Melbourne Destination Guide
A vibrant cosmopolitan city, located on the magnificent Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne is the state capital and cultural heart of Victoria. The locals’ claim that it is ‘the best city in the world to live in’ may rankle their rivals in Sydney but few would dispute that it is indeed a scintillating place to visit. In fact, the traditional rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney, which covers every sphere of life from business to sport, has resulted in a proud, dynamic city that strives for excellence in all things.
The city is situated on either side
of the Yarra River and the area was originally home to Aborigines for thousands of years. The waterway attracted British settlers, who founded the Port Phillip Settlement of the Colony of New South Wales in 1835. In 1851, a separate colony was carved out of New South Wales and named Victoria, after Queen Victoria, and Melbourne was named after the British prime minister, Lord Melbourne.
That same year gold was discovered near Ballarat and Bendigo, to the west of Melbourne, and the ensuing gold rush turned the city into a powerful financial center, as well as the first political capital, until Canberra was established in 1927.
Numerous gardens and parks give a pleasant, open feel to the city, whose skyline mixes elegant spires with dazzling modern skyscrapers, which dwarf the elegant Victorian-era buildings that are dotted along leafy streets.
However, the city is defined more by its diverse population than by its architecture. Immigration at the end of WWII transformed Melbourne into a thriving cultural melting pot, totaling over 3 million people, with sizeable Italian, Greek and Chinese communities each carving out their own quarter.
In fact, large-scale immigration has made Melbourne home to the biggest Greek community outside Greece and the influx of immigrants from a wide array of countries has contributed to Melbourne’s claim to be the cultural capital of Australia.
The introduction of European and Asian communities has resulted in an eclectic and energetic blend of theater, music, art and literature. The international population has also brought a wealth of different cuisine, served up in a glorious range of restaurants, from the breezy outdoor cafes along the Crown Promenade overlooking the Yarra River, to the buzzing pizzerias in Carlton, the colorful Chinese eateries in Chinatown and the fine seafood restaurants in trendy St Kilda Beach, just a half-hour tram ride from the city center.
One topic that is almost always discussed over a meal is the weather. The city has four distinct seasons and usually enjoys a pleasant, temperate climate. However, winters do get cold and summers see some swelteringly hot days. Indeed, sometimes, all four seasons occur in one day: welcome to Melbourne!
Location
Victoria, Australia.
Dialling code
61.
Population
3,744,373 (metropolitan area).
Time zone
GMT + 10 (GMT + 11 from first Sunday in October to first Sunday in April).
Electricity
240/250 volts AC, 50Hz; square three-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temperatures
26ºC (79ºF).
Average July temperatures
13ºC (55ºF).
Annual rainfall
655mm (25.8 inches).
Cost of Living:
1 Australian Dollar
(A$1) = £0.49; US$0.72; C$0.85; €0.53
Currency conversion rates as of January 2009
Special Events:
Australian Open
January
Annual international Grand Slam tennis tournament.
Melbourne Park Tennis Club
Website: www.australianopen.com
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
Late February-early March
This feast of a festival includes 220 food- and wine-based events across Melbourne over 16 days. A highlight is the World’s Longest Lunch, where more than 1,000 people dine on either side of a very long table.
Various venues
Website: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au
Australian Grand Prix
Mid March
The Australian Grand Prix kicks off the Formula One season.
Albert Park
Website: www.grandprix.com.au
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
March-April
One of the world’s largest comedy festivals features comedians and performers from all over Australia as well as from overseas.
Various venues
Website: www.comedyfestival.com.au
Melbourne International Film Festival
July-August
Major film festival featuring hundreds of films from over 50 countries.
Various venues
Website: www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au
Royal Melbourne Show
Mid-late September
Annual country show with agricultural and farming displays.
Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, Epsom Road, Ascot Vale
Website: www.royalshow.com.au
Melbourne International Arts Festival
October
17-day arts festival featuring music, theater, opera, visual arts, multimedia and dance.
Various venues
Website: www.melbournefestival.com.au
Melbourne Fringe Festival
September-October
Smaller arts festival which features alternative art, shows and comedy over three weeks.
Various venues
Website: www.melbournefringe.com.au
Spring Racing Carnival
October-November
Around six weeks of racing, street festivals and exhibitions. The highlight is the world-famous Melbourne Cup, held on the first Tuesday in November.
Flemington Race Course
Website: www.racingvictoria.net.au
Sightseeing Overview
Melbourne has a wealth of places to visit throughout the metropolitan area and is also an ideal city for visitors to stroll around, savouring the ambience and lifestyle.
The central business district has a stunning skyline with some intriguing modern architecture. One of the latest examples of this is the enormous and controversial civic hub Federation Square, with its rolling paved courtyard, wacky design, galleries, bars and restaurants.
However, aficionados of Australian colonial history will only have to walk through the city to discover
many examples of Victorian buildings nestling among the skyscrapers or dotted throughout the suburbs.
