February 22, 2012

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Tourist Services in Melbourne, Australia

Tourist Services in Melbourne, Australia

If you are visiting Melbourne, Australia, then one of the things that you are going to want to put some planning and consideration into is the tourist services. For example, the City Circle tram is going to be a beneficial tourist service for you as it will run around the entire perimeter of the CBD, covering a number of important destinations including Docklands Precinct, Harbour Esplanade, La Trobe St, Victoria St, Nicholson St, Spring St, and Flinders St.

The tram moves along the route and there are signs posted along the way. The trams run both directions and stop every 12 minutes except for Christmas Day and Good Friday, and they run from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm. There are several trams on this service that offer recorded commentary that tells visitors about the attractions that are being passed. There is also usually going to be tourist information that is available on board through a city guide individual or brochures so there is plenty for you to learn and take in along the way.

In addition to these trams, which are geared to suit visitors while providing access to interesting sites for tourists, another option is the Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle, a free bus service that stops at some of the area’s key tourist destinations around the city and within the city as well. The buses run daily from 9:30 am until 4:30 pm, and the entire circuit takes approximately 45 minutes while featuring onboard commentary.

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The Avalon Airport (AVV)

The Avalon Airport (AVV)

The Avalon Airport is also known as AVV, and it situated in the outer suburb known as Lara in Geelong. You will find the airport approximately 55 kilometers to the southwest from Melbourne. A shuttle to this airport is relatively inexpensive even though this airport is considered to be further away from the city centre of Melbourne, so many people choose to fly out of this airport as it often allows them to save some money. The terminal itself is also user friendly, offering everything that people need in a neat and compact space. Inside you will find an ATM, baggage carousels and a care hire desk in what appears to be an old hangar at the arrivals area. The facilities for departure are a little more updated, offering a video arcade and a café with a bar.

The Avalon Airport is only serviced by a couple of low-cost airlines, primarily Tiger and Jetstar. These are some of the lower-cost airline companies in the region. Both of these airlines also fly out of Tullamarine in addition to the Avalon Airport, so it is important for visitors to the area to determine which airport they are actually going to be using to clear up any potential confusion before flying. Make sure that you plan out your route to and from the Avalon Airport when planning your trip, as there are numerous different ways to get between the city centre and the airport, including public transportation, car rental and taxi cab as well.

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The Melbourne Airport (MEL)

The Melbourne Airport (MEL)

The Melbourne Airport, also known as MEL, can be found 22 kilometers northwest from the city centre, and it is adjacent to Tullamarine, an industrial suburb. There are a variety of regular flights that go back and forth between all of the major cities in Australia and New Zealand, and there are also direct flights internationally that go to a number of Asian hubs, or even further with connections into Europe. There are also direct flights out of the Melbourne Airport that go to the western United States coast, Santiago, Canada, Fiji and also Hawaii. It can be practical for people to fly to Melbourne from a variety of different international points around the world.

There are four terminals at the Melbourne Airport. You will find T1, T2 and T3 in the same building, and then T4 is in a separate building but is only a short walk away. Each of these terminals has its own separate security screening, and so there is no access between these terminals once you have entered into the sterile area, so you should be prepared to exit out and then pass through security again if planning on moving into a different terminal at the airport.

T1 is the North Terminal, T2 is the International Terminal, T3 is the South Terminal and T4 is only used by Tiger Airways Australia for domestic services. All passenger arrivals are on the terminals’ lower levels, and departures are on the upper level. There are taxi services offered at the airport, transporting travelers to the city centre for approximately $40-45 in clear traffic.

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Places to Shop in Melbourne, Australia

Places to Shop in Melbourne, Australia

Many people visit Melbourne, Australia to visit the area’s vibrant retail scene, which has a tendency to thrive with a variety of alluring products, fashion labels and shopping experience. This shopping district offers an eclectic mix of funky boutiques, high end fashions and mainstream stores, and all of these have a home in the laneways, tree-lined streets and retail centres of the city of Melbourne. Here are some of the shopping destinations that are going to be well worth visiting while you are staying in the Melbourne area:

Hussy is located at 338 Bourke St in Melbourne, and is a cult label catering to an ultra chic clientele that is as fashion-forward as they come. Outre Gallery is located at 211 Elizabeth Street in Melbourne. If you are an art lover but you do not have a lot of money to spend, then Outre Gallery is going to help you get started with some original pieces for less than $100 dollars. Fat is located at Shop G03 at GPO 350 Bourke Street in Melbourne. It is renowned for having discovered some of the most renowned labels in all of Australia. Fat is designed to stock emerging labels as well as more established brands, many of which only became established due to being stocked by this high popularity boutique.

Aesop is another worthy stop, located at QV 35 on Albert Coates Lane in Melbourne. This is a brand born in Melbourne that was started 17 years ago. It is a decked-out Melbourne apothecary style that uses natural preservatives and botanical extracts whenever possible. The products that they offer will earn top rank in your home bathroom if you are looking for high quality products for the home.

