Marvellous Melbourne

Rudra Shirodkar
Aug 26, 2017 · 6 min read

Voted at the ‘Most Liveable City in the World’ for seven consecutive years, Melbourne is the coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. Australia’s most culturally diverse city, Melbourne is revered as the vibrant hub of style, sport, culture, and dining. Melbourne is the second most populous city of the island. A packed agenda of food, wine, sports, and arts is one’s introduction to the best of Melbourne — from its creative, exciting city centre, to its buzzing neighbourhood hubs. It’s the gateway to Victoria’s world-famous wineries, natural springs, peninsulas, spectacular coastlines, breathtaking, picturesque terrains, and alpine villages.

Bank of the Yarra River

Here are a few of the many places of attractions that are flocked by travellers throughout the year:

Great Ocean Road

One can experience one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives at the Great Ocean Road. Marvelling at the towering 12 Apostles, getting up close to native wildlife, taking iconic surf breaks, enjoying the pristine rainforest and misty waterfalls along are a few of the things to do on this drive. One can choose from a diverse array of things to see and do all across the region. Bushwalking, surfing and mountain biking expeditions are common activities for travellers. One can also take the cultural route through galleries, museums and heritage attractions. Admiring the stunning coastline on the Great Ocean Walk, visit the koalas, emus and kangaroos at Tower Hill, and explore surf towns and inspiring seaside villages.

Great Ocean Road
The 12 Apostles

Yarra River

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. The Yarra River is now the undisputed social heart of marvellous Melbourne. A Melbourne icon, the river is the focus for numerous spectacular events including the famous Moomba festival, rowing regattas, the Melbourne Festival and Dragon Boat Festivals.

The Yarra Valley serves as the hub of wineries with a wide choice to choose from. People around the world are seen enjoying a glass of local wine in the serene valley. 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 jettys. In addition, there are trails and paths which cater for cyclists, walkers and joggers.

Yarra River
Moomba Festival at the Yarra

Royal Botanic Gardens

Established in 1846, the picturesque setting of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne extends over 38 hectares and displays more than 50,000 plants. Diverse plant collections, year-round events, unique tours, and a reputation as one of the world’s finest gardens has made the Royal Botanic Gardens one of Melbourne’s most popular tourist attractions.

The Botanic Gardens are a peaceful island south of the city, with wide sweeping paths and lawns, lush hills, tranquil lakes, rainforest fern gullies, wetlands, a herb garden, and a tropical glass house. Family picnics, romantic strolls, coffee at the lake, ruffling through dry autumn leaves, or rediscovering yourself — this is just the right place.One can go on a variety of guided walks and tours, an aboriginal heritage walk, or a quiet dusk stroll advertised on the map boards throughout the park. During summer there is an open air cinema on one of the garden lawns.

Royal Botanic Gardens

Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Museum is a natural and cultural history museum located in the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. Located adjacent to the Royal Exhibition Building, it is the largest museum in the Southern Hemisphere. Melbourne museum is a rich response to Melbourne’s urban condition, and provides a place for education, history, culture and society to engage with each other in a contemporary setting. It is now an important part of Melbourne’s soft infrastructure and is consistently ranked as one of the most popular museums and tourist attractions in Australia, winning ‘Best Tourist Attraction’ at the Australian Tourism Awards in 2011. The museum has various galleries like Science and Life Gallery, Mind and Body Gallery Evolution Gallery, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Forest Gallery, Children’s Gallery, and Touring Hall.

Signature exhibit at the Melbourne Museum

Healesville Sanctuary

Healesville Sanctuary, formally known as the Sir Colin MacKenzie Sanctuary, is a zoo specialising in native Australian animals. It is located at Healesville in rural Victoria, Australia, and has a history of breeding native animals. Explore a bushland haven for Australian wildlife in the stunning Yarra Valley. Wander through the tranquil tracks and meet some iconic Australian animals like Koalas, Kangaroos, Platypus, Dingoes, Wombats and Emus.

Healesville Sanctuary is also home to the Australian Wildlife Centre, a hospital which treats more than 2000 sick and injured native animals every year and is an important training centre for wildlife veterinarians.

Kangaroos at the Healesville Sanctuary

Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war. Inspired by classical architecture, the Shrine was designed and built by veterans of the First World War. Opened in 1934, it is a building with a soul.

Shrine of Remembrace

Apart from these iconic locations, Melbourne is a melting pot of cultures, a fact reflected in its restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars. A rich variety of cuisines and wide choice of restaurants have sprung out of Melbourne’s multi-cultural melting pot, making Melbourne a true world class city. Ranging from classic and traditional to exotic and eccentric, there is something for everyone: Charming cafes, intimate wine bars, pub meals, and up-market fine dining. Mexican, Turkish and Spanish…. You can eat and dine till you drop in Melbourne and still have only scratched the surface.There are various ethnic areas where one can find a particular concentration of one cuisine or another. Carlton is famous for its fabulous Italian cuisine. Richmond and Footscray are noted for Vietnamese dishes. There is China Town with its Chinese Restaurants.

Hardware Lane — Famous for its traditional espresso

Melbourne, is not a city with a strong beach culture or a hustle bustle routine, and its attitude could be described as more settled rather than flippant. It is like stepping into a whole new Australian interpretation of big city living. From quiet long walks down the city lanes, to the never-ending nightlife in the city, Melbourne is beyond doubt the most liveable and the most enjoyable city on the globe.


Travart is an international travel and exploration company which organises epic trips worldwide for young travellers.

For more information, log on to www.travart.org

Rudra Shirodkar/ Travart blogs


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