The intricate ironwork decorating the mansions and business houses testifies to the affluence brought to the city during the gold rush. Many examples can be found along Collins Street - number 333, an imposing building that opened in 1891, is famous for its sublime domed ceiling and equally as extravagant interior, which reflects Melbourne’s golden heyday.
The Block Arcade shopping center, also on Collins Street, is a gracious Victorian building and the Old Royal Mint, on William Street, is also a particularly fine example. Close to Bourke Street Mall and Swanston Walk are eclectic narrow lanes and arcades with a mix of colorful bars, chic clubs, aromatic coffee houses and elegant arcades.
Melbourne’s parks and gardens largely reflect their British heritage. A perfect example is Fitzroy Gardens, laid out to represent the Union Jack. Close by, the delightful Treasury Gardens are home to the Old Treasury Building, while to the north is Parliament House, which is open to the public when parliament is not in session.
Carlton Gardens is home to the Melbourne Museum and the adjacent Royal Exhibition Building, built for the 1880 Great Exhibition and based on Crystal Palace in London. This is where Australia’s parliament sat from 1901 until 1927. Kings Domain, south of Yarra River, is a pleasant park housing the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Government House, the Old Melbourne Observatory and Latrobe’s Cottage.
Further afield, the colonial mansions of Como House, in South Yarra, and Werribee Park, in Werribee, both have pretty formal gardens - the latter contains the Victoria State Rose Garden.
Chinatown is located at the eastern end of Little Bourke Street and has been situated there since the start of the gold rush. The narrow lanes are packed with Chinese restaurants and supermarkets. The Chinese Museum, Cohen Place, is worth a visit to learn about the contribution the Chinese community has made to the growth of Melbourne.
Tourist Information
Melbourne Visitor Center
Federation Square, corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Street
Tel: (03) 9658 9658.
Website: www.visitmelbourne.com
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800. The Melbourne Visitor Center also operates an information booth in Bourke Street Mall.
Passes
The See Melbourne & Beyond Smartvisit Card (tel: 1300 661 711, in Australia only; website: www.seemelbournecard.com) offers free admission to over 60 attractions in and around Melbourne. One-, two- and three-day passes are available either online or from the Melbourne Visitor Center.
Key Attractions:
Old Melbourne Gaol
The Old Melbourne Gaol was established in 1841 and expanded rapidly during the gold rush. The jail was the setting for 136 hangings, most famously for that of Ned Kelly in 1880. Exhibits include a collection of death masks, the scaffold where Ned Kelly was hung, his gun, and a suit of armour worn by a member of his gang. The jail closed its gates to inmates in 1929.
Russell Street
Tel: (03) 8663 7228.
Website: www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700.
Admission charge.
Eureka Skydeck 88
Eureka Tower is the world’s highest apartment building with a staggering 92 storys. Its 88th floor, known as Eureka Skydeck 88, is a stunning observatory deck (open to the public) which boasts breathtaking 360-degree views of the city and its environs.
7 Riverside Quay, Southbank
Tel: (03) 9693 8888.
Website: www.skydeck.com.au
Opening hours: Daily 1000-2130.
Admission charge.
Federation Square
Designed as an architectural icon in a city that loves modern architecture, Federation Square is a complete new city block, bringing together social, cultural and commercial activities. Highlights include The Ian Potter Center: NGV Australia, which showcases works of art by Australian artists (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art), and the Australian Center for the Moving Image (ACMI). The odd-looking geometric-designed buildings and the extensive rolling-hill paved plaza are attractions in themselves though.
Corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Street (opposite Flinders Street Station)
Tel: (03) 9655 1900.
Website: www.federationsquare.com.au
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.
Royal Botanic Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens, located just 2km (1.2 miles) south of the city, off St Kilda Road are among the best gardens in Australia. There are more than 40 hectares (99 acres) of careful plantings, native and foreign trees and shrubs, a delightful herb garden, and plenty of chirping birds. Free guided walks are conducted Tuesday to Sunday at 1100 and 1400, each taking between 60 to 90 minutes.
Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra
Tel: (03) 9252 2300.
Website: www.rbg.vic.gov.au
Opening hours: Daily 0730-1800 (Apr, Sep and Oct); daily 0730-1730 (May-Aug ); daily 0730-2030 (Nov-Mar).
Free admission.
Melbourne Observation Deck
Although no longer offering the highest observation point in Melbourne (that honor now goes to Eureka Tower’s Skydeck 88, described above) this is still a top spot to peer over the city. Located on level 55 of one of the tallest office buildings in the southern hemisphere, the Melbourne Observation Deck offers 360-degree panoramic views of Melbourne and the surrounding areas. The facilities also include a licensed cafe-bar. A 20-minute film about the city is included with admission.
525 Collins Street
Tel: (03) 9629 8222.
Website: www.melbournedeck.com.au
Opening hours: Daily 1000-2200.
Admission charge.
National Gallery of Victoria International
NGV International showcases Australia’s finest collection of international art. Among the paintings usually on display here are offerings by Gainsborough, Constable, Bonnard, Delacroix, Monet and Rembrandt. There are also excellent temporary exhibitions (see website for current details). The building is a work of art in itself.
