A positive of visiting in November is that you won’t have to stay indoors as the month is known for having little rain and sunny, blue days. Add to this the comfortable temperatures throughout the day and evening, and your options for exploration around the town are endless.

Whale watching season is still in effect in November and Fremantle offers prime viewing opportunities for this annual migration. Vast quantity of these gentle ocean giants make their way up and down the west coast each year, to the point it’s long been nicknamed the Humpback Highway.

More water-based experiences are available just a 25-minute boat ride from Fremantle Harbour at the popular and beautiful Rottnest Island. A past winner of our annual “Australia’s Top 10 Destinations to Experience” poll, Rottnest is renowned for its mixture of natural beauty, wonderfully secluded coves, and interesting military.

ATTRACTION

• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Cairns
• Gold Coast
• Brisbane
• Perth
• Blue Mountains
• Adelaide

Geelong, VIC

On the western side of Port Phillip Bay, the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula sits about 100 kilometers southwest of Melbourne, opposite the Mornington Peninsula. Equally as gentrified as its nearby sister peninsula but much quieter, the Bellarine Peninsula is a blend of history with a modern twist. Long curving beaches, quaint seaside villages with hip cafes, museums, and heritage architecture are some of the region’s top attractions.

The bustling city of Geelong is the gateway to the peninsula and it’s packed with things to do. It’s also a popular stopping-off point for travelers heading to the Great Ocean Road one of the world’s top scenic drives. Other top Bellarine Peninsula places to visit include the charming seaside village of Queenscliff; the beautiful beaches of Barwon Heads; and the sleepy town of Point Lonsdale, with dramatic views of the Port Phillip Heads.

Families can hang out with their favorite Aussie animals at wildlife parks, and foodies can feast their way around the region visiting boutique food producers and family-owned farms. Plan your trip to this picturesque region with our list of the top attractions in Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula.

ATTRACTION

• Adventure Park Geelong, Victoria
• Geelong Waterfront
• Geelong Botanic Gardens
• National Wool Museum
• Eastern Beach
• Geelong Gallery
• Eastern Beach Reserve
• Eastern Beach Road

Margaret River, WA

Margaret River and its premium wine region is the place for indulging many passions. It’s the only wine region in Australia where you can hop from award-winning wineries and restaurants to stunning beaches, tall-timber forests, world-class surf breaks and ancient caves.

From Perth, it’s an easy 3 hour drive via coast. Budget travellers can catch the coach that departs daily. Or, you can opt to arrive in style, taking a direct charter flight to nearby Busselton.

Blessed with mild weather and abundant sunshine, Margaret River has evolved from a chilled-out surfie town into a popular base for enjoying the region’s fine flavours and spectacular scenery, where rolling vineyards sit against a backdrop of ocean and forest.

Producing over 15 per cent of Australia’s premium wine, the tastings are top notch. And besides over 100 wineries, you’ll be spoilt for choice with many fine restaurants, boutique breweries, art galleries and fresh produce, from divine cheeses to chocolate. Time your visit to coincide with the annual wine and food festivals and you’ll get to savour many of these flavours in one hit.

Those with a taste for adventure will find plenty to indulge in too.

Known internationally as one of the best big-wave surfing locations on Earth for consistently spectacular breaks, there are over 40 top spots along Margaret River’s coast, with conditions ranging from powerful reef breaks to fun beach surf.

Venture inland and you’ll be dwarfed by some of the world’s tallest hardwood trees, and awe-struck by the longest straw stalactite on show when you plunge into Jewel Cave – one of many ancient limestone caves open to the public.

More thrills can be found with rock climbing, abseiling, mountain biking, canoeing and whale watching tours. You might even be tempted to throw in a line and chase some snapper at one of the designated fishing spots.

Your bed for the night can be as opulent or basic as your budget allows. The region boasts a fine array of luxury retreats and private beach houses, through to hotels, motels, backpackers, caravan parks and camping grounds.

ATTRACTION

• Leeuwin Estate
• Mammoth Cave
• Voyager Estate
• Lake Cave
• Hamelin Bay
• Cape to Cape Walk Track
• Cape Mentelle Vineyards
• Ngilgi Cave
• Xanadu Wines

Lady Musgrave Island, QLD

While numerous destinations on the Great Barrier Reef make for enjoyable enough ways to sample Australia’s greatest natural wonder – pick one of a handful of such islands and it will be hard to be disappointed – Queensland’s Lady Musgrave Island comes with several benefits make it a worthy choice. Situated within the southern portion of the Great Barrier Reef, one of the biggest factors that work in Lady Musgrave’s favour for a November visit is its lack of stingers. Here visitors can enjoy all of its aquatic wonders without fear of encountering any of these ocean nasties.

Lady Musgrave Island also remains one of the best overall budget options for those looking to sample a quality reef environment. The island is via boat from Bundaberg Marina, with day cruises available and on-island camping an option for those wanting an extended stay. Multi-day tours from various locations on the mainland are also offered from more major destinations, albeit at a higher price. While it’s still not exactly cheap, the sheer quality and gorgeous nature of Lady Musgrave’s surrounding reef make this an investment that’s hard to match.

Host to the Great Barrier Reef’s largest lagoon, the island offers an amazing, sheltered snorkelling and diving destination all at a relatively reasonable price. While its marine life is diverse and plentiful, it’s the lagoon that helps set Lady Musgrave Island apart from its counterparts as the natural barrier offers a great combination of size and safety alongside impressive hard and soft coral cover. The lagoon is a hub of colourful reef fish, turtles and coral with a sand bottom and scattered bommies that are delightful to explore.

It’s remarkably beginner-friendly, too, standing at an easily navigable depth of 6 to 8 metres, and given that the island’s waters offer an average visibility of around 20 metres at a minimum, it’s possible to take in a wonderful underwater panorama even for beginner snorkellers. Couple this with a lack of currents and you’ve got one of the reef’s best starter spots for the uninitiated. For those particularly timid in the water, local operator Lady Musgrave Experience offer glass-bottom boat rides, allowing you to admire the marine life while staying dry.

Divers are also catered for at Lady Musgrave Island, as there are 14 world-class dive sites available in the waters on the outer side of the lagoon’s wall, including an easy and relaxed drift dive that offers the chance to spot the likes of cod, wrasse, reef sharks and eels with the occasional manta sighting.

Lady Musgrave Island remains underdeveloped, which is part of its charm. There are no buildings or hotels and as a result both the island’s vegetation and its vast array of birdlife continue to flourish. It’s largely covered with plant life, however, this tends to be less dense than many of its sister islands, which makes walking around the island an easy and enjoyable prospect.

Lastly, visitors to the island in November have the rare opportunity to see female green and loggerhead turtles laying their eggs on the beaches which is a truly magical sight.