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| Reviews and photos of Melbourne attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Melbourne sightseeing. Melbourne Map |
 | Melbourne Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 1335 |  |
The Queen Victoria Market is locally known as the Vic Market. It was officially opened on 20 March 1878. Many of the buildings date back to to this time.
The market is only a few minutes walk from the city centre or catch a tram along Elizabeth St or William St.
The market is divided in two by Queen Street......upper and lower. The lower is dominated by the Meat Hall, which sells fresh fish as well. It is a real experience to enter this hall and listen to the traders yelling out their specials. The Dairy Hall is well stocked with delis, bakeries and poultry shops. Plenty of yummy lunchtime food available too.
The upper market is renowned for it's variety and quantity of fruit and vegetables. This is where you will also find a huge array of clothing, leather goods, manchester, fabrics, jewellery, handicrafts and souvenirs.
Trading Hours:
Tuesday & Thursday.......6am-2pm
Friday................................ 6am-6pm (general merchandise to 4pm)
Saturday............................6am-3pm
Sunday..............................9am-4pm
Check the website for details of special events that are held here. At certain times of the year a Wednesday Night Market is conducted.
It is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays. Leave a Comment
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The Melbourne Observation Deck is located on the 55th floor in the Rialto Towers at 525 Collins St. It is the tallest office building in the southern hemisphere.
The deck is open every day of the year from 10am until late. Views are spectacular, giving you a better understanding of the layout of Melbourne and beyond. There are also external viewing areas. Binoculars are free of charge.
Included in the admission is a 20 minute "sight and sound extravaganza" in the Rialto Vision Theatre. This features lots of attractions not only in Melbourne but also other parts of Victoria. A video of this is also available for sale from the souvenir shop.
The licensed cafe bar is an ideal place to have a drink or meal while waiting for the sunset.
The Melbourne Observation Deck is a member of the prestigious World Federation of Great Towers. Leave a Comment Address: 525 Collins St. MelbourneDirections: Corner of Collins St and King St. in the heart of the CDB.Website: www.melbournedeck.com.au
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You've already had a taste of this Arcade (no pun intended, well not too much anyway. lol!) with a photo in the intro. I hope you clicked on it to have a decent squiz. If not then do it to this one.
With a choice of 6 different eating places & some lovely shops there is no shortage of different ways to spend your money, and enjoy it. (well till you get the Credit Card bill anyway. lol!)
Let me give you a small example. At "Irristible" Shop 24-25, just up from the Collins St entrance I spotted a rather lovely black with narrow white stripes jacket I thought I might buy for my wife. So in I toddled in & asked about it. Well lucky me, it was on Sale. Down from over $1 700 to a mere $845. I politely made my excuses & left. Beautifully stylish women's clothes & accessories, but not within my budget for this little trip.
I did buy things at two different stores & ate at two different places, but you will just have to read those tips to get all the low down. If you are buying for your partner of yourself there's a little Gold & Silversmith's worth checking out....
Of course you don't have to shop although I would recommend eating &/or having coffee, but you really should have a wander through here as it is really lovely. Leave a Comment Address: 282 Collins StreetDirections: You can acess the Block Arcade via the above or via Elizabeth St or from Little Collins. Get that map out that I told you about in the previous tip & see where's best for you in relation to where you are staying.
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You will realise from my introduction that I specifically visited Melbourne, on this occasion, to visit the National Gallery of Vicotria International to see the Exhibition entitled:
" The Impressionists
Masterpieces from the Musee d'Orsay"
It has now finished & the next temporary Exhibition I am looking forward to visiting begins on October 13 and is:
"Edvard Munch - The Frieze of Life".
At the moment there are four other temporary exhibitions which are:
Man Ray (fantastic photos was in Sydney at the Art Gallery of New South Wales) which finishes Oct 17;
Crown & Camera Photos of Colonial India which finishes January 30, 2005,
15 Minutes of Fame 20 Year of Pop Prints which finishes Dec 5 this year &
The art of Zen which finishes October 24 this year.
