Melbourne
click on the above image to see the large view as the small
view does not do it justice
Melbourne is one of the most liveable cities in the world, is
famous for its sporting culture (voted No. I in sporting cities of the world in
2006), it is close to leading tourist attractions such as the Great Ocean Road,
The Twelve Apostles, Bell's Beach surfing, penguins at Phillip Island, alpine
national parks, and historic gold mining regions and has a very active night
life.
Event calendar:
- January:
- usually warm (25-30degC max) but may be hot (35-42 degC) or cool
(18-21degC max)
- New Year's Day:
- Summadayz music at Sidney
Myer Music Bowl
- New Year's Day racing carnival at Hanging Rock
- consider getting away from oppressive heat by:
- beach holidays in Otways or SE coast -
but tend to be over-crowded & need to book early even for
camping sites
- get away to alpine resorts (eg. Mt Buller)
for relaxing bushwalks & spa, etc away from the crowds
- drive to Dandenongs for day trip
- holiday in Tasmania - peak season and still can be quite hot
- twilight music at the zoo every Fri-Sun evening until 2nd week March
- open air cinemas
- Australian Open Tennis
- Australia Day celebrations:
- regional festivals:
- February:
- usually the hottest month
- hot, northerly winds risk dust storms and bushfires in Victoria
- great for beach holidays in Otways as kids
now back at school, but still not great waves for surfing
- Melbourne International Music & Blues
Festival:
- 27-28th Feb banks of Yarra & Melb. Exhibition Centre - tickets
via Ticketmaster 7 at
end Jan.
- Myer Music Bowl free concerts by Melb. Symphony Orchestra
- Good Vibrations
music festival - Myer Music Bowl
- St Jerome's Laneway music
Festival - city
- Twilight music at the Zoo every Fri-Sun evening until 2nd week March
- biennial Australian International Airshow - Avalon (en route to Geelong)
14-16th Feb? - avoid travelling to Otways this weekend
- Sand sculpting workshops & competition - Rye Beach end Feb-1st
week March
- regional festivals:
- Drouin Ficifolia Festival 1st 2 wks Feb (Gippsland)
- Tastes of the Prom
Feb 7-10, 2004
- Warrnambool Wunta festival 7-9th
- Hanging Rock Harvest Picnic - last Sunday in Feb?
- Echuca - Riverboats, Jazz, Food & Wine Festival 14-16 Feb
- West Gippsland - Hot Sauce & Fiery Foods Festival - 15-16 Feb
- Redback Chilli Co, Jindivick
- March:
- often hot enough for beach, but now waves improving and thus better
for surfing
- Labour Day weekend:
- Moomba festival
- Grand Prix car racing
- Motor show at Exhibition Centre
- Caravan and camping show at Exhibition Centre
- Melbourne International Fashion Week
- Triathlon and mini-triathlon St Kilda on the Sunday after Labour Day
- Great Melbourne Bike Ride ph: 1800 616 600
- Melbourne International Comedy Festival 25 Mar - 18 Apr
- AFL football season starts late March
- Melbourne Food & Wine Festival:
- last week march - 2nd week April
- must book early eg. 1st week Feb - see RACV
- World's longest lunch - 1000-seat 3 course meal at Docklands, etc
- regional festivals:
- April:
- cold nights usually mean the end to solar heated swimming pool use in
Victoria unless "Indian summer"
- slow moving High pressure systems tend to be remain centred over
Melbourne causing:
- Melbourne to have its least windy month, with mild sunny days
(max. 18-22degC) and cold mornings (2-5degC) with fog/smog
- NB. unstable moist weather on NSW/Qld coast with cool SE winds
bringing rain
- great weather for:
- drives to Dandenongs or NE
Victoria for autumn scenery
- camping
- bush-walking trips
- golf - eg. along the Murray River (warmer weather) such as Echuca and Surrounds
- surfing with wet suit - great waves, but cool weather & water
becoming colder
- retailers such as Myer tend to have heavy discounting of
poor-performing stock
- Easter:
- last weekend for lifesaver patrolled surf beaches in Victoria
- Bell's Beach world surfing championship
- Anzac Day holiday (25th)
- May:
- as for April but becoming cooler during the day
