By Amy Maiden, Executive Manager, Tourism Midwest Victoria
I’ve been thinking a lot about the way we describe places.
The word regional is useful in planning documents, strategy papers and government programs. It tells us where a place sits on a map. But I’ve never met anyone who chose a destination solely because it was classified as “regional”.
People choose places for the way they make them feel.
When we think about destinations that have earned a place in the global imagination, whether it’s Iceland, Queenstown or Napa Valley, we rarely focus on their population size or how far they are from a capital city. What stays with us is the feeling of the place itself. We remember the landscape, the stories, the atmosphere and the sense that it couldn’t really exist anywhere else.
Size has very little to do with what makes a place memorable. Character does. And character is something regional Victoria has never lacked.
Across Australia, many of the most memorable places sit well beyond the city limits. They’re places shaped by generations of history, landscapes that have inspired storytellers for decades, and communities that have developed a strong sense of themselves because they haven’t spent their time trying to be somewhere else.
Perhaps that’s why I’ve never liked the way we sometimes talk about regional Victoria as though it’s separate from the rest of the state.
So much of what Victorians are proud of has its roots in regional communities. The goldfields helped shape modern Victoria, farming communities built industries that still sustain it, and generations of winemakers, artists, makers and entrepreneurs have created places and experiences that are now woven into the state’s identity.
You can see that legacy everywhere, from Ballarat and Creswick to Avoca and Ballan.
What strikes me is that none of this happened overnight. Character rarely does.
It’s built over decades through the efforts of people who are deeply invested in where they live and what they’re creating.
Whether it’s the enduring appeal of Sovereign Hill, the quiet confidence of the Pyrenees wine region or newer ventures like Hotel Vera, these places work because they belong exactly where they are. They each tell a different story, but none of them could be picked up and recreated somewhere else.
Maybe that’s why regional places continue to resonate. At a time when so much of the world feels increasingly standardised, there is something refreshing about spending time somewhere that feels grounded in its own history and confident in its own character.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that people can usually tell you exactly where they’d like to go overseas. Ask them about the parts of Victoria they’ve never explored, however, and the list is often just as long.
I’ve always found that surprising. Some of the state’s most memorable places are only a few hours from Melbourne, yet many of us know them more by reputation than experience.
So this winter, perhaps that’s the opportunity.
Spend a weekend somewhere you’ve always meant to visit but never quite got around to. The town you’ve driven through dozens of times. The region you’ve heard great things about. The place that’s been sitting on your list for years.
The places that stay with us are rarely the biggest. They’re usually the ones that know exactly who they are.
Regional doesn’t mean small.
It means distinctive.