Arrivals & Departures Airbnb Trips: Local experiences platform comes to Melbourne

Having launched Trips into the Australian market last year with an initial focus on Sydney, Airbnb is now listing activities (or "Experiences") in Melbourne and regional Victoria, lead by local residents and experts. 

Experiences cover everything from the best vintage clothing stores to street art, the local music scene, vegan food and even a punting picnic with tasty treats from the Queen Victoria Markets.  

Other activities include drawing the flora of the Royal Botanical Gardens under the guidance of a professional artist, gathering and cooking Australian bush foods with a chef, and delving into local coffee and culture with a food historian.

There are also options outside the city, including surfing along the Great Ocean Road, hiking in the Grampians, spending a day with a sculptor in Ballarat and meeting working sheep dogs on a farm.

Picture at top by Visit Victoria.

Fact File

• For more, see airbnb.com/experiences.