These are just some of the shops that are well worth visiting while you are staying in or around the Melbourne area.

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Things to do in Federation Square

Flinders Street Train Station Melbourne, Victoria

Image via Wikipedia

Things to do in Federation Square

Federation Square can be found opposite of the Flinders Street Station at the corner of Flinders and Swanston and St Kilda Road. Built over all of the rail yards in this area, the area includes open space, restaurants and cafes in an atrium area, an amphitheater and some interesting but somewhat controversial architecture with an asymmetrical skew to it. There are several different centers in Federation Square, the Melbourne Visitor Center, Australian Racing Museum, Ian Potter Center and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. There is plenty for you to see, do and experience while visiting the Federation Square area in Melbourne, Australia.

The Melbourne Visitor Centre is open every day except for Good Friday and Christmas. It is free to visit, and most of the actual centre is below the ground level. The Australian Racing Museum is open daily except for Good Friday and Christmas and costs $9 to attend. It has an extensive library in the resource centre. The Ian Potter Centre NGV Australia is open daily except for Monday, and is closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday. The Ian Potter Centre houses the National Gallery of Victoria, a collection of unique Australian Art. The NGV’s art collection is an international art college that is housed here.

In Federation Square you will also find ACMI, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, which has a screen gallery that is open every day from 10 am until 6 pm. This centre features a museum for digital media, film and television. The entry into this centre is free, but if you decide to see certain exhibitions or programs and cinema screenings, then separate fees may apply so make sure that you plan ahead accordingly when visiting the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.

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Gardens and Parks in Melbourne Australia

Floral Clock, Queen Victoria Gardens, Melbourn...

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Melbourne, Australia is known for being home to a number of different gardens and parks. Most of them can be found between St Kilda Road’s east side and Melbourne’s Yarra River. This series of gardens and parks each offers something distinct and unique to behold. In this area you will find the Alexandra Gardens, the Queen Victoria Gardens, the Kings Domain, the Shrine of Remembrance, the Governor La Trobe’s Cottage, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the Government House and the Royal Botanic Gardens. If you are interested in gardens, parks, landmarks and things to do and see in Melbourne, these are all stops that are well worth making.

The Queen Victoria Gardens feature a memorial for both King Edward VII and Queen Victoria. Here you will find numerous sculptures as well as a clock that is made completely out of 7000 plants. Kings Domain incorporates a number of different stops, landmarks and things to do and see including the Shrine of Remembrance, which is a war memorial and the Governor La Trobe’s Cottage. This is a prefabricated house that was brought to Australia back in 1839 by Charles La Trobe. It is open on Sundays between 2 pm and 4 pm throughout October to May and on the last Sunday of every month from June to September.

The Sidney Myer Music Bowl was built back in 1959 and it is used as an ice skating rink during the winter months and is used for concerts in the spring, summer and autumn months. The Government house is a landmark that is open to the public only on the 26 of January, which is Australia Day. There are also booked guided tours through the National Trust on Mondays and Wednesdays. Finally, the Royal Botanic Gardens is open daily. It is one of the finest botanic gardens in the entire world offering 10,000 species as well as 50,000 individual plants.

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Understanding the Climate of Melbourne, Australia

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 27: Boys jump ...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Understanding the Climate of Melbourne, Australia

Many people will tell you that the city of Melbourne has all four seasons in a single day. This is actually particularly common when it comes to the late autumn and the early spring, as the weather during these periods of time can be quite changeable. It is rare for the major extremes to be experienced in a single day. Statistically speaking, Melbourne receives only about half of the average amount of rainfall that Sydney receives, and Melbourne receives approximately 600 mm or 24 inches of rainfall per annum, which is generally scattered all throughout the year. Statistically speaking, the wettest month of the year in Melbourne is October.

On an average summer day, Melbourne is sunny and has temperatures that range between 79 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to note that the summer in Melbourne ranges from December to February. The warmest temperatures can typically be found in the suburban inland locations, where as the coast is generally going to be tempered with a southerly sea breeze that is nice and refreshing. During the summer months heat waves are especially common, with temperatures reaching and exceeding 104 degrees Fahrenheit and featuring hot winds in a northerly direction.

During the winter months, which range between June and August, the weather is typically cool though clear and sunny through part of the season and cold and damp throughout the rest. The temperatures in the winter months can range from 36 degrees Fahrenheit to 66 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Melbourne, Australia was 27 degrees Fahrenheit, which occurred all the way back during 1869. Sometimes the hills to the east of the city will experience snow, but snow is relatively uncommon in Melbourne proper. The best times to visit the city are in the autumn and the spring when the weather is a little more fair and pleasant. The daytime highs should not become unbearably warm during this time period, with most days averaging at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Things to do in Melbourne City Centre

A view of the library from the left side facin...

Image via Wikipedia

Things to do in Melbourne City Centre

The Melbourne city centre has plenty to offer to visitors to the area. This is just a sampling of all the various things that you can do and see while you are staying in the city centre or surrounding suburbs.

