Australia: Things to do in Melbourne

The land of Kangaroos, Koalas, sheep, UGGS, “The Thorn Birds” and McLeod’s Daughters – this would had come into my mind when asked about Australia. Growing up with the book “The Thorn Birds”, I imagined Australia as farmer paradise with vast fields, lots of sheep grassing around and a very hot climate.  Partially true, but Australia has so much more! And my blitz trip of 5 days was just a sneak peak of all the treasures of this beautiful country.

 

How To Get From The Airport To The Melbourne City

White Night Melbourne Street Festival

Things To Do In Melbourne (Advised By The Local)

Dining in Melbourne – Where And What To Eat?

Great Ocean Road

Phillip Island

How To Get From The Airport To The Melbourne City

 

There are few ways to get from the airport into the Melbourne city and the choice would depend on your budget and the time you have.

1. Skybus

If your hotel is in the city center – Skybus is the best option for you. The 24/7 service bus shuttle will bring you to the Cross Station where smaller busses will take you to the doorstep of your hotel, but only if it’s within the area of the city center. My hotel was around 20 mins walk distance from the Center, so I had to find my way from the last station. To catch the bus back to the airport is more complicated as you have to reach one of the bus shuttle departure stations. Cost $19 one way. The schedule and the stations are here https://www.skybus.com.au/

2. Public Transportation

If you are adventurous enough and have plenty of time with you as well as arriving and departing during the day time, you may try the public transportation in Melbourne. You would need a Myki card which you can top up with the credit to use across all public transportation in the city. Catch the bus 901 to Broadmeadows Station in the direction of “Frankston”. Change to a train there. The ride will cost you around $7.

3. Taxi and Uber

Taxi is probably the most expensive way to get around in Melbourne. The ride from the airport will cost you around $50-60. Uber is slightly cheaper, but still not for someone on a budget. My Uber to the airport was around $40. I opted for it as I needed to catch the flight early in the morning and didn’t want to hop around looking for the Skybus station.

4. Rent a Car

It is cheaper to rent a car than to use taxi to move in Australia. The day will cost you around $20 and you will be flexible to go anywhere.

 

 

Things To Do In Melbourne

 

• Melbourne City Circle Tram

The City Circle Tram is a free and convenient way to see the sights of the Melbourne Downtown and the Docklands while experiencing a ride on one of the city’s much loved heritage trams. The tram has an audio tour guide about the city landmarks and major attractions such as the City Museum, Parliament House, Docklands, Federation Square, Melbourne Aquarium and the Princess Theatre. The City Circle Tram is part of the Melbourne’s public tram system and is connected to the other tram and bus routes. The round trip is approximately one hour. Good way to start your sightseeing of Melbourne.

• White Night Melbourne Street Festival

Melbourne is a city that will always keep you entertained. Choose from high-end cuisine and thriving shopping districts, to concerts, vibrant theatres and galleries, festivals and an endless calendar of world-class major events – all happening across a city full of parks, gardens and historic architecture.

Melbourne White Night Festival is a dusk-till-dawn event that brings the city’s dark corners to life with over 100 free events and 600 000 attendees with 12 continuous hours of art installations, exhibitions, films, lighting, projection, music and performance: White Night is a non-stop adventure!

White Night Festival is usually held in the Australian Summer month of February. I didn’t know about this festival when I booked my trip to Melbourne and this White Night was a pleasant surprise that made me fall in love with this vibrant colorful city.

Other Things To Do In Melbourne
(Advised by the Local)

 

Further list of attractions I’ve got from my Australian friend Kat – it’s always very useful to have advise from a local – that makes it easier to explore and saves you a lot of time and sometimes money.

• The Yarra River is the social heart of marvelous Melbourne and the focus for numerous spectacular events including the famous Moomba festival, rowing regattas, the Melbourne Festival and Dragon Boat Festivals.
  The Yarra River offers a multitude of picturesque settings. The banks of the river have a number of barbecue and picnic facilities, fishing platforms and jetties. In addition, there are trails and paths which cater for cyclists, walkers and joggers.

