OT Interview: Minister Steve Dimopoulos On Why Victoria Is Australia's Most Diverse Destination

From the wild cliffs of the Great Ocean Road to the Grampians' tranquil trails and the King Valley's rolling vineyards, Victoria is a state where landscapes shift dramatically within hours of leaving Melbourne. It is also a place where tourism, environment, and community are deeply intertwined. Behind this vision stands Steve Dimopoulos, Victoria’s Minister for Environment; Tourism, Sport and Major Events; and Outdoor Recreation. Tasked with protecting fragile coastlines and national parks and ensuring the state remains one of Australia’s most dynamic destinations, Dimopoulos has been steering Victoria toward a more sustainable, inclusive future. His focus ranges from embedding First Nations voices in visitor experiences to pushing Melbourne’s major events to go green. In this exclusive conversation with Outlook Traveller, he reflects on ecotourism, indigenous-led experiences, and why Victoria’s compact size hides a world of extraordinary travel stories.Victoria is known for its diversity, from the Great Ocean Road to the Grampians. What lesser-known eco-destinations would you recommend to travellers, especially Indians looking for offbeat experiences?That’s a good question. We’ve been hearing from trade partners about the growth of younger travellers who are more self-directed and often choose self-drives. Victoria is small enough that you can go far and wide within a short time, and there are countless stories to tell.For example, about 2.5 hours from Melbourne is the King Valley, where Italian families settled in the 1950s. They began with tobacco farming but later transformed their farms into wineries. Today, it’s home to some of the best wines, cheeses, and beautiful landscapes.You could also visit Halls Gap in the Grampians, where you’ll find stunning national parks and abundant wildlife. I stayed at a local Airbnb there. One morning, I opened the door to find 20 kangaroos sunbathing outside. From there, you can explore the Peaks Trail, a 150 km walking track, one of the world’s great long-distance trails.Another option is to catch a train to Kyneton or other regional towns. Walk into a local pub and discover outback Victoria in its truest form. Beyond the penguins and the well-known attractions, Victoria has more than 800 wineries, and last year, one of the world’s top 50 restaurants—Brae (in Birregurra)—was listed here. The beauty of Victoria is that it’s compact but offers extraordinary diversity.How is the government balancing tourism growth with environmental conservation, especially in national parks and coastal regions?It’s a constant balance. In some areas, the private sector is taking the lead, offering more sustainable stays—camping, glamping, and other low-impact options. For example, we’re considering premium booking systems on the Great Ocean Road to better manage visitor impact.This is a global issue: the most popular places are where people flock, which creates pressure. Yet Victoria has many pristine spots—like Wilsons Promontory with its Squeaky Beach, once rated the best in Australia and among the best in the world. The key is encouraging tourists to choose sustainable options.At the policy level, Australia has adopted a Sustainable Tourism Framework, which guides hotels, land managers, and operators through five core steps towards sustainability. The challenge is ongoing, but government and market forces drive change.Are Indigenous communities actively involved in tourism and sustainability decisions in Victoria?Absolutely, and this is central to our ten-year tourism strategy. One of its five key pillars is First Nations–led experiences. Many Indigenous tourism providers are small operators—such as couples leading walking tours on traditional lands—so the government provides funding and support to help them scale.We also have shared land management. Some national parks, like Wombat State Forest, are jointly managed by Indigenous Victorians and the state government.Visit Victoria has been tasked to work directly with individual traditional owner groups, or “mobs,” across the state. This is a self-determination model: communities decide if and how they want to engage in tourism. It’s a slower process, but the right one.A great example is Budj Bim, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Victoria. The Gunditjmara people there have chosen to showcase their ancient eel-farming aquaculture system, which dates back 30,000 years. They lead tours and tell their own stories, making the experience powerful and authentic.We now see five to seven traditional owner groups developing tourism products across Victoria, from Melbourne’s Koorie Heritage Trust to emerging experiences in Bendigo and Shepparton. The guiding principle is that Indigenous communities lead, and we support.Overtourism is a global concern. Is Victoria or Australia facing similar challenges?Not in the way Europe is. Australia receives about 10 million international visitors annually. Compare that with Paris alone, which gets 44 million. So, by sheer numbers, we don’t face overtourism at that scale.However, perception and community sentiment are important. Some regions want more visitors, while a few hotspots feel the strain. A key example is the Mornington Peninsula—a playground for Melburnians with wineries and beaches. The local council had to introduce restrictions on short-term rentals like Airbnb because they were affecting community amenities.So, while overtourism isn’t a systemic issue here, localised tensions arise, and we manage them carefully.Are there any upcoming ecotourism projects or green travel initiatives that travellers should know about?Yes, several. One initiative we’re pursuing is making Melbourne the first city in Australia—and possibly globally—to host fully sustainable major events. For example, we eliminated single-use plastic bottles in player areas at the Australian Open, saving nearly a million bottles in three weeks. Coldplay also insisted on hosting a sustainable concert, which shows how mainstream this is.Australia already enjoys a strong reputation as a clean, green destination, and we must protect that. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has invested millions in rainwater recycling and food waste management. Statewide, operators can now access a Sustainability Toolkit to help them adapt.Importantly, Victoria has banned native timber harvesting in public forests and ended commercial net fishing in Port Phillip Bay, protecting marine life. These steps show how deeply sustainability is embedded in our tourism and environmental strategy.Fun Things To Do In Australia On A Family Holiday