Melbourne

Arrival guide to Melbourne

Melbourne can easily lay claim to being the artistic, cultural, and sporting capital of Australia. Nowhere else has a devotion to watching sport, drinking coffee, and eating well, or supporting artistic performances and festivals quite like Melbourne.

That’s good news for everyone like you who is traveling here. Melbourne is the sort of town that’s great to hang out in and do as the locals do. You wont find a bright flashy look-at-me attitude here like Sydney. The city has many laneways that now feature quirky shops, bars and restaurants to discover as well as some world-famous street art.

Melbourne became a serious city at the time of the Victorian gold rush in the mid-19th century. It was from this era that many of the ornate and distinctive bluestone buildings that you can still see in the central business district (CBD) were built. There were also prisons built and Melbourne jail is now a landmark tourist attraction in the city.

While you won’t find waves to surf close to the city, the St Kilda Beach area, a short tram ride from the CBD, is a popular place to stay with vibrant nightlife and backpacker hostel options.