 

• Walk along the Yarra River from Southgate, through Federation Square, to South Yarra/Richmond, including the sports precinct: Tennis Centre, MCG, soccer stadium.  Have a BBQ on the free BBQs along the riverside near the Botanic Gardens.  Stroll through the gardens afterwards.

 

• Board one of the many river craft at Southgate or Princes Walk or travel along the Yarra in your own boat to visit attractions such as Melbourne Park for the Australian Tennis Open, the Royal Botanical Gardens and Herring Island Park.

 

• If you would like spend some time and money on shopping – do it in the CDB lane-ways – Flinders Lane, Little Bourke St, Little Collins St and the cross alleys between Queens St and Russell St –  or go to Chapel St.

 

• Cruise around St Kilda – Acland St and Fitzroy St, and along the beachfront.  Hire bikes or roller-blades and hit the esplanade for a beautiful walk/ride/roll.

 

• Go to Luna Park for a retro fun park.  There are always festivals and things happening on the waterfront at St Kilda.

 

• Walk through Fawkner Park  or the Carlton Gardens & Exhibition Building. Then go to the National Gallery of Victoria (St Kilda Rd).

 

• Check out the Shrine of Remembrance (there is a great view of the city from the steps).

 

• Check out Brunswick Street for eclectic shopping and lots of dining options.

 

• Get a boat from Southbank to Williamstown for lunch.

 

• Check out the Queen Victoria Market (Saturday and Sunday are best but it’s open all week).  Everything from fruits to baby ducks and leather jackets.

 

• Go to the beach at Brighton and check out the colourful beach boxes, they are famous.

 

• If you have an extra day, visit the Wineries – Yarra Valley, Red Hill, Geelong areas

 

• Go to Healsville Sancturary and see all the native animals, get a photo with a Koala.

 

• Dandenong Ranges – you can do the thousand steps walk if you feel energetic

Dining in Melbourne – Where And What To Eat?

 

• Seafood: get a taxi to St Kilda and go to “Claypots” (you may need to wait or book, but it is yummy and still quite casual, great vibe)   http://claypots.com.au/

 

• Middle Eastern: MAHA (in a laneway off Flinders Lane)  https://maharestaurant.com.au/

 

• Spanish tapas: MoVida Acqui   or sister restaurant MoVida.
  CBD    http://movida.com.au/    http://movida.com.au/movida-aqui/   MoVida Aqui also has Pacos Tacos attached on the rooftop, which is a casual tacos and beer bar.

 

• Steak: Meat and Wine Co (near the Casino)  http://themeatandwineco.com/

 

• Fancy Italian: Bottega  (in the CBD)  http://www.bottega.com.au/    You probably should book it in advance.  Or Il Bacaro  http://www.ilbacaro.com.au/

 

• Mamasita Mexican  (CBD)  Bourke St, CBD

 

• Pellegrinis: (CBD) One of the original pasta places in Melbourne (you sit up at the bar on a stool and eat pasta with a bread roll. Nonna is cooking in the kitchen. Brilliant. Very low key.
  http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/collection-1/melbourne-institution-pellegrinis-inducted-into-good-cafe-guide-hall-of-fame-20140617-3ab0u.html

For a true local feel, get a pint and a chicken Parma from the pub.  There is even a website dedicated to the best Parma in town.

 

 

Drinks Locations

 

• Cookie (go up to the rooftop or stay on Level 2 if it’s cold)
  http://www.theurbanlist.com/melbourne/directory/cookie

 

• Madame Brussels is a fun rooftop bar where everyone wears tennis whites and sits on wrought iron chairs on fake lawn.  Chicken sandwiches and Pimms anyone?  http://www.madamebrussels.com/    It’s a bit hidden, go up the stairs at 59 Burke St (it looks like a 70s-office block) and it’s on the top floor, after the Japanese gentleman’s club!

