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Travel Destination Guide - Melbourne
Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) 
Melbourne Information
Slideshow of Photos
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Australia's second-largest city, Melbourne, capital of Victoria, is the most European in style with trams rattling through streets past Victorian buildings, parks and outdoor cafes. The city centre is laid out in a simple grid pattern, the long, wide north-south streets gently sloping down to the Yarra River, crossed by a mix of narrow lanes, and the main shopping streets such as Bourke and Collins Streets.
The Central Business District is easily navigable by foot, and if a rest is needed after a session of sightseeing or shopping there are numerous parks nearby, such as the Royal Botanical Gardens, Fitzroy Gardens and Carlton Gardens. Alternatively, you can take one of Melbourne's signature attractions, a tram.
The burgundy-coloured City Circle tram is free, and is a good way to get your bearings as well as explore the inner city, while for those wanting to go further afield the tram network extends about 10 miles (15km) into the Melbourne suburbs.
Melbourne's population of almost three million is made up of a variety of cultures, including Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, Lebanese and Greek, who have all added their touch to this thriving city.
A fierce rivalry exists between the cities of Melbourne and Sydney, but local residents bask in the satisfying knowledge that Melbourne beats Sydney hands-down on the cultural front, noted for its wide variety of high standard performing arts, as well as its sport.
Beautiful Victorian architecture, old trams, endless parks, tree-lined boulevards, incomparable sporting facilities and a lively and affordable restaurant culture, have all made Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, the closest thing possible to a perfect destination.
What's more, just when it was in danger of becoming boorish, in flooded the immigrants to freshen up the British traditions with their food, festivals and diverse philosophies.
Locality:
Melbourne is set around the shores of Port Phillip Bay. The city itself, laid out in a large rectangle and boasting a lively and cosmopolitan pulse, sits on the northern banks of the Yarra River, about five kilometres from the bay.
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Victoria offers cuisines of all types and nationalities. With ideal growing conditions, a mix of ethnic cultures from around the globe and some of Australia's most innovative chefs, Victoria is the place to pleasure your palate. The state is also one of Australia's most important wine growing areas, containing 22 wine regions, over 350 wineries and many more vineyards.
Variety and energy characterise entertainment and nightlife in Victoria. Whether it's clubbing until dawn at dance venues or laughing out loud at a comedy club, there's plenty going on to keep nightowls entertained. In Melbourne, you'll find an ever-increasing number of trendy clubs and bars, ideal places for convivial drinking, Sex In The City-style socialising and grooving to the chilled sounds of DJs late into the night.
From cutting-edge architecture and blockbuster musicals to art exhibitions and popular festivals, Melbourne is a city where cultural pursuits are woven into the fabric of everyday life. Regional Victoria also boasts a flourishing arts scene, with impressive galleries, museums, and heritage buildings.
The past is always present in Victoria. Nearly everywhere you look, you'll discover evidence of the state's proud and fascinating history, from elegant Victorian-era buildings and Murray River paddle steamers to maritime museums and steam trains. Discover beautifully preserved goldmining towns, bushrangers lairs, and ancient burial sites testifying to the long history of Aboriginal occupation. Use the links on the left-hand side to explore the wealth of history and heritage in each of Victoria's regions.
Victoria has a wealth of activities and attractions. Whether you're looking for outdoor adventure, a romantic getaway or designer labels, the state has something for everyone. Sandy beaches, snow-peaked mountains, zoos and aquariums, historic sites, bars and cafes, white-water rafting, spas, wildlife and wineries, or self-driving along Victoria's breathtaking coast - everywhere you turn there's always something special to see and do. Better still, Victoria's compact size means activities and attractions are all within easy reach of each other.
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Population: 20.090.400
Languages: English 79%, native and other languages
Currency: Australian dollar
Currency code: AUD
Local Times:
Australia - Australian Capital Territory - Canberra
Australia - New South Wales - Sydney
Australia - Tasmania - Hobart
Australia - Western Australia - Perth
Country Dialling Code: +61
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
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Australia, officially called the Commonweath of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the continental mainland (the smallest of the World\'s continents).
The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.
It may be one of the world's most ancient lands with its mystical red centre and brooding rock formations, but Australia is also characterised by its youthful energy, its freshness and its \'no worries\' philosophy.
Most of the population lives within a few miles of the beach and with the working day beginning and ending early, it\'s not uncommon to see city slickers out of their suits and into the surf come 4.30pm.
In high summer many families will enjoy a simple backyard barbecue several times a week.
The 22-hour journey means most European people visit for at least a couple of weeks, allowing time for all that the country has to offer, including its chic cities, terracotta desert, lush bush and magical ocean reefs.
But the sheer size of Australia means that one visit is unlikely to be enough.
The most popular attractions are undoubtedly Uluru (Ayers Rock), the Great Barrier Reef and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, but there are now more subtle incentives for a visit.
The wonderful fusion cuisine, the café society, the burgeoning art, culture and fashion scene, and the very real possibility of being the only person for miles around all conspire to make it a wholly alluring experience.
Australia is politically divided into six states and two territories, each one offering a different experience for the traveller. There is the drama of the remote \'Outback\', the colourful spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef and its coral islands, the excitement of the cosmopolitan cities, the sun and surf at some of the best beaches in the world, and the tropical rainforests of Western Australia. The list is endless in this diverse land of adventure, which boasts 2,000 national parks and 14 World Heritage-listed areas, along with more than 7,000 beaches.
Australia is a land of character too, with its melting pot of cultures. For more than 50,000 years the Aboriginal people lived and thrived in the continent\'s unique environment. It is believed the Aboriginals are the world\'s oldest civilisation, and in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in keeping the Aboriginal culture alive and flourishing.
The vast continent at the bottom of the world was the last landmass to be discovered by European explorers. Captain James Cook arrived in Botany Bay in 1770 and sparked off generations of emigration to Australia, which for some time served as a penal colony. It was not until 1860 that two explorers - Robert Burke and William Wills - became the first Europeans to cross Australia from south to north. The country remains a magnet for modern explorers and adventurers and has a great deal to offer tourists and holidaymakers. |
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Local Area Weather
Melbourne, AUSTRALIA |
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