Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia and is the State capital of Victoria on the southern tip of the continent.
Melbourne Airport (MEL) is just 25km to the north west of the city.

From its humble beginnings in 1835 Melbourne expanded rapidly and over the next twenty years it was fuelled by a huge influx of immigrants who came to find their fortunes in the rich gold fields of Victoria.

The gold rush had an enormous effect of the city’s economy and this continued right through the land boom of the 1880’s. grand public buildings were built giving rise to the city’s nickname of “Marvellous Melbourne” and soon Melbourne became the financial and industrial capital of Australia.

The best of Australian Victorian architecture can be found in Melbourne, although today it is a cosmopolitan and vibrant city with a whole array of restaurants and hotels to suit everyone's taste.

Places of interest

Queen Victoria Market
Built on the site of the old Melbourne General Cemetery, Queen Victoria Market now occupies some 17 acres and attracts over 130,000 visitors every week. It is the main market for fresh produce including fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, fish. Organic produce is also sold here together with a world class range of other foods which reflect the multicultural diversity of the city.

St Francis Church
Build in the early 1840’s this is an absolute treasure of a church. St Francis is the main Catholic church in Melbourne and is one of Australia’s busiest attracting up to 10,000 visitors each week. The church was fully renovated and faithfully restored to its former glory in the early 1990’s and can be found on Lonsdale Street.

Supreme Court
Designed in the style of the Four Courts in Dublin, Ireland this building dates back to 1852 and is now classified by the National Trust. This imposing Court building has facades on Little Bourke, Lonsdale and William Streets. Something unusual to note here is the large bronze figure of Justice which against all tradition is not blindfold.

Royal Mint
The Royal Mint was built in 1871 to 1872 and was a branch of the Royal Mint in London. Although it is now closed to the general public, this imposing building is well worth a look from the outside. Production of Australian coinage was done here until the late 1960’s before the Mint was moved to Canberra.

St James Old Cathedral
St James was the first Anglican cathedral in Melbourne replacing an earlier wooden hut which was known as “Pioneers Church”. The Church is built in the colonial Georgian style and is still used today for regular services. There is a small museum on the site which holds interesting photographs and historical documents.

Rialto Towers
Standing some 830 feet above ground level the Rialto Towers building has 58 floors above ground and 8 below. There is an observation deck on the 55th floor allowing the visitor to see a panoramic view of the city. There is also a 20 minute introduction to the city film which is screened every half hour. Get in the lift, which is one of the fastest in the world, and it will take just 38 seconds to get to the 55th floor.

General Post Office
The Post Office building has seen many changes since its completion in 1907. Two more floors and a clock tower were added later which has resulted in an unusual combination of architectural styles. Although now closed as a Post Office it was re-opened in 2004 as a great shopping arcade.

Royal Arcade
The oldest surviving arcade in Melbourne the Royal is located at Elizabeth, Little Collins and Bourke Streets. Resident statues in the arcade are of Gog and Magog(mythical figure of ancient Britton) and replicas of those in the Guildhall, London and Old Father Time, which until it was moved inside stood on the Bourke Street façade.

Block Arcade
Located on Collins Street this beautiful old arcade boasts many period details, including mosaic floors and a central dome. Although revamped in 1988, some of the older resident businesses still remain such as Hopetoun Tea-rooms. Guided tours are available.

Melbourne Town Hall
Open to the general public all week except for public holidays, Melbourne Town Hall is well worth a visit. Guided tours are available

St. Paul’s Cathedral
One of the few cathedrals outside the u.k. which can boast a wonderful peal of 13 bells St. Paul’s is a testament to 19th century architecture. Other outstanding features include an Italian alter screen made from marble and alabaster with glass mosaics, and a church organ made by TC Lewis and Co. of London.

Regent Theatre
Originally opened in 1929 the Regent Theatre was known as “Melbourne’s Palace of Dreams” and was a place showered in Victorian opulence. Dogged by fire and a downturn in theatre audiences the theatre closed its doors to the public in the 1960’s. However almost thirty years later it was renovated to its former glory and re-opened in 1996.

No. 120 Collins Street
One of the city’s landmarks 120 Collins Streets stands 860 feet tall to the top of its communication tower. It is now occupied by the offices of the Australian company BHP Petroleum.

Chinatown
The traditional Chinese Gateway can be found on Little Bourke Street and opens into a profusion of traditional Chinese restaurants and produce shops within this thriving community. The Chinese New Year celebrations in February are something not to be missed.

Museum of Chinese Australian History
Located in the heart of Chinatown this museum is dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of Australians of Chinese descent.

Old Magistrate’s Court
This building was occupied and used as a Magistrate’s court until 1995. It is situated next door the Old Melbourne Gaol and opposite the Art Deco building used as Melbourne’s police station. Unfortunately it is not open to the public and its future is yet to be decided.

