Best Photo Spots in Melbourne and Victoria
Melbourne’s photography splits cleanly into two trips: the city itself, and the coastline a few hours west of it. Here’s where to point the camera on both halves.
Hosier Lane, street art in the CBD
Melbourne’s most photographed laneway, its street art rotates constantly, so the shot you get today won’t be there on your next visit. Degraves Street nearby offers a quieter, café-lined alternative if the crowds at Hosier get in the way of a clean shot.
Eureka Skydeck, the city view
Southbank’s Eureka Skydeck runs about AUD $30-40 and gives you the skyline and Port Phillip Bay from 88 floors up; skip the Melbourne Star observation wheel, which is currently closed for restoration and won’t be part of any city skyline shot for now.
The Block and Royal Arcades, indoor architecture
The 1892 Block Arcade’s mosaic floor and the 1870 Royal Arcade, Australia’s oldest, both reward a slower look upward rather than a quick walk-through.
St Kilda at dusk
Luna Park’s lights and the little penguins coming ashore on the breakwater both happen around dusk, though the penguins need a booked timed slot, not something you can just wander up to and shoot.
The Brighton bathing boxes, in Melbourne’s own bayside
The colourful bathing boxes are a genuine photo stop, but they’re in Melbourne’s own bayside suburb of Brighton, not out on the Mornington Peninsula, a mix-up worth avoiding before you plan a special trip for them.
Great Ocean Road, the marquee shot
The Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge, 3-4 hours one way, are the single best golden-hour subject in this whole radius. Treat it as part of the two-day Great Ocean Road trip rather than a rushed single-day dash if the light matters to you.
Yarra Valley, vineyard rows
About 1 hour 15 minutes out, the Yarra Valley’s cellar-door vineyards make for a completely different kind of shot, rolling green rows rather than coastline or city architecture.
Dandenong Ranges, forest light
An hour out and reachable by train to Belgrave, the forested ranges around the Puffing Billy corridor photograph well in the softer light under the tree canopy.
Read more: our best hikes guide covers the same day trips from a walking angle, and the Melbourne, Australia guide covers the whole trip.
One concrete tip: shoot Hosier Lane early morning before the crowds arrive, then save the Great Ocean Road’s golden hour for whichever day you’re out there overnight.