- retailers such as Myer tend to have sales of 20-30% off big brand name
stock
- don't forget Mother's Day
- consider romantic, or just relaxing getaways with log fires & spas
- consider selling shares if they have performed badly as shares often
fall in June so people can claim tax deductions for capital losses
- June:
- shortest day of year, start of the cold months (max. 12-18degC)
- Queen's Birthday holiday
- 1st snows in Vic Alps (usually) good for tourist drives but may not be
enough for ski-ing
- 2004 World Ballooning
Championships Mildura
- ensure you maximise end of year tax deductions such as purchase of tax
deductible items or pre-pay interest on loans
- July:
- August:
- September:
- windy, cloudy month, but generally green countryside and good for
waterfalls & bushwalks
- consider going:
- tropics for holidays as for August as even Gold Coast ocean water
now a bit too cool
- Grampians for its Spring wild flowers
- Dandenong Ranges for its tulips
- snow season in Alps - Snow
Bookings
- AFL football final series
- Royal Melbourne Show
18th-28th 2003
- Spring Fashion
- regional:
- October:
- windy, cloudy month, but generally green countryside and good for
waterfalls & bushwalks
- consider going north for holidays - eg. Queensland
or to the Grampians for its Spring wild flowers
- Bathurst 1000 car race (NSW)
- Melbourne International Arts Festival
- Melbourne Fringe Festival
- buy tickets for summer events such as Australian Open Tennis,
Melbourne Blues & Jazz Festival & concerts
- Italian Film Festival
at Cinema Como
- Girl's Day Out exhibition
of beauty and fashion at Melbourne Exhibition Centre opp.
casino
- Caulfield Cup horse racing
- opportunity for ladies to dress up and have fun
- Melbourne Oktoberfest
- daylight saving starts last Sunday in October - turn clocks forward
one hour from 2am
- regional:
- Cobden Spring Festival
- Horsham Spring Garden Festival
- Mildura Jazz, Food & Wine Festival
- Food & Wine Festival Seymour
- Wangaratta Jazz Festival
- November:
- weather starts to warm up, some beach days
- solar heated pools may get warm enough for a swim if several
consecutive days of sun
- one day and international test cricket season starts in Australia
- Spring horse racing
festival:
- Melbourne Cup - 1st Tuesday of November
- Oak's Day - ladies day
- Derby Day - ladies day
- late Nov: Sexpo - health,
sexuality and lifestyle exhibition at Melbourne Exhibition
Centre opp.
casino
- regional:
- December:
Museums
and Galleries:
- art galleries:
- Victorian Arts Centre,
100 St Kilda Rd
- National Gallery Victoria
International
- Ian Potter Centre NGV
Federation Square, Melbourne
- Ian Potter Museum of
Art, University of Melbourne
- Australian Centre for
Contemporary Art, 11 Sturt St, Southbank
- Australian Centre for the Moving Image,
Federation Square
- Craft Victoria, 21 Flinders
Lane
- Gallery 101, 101 Collins St
- Gallery Gabrielle Pizzl, 141 Flinders Lane
- RMIT Gallery,
344 Swanston St
- suburban:
- Alcaston Gallery,
11 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
- Clubs Project, 211 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
- Dianne Tanzer Gallery, 108-110 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
- Eastbourne Fine Arts,
Emerald - features Gill Del-Mace paintings
- Gertrude Contemporary Art
Spaces, 200 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
- Gabriel Gallery, Footscray
Community Arts Centre, 45 Moreland St, Footscray
- Heide Museum of Modern Art,
7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen
- Monash University Museum
of Art, Clayton
- Port Jackson Press
Australia, 397 Brunswick St, Fitzroy - limited edition prints
gallery
- Watchtower Studios,
Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St, Albert Park
- William Mora Galleries,
60 Tanner St, Richmond
- regional:
- museums and tourist sites:
- Melbourne Museum,
Carlton Gardens, Carlton
- Chinese Museum
- Domed reading room of the State Library
- Old Melbourne Gaol & Ned Kelly relics