180 St Kilda Road
Tel: (03) 8620 2222.
Website: www.ngv.vic.gov.au
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1000-1700, closed Tues.
Free admission.
Melbourne Museum
Australia’s largest museum boasts an indoor rainforest, a giant Rubik’s-cube-shaped Children’s Museum, the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Center, and assorted displays featuring dinosaurs, insects and much, much more. The museum has both permanent and temporary exhibitions (see website for details). The stuffed horse in the glass case is Phar Lap, Australia’s most famous racing horse.
11 Nicholson Street, Carlton
Tel: (03) 8341 7777 or 1300 130 152, in Australia only.
Website: http://melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission charge.
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground, or MCG, is the world-famous venue for numerous national and international cricket matches. It also hosts many Aussie Rules (Australian Football League; AFL) games, including the Grand Final in September. The ground is open for guided tours and contains the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame and National Sports Museum.
Yarra Park, Jolimont
Tel: (03) 9657 8888.
Website: www.mcg.org.au
Opening hours: Guided tours available daily 1000-1500 half-hourly, except on match days.
Admission charge.
Melbourne Zoo
The award-winning Melbourne Zoo, Australia’s oldest zoo, houses more than 300 animal species from within and beyond Australia. There is an African rainforest with gorillas, orangutans, hippos and big cats, as well as a particularly impressive butterfly house and a bushland exhibit, which is home to many of Australia’s native wildlife species.
Elliot Avenue, Parkville
Tel: (03) 9285 9300.
Website: www.zoo.org.au
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700.
Admission charge.
Rippon Lea Estate
Designed in 1868, this is the last of Australia’s great privately owned 19th-century suburban estates. The mansion boasts opulent interiors, including elaborate embossed wallpaper and beautiful stained glass, and has lovely landscaped gardens, which include a conservatory, lake, orchard, and extensive flowerbeds and shrubbery.
192 Hotham Street, Elsternwick
Tel: (03) 9523 6095.
Website: www.ripponleaestate.com.au
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission charge.
Further Distractions:
Heide Museum of Modern Art
The former home of John and Sunday Reed, patrons of the Melbourne art scene, was turned into the Museum of Modern Art, following their deaths. Their home now houses admirable exhibitions of contemporary Australian art. The sculpture park, in the museum’s grounds, is particularly impressive.
7 Templestowe Road, Bulleen
Tel: (03) 9850 1500.
Website: www.heide.com.au
Admission charge.
Melbourne Aquarium
Expect a Barrier Reef-style exhibit at this cheerful aquarium, with lots of colorful fish, captivating jellyfish displays, and a giant walk-through tank holding large fish, massive grey nurse sharks and huge rays. You can dive with the sharks too - and you don’t need any previous diving experience.
Corner of Flinders Street and King Street
Tel: (03) 9620 0999.
Website: www.melbourneaquarium.com.au
Admission charge.
William Ricketts Sanctuary
Located in a mountain ash forest in the leafy Dandenong Ranges, tranquil William Ricketts Sanctuary is the location where sculptor William Ricketts positioned his mystical kiln-fired clay sculptures of Aboriginal figures among the rocks and ferns.
Dandenong Ranges
Tel: (03) 9751 1300.
Website: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Admission charge.
Melbourne is widely regarded as Australia’s cultural capital, offering a dazzling array of civilised indoor pursuits. There are many top-class performances throughout the year at the Victorian Arts Center, 100 St Kilda Road (tel: (03) 9281 8000; website: www.theartscenter.com.au), which is home to Opera Australia, the Melbourne Theater Company, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Ballet. The Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Linlithgow Avenue (tel: (03) 9281 8000),
hosts open-air performances all year round, especially during the many arts festivals held in the city.
Friday’s Age newspaper contains the cultural listings supplement EG.
You can book cheap tickets for most venues throughout Melbourne at the Half-tix booth, Melbourne Town Hall, entrance off Swanston Street (tel: (03) 9650 9420; website: www.halftixmelbourne.com), although only on the day of the performance (except on Saturday, when tickets can be bought for Sunday too); they only accept cash. Advance tickets can be bought through Ticketek (tel: 132 849, in Australia only; website: www.ticketek.com.au).
Music: Opera Australia (tel: (03) 9685 3777; website: www.opera-australia.org.au) regularly appears at the Melbourne Concert Hall, located in the Victorian Arts Complex (see above), as does the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (tel: (03) 9626 1111; website: www.mso.com.au).
Theater: Melbourne has a large number of theaters located throughout the city center and in the suburbs. The Regent Theater, 191 Collins Street (tel: (03) 9299 9500), hosts elaborate musical productions, while theaters such as the Athenaeum, 188 Collins Street (tel: (03) 9650 1500), and the Princess, 163 Spring Street (tel: (03) 9299 9800), produce Shakespeare, contemporary plays and musicals. The Melbourne Theater Company, 129 Ferrars Street, Southbank (tel: (03) 9684 4500; website: www.mtc.com.au), is the oldest professional theater company in Australia.
