Dog-friendly bell tents in Victoria

Gippsland stretches east of Melbourne to the sea and north to the border with NSW. Most of the coastline is protected by a string of national parks with fantastic seaside camping spots and holiday parks—and camping at Wilsons Promontory (locals just call it the Prom) on the mainland’s southernmost tip is a must-do at least once. This is also where you’ll find Phillip Island, home to the famous nightly penguin parade.

The High Country is the place to go for winter snow sports and summer mountain bike trails, plus bushwalking. If that sounds too energetic, it’s also home to the Great Alpine Road, one of Australia's best food and wine touring routes (and yes, the scenery is pretty good too).

In the state's west, the Grampians are another mountain playground with a network of bushwalking trails, from quick 2-hour walking tracks to 3-day hikes in the Grampians National Park. This is also where campers can find the highest concentration of Indigenous art in the state. Opt for bush camping sites in the national park or more luxurious campsites at Halls Gap or Dunkeld caravan parks.

Australia's longest river, the mighty Murray forms most of the border with NSW to the north, and all along its length are great beachfront campsites from where you can go for a swim or paddle a kayak, catch a fish, or sit back and watch the world glide by. Elsewhere in the riverlands, ride a restored paddle steamer at Echuca, take a cruise through the largest river red gum forest in the world at Barmah, and dine out in the foodie hot spot of Mildura.