Interesting facts

1. Victoria is the smallest mainland state in Australia by land area, but the second most populous. 2. Melbourne served as the capital city of Australia from Federation in 1901 until Parliament House in Canberra was opened in 1927. 3. The Great Ocean Road, one of the world's most scenic coastal drives, was built by returning soldiers after World War I and stands as the world's largest war memorial. 4. The Eureka Rebellion of 1854, which took place in Ballarat, is often considered the birthplace of Australian democracy. 5. Wilsons Promontory National Park is the southernmost point of the Australian mainland. 6. Victoria's capital, Melbourne, has the largest tram network in the world, with over 250 kilometers of double track. 7. The state floral emblem is the Common Heath (Epacris impressa). 8. The state faunal emblem is the critically endangered Leadbeater's Possum. 9. The 'Black Box' flight recorder was invented in Melbourne in 1954 by Australian scientist Dr. David Warren. 10. Australian Rules Football (AFL) was invented in Victoria in 1858, initially to keep cricketers fit during winter. 11. Victoria experienced one of the world's greatest gold rushes in the 1850s, which transformed Melbourne into one of the wealthiest cities in the British Empire. 12. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, with a capacity of just over 100,000. 13. The Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne was the first building in Australia to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. 14. Phillip Island, off Victoria's southern coast, is famous for its daily 'Penguin Parade' where Little Penguins come ashore at dusk. 15. Ned Kelly, Australia's most infamous bushranger, made his final stand and was captured in the Victorian town of Glenrowan in 1880. 16. Victoria is widely known as the 'Garden State', a moniker that was historically printed on state license plates. 17. The state is renowned for its variable weather, famously described by crowded house as having 'four seasons in one day'. 18. Victoria hosts several major international sporting events, including the Australian Open (tennis) and the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. 19. The Twelve Apostles, a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of the Port Campbell National Park, is one of the most photographed tourist sites in the country. 20. Puffing Billy, located in the Dandenong Ranges, is one of the finest preserved steam railways in the world.