Time Off

Melbourne is a city of parks, outdoor cafes and trams that glide along broad, tree-lined boulevards. The capital of the state of Victoria, Melbourne was home to the infamous Ned Kelly and his gang. Sitting on the north side of the strange, brown Yarra River, known locally as the 'upside down' river for its muddy surface, Melbourne is only three kilometres (two miles) from the sea. The architecture here is an interesting mix of 19th-century elegance and up-to-the-minute skyscrapers, built on a virtually flat plain with barely an incline to be seen. Superceding its status as Australia's second city, Melbourne has become the country's capital of avant-garde and a cosmopolitan oasis.

Melbourne Attractions

St Paul's Cathedral
Corner Flinders and Swanston Streets, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Tel: +61 3 9653 4333 | Fax: +61 3 9653 4307

This Anglican church was constructed between 1880 and 1891 and is designed in the Gothic transitional style by English architect William Butterfield.

National Gallery of Victoria
180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Tel: +61 3 8620 2222 | Fax: +61 3 8620 2555

The National Gallery offers a Picasso, several William Blake watercolours and many other local and international works. Equally, it offers the opportunity to enjoy the unusual architecture of the building itself, which is surrounded by a moat. It is largely constructed of concrete and was designed in 1968.

Parliament of Victoria
Parliament House, 110-160 Spring Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3002
Tel: +61 3 9651 8911 | Fax: +61 3 9654 5284

This building houses the Victorian parliament, which you can watch in session from the public gallery.

Block Arcade
280-286 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000

This shopping arcade dates from the 19th century, built during the early 1890s and restored in 1988.

Royal Botanic Gardens
Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne, Victoria 3141
Tel: +61 3 9252 2300 | Fax: +61 3 9252 2350

This free attraction is a landscaped garden, the current design of which dates from 1873. A guided tour around the gardens is a perfect way to see some of the 12,000 species of native and imported flora and fauna; free guided walks are available at 10:00 and 11:00 daily.