Melbourne is the second-largest city in Australia and the capital city of Victoria state. The city is spread across nearly 10,000 square kilometers and is the second most populous in the country. It is situated on the big natural Port Philip bay and continues into the Macedon and Dandenong mountain hinterlands, the Yarra Valley, and the Mornington Peninsula. The city is divided into Central Melbourne which consists of the docklands/city center, St Kilda, Southbank, Inner North, South Melbourne, Inner West, Inner East, and Stonnington, and Metropolitan Melbourne which consists of western, northern, eastern, and south-eastern suburbs. The residents of the city are referred to as Melburnians.
Melbourne is known as the cultural capital of Australia. It is where Australian rules football, Australian impressionism, Australian contemporary dance, and the Australian film and television industries originated. The city is laced with Victorian-era buildings, many museums, shopping, theatres, galleries, and big gardens and parks. The oldest and biggest cultural institutions of Australia like the National Gallery of Victoria, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Royal Exhibition Building listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the State Library of Victoria are situated in Melbourne. The city has also been awarded recognition as a UNESCO ‘City of Literature’ and a key center for street music, art, and theatre.
The areas around Melbourne are full of natural places and national parks and thus the ideal base for wildlife sightings. These surroundings are home to some exotic creatures like koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, wombats, kookaburras, and cockatoos. There are also a lot of great bird-watching areas like the Western Treatment Plant in the suburbs, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Serendip Sanctuary, the You Yangs, Bunyip State Park, Banyule Flats Reserve, and the Dandenong Ranges. Other great tourist attractions include the penguin parade at Phillip Island, the Grampians National Park, East Gippsland, and The Great Ocean Road. A lot of tourists also come to Melbourne to check out the varied locations where the television soap opera ‘Neighbors’ was shot.
The climate in the city is typically dry and warm. It is over 30 degrees during the day in the summer. It may get a little cooler in Spring and Autumn. Winters in Melbourne are generally cool at around 15 degrees.
Melbourne is one of the best-connected cities in the world. It has 2 main airports and a few non-regular ones. It has the busiest cargo seaport. The extensive transportation system includes trams, trains, buses, cars, taxis, bike paths, and boats. The freeway network in Melbourne is the most widespread in the country.
The best tourist attractions in Melbourne
Melbourne has lots of tourist attractions and most of the sights can be easily reached via the public transportation system. Tourists can even cycle around the city and its surroundings as well as check out the City Center hot spots on foot.
A few main tourist attractions in the city are listed below:
Eureka Tower:
It is a great starting point for people who are visiting the city for the first time. The observation deck on the 88th floor of the building offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city and the mountains.
Docklands:
This renovated waterside area is full of bars, shops, restaurants, and even a big sports stadium. The tallest Ferris wheel south side of the equator, viz., Melbourne Star Observation Wheel is located in this hot spot.
National Gallery of Victoria: It is the oldest and the biggest museum in the country and the most frequented by visitors. The museum building is a fine piece of architecture and it houses several international works of art as well as numerous exhibitions.
Parliament House of Victoria:
Built in the 1850s, it was the federal government’s first seat. Tourists can take free tours of the house on weekdays.
Federation Square:
It is a well-known gathering area for people and features modern, spectacular architecture, galleries, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, and lots more! Visitors can sit down and relax at its many bars and cafes whilst watching the scenery pass by.
Queen Victoria Market:
This open-air colorful market is the largest south side of the equator. Tourists can visit and check out a wide variety of dry and fresh produce, memorabilia, and other products.
Cruise across the Yarra River:
The Yarra River winds across the center of the city. A boat cruise across the river is one of the best ways to immerse in the eclectic sights and sounds of Melbourne.
Immigration Museum:
This museum features wonderful stories about the people who migrated from different parts of the world to Australia and made the country their new home.
The Top attraction in Melbourne
One of the top attractions in Melbourne is the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Founded in 1846, the Royal Botanic Gardens is located around 2 km from Melbourne’s Central Business District in the center of the green parkland that extends towards the south of the Yarra. The gardens are located in two places, one is in Melbourne and the other is in Cranbourne. The gardens are spread across 38 hectares are home to more than 49,000 plants, with over 8,480 different plant species, some of which are really rare.
In addition to checking out the huge diversity of flora, tourists can also go for distinctive tours and come to understand and appreciate the natural work of art. The Aboriginal Heritage Walk is a well-liked tour that offers an insight into the rich heritage and culture of the indigenous people of the country. The ‘Children’s Garden’ section is specifically aimed towards spurring a new crop of gardeners. Visitors can picnic with friends and family near the lake and/or enjoy traditional sessions of tea at the popular ‘The Terrace café.’ In the summers there is a live theater as well as a moonlight cinema in the gardens. People can relax and enjoy the entertainment under the starry sky.
Every year, the Royal Botanic Gardens get listed as one of the top tourist attractions in the city. It has also gained a reputation as being one of the most magnificent gardens in the world.
