Aussie Summers are made for the great outdoors. Long days at the beach, lazy picnics by a cool creek and discovering hidden gems - it's the perfect season for exploring and making family memories. 

Here’s a list of big and small outdoor adventures near Melbourne, the whole family can enjoy.

We will be using this list to to make our January extra special with 7 Adventures in 7 Days!

Let the Summer fun begin!

Before you visit a national park or beach always check the official conditions and fire warnings (especially in summer). Be prepared with lots of water, sun protection, food and a first aid kit (just in case).

Five Minute Read

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Start Summer with a splash!

1. Swim in epic rockpools or natural waterholes

Why jump in the public pool, when you can swim in amazing rockpools or a beautiful natural swimming hole? 

In these special places, you can paddle in the shallow areas with young kids, or venture out further if you have confident swimmers.

Places to visit:

• Bushrangers Bay rockpools, Mornington Peninsula (pictured above). 
• Sorrento Back Beach rockpools, Mornington Peninsula 
• Dragon's Head rockpools, Mornington Peninsula
• Pound Bend Reserve river, Warrandyte 
• Polly McQuinns Swimming Hole, Euroa
• Blue Pool waterhole, Briagolong 
• Venus Baths, Grampians
• Top of Fish Falls, Grampians (top picture).

Important tips: 

• Bushrangers Bay is a long walk on a hot day for little children (2.5kms one way) and should only be visited at low tide on calm days.
• Don't swim in Pound Bend Reserve after rain and always check the water quality before swimming.
• At the time of writing there are fires in the Grampians - always check conditions. 
• Always visit rockpools at low tide on calm days.
• Be aware of snakes around rivers and creeks on hot days.
  
  

2. Cool down in crystal-clear creeks 

Imagine splashing in the clearest and freshest water straight from the mountains on a hot summers day? No chlorine, sand or salt-water - just pure, refreshing cold water. Bliss.

Kid-friendly creeks to splash in:

• Lerderderg Gorge, Bacchus Marsh (pictured above). Visit MacKenzies Flat Picnic Area and follow the trail, stepping stones and creek to Graham's Dam.
• Sweetwater Creek, Frankston (secret splash near Big Rock, Granites)
• Darebin Creek, Alphington (in Darebin Parklands)
• Warburton River, Warburton (in town)

Important tips: Wear water shoes as rocks can be sharp! Watch out for snakes near rivers and creeks on hot Summer days. 

3. Find your perfect beach

There's nothing better than a family friendly beach - lovely white sand with perfect calm, shallow water - where little kids can happily splash and play for hours. 

Magical beaches to visit near Melbourne

• Half-Moon Bay, Black Rock (pictured), go early to avoid crowds
• Jawbone Marine Sanctuary, Williamstown
• Seaford Beach & Pier, Seaford
• Aspendale Beach (with beach huts) - accessible by train.
• Barwon Heads beach/river entrance - Bellarine Peninsula
• Point Lonsdale beach - Bellarine Peninsula

4. Try out snorkelling

If your kids are confident swimmers - it's time to add snorkelling to the summer adventure list! 

Kid-friendly snorkelling spots

• Rickett's Point Marine Sanctuary, Beaumaris
• Jawbone Marine Sanctuary, Williamstown
• Mushroom Reef, Flinders 

Always check the conditions before you choose to snorkel. Ocean snorkelling spots haven't been listed (eg Barwon Bluff, Point Addis, Chinaman's Hut) as it can get rough and need experienced swimmers. 

Head to the trees

5. Stay cool in lush rainforests

Keep the heat out under beautiful rainforest canopies. There's something magical about walking through rainforests for kids and adults alike - towering trees, lush ferns and interesting sounds. 

Magical rainforests to visit:

• Sassafras Creek Track, Dandenong Ranges (We walked 6km all up)
• Wirrawilla Rainforest Walk, Toolangi, (1km boardwalk trail)
• Badger Weir, Healesville (3km loop)
• Triplet falls, Great Otway National Park (2km loop)
• Rainforest Gallery, Warburton (1km loop)

6. Have an adventure picnic!

Bring binoculars, magnifying glass, a scavenger hunt list, picnic rugs, water shoes (if you're near a creek), some card games and lots of yummy food! Get set for an afternoon of discovery, laughs and fun!