Dance: Dancehouse, 150 Princes Street, North Carlton (tel: (03) 9347 2860; website: www.dancehouse.com.au), is an exciting venue for innovative dance and physical theater and has a well-deserved reputation in the contemporary dance field.
Film: Melbourne has many independent arthouse cinemas, including the Palace Cinema Como, at the corner of Toorak Road and Chapel Street, South Yarra (tel: (03) 9827 7533; website: www.palacecinemas.com.au), Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon Street, Carlton (tel: (03) 9347 5331; website: www.cinemanova.com.au), and the Kino Dendy, 45 Collins Street (tel: (03) 9650 2100; website: www.dendy.com.au).
The splendid art deco Astor Theater is at the corner of Chapel Street and Dandenong Road, St Kilda (tel: (03) 9510 1414; website: www.astor-theater.com), while the IMAX Theater is located on Rathdowne Street, Carlton (tel: (03) 9663 5454; website: www.imaxmelbourne.com.au). Mainstream fare is screened at the Hoyts Melbourne Central Cinema, at the corner of Swanston Street and La Trobe Street (tel: (03) 8662 3555; website: http://hoyts.ninemsn.com.au), and at Hoyts multiplexes throughout suburban Melbourne.
The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906), reputed to be the world’s first ever feature-length film, was made in and around Melbourne. Other Australian movie classics set or filmed in Melbourne include Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and Phar Lap (1983). Death in Brunswick (1991) and Romper Stomper (1992) both achieved international acclaim. More recent broad comedies The Castle (1997), The Wog Boy (2000) and Kenny (2006) were huge hits in Australia. Reflecting the recent trend of Hollywood production moving to Australia, The Queen of the Damned (2002) was shot in Melbourne, as were sections of Charlotte’s Web (2006). India’s Bollywood has also shown an interest in Australia with the box-office hit movie Salaam Namaste (2005), set in and around Melbourne.
Literary Notes: Melbourne has enjoyed its share of internationally acclaimed writers. C J Dennis, who lived in the small town of Toolangi, north of Melbourne, rose to national fame as Victoria’s most popular writer with his urban romance in verse, The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke (1915). The works of Victorian writers of this period, including Dennis, reflected upon the impact of the gold rush and the business of making money. Painter and writer Norman Lindsay, who hailed from the small town of Creswick (near Ballarat), is the author of the irreverent Australian children’s classic, The Magic Pudding (1917).
One of the most sensational novels to come out of Melbourne is Frank Hardy’s Power Without Glory (1950). Loosely based on the affairs and dealings of notorious Melbourne businessman John Wren, the book scandalised Melbourne society and Hardy was prosecuted for criminal libel. British author Nevil Shute’s novel On The Beach (1957), another literary cause célèbre, depicts Melbourne as the last outpost of a world wracked by nuclear devastation.
Melbourne playwright Ray Lawler’s Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1957) pioneered dramatic realism in Australia, while criticising cultural stereotypes. Classic modern novels include Picnic at Hanging Rock (1967) by Joan Lindsay, and George Johnston’s My Brother Jack (1964), perhaps the definitive novel of Melbourne between the wars. Peter Carey set one of his best works, Illywhacker (1985), in the city, and his Booker Prize-winning The True History of the Kelly Gang (2001) also features Melbourne as a setting. Helen Garner, whose novels, such as Monkey Grip (1977), are mostly set in Melbourne, has also attracted a wide following.
The ’grunge lit’ of the 1990s produced writers such as Christos Tsiolkas, whose Loaded (1995) portrays the town as a netherworld of drugs and sex. Criminal Mark ’Chopper’ Read wrote From The Inside (1991) in the H Division of Melbourne’s Pentridge Prison. While snubbed by the literary establishment, Read’s lively underworld confessions are among the most popular contemporary writing in Australia.
Melbourne has a wide range of restaurants, with a high concentration within walking distance of the city center. Chinatown offers Chinese food as well as some Malaysian, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese and Vietnamese offerings. Head to Carlton for Italian, Richmond for Greek and more Vietnamese, and Fitzroy for cheap Asian, Turkish, Mediterranean and vegetarian food. Chapel Street and Toorak Road in South Yarra offer high-class restaurants, while St Kilda’s Fitzroy and Acland streets have long been popular for their diverse array of eateries.
The restaurants below have been classed into
four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over A$70)
$$$ (A$51 to A$70)
$$ (A$31 to A$50)
$ (up to A$30)
These prices are based on a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of house wine or equivalent, and includes tax and service. Tipping is optional.
Gourmet
Circa, the Prince
Thick pink curtains, evocative lighting and an innovative ‘modern’ menu that includes exquisite seafood and game dishes make Circa a top-notch thriller in the Melbourne gourmet stakes. A constant award-winner, Circa is open for a casual breakfast and lunch, and a more formal dinner. Expect to find anything from duck prosciutto to smoked eel - for the latest menu click on the website.
2 Acland Street, St Kilda
Tel: (03) 9536 1122.
