Suggestions for Melbourne in February

It is looking like I'll need to go to Melbourne for business in late Feb. I don't have time to do much vacationing, but I will try to squeeze in 2-3 days if I can. Any suggestions on where to go?

Thanks -- Mark

If you get a chance, you should go down the west coast through Geelong, to the Otways and the Great Ocean Road. Spectacular scenery and if you enjoy swimming, that's good too. My former stomping grounds.
Mike

What do you like shooting Mark.

Based on your gallery pictures, stay in the city and also the hipster suburbs like Fitzroy. Will second the Otways, but maybe not the Great Ocean Road unless you really like landscape shots with lots of water.

I shoot a pretty big variety. If there is some amazing rocky beaches or some perhaps some old, abandoned town/resort/mine/?????, that would be great. I'm always up for city shooting too. I'd just like to shoot images that I can't find locally. I just don't want to come back to the States and have some one say "You went to Melbourne and you didn't photograph XXXXX?"

You'd have to go off the beaten track a bit to satisfy your criteria for abandoned towns, resorts and mines. I don't think you've have the time, much less the 4WD to savour the experience of just getting there!

Plenty of rocky beaches, coves and small creek mouths along the Great Ocean Road, not as busy in February as December and January, but requires care for international drivers who are easily distracted by the wild views. For a big-sky, out-there, in-your-face ocean beach, have a look at Johanna Beach, about 160km west of Geelong: Rotten Point, a 3km slog over soft sand to a bale-blasted rocky headland, has dinosaur footprints (more too at Castle Cove over the other side). Cumberland River, south of the very busy seaside town of Lorne, will give you some insight into rocky coastline and is a comfy base for an overnight stay (e.g. cabin), as will Shelly Beach, inland above Apollo Bay in the Great Otway National Park (which we call the "Otways").

Whichever beach(s) you go to, protect camera(s) from salt spray, but especially Johanna.

• Great Otway National Park, Victoria

PS: Call in here at my place on the route to the Great Ocean Road so I could give you a map with places worth visiting marked on it.

You'd have to go off the beaten track a bit to satisfy your criteria for abandoned towns, resorts and mines. I don't think you've have the time, much less the 4WD to savour the experience of just getting there!

Plenty of rocky beaches, coves and small creek mouths along the Great Ocean Road, not as busy in February as December and January, but requires care for international drivers who are easily distracted by the wild views

Oh, yes, Australia, you folks don't drive on the right side of the road (you can take that however you wish ). The area does sound really nice though! Kind of like the California coast with more rain.

Rain!? Yeah, well Mark, if it rains cats and dogs on the Great Ocean Road, you'll be way too busy maintaining a straight course (left side of the road but in heavy rain you won't know which side you're on!) without flying off the ledge to be bothered about the rocky coastline down below. Reckon on getting 3 seasons in a day if you do it in February!

Mark Fisher said:

Oh, yes, Australia, you folks don't drive on the right side of the road (you can take that however you wish ). The area does sound really nice though! Kind of like the California coast with more rain.

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No Mark, we drive on the correct side of the road ;-) Having driven from SF to LA down the coast, I would say that the Great Ocean Road is very similar, but with more trees which probably means more rain.

Cheers, Peter.

Sounds nice all around. Thanks for the help

Looking at your image I would say you could find images where every you are, Melbourne has lots of older building, bridges, trams. The Melbourne skyline from the Dockland at sunset.Further a field, there's Phillip Island, Otways, Dandenong Ranges, Cape Shank/Mornington, Wilsons Prom, Queenscliff . Gee why don't i take more photos with that quick list..

Poisson Du Jour said:

Rain!? Yeah, well Mark, if it rains cats and dogs on the Great Ocean Road, you'll be way too busy maintaining a straight course (left side of the road but in heavy rain you won't know which side you're on!) without flying off the ledge to be bothered about the rocky coastline down below. Reckon on getting 3 seasons in a day if you do it in February!

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I'm guessing the season missing will be summer!

tomalophicon said:

I'm guessing the season missing will be summer!

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Betting now open...

Poisson Du Jour said:

Betting now open...

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Last time I saw summer it was September 2011!