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Scenic cruises

With extensive waterways, including bays, rivers and lakes, Victoria provides many opportunities for scenic cruising. Join one of many scenic cruise tours, jump aboard a fully skippered boat or hire your own watercraft and explore by water at your own pace.

Melbourne, Geelong and Port Phillip Bay

In Melbourne, take a cruise along the Yarra River. Upstream, sights include gardens, parkland, and sports and entertainment venues. Downstream, cruise to Melbourne's ports, the Docklands precinct and Williamstown. Most cruises from Melbourne depart from Southbank.

Cruises are also available along the Maribyrnong River in Melbourne, meandering past parkland, sporting venues and wetlands.

Cruises on Port Phillip Bay operate from marinas or piers along the coast.

	Adventure Sails	Take a scenic cruise through the Docklands waterways aboard a luxury 40 foot sailing catamaran or charter the vessel for a private event
	Blackbird Cruises	Enjoy the river scenery on a cruise along the Maribyrnong River with highlights including Flemington Racecourse, Footscray Park, Pipemakers Park and Maribyrnong Park. Port of Melbourne cruises along the Yarra River and covering Coode Island, shipping wharves and the West Gate Bridge also available.
	City River Cruises	Take a sightseeing tour along the Yarra River with full commentary aboard the MV Melba Star as you cruise upstream through scenic gardens and beside sporting venues up to Herring Island at South Yarra or downstream to the Port of Melbourne and past river landmarks such as Crown Casino, the World Trade Centre and under the Bolte and West Gate bridges
	Classic Steamboat Cruises	Cruise the Yarra River on a heritage vessel which was built in 1924 and enjoy the captain's commentary on a number of different scenic cruises past some of the waterfront attractions of Southbank and Docklands
	Freedom Bay Cruises	Enjoy sightseeing on Corio Bay with a cruise on our 15 metre fibreglass catamaran, departing from the Geelong waterfront
	Martha Cove Tours	Hire well maintained, environmentally friendly boats from Safety Beach for use in Port Phillip Bay
	Melbourne River Cruises	Offers a selection of scenic river cruises departing from Southbank and passing by Crown Casino, Docklands, West Gate Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens, Olympic Park and Herring Island. Alternatively, use the direct ferry service between the city and Williamstown.
	Melbourne Peninsula Sailing	Enjoy a luxury sailing cruise aboard a professionally skippered yacht while relaxing with gourmet catering and champagne. Private, public, romantic and group cruises available. Cruises depart from Blairgowrie.
	Rent A Tinny	Hire a high quality boat for fishing or sightseeing from the Geelong waterfront
	Sorrento Sailing Escape	Take a cruise aboard a magnificent 40 foot French-built yacht with our qualified skipper, departing from Blairgowrie marina. Sail to the South Channel Fort and seal colony, along the glorious Sorrento and Portsea coastline. An all-day cruise is available with a lunch stop-over at Queenscliff. Food and refreshments inclusive for all cruises.
	South Bay Eco Adventures	View Port Phillip Heads from a new perspective on our purpose-built eco tour boat and explore areas only accessible by water. Join us for an exhilarating journey that departs from Queenscliff and highlights the unique history, wildlife and coastal landscapes of the southern part of Port Phillip Bay.
	The Weedy Sea Dragon	See a variety of marine plants and animals in Port Phillip Bay by taking a tour on a glass bottom boat. It's a unique way of exploring the water and ocean floor without getting wet. Tours can be tailored for groups. Departs from Mornington Pier.
	Tidemaster Tours	Step aboard the 12 metre cruise boat "The Tidemaster" for a sightseeing trip, fishing trip or fully catered cruise, departing from Sawtells Inlet at Tooradin
	Tramboat Cruises	Departing from Victoria Harbour at Docklands, step aboard this replica tram with enclosed lower deck and open air upper deck, and cruise upstream past Crown Casino, Southbank, the Botanical Gardens a stop off at Herring Island and onto Hawthorn, or downstream through Melbourne's port, then either to Williamstown or up the Maribyrnong River
	Venice on the Yarra	Cruise past the city sites along the beautiful Yarra River in a unique Venetian style gondola which is opulently appointed with upholstered velvet seats, plush cushions and warm rugs, with champagne on ice awaiting you as you step on board
	Victorian Yacht Charters	A range of luxuriously built yachts are available for charter, ideal for indulgent cruises with friends, romantic getaways, entertaining and special events, departing from either Docklands or Brighton

An alternative is to use the services of Melbourne Water Taxis. They operate on both the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers, allowing passengers to board and disembark at any berth they wish. The service operates on the Yarra River between Hawthorn and Williamstown, and up the Maribyrnong River to Flemington. When major sports or entertainment events are on, they also operate a regular service to the Melbourne Park sporting venues.