Website: www.circa.com.au
Price: $$$$
Taxi Dining Room
One of Melbourne’s top restaurants, the Taxi Dining Room is light, bright and serves up plenty of sushi as well as filling Western-style meals with a Far East twist, from Atlantic salmon to roast rabbit. The dining room has the best views in Federation Square, with high ceilings sporting huge windows overlooking Southbank and St Kilda Road.
Transport Hotel, Federation Square
Tel: (03) 9654 8808.
Website: www.transporthotel.com.au
Price: $$$$
Vue de Monde
If you yearn for ancient French dishes, with a modern makeover, then this fine-dining venue will certainly impress with its inventive recipes prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients and great skill. The chef, Shannon Bennett, worked under Marco Pierre White in London, and he offers a truly stunning five- to fourteen-course Menu Gourmand for both lunch and dinner.
430 Little Collins Street
Tel: (03) 9691 3888.
Website: www.vuedemonde.com.au
Price: $$$$
Trendy
Chocolate Buddha
Creative Australian-influenced Japanese organic noodles and soba dishes go down well with the hungry crowds that gather at stylish Federation Square. The tables are communal, the atmosphere is frantic on occasion, and, importantly, the food gets consistently good reviews. Try the Bloody Mary sake cocktail if you dare.
Federation Square, corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Street
Tel: (03) 9654 5688.
Website: www.chocolatebuddha.com.au
Price: $$
Fifteen Melbourne
Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Foundation charity follows the now well tried recipe, which sees disadvantaged young people being trained by experienced chefs. Under the supervision of executive head chef Tobie Puttock, the new recruits are doing well, using the finest Australian ingredients to best effect and dishing out tasty modern Mediterranean dishes.
Basement, 115-117 Collins Street
Tel: 1300 799 415.
Website: www.fifteenmelbourne.com.au
Price: $$$
Mecca Bah
Expect sweet potato falafels, spicy Turkish kofte, scrumptious Turkish pizzas and velvety Turkish coffee ice cream at this casual, airy restaurant overlooking the Yarra River. Located in the Docklands, just a short tram ride from the city, Mecca Bah comes highly recommended for its good-value, yummy food and its appealing wine list.
55A Newquay Promenade, Docklands
Tel: (03) 9642 1300.
Website: www.meccabah.com
Price: $$
Budget
Café Segovia
Small and welcoming, Café Segovia is a bohemian institution serving scrummy foccacias, coffee, cakes and light meals.
33 Block Place, off Collins Street
Tel: (03) 9650 2373.
Price: $
La Porchetta
Terrific pizzas and plenty of delicious pasta and risotto dishes are the deal in this popular, buzzing Italian eatery that lacks pretentiousness. It’s one of an ever-expanding chain, but its growth attests to its immense popularity.
33 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
Tel: (03) 9525 3344.
Website: www.laporchetta.com.au
Price: $$
Nudel Bar
There are noodles and there are noodles. Here, they come wet, cold, ’wokked’ and in broth and, just to make things more interesting, a whole range of pasta dishes come out of the kitchen too. It’s a wacky mixture of Asian and Italian that works. Convenient and quick, the cheerful Nudel Bar has plenty of hearty vegetarian options and a pleasing by-the-glass wine list.
76 Bourke Street
Tel: (03) 9662 9100.
Price: $$
Pint on Punt
This easygoing hotel cum bistro/pub offers backpacker accommodation and cheap nourishing meals. The food goes way beyond standard pub grub, with juicy steaks, salmon tortillas, chilli mussels and warm tandoori salad on the menu.
42 Punt Road, Windsor
Tel: (03) 9510 3310.
Website: www.pintonpunt.com.au
Price: $
Sheni’s Curries
This tiny, earthy place sees eager crowds queuing for takeaway Sri Lankan curries at lunch times and the early birds hogging the seats. Authentic, flavorsome and hot value for money.
Shop 16, 161 Collins Street
Tel: (03) 9654 3535.
Price: $
Personal Recommendations
Donovans
A smart interior, oodles of soft cushions and magical sea views make Donovans a very pleasant place to taste some of Melbourne’s freshest seafood. It’s homely inside - but what a home! The views across Port Phillip Bay are enough to stimulate any appetite for the lip-smacking dishes being ferried out of the kitchen, from warm baked oysters and wild barramundi to organic pork chops and succulent lamb shanks.
40 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda
Tel: (03) 9534 8221.
Website: www.donovanshouse.com.au
Price: $$$
Flower Drum
Chinatown’s premier Cantonese restaurant is certainly up there with the best in Australia. Don’t go past the signature dish, the magnificent Peking duck, and if you’ve never tasted abalone, a large sought-after shellfish, then this is the place. The service is courteous, the interior pleasant, and there’s an impressive wine list too.
17 Market Lane
Tel: (03) 9662 3655.
Price: $$$$
Hopetoun Tea Rooms
These refined tea rooms have been pouring pots of tea since 1892. Pop in for heavenly cakes and scones and a belly-warming cuppa.
