A secluded coastal town only a short road trip out of Melbourne. Nice place to wander around and go for walks up into the hills.

Milk Toast has the best muffins in Melbourne, they often sell out before 9:30am. My favourite is raspberry and chocolate if I can get one in time.

Free lectures held in a cosy bars around Melbourne's inner north. This wonderful organisation runs weekly courses on a range of topics, purely for the pursuit of knowledge. The perfect antidote for a post-grad like myself who often misses lectures and class discussions. Uni with a glass of red wine - yes please.

Each evening at dusk, thousands of bats fly from the park to feed on fruit trees all over Melbourne, in what seems like an endless stream. It's an incredible display by nature in a city environment.

Believe it or not, if you drive far enough from the city, the Yarra River is a beautiful place to spend a Summer's day swimming. Warrandyte is a haven of shady gumtrees, flowing rapids, and rocks to perch yourself on while the water rushes past. Bring beers, but esky optional - the water is cool enough to keep them chilled all day.