres beneath the property, with space for over three million bottles. Tours of the cavernous labyrinth run daily (complete with a sampling of the estate's signature sparkling shiraz), but you can also book in for an intimate three-course luxury dining experience complete with matched wines.

Image credit: Pennicott Wilderness Journeys

Sail past a King Kong-worthy island

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Commonly known as Skull Rock, the granite monolith looming from Bass Strait near Wilsons Promontory, approximately three hours south-east of Melbourne, could have been plucked from a fantasy movie thanks to its striking grassy cavern big enough to contain the Sydney Opera House. It’s inaccessible to humans but Wanderer Adventures' bright yellow amphibious boats will let you see Cleft Island (its official name) up close.

Image credit: Alba Spa

Soak in thermal waters before an indulgent lunch

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Soak away your cares at luxurious Mornington Peninsula escape Alba Thermal Springs and Spa, where more than 30 naturally heated pools are nestled in a Zen-like landscape of native plantings. Bookend the bliss with lunch at on-site restaurant Thyme, where Karen Martini’s menu nails local produce-driven perfection.

Victoria isn’t all surface-level beauty: from shipwrecks to hot springs, sometimes the best lies beneath the surface. Dig deeper and book flights now at qantas.com.