Shops 1 & 2 Block Arcade, off Collins Street
Tel: (03) 9650 2777.
Price: $
Pireaus Blues
The best Greek food this side of Athens features live Greek music several times each week, along with authentic Greek dishes including rabbit casserole, saganaki and of course, souvlaki. It’s food like Mamma used to make - in fact Mamma’s in the kitchen, and there are the family snaps on the bright yellow walls. All in all, it’s good, home-cooked grub in a friendly environment.
310 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Tel: (03) 9417 0222.
Website: www.pireausblues.com.au
Price: $$$
Nightlife:
Melbourne is Australia’s bar capital and hub of live music. With the addition of a rockin’ clubland, the city covers all styles and caters to all tastes. The central business district not only serves its after-work drinkers but also attracts a young, trendy crowd of inner-city professionals. Many of Melbourne’s smarter bars are tucked away in the city’s numerous narrow lanes. Across the Yarra River, Southgate provides the arts precinct with a strip of bars with riverside views.
Many Melbourne venues function variously as bars, clubs and live-music rooms, depending on the night and the hour. The varied nature of the bars and clubs means that the dress code also varies enormously - generally the trendier the place, the stricter the dress code. The snooty trend of vetting customers according to style is unfortunately apparent in some parts of cosmopolitan Melbourne. Entrance to most clubs is free but a fee may be applicable on weekends.
Gay Melbourne has an established presence in the inner suburb of South Yarra, with various pubs, clubs and discos clustered around Commercial Road. Other inner-city districts, such as Fitzroy and St Kilda, by Port Philip Bay, feature further options for a city that loves to be out after dark. Very relaxed licensing hours mean that it is possible to drink through the night. The minimum drinking age is 18 years.
Free listings magazines include Inpress and Beat. Friday’s Age newspaper contains the entertainment listings supplement EG. Information is available online (website: www.streetsofmelbourne.com.au or http://melbourne.citysearch.com.au).
Bars: Centrally located cocktail bars include the popular and ultra-glam Chaise Lounge, 105 Queen Street, and the very smart Hairy Canary, 212 Little Collins Street. The sumptuous Chesterfield lounges of the Melbourne Supper Club, 161 Spring Street, are also a great place to enjoy cocktails and an impressive array of wines, as is the renowned Jimmy Watson’s Wine Bar, 333 Lygon Street, in Carlton, Melbourne’s ’Little Italy’. Fans of the ubiquitous Irish bar should head to Bridie O’Reillys, 62 Little Collins Street, for a huge range of beers and live music most nights.
More discerning drinkers might swoon at the Thai eatery, beer hall, and slick cocktail bar found at Cookie, 252 Swanston Street, while those in their 20s will get a kick out of a tiny laneway bar called The Croft Institute, 21-25 Croft Alley, which is famous for its cocktails and collections of laboratory apparatus. One of the most popular bars in Southgate is Walter’s Wine Bar, Upper Level, Southgate, noted for its fabulous wines, good food and sterling views. The beachside outpost of St Kilda is home to the Belgian Beer Café Bluestone, 557 St Kilda Road, which serves up excellent full-bodied Belgium beers in a merry atmosphere.
Clubs: Within Melbourne’s CBD, the Metro, 20-30 Bourke Street, is a large venue that offers a wide variety of musical styles on different nights. Turning on smooth clubbing nights too with its curvaceous bar is The Prince of Wales, 29 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Some of the best international and local DJs regularly spin their tunes here.
Rotating guest DJs attract the party set to Room 680, 680 Glenferrie Road (website: www.room680.com), in inner-eastern Hawthorn. The entertainment at Revolver Upstairs, 229 Chapel Street, Prahran (website: www.revolverupstairs.com.au), ranges from breakbeat and drum’n’bass to soul and funk, featuring top DJs. Many of the biggest international touring DJs play house, funk and R&B at QBH, 1 Queensbridge Street, South Melbourne. Another club making waves is Seven, 52 Albert Road, South Melbourne. It boasts four distinct rooms and serves up quality dance music and a diversity of pumping beats.
Live Music: On the city’s north side, you can see alternative bands, including interstate and international acts, at The Tote, 71 Johnston Street, Collingwood (website: www.thetotehotel.com), while heavier punk-style acts often perform at The Arthouse (website: www.thearthouse.com), 616 Elizabeth Street. The Corner Hotel, 57 Swan Street, Richmond (website: www.cornerhotel.com), is another large band venue that books acts of all kinds.
In St Kilda, the legendary ’Espy’, The Esplanade Hotel, 11 Upper Esplanade (website: www.espy.com.au), is probably Australia’s most famous alternative and rock music venue, featuring a big line-up of bands most nights, as well as regular comedy shows. Nearby, the Prince Bandroom, 29 Fitzroy Street (website: www.princebandroom.com.au), hosts the cream of local, interstate and international acts, as well as club nights. In the CBD, Bennetts Lane, 25 Bennetts Lane (website: www.bennettslane.com), is Melbourne’s prime spot for jazz artists, both Australian and international.
