Due to a business trip I will have 2 days of free time this weekend in Melbourne. It’s my first time there, in fact my first time down under…

…so what should I have on the “to do/see” list?

Aquarium’s nice… A cupcake shoppe in the centre of town called Little Cupcakes is one of my faves. Plenty of good sushi nearby too. There’s a nice park by the Yarra river in the centre – just over the bridge. If you do go there, you’ll see my favorite eucalypt tree across the bridge, a lemon scented gum, like this:

Say hello to it! 😉

Other than that, ride the trams about and explore! It’s a great little city – very compact and friendly, great food just about everywhere.. If you like really good food (expensive, though!), head to Cumulus Inc.

Just got back a week ago from 3 months work in Melbourne…

I stayed between south bank and south melbourne, just off St. Kilda Road. Highlights included:

Shrine of Remembrance is nice to have a wander around with a coffee, close to the Botanic gardens in same park mentioned above.
Get tram to St. Kilda for a walk along the beach.
Queen Vic market is good for buying tat to bring home.
Melbourne aquarium, second that, its well worth a visit.
Neighbours tour was OK, if you like that kind of thing.
Mount Dandenong is worth a visit, if you can get up to Sky High Mt Dandenong you’ll get a brilliant view of the city and surrounding basin.
Healesville Sanctuary is good to go see bush animals.
You Yangs range is good for MTB if you take your bike (or hire one in the city), its 10km from the station to the trails and trains are every 2 hours mostly so it can quickly turn into a full day activity.
Eureka Tower, the highest building in the southern hemisphere is good and you can go back up at night, very nice views of the city at dusk.
Wasn’t too impressed with Soverign Hill at Ballarat, bit of a gold mining version of Beamish, all a bit fake.
My office was just near Albert Park, I walked and rode around the lake a fair bit, but its really not that exciting.
A trip to Philip Island to see the penguins is good, and they come in at dusk so you can do something in the city on the same day.

Eating…
I can highly recommend Stalactites restaurant if you like Greek.
China town is worth a wander down (I cant recommend any Chinese restaurants though, not keen on chinese food).
Lygon Street is where to go for Italian food.

Think thats about it, there’s a tourist information in Federation Square where you can pick up maps / info, they’re quite helpful but not always 100% accurate with their advice.

😀

On the way to Philip Island you can stop at the Giant Earthworm Museum, if you are a fan of totally crap museums, which I am. This one was extra special.

Fly up to Queensland.

Anything is better than Melbourne. 🙂

I have never been a city person but I love Melbourne and the surrounding area.

Now I am going to be a tad unconventional here….

Personally I would skip Philip Island unless you have a urgent desire to be surrounded by bus loads of Japanese watching some penguins walk up a beach. I would also avoid the coast drive – It takes ages and you will get car sick – you also have to follow coach loads of Japanese !

Places to go:
The Grampians National Park range have wonderful walking & Roos.
Barmah National park on the Murray river. Camp if you can. The noise of the dawn chorus of 1000s of Kookaburras will live with you for ever.
Mount Buffalo National Park is awesome, again with great walking.
Wilson’s Prometry – great for seeing Wombats (at night) and Wallabies.

All these places are a reasonable but doable drive. Best to camp if you can. Waking up at Wilsons Prom and seeing Wombats outside your tent is fab.

Food in Melbourne is great. It must be one of the most cosmopolitan places on earth. There used to be a truely great & budget Sri Lankan restaurant in St Kilda. Japanese restaurants can be relatively cheap as well.

BTW. I have nowt against Japanese. I just don’t like crowds.

If you are going to Wilson’s prom, you might as well goto Phillip Island on the way? Both are great IMO and well worth the visit, although its quite a way and if you only have 2 days, may not have time.
Again, time permitting, hire a car and tour the great ocean road, nice scenery on route and a lovely road to boot – wish I had a motorbike over there!
Actually in Melbourne, the zoo is pretty good, St Kilda a nice stroll. Lovely city really, I’m with MBMM on this, not a city person, but love Melbourne.

Thanks all, some good ideas there. Won’t have access to a car so it will be mostly travelling on the trams. I like the idea of visiting the beach at St Kilda.
Only 2 days so I will see how much I can fit in.

Melbourne is fantastic, make sure to sample as much of the excellent coffee and fresh muffins as possible. And travel to Dinner Plain, hire a mountain bike and ride through the snow gums, the most beautiful trees around. Wilsons Prom is good for surfing and wombat spotting (their poops are cubes). I reckon if you don’t sleep or go to work you could fit it all in. I’m well jel.

Woody said try the Pink Palace on Palmerston Crescent 😆

have a look here and you can see some geotagged photogenic spots!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theflatboy/sets/72157627891941184/

Not the place in Derbyshire then?

no need to go to phillip island to see the penguins you can see them for free at st kilda pier.

There’s a street/wee alley network somewhere near the china town area with awesome graffiti. Lot’s of good food and coffee in the center.

I only spent a day wandering around with the family but it seamed like a good spot.