Melbourne (Victoria)
The capital of Victoria and Australia’s second-largest metropolis is known around the world for the Melbourne Cup horse race – but it offers much more: a city of contrasts, famous for its trams and elegant tree-lined boulevards, set against a backdrop of fine Victorian architecture and sweeping modern skyscrapers.
Must See and do in Melbourne:
Victorian Art Centre: This spectacular performing arts venue situated on the banks of the Yarra River, comprises theatres, the Melbourne Concert Hall,the Performing Arts Museum, the Westpac Gallery and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.The centre attracts many of the world’s most distinguished performers in music,drama, opera, ballet and is the focal point of Melbourne’s social and cultural scene.
Crown Towers, Casino, Entertainment and Convention Complex is located on the south bank of Yarra River: The five star Crown Towers offers luxury accommodation,meeting and convention facilities and health and beauty treatments. The 24 hour Casino with gaming tables and gaming machines, superb shopping, 14 cinemas, a theatre, restaurants and bars are all part of the entertainment options.
Southgate Arts and Leisure Precinct is situated on the riverside of the Yarra River with views to the city, it showcases the best of Melbourne’s shopping,galleries and food establishments.
Rialto Towers Observation Deck: A viewing platform on the 55th level of the Rialto South Tower provides 360-degree views of Melbourne. Facilities include: kiosk, bar/café, function room and souvenir shop.
Yarra River: Flows through the city and winds past the entertainment heart of Melbourne. Take one of the comfortable boats departing from Princess Bridge fora wonderful journey down the river.
Chinatown: On Little Bourke Street. This area has been settled by the Chinese since 1850 and is filled with Chinese restaurants, food stores, handicrafts,furniture and jewellery shops.
Shopping in Melbourne:
Special Buys from Melbourne:
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High-quality, designer clothes and shoes
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Antiques from Brunswick, Chapel and Greville Streets
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Wines from the Yarra valley, Mornington Peninsula and Rutherglen region
Shopping is a passion in Melbourne. The City’s central business district is compact – major shopping complexes are within easy walking distance of city hotels. Among the major shopping thoroughfares is Bourke Street where such department stores as Myer and David Jones are located.Then there is stylish Collins Street home of international labels. Don’t forget Melbourne Central. One of Australia’s largest retail complexes, Australia on Collins, Collins 234 and Southgate for something different and Georges for cutting-edge style and design! Check out the countless lanes, arcades and malls and the variety of shops that line them.
Not far away from the city are key shopping precincts that include up market Chapel Street and Toorak Road in South Yarra. Accessible by tram No 8 from the city, Toorak road is one of Melbourne’s finest shopping,strolling and people-watching streets. Chapel Street represents the cross roads of Australian fashion.
The Queen Victoria Markets located on the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Streets, are the scene of boisterous trading and frantic bargaining. More than1,000 stalls sell almost everything from fresh meat and produce to handicrafts,fashion items and bric-a-brac. Open 6am – 2pm Tuesday and Thursday, 6am – 6pmFriday, 6am – 3pm Saturday, 6am – 4pm Sunday.St Kilda Markets, held along the beachfront Esplanade, is known for arts and crafts. Open Sunday 10am – 5pm.Victoria’s best artisans exhibit at the Victorian Arts Centre Market on 100St Kilda Road, just across the city over the Yarra River: Traditional and contemporary ceramics, hand-made picture frames, jewellery and hand-painted silk garments are special feature of this market held on Sundays from 9am –6pm.
Museums and Galleries in Melbourne:
National Gallery of Victoria: The Gallery is located in the heart of Melbourne,next to the new Southgate complex and the Victorian Arts Centre, and opposite Melbourne Botanic Gardens. It houses on of the world’s finest Australian Art collections, a permanent display by modern masters of Aboriginal art. The European Gallery boats old master paintings, prints and drawings and antiquities, which are unparalleled in this country.
Como: Comois a gracious colonial mansion featuring and unusual mix of Australian Regency and Italianate styles of architecture, built in 1847. Visitors can explore the five acres of landscaped gardens and absorb the opulent atmosphere of another era.
Wildlife and theme parks in Melbourne:
The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens: located 6km from Melbourne.Melbourne Zoo has more than 350 native and exotic animal species displayed in naturalistic landscaped exhibits set on 23 hectares. Free guided tours are available daily. At various times during the year there are late openings on selected summer evenings when jazz music and special keeper presentations occur:
Healesville Sanctuary: It is 65km north east from Melbourne. Largest collection of Australian wildlife in a bushland setting. Sanctuary guides are on hand to supervise visitors’ contact with the animals.
Werribee Zoo: Located 32km south west of Melbourne. All animals wander free here, so visitors join a guided safari tour: Safari buses leave every 10-20 minutes with a guide. Highlights include the African and Australian grassland animals area.Visitors have the opportunity to view the conservation programme and endangered species-breeding programme.
Nightlife in Melbourne:
Known as the arts and culture capital of Australia, a visit to Melbourne is not complete without experiencing a show at one of the many live theatres. Catch a world-class opera, the latest Broadway hit, ballet, play of concert in one of the Victorian Art Centre’s superlative theatres. Melbourne has a lively nightclub scene and is noted for live music and comedy clubs.
Excursions and day tours from Melbourne:
Warrook Cattle Farm is located on hour drive from Melbourne. Visitors are welcomed into the historic homestead and then escorted onto a full farm tour:
Phillip Island, a farming and holiday island 140km south of Melbourne, is noted for its wildlife, particularly birds koalas, seals and fairy penguins. Each evening at dusk, view the penguins marching up the beach to their sand-dune burrows also called as Penguin Parade. Observe Australia’s largest colony of fur seals at the Seal Rocks Sea Life Centre.
Ballarat, situated 112km north west of Melbourne, is Australia’s most famous goldrush destination. It is a city of Victorian-style buildings, lush sweeping gardens and the nearby Sovereign Hill,a living museum build=t on the site of an original diggings. Pan for gold,watch the gold pours and relive the life of the early gold diggers. On the hillside overlooking the township, colonial-style buildings modeled on 1857originals have been recreated to accommodate visitors. Blood On The Southern Cross: This spectacular sound and light show runs for 1 hour 20 minutes at night.
Hepburn Spa resort, Mineral Springs Reserve, Hepburn Springs. This mineral water complex provides private baths combined with essential oils and specific muds. Full range of massage, floatation tanks, saunas, relaxational pool and spas are available.
The Yarra Valley, Dandenongs and The Ranges are on hour’s drive east of the city. The Dandenongs are home to many great gardens. Puffing Billy vintage steam railway and the Dandenongs National Park Visit the pretty villages, antique shops. Devonshire tearooms and restaurants. The Yarra Valley is one of Australia’s premium wine growing areas, where some 30 wineries offer cellar-door sales. Healesville sanctuary is home to native animals in natural bush surrounds.
Great Ocean Road commences 100km south west of Melbourne. This winding road passes spectacular coastline, surf-battered cliffs and sandy beaches. A short detour takes you to Queens cliff. This elegant town was a popular holiday resort for the wealthy squatters and those who struck it rich in the goldfields. The buildings are a testament to the opulent wealth of the nineteenth century. Further on, see the coastal views and rainforest of the Otway ranges: near Port Campbell view spectacular rock formations such as The Twelve Apostles. Don’t miss The Arch, London Bridge, The Grotto, Loch Ard Gorge and the Bay of Islands.