| |
 |
| |
Canoeing Off
The Coast |
The city of Melbourne is not only Australia's second-largest city, it is one
of the nation's first cities to be founded by free men and women. Once the country's
capital city, Melbourne comes with a Victorian feel, from green and leafy streets
to the many parks to the bustling arts scene. Victoria's
capital city is often called the cultural capital of Australia,
generating some rivalry between itself and Sydney.
Melbourne is considered one of the world's most liveable cities, and the more
than 3.5 million citizens will no doubt agree. Here the value of quality of
life is notably important.
History:
In the early days, life in the Melbourne area was tribal, and the aboriginal
people called themselves Koori. There were many sophisticated tribes living
in what is now Victoria when the Europeans first arrived, around 1803. For the
first few decades of the 18th century the aboriginal people fought European
settlement but in 1835, John Batman coming from Tasmania
bought 240, 000 hectares of land from the Dutigalla tribe. Being unfamiliar
with the concept of selling land and land rights, the tribe believed they were
granting permission to travel their land in return for tools, flour and clothing.
Two years later the township of Melbourne was born.
In 1835, the corner of Flinder's Street and Williams Street became home to
the first public building. The old Customs House, a local landmark, can still
be seen. Europeans continued to migrate to Victoria and by 1840 there were 10,
000 settlers in the area. Land rights continued to be a problem and fighting
between natives and the new landowners continued.
The summer of 1850 brought one of the most important events in the history
of Melbourne. Gold was discovered in nearby Ballarat
and over the next 30 years this changed the face of the country. Many Melbournians
sought fortune in the goldfields. It is no surprise, then, that during the height
of the gold rush Melbourne grew faster than any city in the entire British Empire.
Life in Melbourne greatly improved from the increase in wealth, and the city
flourished so much that it got a new nickname: Marvellous Melbourne.
During this time the young city became the port of choice. Entrepreneurs arrived
in huge numbers, and the population jumped from 80, 000 to well over 300, 000.
Through the 1850s more than £100 million of gold had been mined, and Melbourne
stood firmly as the nation's financial center. The large numbers of migrants
led to even greater struggles between fortune hunters and aboriginal people.
By 1860 the wars had taken a heavy toll and Victoria's aboriginal population
had fallen from 15,000 to a meagre 2000 people.
By 1880 the city had grown so much, and become so popular with the rest of
the world, that it was chosen to host the International Exhibition. The Exhibition,
intended to promote global trade, drew even more attention to Victoria's southern
coast. The Exhibition buildings are considered historical landmarks and stand
to this day. Unfortunately, the 1880s brought with it the end of the gold rush
and a great depression. Times were hard and many businesses were forced to close.
| |
 |
| |
Balloon Rides
Are a Great Way To See Melbourne |
That era also saw the end of one of Australia's more controversial folk heros.
Outlaw Ned Kelly came to embody the fight against the ruling class. A string
of daring robberies and their unique brand of humour made the Kelly gang popular
throughout the nation. Legend has it that the Kelly gang would entertain their
hostages with stories and tricks of the Australian Wild West.
The 20th century saw Australia's government firmly rooted in Melbourne. It
ruled from here until 1927, after which time it moved to the new city of Canberra.
World War II brought even more people to Melbourne. Refugees and migrants from
all over Europe and Asia hoping to escape the ravages of war came to call Australia
home, and as a result land prices rose dramatically.
In 1956 the Olympic Games came to Melbourne, marking the first time in Olympic
history that the games were held in the southern hemisphere. The games were
a success, even though many countries boycotted them in protest of wars being
fought in other parts of the world. The closing ceremonies were also introduced
that year.
Climate:
Melbourne is known for unpredictable weather. Visitors often find it very hot
or very cold. It is usually wet and windy, so water repellent clothing is good
to have. Summer temperatures settle around 35° Celsius (95° Fahrenheit), while
winter falls between 6 to 13° Celsius (43 to 55° Fahrenheit).
Transportation:
Tullamarine Airport is Melbourne's international airport, and provides quick
travel to many destinations around Australia. Daily flights to Sydney, for example,
take a little more than an hour. More than 17 million travellers pass through
the gates every year. The award winning Tullamarine Airport consistently rates
in the top five airports in the world, which is not surprising considering it
offers everything from entertainment to showers.
There are many places to rent cars or catch taxis, or visitors can take the
Skybus from the baggage area to Spencer Street Railway Station. Here, travellers
can transfer to shuttle busses running to most hotels in downtown Melbourne.
They can also depart, or meet passengers arriving by interstate train. The Sydney-Melbourne
XPT runs daily trains between Sydney and Melbourne. Those with international
student cards travel at discount rates regardless of when passage is booked.
Interstate busses connect Melbourne with the rest of Australia. There are several
comparable companies to choose from.
Attractions:
There are many beautiful cities in the world, and Melbourne is certainly one
of them. More than one-quarter of the city has been dedicated to parks
and green spaces, which are great for outdoor festivals like the Melbourne
International Festival of the Arts. The parks are truly spectacular
in the fall when the colours change.
 |
|
| The Twelve
Apostles |
|
Around Melbourne sightseers can find many natural wonders, seemingly growing
right out of the earth. Such as the Twelve Apostles, found along the Great
Ocean Road have been attracting curious onlookers for generations. The
Apostles are pillars of limestone, carved by the erosion of the coastline, and
are among Australia's more photographed natural landmarks.
Man made landmarks, such as the Victorian Arts Centre with its tall illuminated
spire and the Bolte Bridge Towers also abound here. The towers offer beams of
light to the night sky estimated at a brightness of more than 10 million candles.
Melbourne, like most of Australia, is sports
crazy. Australian Rules Football is always popular, and not to be taken lightly.
"Footie", as it is affectionately called, is a fast paced game that is sometimes
confusing to tourists. Players can punch or kick the ball in any direction,
but they can never throw it. This leads to some spectacular attempts to pass
the ball, and a few injuries too. Australian Rules Football is guaranteed to
be fun anywhere you see it, but Melbourne is said to have the best teams around.
Dining in
Melbourne has become quite an adventure, and is as varied as its cultural roots.
Growing out of the British Empire, there is a great deal of western fare, but
the close proximity to Asia has provided many eastern dining traditions as well.
The Chinese restaurants along Little Bourke Street, for example, are said to
rival the dining in Hong Kong itself. And when stopping in at one of the many
Italian cafés
travellers almost believe they are in Rome. Dining is never dull, nor should
it be, and as a result Melbourne has come to be known as the dining capital
of all Australia.
The shopping
in Melbourne is superb, from the 19th-century Block Arcade to the trendy Burke
Road, to the antiques of High Street. Bargain hunters can't pass by Melbourne's
Queen Victoria Market. Started in the mid 1800s, the market offers
everything from clothing to produce. Also worth a visit for shopping or dining
is the popular Southgate district, on the banks of the Yarra River. It is also
home to Australia's largest casino.
| |
 |
| |
Penguins of
Australia |
Shopping, dining and historic sites and parks can be found many places. Something
that cannot be found anywhere else, even at the zoo,
is known as the Penguin Parade. Unique to this region even in Australia, the
Penguin Parade isn't a parade as much as a gathering of up to 2, 000 penguins.
None the less it is still one of the more popular attractions in the southern
hemisphere. During the busiest time 4, 000 sightseers gather each night to watch
the Little Penguins scramble ashore. Little Penguins, also known as Fairy Penguins,
are the smallest penguins in the world and are unique to Australia's southern
waters.