- Immigration Museum,
Old Customs House, cnr Williams St & Flinders St
- Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
- Rod Laver tennis centre
- Melbourne Botanical Gardens & its popular running track
- Melbourne Zoo
- Melbourne Maritime Museum &
Polly Woodside ship
- Eastern suburbs:
- Monsalvat historic artists colony, 7 Hillcrest Ave, Eltham
- Healesville wildlife sanctuary
- Puffing Billy steam train ride, Dandenong Ranges
- Western suburbs:
- RAAF museum, Point Cook Rd,
Point Cook
- Scienceworks
Museum, 2 Booker St, Spotswood
- Werribee Mansion, State Rose Garden, Day Spa Centre & Wildlife
Park
- Melbourne Exhibition & Convention
Centre
Popular spots:
- water fun:
- coffee:
- Mario's, Brunswick St, Fitzroy
- Quist's, Lt Collins St, Melbourne
- The European, Spring St, Melbourne
- Pellegrini's, Bourke St, Melbourne
- Cafe Racer, St Kilda
- The Botanical, Sth Yarra
- Tin Pot, Nth Fitzroy
- alfresco breakfast:
- Harveys, Murphy St, Sth Yarra
- Rathdowne Street Food Store, Carlton
- Sweethearts, Coventry St, Sth Melbourne - great for late brekkie
- pubs & bars:
- lounging fireside for Winter:
- Kingston, Richmond
- Cosi, 68 Toorak Rd
- The Standard or The Napier, Fitzroy
- Carringbush, Abbotsford
- city wine & cocktail bars:
- The Loft, L2, 117 Lonsdale St
- Lustre Lounge, Majorca Place, L1, 252 Flinders St
- The Apartment, 401 Bourke St
- Four, L2, Hub Arcade, 318 Lt Collins St
- Melbourne Supper Club, 161 Spring St
- country-style pubs:
- shopping:
- weekend trendy:
- Albert Park village
- Nth Fitzroy village
- Chapel St, Toorak
- books:
- Architext, 41 Exhibition St
- Hill of Content, 86 Bourke St
- Metropolis, 160 Acland St, St Kilda
- The Avenue Bookstore, 127 Dundas Pl
- Books for Cooks, 233 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
- Artisan, 231 Gertrude St, Fitzroy - applied art titles
- food:
- fresh groceries:
- Queen Victoria Market, Victoria St, Melbourne
- try food tours eg. The Foodies Dream Tour (ph:
9320 5835); Susie Wharton's tours (ph:
9815 1228)
- Prahran Markets - Tues to Sat.
- Gleadell St Market, Richmond - Saturdays
- kitchen gardens:
- Heide kitchen garden, 7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen ph. 9850 1500
- John & Sunday Reed's - also Museum of Modern Art
- Heronswood Estate, Dromana - heirloom variety vegies
- Collingwood Children's Farm Farmers' Market, Abbotsford - 2nd
Sat each month
- Boroondara Farmers' Market, East Hawthorn
- miscellaneous groceries:
- pasta: Mediterranean Wholesalers, 482 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
- Italian produce store & restaurant: Becco
- Middle Eastern: A1 Bakery, 643 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
- fresh chorizo & jambon: Casa Iberica, 25 Johnston St, Fitzroy
- duck terrine, Lyonnaise sausages: La Parisienne Pate, 307 Lygon St,
Carlton
- bakeries & pattiseries:
- Il Fornaio, 2 Acland St, St Kilda
- Gertrude St Organic Bakery, Fitzroy - orange, walnut & raisin
foccacia
- Firebrand, Glen Eira Rd, Ripponlea - Casalinga sourdough & Irish
barnbrack bread
- Phillippa's, Brunswick St, Fitzroy
- Brunetti's, 194 Faraday St, Carlton
- Chocolate Buddha, Federation Square, Melbourne
- "top" pastries:
- Pistachio Baklava from Balha's Pastry, 478 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
- Vanilla Cream Chocolate Eclair from French Fantasies Bakery, 15
Toorak Rd, Sth Yarra
- Presburger Bejgli from Monarch Cake Shop, 103 Acland St, St Kilda
- Ricotta Cannoli from Brunetti, 194 Faraday St, Carlton
- Tarte Tatin from Babka Bakery Cafe, 358 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
- fish & chips:
- Bottom of the Harbour, Albert Park
- Half Moon Bay, Black Rock
- Clamms, St Kilda - sit on pier and watch sun go down
- high class tea (wear Sunday best): The
Windsor Hotel
- restaurants:
- check out discount vouchers (25% off or buy 1
meal get one free) in the Entertainment
book
- Ondine - shellfish mariniere
- Vietnamese:
- Van Van, 240 Victoria St, Richmond - fun?
