All About the Locals
Local Way started it’s days right here Melbourne and has grown to become a widely respected and well-reputed tour operator within
the Australian tourism scene. Providing authentic, immersive and memorable tours of Melbourne and its surrounding regions.
Our Team
Our Guides are what make our tours!
Handpicked for the individual talents and stories they bring with them, each one of our guides shares a passion for showcasing their beautiful backyards, and a genuine love for engaging with, and entertaining our travellers.
Our Passion for Touring for Good
At Local Way, sustainability is more than a word – it’s at the heart of how we design and deliver every tour. We believe travel should enrich both the traveller and the places we visit, leaving a lasting, positive impact.
Smaller Groups, Bigger Experiences
We keep our groups intentionally small, ensuring every traveller enjoys space, comfort, and a genuine connection with their guide. This approach not only reduces our footprint but also creates richer experiences, where guests can truly engage with the people, stories, and landscapes of Victoria.
A Taste of the Region
Our tours go far beyond a “bare bones” itinerary. We consciously include local wineries, boutique food producers, eco-conscious wildlife parks, and family-run businesses that represent the true flavour of Victoria. By choosing these partners, we celebrate regional culture while supporting the communities that make our state unique.
Giving Back to the Land
We are deeply aware that the land we tour on is a gift. Respecting it means travelling responsibly, operating thoughtfully, and contributing to initiatives that protect it for the future. Local Way proudly supports Greening Australia, helping to restore vital habitats and landscapes so future generations can enjoy the same beauty and freedom our guests experience today.
For us, sustainability isn’t just about protecting the environment—it’s about creating a way of travel that is authentic, responsible, and enduring.
Our History of Touring
We’re proud of our roots as a multi-generational family business. While we’ve grown over the years, we’ve never lost the passion, personal touch, and genuine care that started it all.
It runs in the blood…
It would be difficult to talk about Local Way without mentioning the family behind its creation. Both Ray’s mother and uncle have been passionately involved in the tourism industry for decades. His mother, Joanne, began her own tour business in 2008, operating trips across Australia. His uncle Gavin, Joanne’s brother, spent more than 20 years as a highly regarded coach-tour driver, guiding journeys through some of the most beautiful and remote locations the country has to offer.
At the heart of the Local Way story lies the Tour Local story, and it is impossible to separate the two. Tour Local was the shared dream of Joanne and Gavin, first imagined in their early days in Australia and even during their time driving coaches in New Zealand. That dream became a reality, and when Ray joined the business in 2015, the three formed an unbreakable bond and a shared love of touring. Together, they travelled across Australia, creating life-changing moments for countless guests.
In 2021, Gavin passed away from Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Today, whenever we tour, no matter where we are in this wide brown land, we carry Gavin’s spirit with us, knowing he is always just down the road, enjoying the freedom that touring brings.
Finding my passion…
Growing up, I never knew exactly what I wanted to do, but I always loved to travel. No matter how far I wandered, I felt a strong pull back to Melbourne, my home. After spending a year in Sweden in 2015, I returned unsure of my next step and without a job. I reached out to my mother, who owned Tour Local, for what I thought would be a short-term role. Ten years later, I’m still here – and grateful that I found my path.
Touring feels like it has always been in my blood.
During my time with Tour Local, I travelled across Australia, learning the industry from the ground up and discovering a true passion for creating memorable experiences. That journey inspired me to establish Local Way Tours. Today, with a team of handpicked local guides, I’m proud to showcase the very best of Melbourne and Victoria, sharing an insider’s perspective on what makes these places so special.
The Local’s Way…
We never wanted Local Way to be just another tour operator running the same long drives to the 12 Apostles or the Penguin Parade. There were already plenty of jam-packed buses doing that.
What we wanted was something different.
Of course, we love the 12 Apostles and the Penguin Parade, but the journey is about more than the final stop. Along the way, there are wineries pouring some of Victoria’s finest, eco-friendly wildlife parks run by people who share our passion, and hidden gems you won’t find in the guidebooks. Those are the places we wanted to share.
And we wanted to do it with true small groups. That means not cramming every seat, but giving travellers the space to relax and actually enjoy the journey.
Our vision has always been to create experiences that are both memorable and transformational—tours that carry a social and sustainable conscience. That’s exactly what we set out to do, and what we’re proud to be doing today.
