The Melbourne Guide

A gleaming metropolis with pockets of old world charm, Melbourne and its surrounding regions have a little bit of everything for everyone. Here’s our guide to getting the most out of an extended visit to Victoria.

Get your game face on

Melbourne is home to a rich sporting tradition that includes horse racing, rugby, and cricket. Spend a day checking out the well-trod track around the Flemington Racecourse, home to the annual Melbourne Cup, visit the pitch at Etihad Stadium, headquarters of the Australian Football League, or peek in at the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s patchwork of lush green grass. Time your visit with a live match – the atmosphere at almost every sporting event in Melbourne is out of this world.

See the city at night

Melbourne comes alive at night. From exploring the hidden laneways to getting a bird’s-eye view, there’s plenty of opportunities to explore the metropolis after dark. Start off with a whirl on the Star Observation Wheel before testing your vertigo in the Eurkea Tower’s glass-enclosed viewing platform set 300 metres above ground.

Bite off more than you can chew

Whether you want to tuck into tacos from a food truck or dine on China Town’s best dumplings, Melbourne’s many restaurants, cafes and pop up carts offer just about every food and flavour for you to try.

For those looking for something a bit more romantic, grab a dinner cruise out on the port then cap off your evening sipping cocktails in quiet bars scattered around the city’s laneways – Bar Americano and Romeo Lane are good places to start.

Go further afield

Use Melbourne as a base for exploring Victoria’s great outdoors – head south west to test your balance in a surf lesson on Torquay Beach before heading further south to the Great Ocean Road. Built to honour the sacrifice of Australian soldiers in World War I, this 243-kilometer oceanfront thoroughfare winds around the country’s southwest tip and offers the best vantage spots to view the 12 Apostles. Head south east to explore Wilsons Promontory Park and Phillip Island, home to Little Penguin colonies and beautiful beach walks. The dusk Penguin Parade is world famous and will melt hearts. If you’re keen to see more Aussie wildlife, head north east to Healesville Sanctuary, where the new Indigenous Wildlife Tour lets you get up close with kangaroos, koalas and a few creepy crawlies.

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