Accessible day trips from Melbourne

If you’re headed east by the coast, make a pit stop at these hidden palatial limestone caves. The caves were formed 300 million years ago by underground rivers cutting through layers of limestone rock and feature striking formations of stalactites and stalagmites. A Stairclimber is available for wheelchair users or those with mobility issues, allowing them to traverse down the steep and narrow steps into the spectacular Fairy Cave. Parks Victoria recommends booking in advance to secure use of a Stairclimber.

Wilsons Prom is mainland Australia’s southernmost point and lays claim to a rugged national park ripe with beaches, greenery and friendly wildlife. Accessible accommodation is available at Tidal River, where modified cabins are equipped with special equipment such as electric high/low beds as well as all-terrain wheelchairs for access to Norman Beach. Motorised TrailRiders are also available for longer walks around the park.

Just 35 clicks east of Melbourne, the Dandenong Ranges region boasts plenty of exquisite fauna and flora, sprawling gardens, artist studios, wineries and quaint villages. TrailRider all-terrain wheelchairs are available to collect at Grants on Sherbrooke Restaurant in Kallista. You can also book volunteer sherpas to guide you through the towering forest. Beginners can try the 30-minute return Margaret Lester Forest Walk or the more outdoorsy can attempt the Sherbrooke Loop Walk, which is a two-hour, four-kilometre circuit for true immersion in the wild.

This part of Boonwurrung country has some of the earliest European settlement in Victoria. You can explore it all (and spy some killer bay views) on coastal tracks that run past the old Quarantine Station and some World War II military buildings. All-terrain beach wheelchairs and one standard wheelchair are available to hire – best to book them in advance from the Point Nepean Information Centre.

Werribee Park: Ten hectares of gardens and parkland to explore with level granite tracks throughout.

Brimbank Park: Traverse ten kilometres of walking trails, or visit the large accessible playscape.