Getting There By Air:
Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport (MEL)
Tel: (03) 9297 1600.
Website: www.melbourneairport.com.au
Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport is located about 22km (13.7 miles) northwest of the city center.
Approximate flight times to Melbourne: From London is 22 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 21 hours 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 16 hours 20 minutes; from Toronto is 21 hours 15 minutes and
from Sydney is 1 hour 20 minutes.
Airport facilities: These include shopping and food outlets, duty-free, bureaux de change, ATMs, Internet kiosks, left luggage, information desk and pharmacy. Car hire companies include Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz.
Transport to the city: Taxis are readily available from the airport. Skybus (tel: (03) 9335 3066; website: www.skybus.com.au) operates round-the-clock buses. The journey to the city center usually takes 20 to 25 minutes.
Getting There By Road:
VicRoads (tel: (03) 9854 2666; website: www.vicroads.vic.gov.au) has implemented a Statewide Route Numbering Program for its rural arterial roads. The letter assigned to each road reflects the quality and function of the route. There are four major road categories - M, A, B and C. ‘M’ roads are the primary roads connecting Melbourne and other capital cities, such as the Princes Freeway/Highway (M1) and Hume Freeway/Highway (M31). ‘A’ roads are similar to M roads, although carry less traffic. ‘B’ roads are two lane roads in good condition, often indicating a tourist destination, such as the Great Ocean Road (B100) and Alpine Road (B500). ‘C’ roads provide important links between population centers and the primary transport network. Major roads leading to Melbourne include the Princes Highway (M1) and the Western Ring Road (M80).
The legal driving age in Victoria is 18 years. Traffic drives on the left and seat belts are compulsory for both drivers and passengers. Speed limits are usually 50kph (31mph) in urban areas and 100-110kph (62-68mph) on country roads and highways. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%. Driving licenses must be carried at all times - International Driving Permits are preferred to national licenses. Compulsory third party insurance is required for driving in Melbourne.
VicRoads provides information of road safety and conditions and requirements for driving in Victoria (tel: 131 171, in Australia only), as well as an emergency breakdown service (see below).
Emergency breakdown services: Royal Automobile Club Victoria (RACV) (tel: 131 111, in Australia only) or VicRoads (tel: 131 170, in Australia only).
Routes to the city: Melbourne has good road access to other main cities in Australia. The Western Highway (8) goes to Adelaide and the Hume Highway (31) and Princes Highway (1) to Sydney.
Approximate driving times to Melbourne: From Adelaide - 9 hours; Sydney - 11 hours.
Coach services: Greyhound Australia (tel: 131 499, in Australia only; website: www.greyhound.com.au) operates extensive services throughout Australia, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Darwin. The Melbourne terminal is located at the Southern Cross Station (Bay 64), Spencer Street, and is open Monday to Friday 0630-2030, Saturday 0830-1230 and Sunday 1100-1500.
Getting There By Rail:
V/Line (tel: 136 196, in Australia only; website: www.vlinepassenger.com.au) operates Interstate Link services with connecting coach services, as well as an extensive train service throughout Victoria from Southern Cross Station, Spencer Street (tel: (03) 9619 2587), in the city center. Facilities at the station include a food court, shops, ATMs, trolley hire, left luggage and public toilets. All trains are modern and comfortable with sleeper cars for longer journeys. Information on all national routes can be obtained from Countrylink (tel: 132 232, in Australia only; website: www.countrylink.info).
Rail services: The Overland train runs three times a week between Melbourne and Adelaide. The trip takes 10 hours, and you can get connections to both The Ghan and the Indian Pacific trains in Adelaide (both The Ghan and the Indian Pacific routes are recognized as Australia’s great train journeys). Check out the Great Southern Railways website at www.gsr.com.au for details.
Daylink services also connect Melbourne to Adelaide. This trip is by train from Melbourne to Bendigo, and by bus from Bendigo to Adelaide. The total trip time is 11 hours. The Canberra Link connects Melbourne to Canberra. It’s a train journey from Melbourne to Albury, and bus from there to Canberra. This trip takes eight hours in total.
Getting Around:
Public Transport
Melbourne’s public transport system is called Metlink (tel: 131 638, in Australia only; website: www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au) and it incorporates buses, trams and trains with interchangeable tickets available.
Most people get around the city by using the extensive tram network. Trams stop at numbered tram-stop signs, often placed on platforms in the middle of the road. To get off the tram, press the red button near handrails or pull the cord above your head.
Metcard tickets allow travel on Melbourne’s buses, trains and trams, using a single ticket. Ordinary tickets for short journeys are valid for two hours. Buy them on the tram, bus, or train. An all-day Metcard is better value for a number of journeys within the city center and near surrounds. Buy them from the City Metshop at the Melbourne Town Hall, located on the corner of Swanston Street and Collins Street, at most newsagents, or at Metcard vending machines located at railway stations. Weekly passes are ideal for a longer stay in Melbourne. Validate them in the machines located at the entrance to train stations or on-board trams.