In Central Melbourne, check out the docklands, southern star, Victoria police museum, Melbourne aquarium, the immigration museum, Rialto towers, ANZ banking museum, Block arcade, Scots’ church, St. Michael’s Uniting church, Flinders street station and St. Paul’s cathedral. You should also consider visiting the city square, Melbourne town hall, Manchester Unity building, Royal arcade, Bourke St. mall, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne city baths, Queen Victoria market, Old Melbourne Gaol, the National Post Master Gallery, Chinatown, the Museum of Chinese Australian History, Little Greece, Windsor Hotel, Parliament House of Victoria and the Hotel Sofitel.

Other stops worth making include the Gold Treasury Museum and the Old Treasury Building, the Treasury Gardens, Fitzroy Gardens, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Fire Services Museum in Victoria, Southgate Plaza, Crown Entertainment Complex, the Crown Casino, Melbourne Exhibition Centre and the Polly Woodside Maritime Museum.

If you visit the Yarra River area, then you should check out the Melbourne River Cruises which leave from the Princes Walk and from the Lower Promenade at Southbank. There are some nice walks along the river as well, including one from the corner of St Kilda Rd and Batman Avenue, which crosses over the Morell footbridge and returns to the Princes Bridge over the riverbank. You may also walk through the Alexandra Gardens and the Botanic Gardens along the way.

This list is by no means comprehensive, there are hundreds of other things to do, see, experience and enjoy while you are visiting the Melbourne, Australia area, especially in and around the city centre. Make a list of the things that appeal to you the most so that you can get the most out of your visit, because a little planning can go a long way in preparing you for your trip to the area.

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Districts and Suburbs of Melbourne, Australia

Albert Park and Lake. Melbourne, Victoria, Aus...

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Districts and Suburbs of Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne, Australia is the second largest city of Australia and it spreads toward the south along the Port Phillip Bay shoreline, then east in the direction of the Dandenong Ranges, and westward in the direction of the city called Geelong. Toward the north you will find the central Victorian plains. Just like with any large-scale city, Melbourne is actually divided into a number of different suburbs. Not all of these suburbs are going to be of general interest to a traveler, but many of them are still worth noting. The city centre of Melbourne is quite beautiful and sports an interesting mix between old and new. There are certain things that you are not going to want to miss including intricate buildings from bygone eras, Eureka Tower and also the Rialto as well.

In the inner city there are many different suburbs. These include the city centre, Albert park, Brunswick, Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy, Footscray, Prahran, Richmond, South Melbourne, South Yarra, St Kilda, Williamstown and Yarraville. The central business district at the city centre is the historical core of the city. Albert Park is where you will find the F1 Grand Prix. Brunswick is considered to be the “new” Fitzroy, while Fitzroy is a Bohemian quarter filled with all kinds of trendy boutiques and interesting restaurants. Footscray is multicultural and cool for being a working class area with East African and Vietnamese shops, cheap markets and plenty of other things to do and see.

Each of these suburbs is going to provide you with a completely different experience. Do a little research on each one and you are bound to find plenty that you can do and see while you are staying in the area. While some areas are more geared toward the tourist than others, every area throughout Melbourne can provide you with interesting things to do and see, including many regional treasures that are must-see destinations when you are visiting Melbourne for the first time.

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Welcome to Melbourne Australia

Great Ocean Road - Victoria

Image by Andrew Hux via Flickr

Welcome to Melbourne Australia

Melbourne is the second largest city in all of Australia, and also happens to be the capital city for the south-easternmost state, Victoria, which is located in the Port Phillip Bay’s head. Melbourne is the cultural capital of Australia and features extensive shopping, galleries, museums, theaters, gardens and large parks coupled with architecture from the Victorian age. There are 4 million residents in Melbourne, Australia, and they are both sports-mad and multicultural. Sporting events play a huge role in Melbourne culture, and also in Melbourne travel and tourism as well.

When decide that you want to visit the Melbourne area you will find plenty that you will be able to do and see. For example, you should definitely try to attend some of the major sporting events in the area. You should also use Melbourne as a base to explore a variety of surrounding regions including Phillip Island, the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians National Park. On Phillip Island you will find the unique Penguin Parade. Many visitors from the United Kingdom visit Melbourne so that they can take a tour of the filming locations used in the UK soap opera called Neighbours.

Are you thinking about visiting Melbourne, Australia? If so, one of the first things that you should do is to make a list of everything that you would like to do and see while you are in the area. Because there are so many different options available to you, doing some planning beforehand is really going to come in handy for you. Separate your list by area so that you can make a daily plan, and this is going to allow you to make sure that you see everything you want to while you are visiting the area. A little bit of planning and forethought can really come in handy when you want to get the most out of your visit to Melbourne, so make sure that you plan long before your trip so that you can best enjoy all aspects of Melbourne tourism and travel.

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