Australia’s most cosmopolitan and sophisticated city
Melbourne is often voted the world’s most liveable city for reasons including affordability, low crime rate and a climate which varies from 'stinking hot' to 'bloody freezing' – sometimes in one day. It is a vibrant, cosmopolitan metropolis with all the advantages of big city living but with an easy, almost country-like pace. Furthermore, the Victorian capital prides itself as the sport and major events capital of Australia.
Although not as naturally stunning as Sydney, Melbourne is a beautiful town from the ground up. With more than half of the nation’s tallest buildings, it has an impressive skyline dominated by the 300m Eureka Towers which, by late 2006, will have an observation deck with views across the city (Southbank, South Yarra, +61 39686 1588).
Underneath the stand of skyscrapers, wide, tree-lined streets and grand old buildings are surrounded by 5sq km of parks and gardens.
Culture vultures will love the audaciously designed Federation Square. A work of art in itself, it houses galleries including the Ian Potter Centre, dedicated to Australian art (corner of Flinders Street and St Kilda Road, www.federationsquare.com.au).
Nearby, Melbourne’s arts precinct on St Kilda Road is dominated by the Victorian Arts Centre, which has an extensive programme of opera, ballet, theatre and concerts (www.vicartscentre.com.au). Next door, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) houses 60,000 works of art from around the world (+61 38620 2222, www.ngv.vic.gov.au).
Sport in Melbourne is a religion and its high temple is the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which hosts cricket during summer, Aussie Rules (Australian football) during winter and, in 2006, was the focus of the Commonwealth Games (Jolimont Street, +61 39657 8864, www.mcg.org.au). Not far away in the redeveloped Docklands the Telstra Dome serves as another major sports and concert venue (www.telstradome.com.au). Concerts are also staged in the Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park, along with its trademark event, the Australian Tennis Open.
Travel west for a couple of hours along the magnificent Great Ocean Road (www.greatoceanrd.org.au) and experience incredible, rugged coastal views and world-class surf beaches. A major stop en route is the resort town of Lorne, which has a sheltered swimming beach, beachfront boulevard and nearby wilderness areas including the Otway Ranges.
The Mornington Peninsula to Melbourne’s south-east (www.mornington-peninsula.satlink.com.au) is dotted with seaside towns, ocean beaches, golf courses and one of Australia’s fastest growing wine regions.
Local history
Melbourne was borne of the Victorian goldfields and in particular the boom years of 1851-90 when the new colony enjoyed a fast growing infrastructure and social services including free education and a new progressive democratic legislation. It did not last, but after a protracted depression, Victorian industrialisation offered the seeds of recovery and immigration became the city’s lifeblood turning the city in to the modern cosmopolitan gem it is today.
Local politics
A great phenomenon has hit Melbourne and one that is the envy of Australian politicians. His name is Mayor John So and since his election in 2001 he has reached almost cult-status personifying, in many respects, what the city is famous for: he is an immigrant, has a genuinely friendly nature and means what he says, usually backing it with action – something the average politician in Australia finds it notoriously hard to do.
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