The City Circle Tram is a free tram service that runs in both directions around the city center daily 1000-1800, and up to 2100 during spring and summer. Trams operate every 12 minutes - the entire route takes about 40 minutes and passes many of Melbourne’s attractions, with commentary provided. Yarra Trams (tel: 131 638, in Australia only; website: www.yarratrams.com.au) operates all trams in Melbourne.
The bus network is also extensive and is operated by different private companies on varying routes. Buses mostly operate Monday to Saturday 0500-2400, and Sunday 0700-2300. On weekends there is also a limited night bus service.
The main train station in Melbourne for suburban routes is Flinders Street Station. Connex (website: www.connexmelbourne.com.au) operates all trains covering suburban Melbourne. Services run Monday to Saturday 0500-2400 and Sunday 0700-2400. For timetable information see the Connex website or call Metlink on 131 638.
Taxis
Taxis are available for hire on the street or are found waiting at train and bus stations. Operators include Silver Top (tel: 131 008, in Australia only), Embassy (tel: 131 755, in Australia only or (03) 9277 3444) and Black Cabs Combined (tel 132 227, in Australia only). A large, illuminated rooftop light indicates that a cab is available. Tipping is not expected.
Driving in the City
Driving around Melbourne is fairly straightforward, as many roads are wide, with two or three lanes, although care has to be taken where there are tram routes. Special road rules exist - cars may only overtake trams on the left and must queue on the left in order to turn right at intersections marked by ‘Safety Zone’ signs, in order to accommodate the trams. The rush hours are generally weekdays 0700-0930 and 1700-1900, although there is also notorious ‘footy traffic’ near the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on weekends during the AFL season (April to September). There are numerous car parks and parking meters all over the city.
Car Hire
The minimum age for car hire is 21 years. It is usually requested that the hire be paid for with the driver’s credit card. Compulsory third party insurance is required in Victoria and this is often included in the hire price.
Major car hire companies include Avis (tel: 136 333, in Australia only, or (03) 9663 6366; website: www.avis.com.au), Budget (tel: 1300 794 344, in Australia only or (03) 9241 6366; website: www.budget.com.au) and Hertz (tel: 133 039, in Australia only or (03) 9338 4044; website: www.hertz.com.au).
Bicycle Hire
Bicycle paths wind through the city and suburbs. For various publications and maps detailing recommended rides and trails, contact Bicycle Victoria (tel: (03) 8636 8888; website: www.bv.com.au). Most good bookshops also sell many of the publications found here.
You can rent a bike from St Kilda Pier Bike Hire at St Kilda Pier (tel: (03) 9531 7403). Non-Australians must show their passports.
Residents of Melbourne take their shopping seriously and this is reflected in the number of shopping arcades and markets that are dotted throughout the city. Some of the arcades are architectural masterpieces in their own right. Melbourne Central, La Trobe Street, has a magnificent glass cone covering the famous Shot Tower, the only feature remaining from the Lead Pipe & Shot Factory. There are over 200 shops, including many Australian designer outlets. The Block Arcade, Collins Street, one of Melbourne’s main shopping streets, is a grand Victorian building. This is reflected
in the shops that sell elegant leatherwear, glassware and couture. Nearby is the Royal Arcade, which features antique and gift shops.
Myer, on Lonsdale Street (scheduled to shift to Bourke Street around 2010), is a city institution established over 80 years ago and one of the biggest single department stores in Australia. Nearby is David Jones, a well-regarded department store noted for its tempting food hall. Meanwhile, the Crown Entertainment Complex, at Southbank, houses swish boutiques selling the likes of Burberry, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Versace. Many of the city’s department stores stock typically Australian products and some of the best goods to look out for are woolen garments, bush gear, handcrafted jewelry (particularly opals), woodwork design and ceramics.
The exclusive shops along Toorak Road offer the latest designer labels, while many young, independent designers have outlets on Chapel Street. Shoppers with more bohemian tastes will find Brunswick Street in Fitzroy a veritable Aladdin’s cave of clothing shops and gift and book stores. The cake shops of St Kilda, a traditional German Jewish area, are marvels to behold. The bayside suburb also features interesting bookshops and trendy cafes.
Melbourne has a number of markets located throughout the city, although the most outstanding is the Queen Victoria Market, on the corner of Victoria Street and Elizabeth Street. This market was traditionally a place to buy foodstuffs but it is now possible to buy almost anything in the various halls and quaint shops. The market is open Tuesday and Thursday 0600-1400, Friday 0600-1800, Saturday 0600-1500 and Sunday 0900-1600.
Standard opening hours are Monday to Saturday 0900-1700 (although an increasing number of shops are closing at 1730) with late-night opening on Fridays and, in many cases, Thursdays until 2100. Many major department stores and shopping centers are also open on Sundays and a growing number of supermarkets are now open 24 hours a day. Australia has a 10% Goods and Services Tax. Price tags always include GST. There are several duty-free shops in the city center, as well as at the airport. Shoppers must show their passport and onward ticket upon collection of duty-free goods.
Call 1-800-iExplore 1-800-439-7567 to inquire about
trips to Melbourne.
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