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Melbourne, Federation Square's bizarre - but not unpleasant - collection of architectural styles.

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Originally a gold-rush town in the mid 1800s, Melbourne is Australia's second largest city at 3.5 million, a cultured and cosmopolitan place on the banks of the Yarra river in the far south-east of the country.
The city's Victorian architecture is impressive and mostly blends well with some ultra-modern buildings, plentiful green spaces and picturesque riverside walks.

City activities, whether cultural, sporting or pure entertainment are creative, varied and interesting, bars are buzzing and restaurants are superb - especially for Asian cuisine, while both live music and club scenes are thriving.
Around Melbourne there's plenty of action too - massive beaches [one of them is 90 miles long] with fine surfing, excellent wildlife parks [e.g. Hall's Gap], the spectacular Great Ocean Road [GOR] driving route, great hiking in the Grampian Highlands and skiing in the winter.

The Yarra riverside, loaded with eating places on the promenade to the right, servicing the city workaholics from across the river, left.

Like other major Australian cities Melbourne is park and water-oriented. The Yarra is the main focus with rowing and river cruises figuring high in things to do around the centre - apart from eating and drinking of course, while further downstream the Docklands provide a new focal point for more conspicuous consumption.
The Royal Botanic Gardens on the banks of the Yarra nearby are beautifully laid out, diverse and interesting, just one of the city's grand green spaces.
The suburb of St Kilda is a classic seaside resort with pier, pavilion, amusement park, market, beach and endless establishments to service the hordes that descend on the town on warm sunny days.

Comparisons are inevitably made with Sydney, particularly since the two cities were such equal contenders for the title of Australia's capital in the early 20th century that the government was unable to decide which was more suitable, so they built a new capital in the middle of nowhere - Canberra.

Just about everything in Melbourne is cheaper than Sydney, tourist herds far less obtrusive and there's a free circular tram. Melbourne is more dynamic, Sydney more relaxed. Melburnians claim that their city is one of the world's most liveable; could that imply that Sydney may be one of the most visitable?
Sydney certainly outshines Melbourne in two tourist areas. It has a more immediate, unique charm due to its wonderful harbour setting and those world famous icons - the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, while the climate is somewhat better. Winter in Melbourne is colder than Sydney though both cities can have excessively hot summers.
On the other hand, Melbourne is the gateway to the Great Ocean Road...

Brunswick Street with its funky shops and eateries.

Travellers seeking a more off-the-wall shopping and partying environment than central Melbourne should take the first tram to lengthy Brunswick St where weird needs are more likely to be met than elsewhere. Goth central, new wave, neo-hippies and such.
Not quite up to Sydney's delights as far as tourism is concerned Melbourne nevertheless offers a dynamic, hard working and cultured ambience. It's also the start of the Great Ocean Rd...

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