Gippsland & Phillip Island

The Gippsland and Phillip Island regions provides some great opportunities for scenic cruising, including areas in Western Port Bay, the coastal towns along Bass Strait, Wilsons Promontory and the Gippsland Lakes.

The Gippsland Lakes are ideal for scenic boating activities, surrounded by national parks, towns and farmland, and with the Ninety Mile Beach just over the sand dunes, there is a variety of sights to take in. There are a number of skippered cruises available when visiting the Gippsland Lakes. For those who prefer to explore the lakes system themselves, hiring a cruiser is a perfect choice. Spend the time on the water, or tie up to a jetty or moor on a beach and explore the area's towns and surrounding bushland. There are walking tracks in the Lakes National Park and wildlife, such as wallabies and birds, are common. Most cruise providers and hire companies operate from Lakes Entrance, Metung or Paynesville.

	Bulls Cruisers	Hire a boat or a kayak for a few hours or the day from Paynesville, enjoy a private skippered cruise on the lakes, or spend a few days on the water with a fully-equipped cruiser
	Inter Island Ferries	Enjoy a cruise on Western Port Bay by using our ferry service to get between Cowes on Phillip Island, Tankerton on French Island and Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula
	Inverloch Charters	Located at Mahers Landing on Anderson Inlet at Inverloch, hire a boat and enjoy a spot of fishing or simply explore the surrounding waterways
	Lakes Explorer Sea Safari	Offering a unique and educational sea safari where small groups travel in a custom built vessel to search and investigate sea birds and marine life in and around Lake Entrance with visits to remote lake-side beaches
	Lonsdale Cruises	Enjoy a scenic cruise with expert commentary, covering areas from Lakes Entrance to Lake King, and see dolphins (seasonal) and the wonderful birds and floral of the lakes system
	Nooramunga Sailing Tours	Experience the beauty of the protected coastal waters in the area aboard a luxury catamaran with a half day, whole day, sunset or adventure cruise, departing from Port Albert
	Paddle Steamer Curlip	Operating from the mouth of the Snowy River at Marlo, cruises on this replica of a historic paddle steamer will explore the rich and varied ecosystems Snowy River Estuary, much of which is only accessible by boat
	Peels Tourist & Ferry Services	Take a luncheon cruise through the Gippsland Lakes from Lakes Entrance to Metung on the ML Stormbird or one of the longer scenic cruises on the MV Thunderbird into Lake King and Lake Victoria, passing by Paynesville, Raymond Island and around the shores of Metung
	Riviera Nautic	Offering a range of boats for half or full day hire from Metung, plus overnight yacht and cruiser hire for your boating holiday
	The Director Boat Charters	Offering skippered cruises for scenic tours and hire of a range of day boats and kayaks for use on the Gippsland Lakes from Metung
	Wilderness Cruises aboard the MV Loch-Ard	Experience the Mallacoota Inlet and Croajingolong National Park aboard the historical MV Loch-Ard ferry. Various cruises are available to experience the park's flora and fauna, or learn about the interesting history of Mallacoota with commentary provided on each cruise. Private charters are also available on request.
	Wildlife Coast Cruises	Offering a range of cruises on Western Port Bay and around Wilsons Promontory. See Australia's largest wild fur seal colonies off the rugged south west coast of Phillip Island at Seal Rocks, departing from Cowes. Take a cruise out to remote French Island and experience a bus tour of the historic and scenic island. View breathtaking scenery and inaccessible coastlines of the natural beauty of Wilsons Promontory aboard a modern catamaran cruiser which departs from Port Welshpool and visits the seal colony on Kanowna Island.
	Wyanga Park Winery Cruises	Offering lunch and dinner cruises departing from both Lakes Entrance and Metung to the Wyanga Park Winery

Murray River

The Murray River, once a busy inland trade route, is today a perfect choice for a relaxing cruise.

