Melbourne on the Yarra River and Beautiful Victoria

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria. It was known as “Marvelous Melbourne” during the Gold Rush in the 1850s. The city has a lovely location on the Yarra River right near the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. Today Melbourne is a beautiful metropolis with amazing hidden lanes for strolling and tree-lined streets. There is amazing Victorian architecture and breathtaking gardens and parklands. 

Federation Square opened in 2002, commemorating 100 years of federation. It has become a place from which tourists start their sightseeing. The square is surrounded by awesome Victorian architecture. Every year it plays host to over 2,000 events and visitors to the city can find lots of entertainment in the central outdoor performance space. Federation Square is also home to the Ian Potter Gallery dedicated to Australian art and the Australian Center for the Moving Image. Residents call it “Fed Square” and it is the largest free Wi-Fi site in Australia.

Among the top tourist attractions, visitors will find the Royal Botanic Gardens, stretching south along the Yarra River. The gardens were established in 1846 and have been rated as one of the finest of their kind in the world. Altogether there are 40 hectares growing over 50,000 plants, among them lots of rare species. Every year the gardens are visited by 1.5 million people. 

To encourage children to participate in gardening there is The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden. For a look into the rich heritage of indigenous Australians, take the Aboriginal Heritage Walk. In the summertime, there is a live theater and a moonlight cinema. 

The spectacular Melbourne Cricket Ground or MCG dates back to 1853 and is considered to be one of the world’s greatest stadiums. It was the main stadium for the 1956 Olympic Games, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the birthplace of Test Cricket, and is the home of Australian Rules Football. Visitors can take a 75-minute tour, reliving the greatest moments in sporting history, and includes a look at the Australian Gallery of Sport and the Olympic Museum. In the wintertime, you can catch a game of football and in the summertime a game of cricket. 

Opposite the stadium is Melbourne Park – home to the Australian Open tennis tournament, held every January. Visitors can even book a tennis court. This venue is also a function center and many concerts are held here all through the year. 

Southbank Promenade along the Yarra River offers many indoor/outdoor cafes, restaurants, and live entertainment. Every Sunday they hold a wonderful arts and crafts market. Lots of festivals are also held here. 

The Arts Center includes different theaters and spaces among them the State Theater, Playhouse, Fairfax Theater, and Hamer Hall, home to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. 

The extensive Australian collection can be seen at the Ian Potter Gallery in Federation Square. Here visitors can get to know the history of Australian art from Aboriginal to the Heidelberg School and contemporary mixed media. One of the highlights is the large triptych format, The Pioneer by Frederick McCubbin. 

Take an impressive stroll through a labyrinth of lanes and alleyways around Flinders, Collins, and Bourke Streets. This is Melbourne at its most spectacular. The jewel in this crown is the wonderful Block Arcade on Collins Street, with a mosaic floor, period details, and unique shops. This is the place where the late 19th-century gentry strolled, coining the phrase “doing the block”. 

Take the time to have some tea in the morning or the afternoon at the Hopetoun Tearooms, dating back to 1892, the only original shop in the arcade today. The oldest arcade is the amazing Royal Arcade and it is well worth taking a closer look at Flinders and Degraves Lanes. There are companies that run guided walking tours through the lanes and alleyways. 



Adjacent to the Melbourne Museum is the Royal Exhibition Building. It was built in 1880 and hosts Melbourne’s International Exhibition. This building was also host to the first Commonwealth Parliament of Australia in 1901. There are regular tours available and the building is used for exhibitions and special events. 

The Melbourne Zoo dates back to 1862 and is home to 320 species of animals. It is known to have the best modern facilities in state-of-the-art enclosures. Some of the highlights are the award-winning Trail of the Elephants where visitors can get a look at the lives of Asian elephants in a traditional village-garden setting and the Orangutan Sanctuary where the orangutans live in their treetop home. There are also twilight music concerts and behind-the-scenes tours of some of the enclosures.

Captain James Cook’s native home in Yorkshire, England was brought to Melbourne – Captain Cook’s Cottage. It has been erected in Fitzroy Gardens. This lovely and quaint cottage gives an insight into the life and times of Cook’s seafaring adventures and exploration of Australia and other parts of the world. In the lovely gardens, you’ll also find the impressive Spanish-mission-style conservatory, always filled with a vibrant floral display. 

Take a fun and relaxing Yarra River Cruise. It is a wonderful way to see different sights and to get to know the history of the Yarra River. Along Southbank visitors will find many cruise companies. You can take in places like Birrarung Marr, originally called “Birrarung” which means “river of mists and shadows”. This is a park that celebrates Aboriginal ties to the Yarra River. Another popular cruise will take you to historic Williamstown, a quaint seaside port. 

The Shrine of Remembrance is located in Kings Domain gardens. It was built after WW I to commemorate Victorians who were involved in the war either abroad or at home. Today this shrine is the central focus for ceremonies on ANZAC Day held on April 25 and Remembrance Day on November 11. Daily guided and self-guided tours are available. The building is beautifully lit up at night. 