 

• Siglo Bar (find the plain brown door to the left of the European Restaurant in Spring St, go up the stairs to the rooftop).  On level 1 is the Melbourne Supper Club with big leather armchairs, whisky and cigars if it’s cold, or keep going to the roof for a lovely view of Parliament House   http://www.theurbanlist.com/melbourne/directory/siglo

 

• The Gin Palace   (it’s in a laneway, you go downstairs and it is a bit of an old time feather boas and gin slings haunt, very fun and 40’s)   http://www.ginpalace.com.au/

 

• Berlin Bar (haven’t tried this one yet but it sounds fun)  http://www.theurbanlist.com/melbourne/directory/berlin-bar

 

• Casual beers:  try Transit bar on the rooftop of Transport (at Federation Square, centre of the CBD), or on the river right beside it (go down the stairs to the riverfront) is a fun little place called Riverland or further down the river at The Arboury.

And here is a great reference for the latest and best bars and dining in Australia https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne

Great Ocean Road

 

I booked a day trip with a travel agency that got best TripAdvisor’s reviews. The cost was 150 AUS and promised to show the best attractions of the Great Ocean Road. The tour operator contacted me in advanced and gave me a notice, that if my tour won’t be filled I would get a complimentary upgrade to the ‘reversed’ version of the same trip with the difference that it would go in the reversed direction escaping the crowds of tourists and was 30 dollars more expensive. No problem at all!

Our route was: Geelong, Winchelsea, Colac, Port Campbell (you may include Cape Otway if you have more time), Maits Rest, Apollo Bay, Lorne, Aireys Inlet, Anglesea.

The mini bus was new and gave plenty of space for our group of 10 tourists. Our tour guide was very attentive, talkative and funny guy, who was cracking jokes here and there. It really makes sense to choose a reversed Great Ocean Road Tour as we reached the most important attractions before the main tourist wave and enjoyed the views with less crowd. By the way, February is one of the most popular months for the tourists from China as they have their long weekends due to the Lunar New Year.

The Great Ocean Road with its magnificent views of the limestone heaps withstanding the stormy hits of the ocean waves need no big description. Sadly, the “Apostles” are slowly being destroyed by the strong waves and disappearing one by one in the ocean. So make sure you plan your trip to Australia soon enough to see the “12 Apostles” in its best shape before it’s too late. The tour took us to see the best views of the Great Ocean Road at Cape Patton and Mt. Defiance, Port Campbell National park, including the 12 Apostles, Island Arch, Razorback. There was an included delicious lunch in one of the Apollo Bay’s authentic restaurants and a stop in a park with dramatic view over the ocean for wine and cheese. We walked in a rain forest to search for koalas, parrots and other native animals. And almost at the end of the trip we finally spotted some kangaroos peacefully gracing on the golf court.

If you don’t mind to drive 5-6 hours one way and can easily navigate and orient on the map – you may opt for renting a car and exploring The Great Ocean Road on your own. The cost might be cheaper as to rent a car for a full day is around $20, however you would need a more thorough preparation and research before the trip as well as to find a parking lot at the sightseeing could be a challenge.

Phillip Island

 

Another popular destination around Melbourne is Philip Island with the main attraction of spotting penguins as well as enjoying the nature touring the island and experiencing a range of Australia’s native animals as close as possible.

I didn’t go for this tour as, for one, I had only limited time in Australia and couldn’t spent the whole day on a trip, and secondly, I was told, that the penguins will be seen from a quiet far distance and it’s freezing cold in the evening when you might sit hours waiting for them to come. Moreover, there are better places/countries to experience the penguins with meet and greet on a stretched hand distance.

NEXT> Sydney In One Day
After strolling 3 days around Melbourne I moved to Sydney for 24 hours sightseeing, where I also planned to get a cool experience of staying in a Space Capsule hotel…