Mallacoota: Victoria's Warmest Winter Escape

Winter days in Mallacoota average about 15°C, with nights around 7 to 9°C. You'll still want a jumper once the sun goes down.

To be straight about it: if all you want is the warmest winter day in Victoria, head inland. Mildura and the Mallee get warmer winter days. Mallacoota is the mild pick on the coast, which is what matters if the point of the trip is the beach, the water and a walk before lunch.

It's the kind of weather where you wake up, make a coffee and let the day arrive slowly.

A common assumption about coastal towns in winter is that the wildlife disappears. Here, some of it is only just arriving.

Humpback and southern right whales pass Mallacoota on migration, heading north in winter and south with calves in spring. Bastion Point and the coastal headlands are good lookouts.

Critically endangered swift parrots cross from Tasmania in winter to feed in flowering gums. Around 307 bird species have been recorded in the immediate Mallacoota region, and Croajingolong has been a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve since 1977. If you'd like someone to point the birds out, Dale runs guided birdwatching cruises on the inlet, booked through Mallacoota Cruise & Eco Tours. Ask them when the cruises run.

If fishing is your reason, bream are caught year-round. Flathead fire in the warmer months, roughly November to April. Our guide to fishing in Mallacoota covers where and how.

The other half of a good winter getaway is what happens when you don't feel like being outside.

Mornings can start at Origami Coffee, a tiny kiosk that sells drinks only, on a grassy slope near Scallywags and Sue's Bribes on Dorron Avenue. Takeshi runs it: single-origin filter brews, espresso and careful latte art. He also sells origami paper and lends instruction books overnight, which suits a wet afternoon. Check Origami's Instagram for opening hours before you go. Our guide to coffee in Mallacoota covers the rest.

For when you want to slow down even further, there are two options on Maurice Avenue. Massage by Jodie, at 52 Maurice Avenue, offers remedial, sports, hot stone, relaxation and deep tissue massage and an infrared sauna. Ring 0438 096 808 or book online. Studio @ 65, owned by Aimee Searl, does hair and beauty, including cuts, colour, lashes and nails. It's open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm, and you book all services online. A massage after a winter beach walk is the kind of thing that turns a stay into a proper escape. The wellness guide has more.

For more on what the off-season gives you, our cosy winter guide goes deeper.

Different winter getaways suit different houses. A few of our picks:

• Four on Stingray Point: water views, but it isn't waterfront. It takes dogs, and you can launch a kayak from it.
• 27 Mirrabooka Rd: lake views and a fenced yard, and it takes dogs.
• High Tide Studio: a compact one-bedroom in town, suited to couples or a solo traveller. It doesn't take dogs.

If you want the water at the door, two houses are waterfront, meaning you walk out the door to the water: Gabo Views and 7 Allan Drive.

Or browse all our Mallacoota holiday rentals. 15 of the 17 houses take dogs, and our pet friendly accommodation in Mallacoota page shows which. If yours is coming, bring tick protection.