Choose your favourite picnic spot with a creek or forest nearby and set the adventure challenge - time to explore! 

Wildlife & fossil discoveries

7. Go rock-pooling

Peer into tiny worlds and magical discoveries on a rock-pooling adventure! Then take a refreshing swim in the nearby beaches.

See our blog 9 amazing rockpool adventures for the best places to visit, and tips on how to go rock-pooling (at the end of the blog)

8. See fairy penguins at the NEW St Kilda pier

Visit the NEW St Kilda pier and see the fairy penguins at dusk from a special viewing platform (opening soon). It's free to visit and an experience you won't forget!

9. See Koalas, glow-worms, platypus, lyrebirds and more in the wild!

There's something extra special about seeing animals in the wild. Unexpected koalas snoring up a tree, emus walking right in front of you, and platypus emerging to feed at dusk and dawn. 

See our blog 14 family-friendly animal encounters in Victoria's wild for what to see and where to go.

10. Fossil hunting & dinosaur discovery

Fossil hunting in Victoria is all about the sea! There have been incredible discoveries made in Port Phillip Bay (on display in the Melbourne Museum). 

Search for shark teeth, ancient shells, bones and fossil imprints in the rocks.

Places to visit:

• Fossil Bay in Beaumaris, behind the Yacht Squadron
• Fossil Beach in Mornington
• Dinosaur Dreaming site, Inverloch 
• Naracoorte Caves National Site, South Australia border (long trip)

Choose your ride

11. Jump in a boat!

There's nothing better than gliding over water in rowboats, kayaks, sailboats, punts, tall-ships and more. 

Ready for a boating adventure? 

• Paddle down the Yarra River on a rowboat or a kayak hired from Studley Park Boathouse or Fairfield Boathouse
• Go punting on the lake at Royal Botanic Gardens (book ahead)
• Go sailing, hire aqua-bikes and more from Albert Park Lake
• Go kayaking around Lysterfield Lake and Karkarook Park (byo boat)
• Go on a tall ship adventure at Williamstown (book tickets)
• Book a kids pirate adventure on the Polly Woodside ship at Docklands

12. Family bike ride time

Cruise the trails on 2 wheels - over bridges, below towering trees, past creeks, beaches, historic sites and pocket parks. Stop off for coffee, a swim and to see the sites!

Great family bike rides around Melbourne: 

• St Kilda beach to Brighton Baths and back (10km return - pictured)
• Follow the Solar System trail and stop at the planet sculptures on the way - Elwood to Port Melbourne and back (12km return)
• Coburg Lake to Ceres Farm and back (9km return)
• Maribyrnong Creek Trail - Footscray climbing wall to Pipemakers Park and back (10km return)
• Anniversary Trail (near Canterbury) - choose your distance
• Mullum Mullum Creek trail (near Donvale) across bridges and through forests on the creek.

Mix it up

13. Go fruit picking

Yummy, yummy, yummy… Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, stone fruits… Summer is the season to PICK FRUIT!

Here's a fruit picking post we shared on Instagram with the places and details

14. Book a free Junior Rangers activity

Every School Holidays, Parks Victoria run free Junior Rangers activities all across Victoria for ages 5 - 12. They are run by Park Rangers and are a great way to learn about wildlife and the local area. You will need to book ahead. 

See website for available dates and locations

15. Try geocaching

Older kids might enjoy following the clues to find a hidden 'treasure' (geo-cache). There are lots of hidden items all over Melbourne and Victoria - if you're kids are patient and happy to search. 

See Geo-cache website for details of how it works. 

16. Go on a Gumnut Trails Adventure!

From beautiful hidden beaches, rockpool discoveries, untouched bushlands, bike ride adventures, hidden islands, gold prospecting tails and quirky gardens - there's so many amazing places to explore. 

Our Outdoor Adventure Guides will give you the places to go, and the adventures on the trails, to make it fun for the whole family.