Melbourne’s newest precinct is Docklands. Here you’ll find the highest concentration of green-star-rated buildings in the southern hemisphere and the waterfront satellite village with many cafes, restaurants, and parklands. 

Enjoy the awesome view from the giant observation wheel, The Melburn Star. The area is also home to Etihad Stadium and the Icehouse, a world-class ice sports venue. Every Sunday visitors will find an art and vintage market held along the waterfront. 

A strange and wonderful place to visit is the Melbourne Aquarium. The aquarium is home to thousands of aquatic animals, among them one of Australia’s largest saltwater crocodiles. 

SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium takes visitors on an interactive adventure from the depth of the ocean to the icy waters of Antarctica. 

You’ll be amazed by the Croc Lair Exhibit which is one of the 12 new zones of discovery where you can see the world’s only display of Elephant Sharks in the Bay of Rays. Experience rainbows of color at Seahorse Pier and laugh at the antics of the majestic King and Gentoo Penguins in Penguin Playground. 

If you’re looking for some spectacular adventures and thrills head for Luna Park. This historic amusement park overlooks Port Philips Bay. The park celebrated 100 years of fun in 2012. 

One of the most popular attractions is Scenic Railway Roller Coaster. This is a large, wooden roller coaster that takes its passengers at high speed around the outside of the entire park. It holds the title of being the oldest continually operating wooden coaster in the world and the only one of its kind with a standing brakeman in control aboard its moving carriages. Not only will it provide you many thrills and chills but also fantastic views. Luna park provides attractions for all ages from mini roller coasters like the Silly Serpent to thrilling rides like the Pharaoh’s Curse and Power Surge. 

St. Kilda is an inner seaside suburb of Melbourne known for its beaches and nightlife. You can visit the famous Esplanade Markets for some of the best food in the city. It is also known for boutique shopping and iconic colorful beach shacks. At the pier, you can go penguin spotting. This is also where you'll find Luna Park.

If you want to get close up to nature and wild animals head for Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park. It was the winner of the Victorian Tourism Awards in Ecotourism, only 50 minutes from the center of Melbourne. 

Here you can delight in colorful parrots, and water birds in the wetlands and sample the lush bush foods garden. You’ll meet endangered orange-bellied parrots and regent honeyeaters. There are daily shows featuring dingoes, quolls, and owls each afternoon. 



Tasmanian Devils are also protected here and Moonlit Sanctuary has received the Sustainable Cities Award for Preservation of the Environment. 

Exploring Victoria

Grampians National Park has rugged sandstone ridges, lush waterfalls, and colorful wildflowers in the spring. The park is home to many Australian marsupials and native birds. There are many walking trails and you'll find amazing examples of ancient indigenous art.

Torquay is a beautiful seaside resort town known to be the gateway to the Great Ocean Road. 

Visitors enjoy surf beaches among the world-famous Bells Beach. 

The Surf Coast Walk is a great way to relax and enjoy the sunshine.

From here visitors continue on to the Australian Heritage listed 243-km Great Ocean Road. There are lovely coastal and mountain views. The road stretches past charming towns like Apollo Bay as well as white-sand beaches.

Philip Island is known for its colony of Little Penguins. It has become popular with tourists and every sunset the penguins return to shore. There is a Penguin Parade viewing platform and you can get the Ultimate Penguin Tour. Information is available at the visitor center.

The island also has a koala conservation center, an animal park, and Warook Farm which is a working farm.

The island has great beaches popular with both swimmers and surfers. You can even find a chocolate factory here and for over 50 years there has been a summer carnival.

The Alpine National Park includes two of the best-known mountains in Victoria – Mt Buller and Mt Hotham. They both have alpine resorts and are winter sports destinations. During the summer you can enjoy the walking and biking trails in the park.

Bendigo is a former Gold Rush boomtown just a two-hour drive from Melbourne. The town has impressive Victorian architecture. 

Some of the highlights in Bendigo are the Discovery of Gold Monument, the Bendigo Tramways Museum, the Golden Dragon Museum, and the Joss House Temple. 

Of interest is also the Bendigo Botanic Gardens that overlooks beautiful Lake Weeroona.



Healsville Sanctuary is located in the heart of the scenic Yarra Valley. It is a good place o see Australian animals like kangaroos, koalas, emus, wombats, and platypuses.

The sanctuary offers visitors the experience of getting up close with animals like wading with platypuses and a dingo encounter.

Ballarat is another famed Gold Rush boomtown. It has great cafes and restaurants and the place for the Ballarat Beer Festival and the Summer of Sound. 

Among the highlights is the Ballarat Wildlife Park for koala encounters. 

Sovereign Hill is an open-air museum and historical park that brings you back to the Gold Rush days. You can get a guided gold mine tour, visit 1850s shops, and interact with costumed staff members.