In This Issue:

New Melbourne Hot Spots: Spice Market and MoMo
As part of its $45 million redevelopment, Melbourne’s Grand Hyatt has been busily reinventing itself as a stand-alone, premium food and wine destination.

ChillOut festival launches new travel guide to Daylesford Macedon Ranges
ChillOut 2009, Australia’s largest gay and lesbian celebration in rural and regional Australia, has launched Guide to ChillOut Country, a new travel guide to the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges region that provides tourist information especially for gay and lesbian visitors.

Melbourne luxury and boutique accommodation update
Located in the heart of Melbourne's South Wharf district, new Hilton Melbourne South Wharf is designed to take the breath away from the most discerning traveller.  

The ultimate mountain bike epic comes to North East Victoria
Victoria’s stunning High Country region will be the location for the inaugural Terra Australis – Great Southern Land Mountain Bike Epic (29 March - April 4), a new 600km cycling event tipped to be the hardest endurance mountain bike event in the Asia-Pacific region.

Panny’s Amazing World of Chocolate – Australia’s answer to Willy Wonka?
Phillip Island Chocolate Factory has unveiled a magnificent new attraction designed to get chocoholics everywhere in a lather - Panny’s Amazing World of Chocolate.

International John Lennon exhibition to be presented exclusively in Ballarat
The Art Gallery of Ballarat will be the exclusive Australian venue for John Lennon – Imagine!, an international exhibition of rare black and white photographs celebrating the life and times of John Lennon direct from Proud Galleries in London.   

Gippsland regional cheese tasting centre opens at Brandy Creek Wines
Brandy Creek Wines and View Café, known for their award-winning estate wines and Spanish food and have added another dimension to their visitors’ food and wine experience:  a cheese tasting centre showcasing locally made product.

New luxury accommodation springs up over the Mornington Peninsula
In seeming defiance of the trend towards lower cost ‘cheap and cheerful’ accommodation options, a series of new upmarket and luxury properties and a new luxury accommodation service have recently opened on the Mornington Peninsula at locations include Mt Martha, Rye and St Andrews Beach.

Culinary delights in store in regional Victoria for Melbourne Food and Wine festival
The Melbourne Food and Wine festival is an ideal time to plan a gastronomic getaway as Victoria’s regional locations come to life with a satiating program of almost 70 events.

Two new world class arts venues open in Southbank
Melbourne's arts precinct in Southbank is set to expand significantly with opening of the brand new Melbourne Recital Centre (MRC) and the new Melbourne Theatre Company Theatre (MTC Theatre), a $128 million project initiated and delivered by the Victorian State Government.   

Every Month:

Special Packages: Hot Deals – Romantic country getaways for Valentine’s Day
Surprise your partner with the romantic accommodation packages in Marysville, Mildura, Yea, Daylesford, Narbethong and Swan Hill.

Important Diary Notes

© 2009 Tourism Victoria