Victoria hidden holiday spots: Eight stunning gems that you've probably never heard of

The stunning views at Bemm River are just part of the charm. There is a fantastic pub with some of the friendliest locals I've ever met and by all accounts great fishing as well. There's a smattering of accommodation to be had but call in for a meal if nothing else, then just walk along the water and take in the peace.

Kilcunda

Miss the turn on the way to Phillip Island (I did) and you'll probably end up here. It's only 25 minutes or so from Cowes, with all its holiday-time busy-ness and penguins and restaurants and shops, but it feels like it's a world away.

The wild waves at the beach mean it's not a good place for a paddle but it is starkly beautiful. And all along the foreshore there are gravel walking paths that go for miles.

There's a hipstery general store-cum café and a pub attached to a motel that has always had a room available when I've called in. The beach is just across the road. You probably won't have it to yourself but there won't be too many others there either.

Rainbow

I had a fascination with Rainbow long before I ever visited. Partly it was the name of the town, halfway between Melbourne and Adelaide and north of Dimboola, and partly it was because of a doco I saw decades ago, late at night on the ABC. They'd interviewed farmers from Rainbow and their philosophical attitude to some of life's toughest trials struck me then and still does now.

So, without meaning to cause offence to the good people of Rainbow, I mentioned my love for this place to a mate who said, "Rainbow? But there's nothing there".

In a way that is sort of true, there isn't a great deal there to see. But that has its own appeal. There's a main street with some gorgeous old buildings, still with the Bushells Tea signage and leadlight windows of a long-gone time, and a couple of beautiful old pubs that have both been doing a pretty roaring trade when I've been. There is a remarkable sense of community in the town that they'll share if you're open to it.

And if you head north, you will find Lake Albacutya (that's pronounced al-bar-chootcha, I was reliably informed). It's almost always dry and provides a stunning vista of, well, like my mate said, nothing. Dead trees, cracked earth. It's not often that most of us get to look out on something that bare.

Ararat

OK so a preface is required for Ararat. This is not a little-known place. If you live in Victoria, you've almost certainly heard of it, probably driven through and maybe even stopped to grab a lunchtime pie (and boy, do Waacks to a great pie and a terrific vanilla slice) on your way across to Adelaide. But this is a lot more than a rest-stop town.

Aside from the gorgeous heritage buildings along the main drag, there is a fascinating Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre that tells the tale of immigrant goldminers who walked across country from Robe in South Australia to Ararat and beyond in search of riches that would … nope I won't give away the ending but it certainly surprised me, and I'd studied Australian history.

And if you head out to the old J Ward, you'll find willing volunteers to take you on a tour that explains life in the prison. There is an extraordinarily long history there that makes it pretty unsettling, eerie and fascinating simultaneously. Up until 25 years ago it still housed prisoners. There are ghost tours there as well as at the old Aradale Lunatic Asylum, which has a remarkable history all its own.

Marlo

It was at the Marlo Hotel that I met a bloke from Orbost. He told me – several times, perhaps for emphasis, perhaps because he'd had a few – that he'd been right round Australia looking for paradise and found it 17 kilometres from his childhood home. I could see what he meant. Another one of those places that's just a bit too far from the highway, Marlo is stunning.

It is also a relatively short drive from here to the Cape Conran Coastal Park, tucked away along winding roads and offering stunning views of the sunset across the water, as well as an amazingly beautiful coastline at any time of day.

Snobs Creek Falls

There's only room for a couple of vehicles at the car park here, so you're likely to be able to enjoy the rush of the water without too much interruption.

The viewing platform puts you right out into the spray, so there's a definite sense of being almost in the water - which after a rain can feel powerful to the point of being frightening.

The falls are at Thornton, not far from Eildon. There are a few walking tracks among them, one that goes along some little cascades. From the Hume, it's a side trip well worth making.

Cape Bridgewater

West of Portland and almost at the SA border lies Cape Bridgewater. A beautiful stretch of coastline in its own right, it is also where you can do a seal walk along the undulating cliff tops to look down on two separate seal colonies below, with the vast expanse of the Southern Ocean beyond.

You can see the seals with the naked eye but if you have binoculars, take them. It'll be worth it.

This is not a short walk and it's easy to underestimate how much time and energy it'll take. Bring water, wear a hat, brace yourself. It's a hike. There are petrified forests and blowholes a little way off and it is possible to walk between them.

Kooyoora State Park

Disclaimer: My family has a farm not far from here so I am incredibly partial and utterly biased when it comes to this part of the world. That being said, the park, which has multiple sites spread out across a large area around Kingower-Rheola is pretty amazing. Drive through during a full moon and have your path lit by nature when all the wallabies and roos are out. Take a walk up to Melville Caves, which is at a tiny place called Brenanah. It's the spot used by notorious bushranger Captain Melville as a lookout for the law. When you get to the top, you'll see why. And it's only a very short walk from the car park.

It's just west of the Calder Highway, between Inglewood and Wedderburn, a bit over two hours from Melbourne.

A few people I know have nominated some of the places they think are among Victoria's hidden gems.

I haven't seen them myself so cannot write about them with any understanding, but you may know them:

- Doongalla Homestead, on the western side of Mount Dandenong at The Basin. This place was an 1890s mansion with 32 rooms. Now there is a stairway that leads to an expanse that you can really only fill using your own imagination.

- Gooram Falls, about 20 minutes south of Euroa, where the swimming is apparently amazing.

- Fish Creek, just that little bit away from Foster, the focal-point town for visitors to Wilsons Promontory. It's well-enough known to those in the know, and for those who haven't traversed the gorgeous winding roads to get here before, well worth a visit with its fascinating shops and cafes.

- Victoria's secret giant redwood forest, north of Lorne and hidden down an unsealed logging road near Beech Forest, where 60m North American trees tower above, well, everything.

Been to any of them or have a secret spot of your own? Tell us in the comments below.

See also: Top 10 day trips from Melbourne

See also: Victoria's spectacular new hiking trail