Melbourne

Melbourne, Australia

Discover Melbourne, the gateway to Australia's south.

Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, is set around the shores of Victoria's Port Phillip Bay and boasts a lively and cosmopolitan pulse, with chic boutiques, buzzing cafés and bars, immaculate gardens and festivals and popular sporting events. The city sits on the Yarra River, about five kilometres from the bay.

One glance at a map and it's obvious Melbourne is a planned city: a tidy, balanced grid of neatly angled streets. But beneath this sense of restraint lies a restless creative energy. Discover the work of talented local artists, architects and designers in stylish fashion boutiques, buzzing laneway cafés, hidden galleries and trendy bars.

Melbourne is a city of style and sophistication, with an inviting cosmopolitan atmosphere. It is a melting pot of cultures reflected in its microcosm of restaurants, cafés, bistros and bars. Melbourne's dining offers a dizzying spread of great cuisines, serving meals from the substantial and classic to the truly exotic.

From locally designed originals to the best of international fashion brands you'll be spoilt for choice in Melbourne's shopping precincts. Explore the inner city shopping centres and the city's myriad of arcades and laneways.

The CBD is made up of many precincts – enclaves with their own distinct flavour and charm. Some are just a lane or two, while others cover a suburb or a busy CBD street. Spend time experiencing the richness of Melbourne’s different cultures from the Greek Quarter around Lonsdale Street, Italian in Lygon street, Vietnamese in Victoria Street to the Chinese culture in Chinatown and the upmarket Paris End of Collins Street.

Leave time to admire the elegant Victorian-era streetscapes, take in a film or food festival and add a visit to one of the many galleries and opulent theatres.

Beyond Melbourne

East Melbourne

East Melbourne is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, located between the CBD, Jolimont and Richmond. Walk through the quiet residential streets to see some of Melbourne's largest and oldest Victorian homes and terrace houses. Explore the green expanse that is Treasury Gardens. Walk the extensive system of pathways that meander through the park and connect directly to the Fitzroy Gardens, or from the large embankment that runs the length of the gardens and offers extensive views. The garden’s fine lawns are a lunchtime retreat for many city workers, as well as being an ideal place for a picnic, barbecue or kick of the football.

While in East Melbourne take a tour of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). As a super stage of Australian sport, the Melbourne Cricket Ground traditionally has provided the live drama to thrill millions worldwide. But backstage the Melbourne Cricket Ground Tours provide a treasure trove of sporting history and an unforgettable experience. For a quick and cheap authentic Vietnamese meal, head to nearby Victoria Street, and for current season’s styles at bargain prices make a beeline to the factory outlets and warehouse shops that line Swan Street and Bridge Road in Richmond.

South Melbourne

Visit South Melbourne, one of Melbourne's oldest suburbs and its beautifully restored public buildings, terrace houses and stately mansions to see how Melbourne's grand past embraces the present. Nearby Albert Park is a contained area worth a visit for its cafés, delis and scenic outdoor activities. Time your visit for mild March, when the area gets into gear for the Formula 1™ Australian Grand Prix.

Running through the heart of South Melbourne is cosmopolitan Clarendon Street, featuring restored Victorian shopfronts housing fashion, food and coffee outlets. An eclectic range of independent retailers stretches toward the bay along Coventry, Dorcas, Bank and Park streets – you'll be rewarded for your time with items to covet. Stop for a refreshing drink at one of South Melbourne's impressive pubs.

The lynchpin of South Melbourne is the South Melbourne Market, a fixture of the area since 1867. You'll find characters, charm and fresh produce galore at the market, as well as unusual homewares to take home.

Sandwiched between South Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay is Albert Park, popular year-round for its cafés and delis and swag of leisure facilities along Bridport Street. Most popular is Albert Park Lake. Embark on the circuit around the lake and surrounding parklands and join Melbourne's inner city dwellers jogging, sailing, cycling or rowing. Stop for a dip at Albert Park beach if the temperature heats up. Also in the neighbourhood are the Albert Park Golf Course and the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, as well as the Formula 1™ Australian Grand Prix racetrack.

Port Melbourne

Port Melbourne is a stylish blend of Melbourne's old and new, and a long-time arrival point for ships from across the Strait and around the world.

Once a concentration of transport and manufacturing industry, today it is a buzzing bayside suburb featuring striking residential developments alongside restored public buildings and workers' cottages.

Since the 1830s, Port Melbourne has been the arrival point for millions of shipping passengers. Station Pier is the docking point for the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service from Devonport, Tasmania, and for international cruise ships, which are in port between November and March each year. Head to the pier on a warm summer evening, pick up some fish and chips and sit by the water imagining life on an enormous ocean liner in days gone by.

Tree-lined Bay Street has a fascinating collection of old fashioned pubs, hotels and historic buildings housing specialist retailers, boutiques and contemporary eateries. You'll also find a large number of film and recording studios, as well as publishers and production houses in the area. Beacon Cove is a new residential development that has given rise to more sophisticated eateries reflecting the bayside way of life.

Year-round, walkers, runners and cyclists pound the palm-lined path that hugs the Port Melbourne foreshore, and continues all the way through St Kilda to Frankston.

Take the number 109 (Port Melbourne) tram from Collins Street and within 20 minutes you'll be sitting by the sea.