People move to Victoria for the amazing climate, education, employment or lifestyle opportunities.

Whatever is your reason behind moving to Victoria, you will be glad that this city has a lot in store for you…

Introduction to Victoria

Victoria is the smallest mainland state that is located geographically in the south east of Australia. Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria, which is also the second largest economy in Australia.

Victoria is the most densely populated state of Australia and the populace is known to be most dense in the Port Philip area. The economy of this state is mostly based on the property and financial sectors. However, the majority of workforce is in the services, retails and manufacturing sectors.

The total gross state product of Victoria is ranked second in Australia, the first being New South Wales. Melbourne, the state capital, is described as the sporting capital of Australia and is a home to many museums and galleries. Owing to the great cultural base, climatic conditions and economic opportunities, many are moving to Victoria for a lively stay. The Helmeted Honeyeater (state bird), Pink Heath (state flower) and the Leadbeater’s Possum (state animal) are the state symbols of Victoria.

Regions of Victoria

Mornington Peninsula

Is located in the south of Melbourne and forms the eastern side of Port Philip Bay. Philip Island and Western Port Bay are situated towards the south of the Peninsula.

Yarra Valley

The Yarra Valley is well known for its wineries located near Melbourne. It is an hour away from the city if driving on the Eastern Freeway and Maroondah Highway. Most of the wineries are accessible directly from the highway and all of them are clearly flagged.

Gippsland

Gippsland forms the southeastern region of Victoria. At the Wilsons Promontory, Gippsland includes the southernmost point of Australian mainland.

Goldfields

The Goldfields region of Victoria includes cities such as Ballart and Bendigo. One can reach the Skipton rail trail from Bellart by cycling or horse riding.

High Country

The High Country region extends from the wine regions located in the mid north east of Victoria to the alpine regions.

Wimmera

The Wimmera extends from west of the Goldfields region to the South Australia border. The famous Grampian National Park is located here. The Grampians ranges are famous for their wildlife, wildflowers and hiking trails.

Phillip Island

Phillip Island is located at the Western Port Bay and is a two-hour drive from Melbourne. The island is alienated from the mainland by a channel and is connected by a bridge and is also a part of the Bass Coast shire. It is a famous weekend tourist getaway, especially in the summer.

Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road was built in 1932 as a work project for soldiers returning from World War 1. The stretch between Peterborough and Port Campbell is one the most scenic parts of this road and is known for the Port Campbell National Park and other rock formations.

Mallee

Is a district located towards the south of the Murray River and north of Wimmera in the far northwestern Victoria.

Dandenong Ranges

The Dandenong Ranges are a group of hills that form the eastern boundary of the city of Melbourne. They are visible from most parts of Melbourne and are easily identified as three hills with large television towers. The lovely towns of Kallista, Sassafras and Olinda are located in the valley of these hills. In the north are the wineries of the Yarra Valley. Four hunks of the ranges constitute the Dandenong Ranges National Park. The highest peak is Mount Dandenong (633m).

Climate of Victoria

Irrespective of its small size, Victoria has a diverse climate. It can vary from cool on the coast to hot and semiarid in the northwest. The Great Dividing Range, in the center of Victoria, produces a cooler climate. The southernmost position of Victoria in Australia makes it a wetter and cooler state than other states in Australia. Wind from the Southern Ocean reduces the winter’s cold and summer’s heat. Autumn is mild and colorful in April, as well as May. Upper Wimmera and the Mallee are the warmest regions of Victoria. Hot winds flow to these regions from the nearby deserts. Average temperature in summer is 30 C and in winter, it is 15 C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Victoria is 48.8 C in 2009 during the Southeastern heat wave. The chilliest part of Victoria is the Victorian Alps located in the northeast and forms a fragment of the Great Dividing Range.

Rainfall in Victoria is higher in high altitude areas and surges from south to north. Average annual rainfall is more than 1800 mm in some parts in the north, but less than 250mm in the Mallee. Gippsland and Otway Ranges have the heaviest rainfall. Snowfall is common the hills and mountains. The highest daily rainfall recorded in Victoria was 375 mm in 1983 at Tanybryn.

Geography of Victoria

The state of Victoria is bordered by the Tasman Sea in the east, South Australia in the west, Tasmania and the Bass Strait towards the south and New South Wales in the north. The southern bank of the Murray River forms the northern border of Victoria. It rests at the south end of the Great Dividing Range that terminates the west of Ballarat and stretches along the east coast. Victoria shares the shortest land border of Australia with Tasmania; this border passes through Boundary Islet in Bass Strait for 85 meters.

Victoria is the highest populated state of Australia. The Victorian roads connect the population centers with highways from Melbourne and other big cities. The rural centers are connected with secondary roads from the highways. Many private and public rail operators serve the railways in Victoria. Melbourne airport is the major getaway for the state for both domestic and international travels.

More Information on Victoria

If you are looking for more on information on moving to Victoria you can visit http://wikitravel.org/en/Victoria_%28state%29, which includes information on Victoria regions, cities, towns and other destinations, getting into Victoria, getting around, what to see, do, eat, drink and getting out in Victoria.

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