Victoria (Vic) is an Australian state in South-Eastern Australia, with its capital Melbourne, Victoria's largest city having more than 70% of the population. Victoria has over 5.1m people, making it the second most populous Australian state, and since it is the smallest mainland state it becomes the most densely populated and most highly urbanised. Victoria is surrounded by other states and bounded by the Pacific Ocean in the East and Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean in the South. The Murray River forms a large part of the Northern border. It is a great place to go caravanning or camping, in a Campervan, Motorhome or Winnebago.

IMAGE: Melbourne, Victoria
Photo: Peter Dunphy. Courtesy Tourism Victoria

Important regional centres include Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Latrobe Valley, Mildura, Shepparton, and Warrnambool.
 

The Victorian economy is the second largest in Australia. Insurance, finance and property services form Victoria's largest income producing sector. The manufacturing sector is Victoria's single largest employer and income producer. Other major sectors are Agriculture, Construction, Community, Government, Mining, Social and personal services, Transport, Utilities and communications, Wholesale and Retail trade  Agriculture and Horticulture involve barley, wheat, oats, hay,  tobacco, apples, pears, stone fruit, vegetable crops, tomatoes, sheep, lambs, wool, milk, beef cattle, fishing and aquaculture (mainly blacklipped abalone and southern rock lobster).
Manufacturing employs many Victorians. Food and beverage manufacturing, machinery and equipment manufacturing, petroleum, coal and chemical manufacturing are major items. Energy production occurs in the Latrobe Valley. Mining is mainly for brown coal, gas and petroleum.

IMAGE: Broken Hill, Ballarat, The Goldfields Region
PHOTO: Peter Dunphy. Tourism Victoria
 

Victoria's has the mountainous southern end of the Great Dividing Range. There is great variation in climate, geography and geology, from the wet, temperate climate of Gippsland in the South-East to the alpine areas including Mount Bogong (1,986 m) which are often snow-covered. There are wide semi-arid plains in the inland West and North-West areas.

Victoria has overall high rainfall compared to other mainland states and many significant rivers. The Murray River system, Barwon River, Campaspe River, Elgin River, Goulburn River, Kiewa River, King River, Latrobe River, Loddon River, Maribyrnong River, Mitta River, Ovens River, Snowy River, Thomson River, Wimmera River, and Yarra River.
 
 
IMAGE:  Black Ranges State Park, Grampians region
PHOTO: Photographer Unknown. Courtesy Tourism Victoria
 

The climate ranges from semi-arid and hot in the north-west, to temperate and cool along the coast. The central Great Dividing Range creates a cool mountain climate. Typical annual rainfall can be more than 1,800mm in some areas, but less than 250mm in the Mallee. Rainfall occurs all year. Most of the large cities are located in the most temperate region.

Recorded temperatures vary from -12.8°C  to 47.2°C.
 

Tourism Activities include:

• Attend Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park
• Aussie Rules Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
• Australian International Airshow at Geelong
• Bells Beach Surf Classic
• Bright Autumn Festival.
• Cruise down the Murray
• Gliding
• Hang-gliding
• Hike through some National Parks
• Hot air ballooning
• Port Fairy Folk Festival
• Queenscliff Music Festival
• Sample wines and Hike in the Grampians
• Scuba diving
• Skiing
• Skiing and snowboarding in the Snow Country
• Surfing around the Torquay area
• Trout fishing and bushwalking in the mountains.
• V8 Supercars Race at Phillip Island
• View the scenic Great Ocean Road
• Visit Ned Kelly Country
• Visit the old Goldfields

Victoria really is a great place to go caravanning or camping, in a Campervan, Motorhome or Winnebago.