This is a great gallery & I would have liked to have had more time to explore the permanent exhbitions as well the other temporary ones.
If you are visiting Melbourne then I strongly recommend you spending at least a couple of hours, preferably more, having a look around this excellent facility. Leave a Comment Address: 180 St Kilda RoadPhone: +61 3 8620 2222Directions: Straight across the Yarra River from Flinders Street Station. If you are walking from that side then it is on your right straight after the main part of the Victorian Arts Centre which is just after your cross the bridge.Website: www.ngv.vic.gov.au/ngvinternational/ Other Contact: enquiries@ngv.vic.gov.au
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The Old Melbourne Gaol is best known as the place where Ned Kelly (Australia's infamous bushranger) was hanged in 1880. Consequently there is a lot of interest in his life.
If you visit on a Saturday you can watch a live performance of "Such A Life" which tells the Ned Kelly story at 12.30pm and 2.00pm. This is included in the entry price of $13.50 per adult.
"Hangman's Night Tours" are generally held 4 nights a week. Bookings are essential, phone Ticketek on 13 28 49, or go to www.ticketek.com.au
This 3 story bluestone building is one of Melbourne's oldest surviving buildings. Construction began in 1841, the 1st cell block opened in 1845.
On the ground floor, outside the cells, you will find storyboards about early Melbourne and the building of the gaol. Inside the cells, there are stories about executed prisoners.
The story about Ned Kelly and his gang is told at the far end of the gaol. Here you can also see his death mask.
Open 7 days a week. Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday. Leave a Comment Address: Russell St. MelbournePhone: 03 96637228Directions: Between La Trobe and Victoria Streets. Catch the free City Circle Tram to the corner of Russell St. Closest to Melbourne Central Railway Station.Website: www.nattrust.com.au
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You deifintely deserve an explanation about the title above.
Click on the photo to see Gog & Magog, two 7 foot giants who have been striking Gaunt's clock since 1892. Their arms must be getting a little tired by now I dare say. lol! They were modelled from figures erected in1708 in the Guildhall in London & come from a mythological tale about the ancient Britons & Trojan invaders. Apparently G & M (otherwise known as Cornieus & Gogmagog) were supposedly captured in battle by the Trojans & made to work as porters at the Gateway of an ancient palace where the Guildhall now stands
The Clock is worked by weights regulated from a machine room on the roof of the Royal Arcade. From this room the clock is wound 3 times a week, but luckily Gog & Magog don't have to do any maintenance work! lol!
Seriously now, to finish off with. I had a very nice brekfast at a Cafe right at the Little Collins St entrance & there is some good shopping in here too. Not as beautiful as the Block Arcade, but worth having a squiz at all the same. Leave a Comment Address: 314 Little Collins StreetDirections: You can also access it from Bourke St from the other direction.
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It is reported to be the most advanced centre of its kind in the world - a centre for all things related to the movie image. Thus you will find international exhibitions featuring multi-media artists, cinematheque and cinema auditoria, a lounge where you can book you own private screenings of any film/vid/TV programme etc in the centre's archives and so much more.
Its also part of the Federation Square development, further adding to its kudos. Yet sadly, they haven't quite got it right - it must be one of the most user unfriendly buildings in the city - signage is so unclear, purpose is so unclear.... A new CEO started in December 2004, so hopefully things will change in the ensuing months.
But at its best, the gallery space provides superb multi media exhibitions. Leave a Comment Address: Federation SquarePhone: +61 3 9929 7040Directions: Opposite Flinders Street stationWebsite: www.acmi.net.au
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Did the Penguin Parade day-tour to Philip Island twice (02 and 08) with Gowest Tours.
The tour goes through The Dandenongs, making stops along the way before finally hitting Philip Island in the late evening for the main show.
