Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

SIDE TRIPS FROM MELBOURNE 563
NICE PLACES TO STAY & DINE
Melba Lodge These stylish, modern accommodations opened in Yarra
Glen, in the heart of the Yarra Valley wine region, in early 1999. Of the six luxurious
bedrooms, four have queen-size beds, and two have king-size beds and a
spa; all have private bathrooms. There’s a comfortable lounge with an open fire,
and a billiard room. The lodge is only a few minutes’ walk from historic Yarra
Glen, which has antiques shops and a crafts market. There are plenty of restaurants
and wineries around, too. It’s a short drive to the Healesville Sanctuary.
939 Melba Hwy., Yarra Glen, VIC 3775. & 03/9730 1511. Fax 03/9730 1566. www.melbalodge.com.au. 8
units. A$130 (US$98) queen room; A$190 (US$117) king room. Rates include cooked breakfast. AE, DC, MC,
V. Amenities: Bar; billiard room; spa; business center; massage; nonsmoking rooms. In room: A/C, TV.
Sanctuary House Motel Healesville This place is very handy for visiting the
sanctuary and even better if you want to relax and sample some good Yarra Valley
wine. Just 400m (1,312 ft.) from the Healesville Sanctuary, Sanctuary House is set
in some 4 hectares (10 acres) of beautiful bushland. The rooms are motel-style,
and were completely refurbished in 2001 and awarded a three-and-one-half-star
rating. There is also a five-bedroom farmhouse nearby on 8 hectares (20 acres) featuring
a pool and log fireplace that can be hired through the motel.
Badger Creek Rd. (P.O. Box 162 Healesville, VIC 3777). & 03/5962 5148. Fax 03/5962 5392. www.sanctuary
house.com.au. 12 units. A$80–A$88 (US$52–US$57) double. There are also 2 self-contained units available at a
higher rate and amenities to assist travelers with disabilities. MC, V. Transportation: See the Healesville Sanctuary
above. Amenities: Restaurant; small pool; spa; sauna; game room; children’s play area; massage; babysitting;
laundry service; nonsmoking rooms. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, hair dryer, iron, shower.
PHILLIP ISLAND: PENGUINS ON PARADE
139km (86 miles) S of Melbourne
Phillip Island’s penguin parade, which happens every evening at dusk, is one of
Australia’s most popular animal attractions. There are other (less crowded) places
in Australia where watching homecoming penguins feels less staged—Kangaroo
Island in South Australia comes to mind—but at least the little ones and their
nesting holes are protected from the throngs by guides and boardwalks. Nevertheless,
the commercialism of the Penguin Parade puts a lot of people off—busloads
of tourists squashed into a sort of amphitheater is hardly being one with
nature. Phillip Island also offers nice beaches, good bushwalking, fishing, and
Seal Rocks. If you have the time, you could spend at least 2 days here.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE Most visitors come to Phillip Island on a day trip from
Melbourne and arrive in time for the Penguin Parade and dinner. Several tour
companies run day trips. Among them are Gray Line (& 03/9663 4455), which
operates penguin trips daily departing Melbourne at 1:30pm and returning at
around 11:30pm. Tours cost A$80 (US$52) for adults and A$40 (US$26) for
children. Gray Line also offers full-day trips including the Dandenong Ranges
and a ride on the Puffing Billy Steam Train.
Down Under Day Tours (& 03/9650 2600) offers a similar half-day tour
for A$80 (US$52) for adults and A$40 (US$26) for children; tours depart Melbourne
at 1:30pm and return at 11:30pm. It also offers a daylong trip that combines
a Melbourne sightseeing tour with the penguin tour for A$106 (US$69)
for adults, and A$53 (US$34) for children, and a half-day combined Dandenong
Ranges/Phillip Island tour costing A$96 (US$63) for adults and A$48
(US$31) for children.