- Minh Minh, 94 Victoria St, Richmond - backchatting staff
- Chinese:
- Lt Bourke St: Pepper Chilli, Shark Fin Inn
- Supper Inn, Celestial Lane - even after midnight - excellent
flavours despite appearances
- The Flower Drum, 17 Market Lane, Melbourne - best Peking duck in Melbourne
- Bok Choy Brighton, 300 New St, Brighton - fairly priced
- seafood buffets:
- The Conservatory, Crown Casino
- Italian:
- Melbourne:
- Grossi Florentino, 80 Bourke St, Melbourne
- Sud, 219 King St, Melbourne
- Crown Casino strip:
- Lygon St, Carlton
- Cafe di Stasio, 31 Fitzroy St, St Kilda
- Caffe e Cucina, 581 Chapel St, Sth Yarra
- Australian:
- Ezard at adelphi, 187 Flinders Lane, Melbourne - Australian freestyle
- slow-cooked lamb shanks
- The Elbow Room, 160 Victoria St, Seddon - good prices, great food
- Ladro, 224 Gertrude St, Fitzroy - hip, slick, not expensive
- The Wine Bar, The Victorian Wine Precinct, Federation Square,
Melbourne - check the snack menu
- The Pier, 1 Bay St, Port Melbourne - not cheap but good bay views
and good food/vibe
- Novelty:
- 1st date restaurants:
- Cafe d'Orsay
- Diningroom 211, 211 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
- Da Noi, 95 Toorak Rd, Sth Yarra
- Matteo's, 533 Brunswick St, North Fitzroy
- Il Solito Posto, 113 Collins St
- The European, 161 Spring St
- picnics in & near Melbourne:
- central:
- Melbourne Botanical Gardens and banks of the Yarra
- Albert Park Lake
- Studley Park Boathouse
- Elwood beach
- Black Rock Beach:
- consider a skinny dip at midnight on those hot
summer nights - apparently the thing to do although not entirely
legal
- legal clothing optional beaches include:
- Morningside, Mornington
- Campbell's cove, Werribee South
- Point Addis/Southside between Bell's Beach & Anglesea
- Heide kitchen garden, 7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen ph. 9850 1500
- Dandenong Ranges
- Kinglake
- Hanging Rock
- Werribee Mansion
- Daylesford spa region
- Phillip Island, Inverloch
- Otway Ranges / Lorne
- Mornington Peninsula - wineries,
beaches, golf courses, Sorrento, Portsea, Point Nepean fort
- streetscapes:
- Melbourne CBD:
- Spring St
- top end of Flinders Lane
- Collins St b/n Spring & Exhibition Sts
- Block Arcade
- the Royal Arcade
- Meyers Place
- Bank Place
- Degraves St
- art deco in Melbourne:
- the former McPherson's Building (1934-5) 546-566 Collins St - pioneer
in use of new materials of glass, stainless steel & reinforced
concrete.
- Mitchell House (1936-7) cnr Elizabeth & Lonsdale Sts
- Lonsdale House (1934-5) 269-273 Lonsdale St - renovation joining two
19th century buildings, each with different floor levels.
- the former Russell St police complex now apartments (1940-43), 354
Russell St
- the former Buckley & Nunn store, now David Jones (1934), 294-296
Bourke St
- the former Coles store, now David Jones (1928, 1938, 1939-40), 299-307
Bourke St & rear store on Lt Collins St.
- 1st noteworthy commercial modern gothic building in Victoria
- Myer Department Store (1933), 314-336 Bourke St
- Keshett Jewellers - art deco jewellery, 323-325 Lt. Collins St
- Yule House (1932), 309-11 Lt. Collins St - perhaps Australia's 1st
moderne-style commercial building
- Century Building (1938-40), Cnr Swanston & Lt. Collins St
- Manchester Unity (1932), Cnr Swanston & Collins Sts - Melbourne's
tallest building when completed.
- Alkira House (1936-7), 18 Queen St - example of jazz moderne style
- MacRobertson Girls' High School, Albert Park
- Melbourne's mansions:
- Como House
- Werribee mansion and State Rose Garden and free range zoo
- Beleura
- winery touring:
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