Old Melbourne Gaol (Jail)
To feel the full effect of a visit to the Old Melbourne Gaol, treat yourself to a night tour of these spooky premises. Some 135 executions were carried out here. On display are chains used for prisoners, death masks, and grisly accounts of incarcerations. Of course, probably the most famous execution that took place at the Gaol was that of Ned Kelly, Australia’s most noted bushman and a sort of, it could be said, Australian Robin Hood.

Lygon Street
Located in central Melbourne, Lygon Street is one of the main areas for delicatessens, cafes and restaurants, many with an Italian influence.

Melbourne Museum
Opened in 2001 this modern museum is situated in Carlton Park and houses an array of exhibitions and displays over six different levels, three above ground and three below. Science and technology, human mind and body, Australian society and Aboriginal culture are just of few of the diverse topics.

Brunswick Street and Fitzroy
This area of Melbourne is well known for its cafes, restaurants and trendy stores.

Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum
This museum is located at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and is dedicated to the history of the summer Olympics and Australian cricket.

Melbourne Cricket Ground
Australia’s premier sports ground and hosts cricket matches and Australian Rules football games. The stadium can seat up to 10,000 spectators and tours of the ground and the museum are available.

Melbourne Park
Melbourne Park was formerly known as the National Tennis Centre and still hosts events such as the Australian Open as well as other sports and large scale concerts. It is situated on the north bank of the Yarra River, next to the Vodafone Arena which is the home ground of the Victorian Titans basketball team.

Royal Botanic Gardens and King Domain
Government House, the official residence of the Governor of Victoria stands on a hillside overlooking the Kings Domain gardens, with their formal layout, statues and monuments. The Royal Botanic Gardens landscape was once inner city swampland but was transformed in 1852 into beautiful gardens with one of the finest collections of botanic species anywhere in the world. The Shrine of Remembrance is in the gardens honouring Australian soldiers killed in war.

The Yarra River
With its source in Baw Baw National Park, the Yarra River winds 150 miles to the sea cutting through the heart of Melbourne and separating the city into North and South Melbourne.

Melbourne Maritime Museum
The main attraction at the Melbourne Maritime Museum is the Belfast built barque ship called the Polly Woodside. The museum is open to the public 10am to 4pm daily except Christmas Day and Good Friday.

Melbourne Aquarium
There is a 2.2 million litre Oceanarium at the Melbourne Aquarium allowing the visitor to come face to face with rays, sharks and many other creatures and fish of the southern oceans.

Federation Square
Opened in 2002 Federation Square is a public space constructed to celebrate the centenary of the federation of the Australian states. The Square consists of an outdoor Civic Plaza and an indoor 100 meter glass atrium which overlooks the Yarra river. There are also theatre spaces, restaurants, museums, and shops. There is also the Australian Centre for the Moving Image which is a celebration of multimedia and film.

National Gallery of Victoria
Opened in 1861 the National Gallery of Victoria was the first public art gallery in Australia. It was moved from its original location to St. Kilda Street in 1968. There are exhibitions of contemporary art as well as a world class collection of old masters.

Fitzroy and Acland Streets
Located some 4 miles from the city centre this area is a popular seaside suburb of Melbourne. A busy area at the weekends as there is an arts and crafts market held on the esplanade on Sundays, Acland Street is well known a the Jewish quarter with delicatessens and cake shops and Fitzroy Street has trendy upmarket shop and restaurants.

Albert Park
Albert Park provides boating, golfing and other sporting facilities for the city. Much of the swamplands have been developed to provided habitation for birds and wildlife. The park is also the site of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

Rippon Lea
Rippon Lea is now a National Trust property and a major player in the history of Melbourne. This large mansion, built in 1868 has been previously owned by socialites and premiers. This is certainly a tourist attraction not to be missed. It is located on Hotham Street and is open to the public 10am to 5pm daily except Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Swanston Street Precinct
This area of the Melbourne stands as testament to the city’s past and is still the civic centre today. Located here are buildings such as Melbourne Town Hall, The City Baths, St Paul’s Cathedral, Flinders Street Station, and the
State Library.

Public Transport
Trains, trams and buses are part of a privatised public transport system in Melbourne.
Trams are a popular form of transport within the city and in the Central Business District they run on most of the main streets. The City Circle Tram is a free service and is popular with the locals.

Some trams also run to the inner suburbs and there are plenty of stops within the Central Business District. Trams are operated by Yarra Trams.

Throughout the Greater Melbourne area trains are the best and most popular method of transport however there is also a good but limited bus service.

There is a light rail service which operates to the popular tourist destinations of St Kilda and Port Melbourne (Beacon Cove).
Trains

There are two main railway stations in the Central Business District:
Flinders Street Station, which is located at the corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets, and is the main terminus for Melbourne metropolitan rail services.

Spencer Street Station, is located at the intersection of Bourke and Spencer Streets, and is the main hub for country rail services.

You can plan and decide how to use Melbourne's public transport system using MetLink (includes all train, trams and bus services).