The morning saw stops made at a local vineyard, The Gurdies Winery, and then on to Maru Koala and Fauna Park, a wildlife park where you can mingle with kangaroos, emus, cockatoos, dingoes and wombats and eventually, a koala conservatory. (Note: Photo with koala is a separate A$15, circa 2008)
The tour smartly stopped the overloading of Australiasia fauna by making a stop at The Nobbies and Seal Rocks on Philip Island in the afternoon. This area offers spectacular coastal viewing from the boardwalks and lookout points set amongst natural sea bird gardens. Plenty of screeching seagulls here. 1.5 kms offshore from The Nobbies are Seal Rocks, home to Australia's largest Australian Fur Seal colony.
Let the wind literally knocks your sense off. It was very windy and very chilly here. Come prepared for the chills. Unfortunately, my tour arrived at a time (Oz autumn) when the seals had more or less left the spot, which was a real pity.
The last stop was of course the Philip Island Nature Park for the main show: The Little Penguins. The duration of the Parade is about 50 mins when the penguins first crossed the beach. PLEASE COME PREPARED FOR THE COLD. There is no shelter. Many tours arrived with thick blankets as you stood behind a barricade in the chilling howling winds, straining your neck for the first sighting. Do go down to the beach early; there is no announcements. (Folks can sign up for the Penguin Plus Package for another A$11, circa 2008, just so to increase chances for a sighting)
Visitors then followed the penguins back to their nests on covered boardwalks. No one is allowed to step onto the sand. Photography & video cameras are NOT allowed. The Visitor Centre has a carnival-like atmosphere, with souvenir shops and cafes. I did not enjoy it that much, compared to the more simpler understated but practical approach on Tasmania. It was almost like a theme park. Leave a Comment
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Yes dear reader, get your walking shoes on & get out there to discover lots of little delights.
And one of the best things about this is that you can do some gr8 shopping & have some gr8 coffee while you are not only orientating yourself to the city, but also discovering some of its interesting buildings.
Melbourne is an easy City to find your way around as everything is navigated from Flinders Street Station on the Yarra River. From Flinders Street we move roughly north as the streets run: Flinders Lane (little brother), Collins St, Little Collins St, Bourke St, Little Bourke St, Lonsdale St, Little Lonsdale St. That's as far as I covered in that direction this trip.
I didn't discover nearly as much about the streets that run across the abovementioned, but saw a lot of Swanston St (which turns into St Kilda Road on the other side of the Bridge where the Arts Precinct - including the NGV International - is located) & a bit of both Elizabeth St & Russell St.
As mentioned in the intro' you will find some lovely Arcades & I will write a stand alone tip on my favourite, the Block Arcade that runs from Collins St thought to LIttle Collins St where you can link up with the Royal Arcade to get through into Bourke St just in front of the big Aussie Department Stores Myer & David Jones.
One of the neat things about the little streets lanes & arcades is that you can take handy shortcuts as explained above while discovering gr8 shopping & cafes. My attached photo is one of the little Streets that is blocked off to vehicular traffic, being not much wider than a lane. Degraves St has a batch of what I call "Duelling Cafes" facing off opposite each other, then some interesting little shops including "Il Paperino" which I meant to visit twice, but forgot both times. Beautiful Italian made Paper products sold there. Leave a Comment Address: All though the CityDirections: There's a little free booklet you'll pick up at your Hotel & a at Information booths around the city. Pull the Map out of the middle of it. It's a neat size that folds neatly into your pocket or wherever. Then start walkingWebsite: www.visitvictoria.com.au
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We hired a car and did the road trip in one day but it was definitely rushed. Preferably you should try to spend at least a couple of days to see everything. It would’ve been worth it to take our time to appreciate and explore it more thoroughly. If you are limited for time and have to do it in one day like we did, make sure you leave Melbourne early in the morning. We took the inland route coming back, it was a lot quicker that way.
The Great Ocean Road begins near Torquay, about 100 km. west of Melbourne, where the name changes from the Surfcoast Highway, and follows the coastline for several hundred kilometres to Warrnambool where it rejoins the Princes Highway. Along its length are spectacular coastal scenery, rain forests, waterfalls and quaint holiday, fishing and resort towns.
See my travelogue for more pictures! Leave a Comment
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on February 2, 2006
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