In its heyday, Echuca was a bustling port. Today it is home to the world's largest operating paddlesteamer fleet, now with people as their cargo. There is a variety of cruise options on offer. Take a short, one hour tour or, for more of a taste of life aboard a paddlesteamer, take a one or two night cruise. Lunch and dinner cruises are also available, and some paddlesteamers can be chartered for functions.

At Mildura, many paddlesteamer cruises pass through a lock, allowing passengers to experience being lowered and raised to the differing river levels, in addition to taking in the riverside scenery and seeing a working paddlesteamer at close hand. Dinner and winery cruises are also available.

Cruises are also available from other historic Murray River towns including Swan Hill and Yarrawonga.

	Cobram Barooga Boat Hire	Experience the best beaches and fishing the Murray River has to offer by hiring one of our fishing boats from Cobram
	Echuca Paddlesteamers	Three genuine paddlesteamers - PS Adelaide, PS Pevensey and PS Alexander Arbuthnot - offer several cruises daily from the Port of Echuca wharf
	Kingfisher Cruises	Join an ecotour cruise of the Barmah Wetlands upstream from Echuca. Departing from the day visitors area at Barmah Lakes, cruise along a narrow part of the Murray River known as The Narrows or Barmah Choke with its abundant birdlife and other animals. See the world's largest stand of river red gums.
	Lady Murray Cruises	Board the fully licensed Lady Murray at the Yarrawonga foreshore and relax and enjoy a cruise around Lake Mulwala, with lunch and dinner cruises also available
	Murray River Paddlesteamers	A fleet of authentic paddlesteamers, comprising of PS Canberra, PS Emmylou and Pride Of The Murray, offer regular river cruises, dining cruises and private charters, departing from the Port of Echuca
	Murray River Run	Travel in a modern, fully-equipped vessel with spacious upper viewing deck on a multi-day cruise between Albury, Echuca or Mildura, including all meals and nightly accommodation at venues along the way
	M.V. Mary Ann	Step aboard the M.V. Mary Ann at Echuca for the cruising experience of a lifetime. Choose from scenic cruises, lunch/dinner cruises or spend several days holiday cruising on the Murray River, following the historic paddle steamer route with a full commentary and live entertainment.
	Paddle Steamers Melbourne & Rothbury	Experience the sights and sounds of those pioneering days on a cruise aboard "Melbourne" - the only steam driven paddlesteamer in Mildura - or the "Rothbury" which was built in 1881. Speciality and evening dinner cruises available.
	Paradise Queen Lake Cruises	Soak up the sunshine and enjoy the peace and tranquility of beautiful Lake Mulwala at Yarrawonga on the large and comfortable Paradise Queen
	PS Pyap River Cruise	Enjoy a relaxing cruise on the Murray River departing from the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement's wharf and travelling upstream to the historic Murray Downs Homestead

Great Ocean Road

The bays, inlets and rivers which are a feature of the coastal towns along the Great Ocean Road offer a great opportunity to get out and onto the water for a scenic adventure.

	Apollo Bay Fishing & Adventure Tours	Let the experts take you on an adventure from the Apollo Bay marina. View a local seal colony from the sea vessel, take a spectacular sunset cruise to the historic Cape Otway Lighthouse, join the crew for an inshore fishing adventure or go deep sea shark fishing off the Apollo Bay coast.
	Barwon Estuary Boat Hire	Offering boats for hire in the Barwon River at Barwon Heads and Port Phillip Bay as well as a charter vessel available for cruising, touring or fishing
	Nelson River Cruises	Take a cruise along the Glenelg River from Nelson and view the magnificent high limestone cliffs on the journey to the spectacular Princess Margaret Rose Caves
	Port Fairy Boat Charter	Offering half hour informative bay tours around Port Fairy, a 4 hour cruise to Lady Julia Percy Island with its seal colony, day fishing trips and general charters
	Shore to Shelf Charter	Offering marine wildlife encounters only 15 minutes out of Portland, or extended tours and charter fishing. Our 10 metre vessel is brand new, fast, spacious and licensed for 12, crewed by an experienced local skipper and deckhand.
	Warrnambool River Cruises	Cruise the Hopkins River at Warrnambool, one of the district's greatest natural treasures, on an afternoon cruise aboard the all-weather Spirit of Warrnambool with river commentary