Sports and Melbourne

The residents of this city are sports-mad and take great pride in the sports that take place here. They refer it as the sporting capital in Australia. There are several world class stadium, and Melbourne hosts several tournaments.

To have a first hand feel of the sports craze in Melbourne go to a live match. There lots of these matches to choose from. The Australian Tennis Open and it takes place at the Rod Laver Arena. It is a huge tourist attraction event. There is also the Australian Football League which was started in Melbourne and them spread to the rest of the country with time.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is the most re-known stadium in Melbourne and any sport held here is attended faithfully by the tourists and the locals alike. On a day when there is no event taking place in this stadium, you can pass through the Cricketers Hall of Fame.

Cultural center.

The vibrant arts scene in this city is a contrast to its sports streak, but enriches it all the same. This has made is the center of all cultural activity in Australia. There is a strong sense of culture evidenced through the galleries, museums, classic buildings and Melbourne has the reputation of a city of great creativity. This is also expressed though the music, theater and festivals held in this city.

Melbourne is a very cosmopolitan city that is diverse and very interesting.  A vacation here will be a mix of sport, history and not forgetting the beaches, wildlife all thrown in.

The Melbourne Museum, the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Located in the Carlton Gardens. Your visit to Melbourne is incomplete without a visit to this museum to check out it seven galleries.

The Discovery Centre or the incredible IMAX theatre is a theater that shows movies in 3-D format. Kids would be thrilled as they check out Egyptian mummies and dinosaur bones from China.

Melbourne is also home to World Class travelling exhibitions. The exhibitions also promote local art scenes and the history of Melbourne. The National Gallery of Victoria, is the oldest and largest public art gallery in Australia, having being established in 1861 is also a similar exhibition which holds 63 000 pieces of work from arts masters of past years and modern times, and is worth visiting to see these permanent exhibitions and the diverse range of travelling ones that it hosts.

Night life in Melbourne

Culture and creativity that is cultivated in Melbourne has resulted in a vibrant and thrilling night life in this city.  There is consistency as far as live music and performances are concerned. On any given night musicians fill the clubs with their music.

This is best experienced in St. Kilda. Its bohemian atmosphere and creative reputation is enhanced by the performers, whether they are doing their thing in the street or playing in the pubs. The pubs and the restaurants throughout the whole city also reflect the cultural diversity of Melbourne.

Food in Melbourne

You can sample foods from a dazzling array of world cuisines, from classic English fare to truly exotic island-style dishes. People in Melbourne appreciate fine dining and a pint of good wine alike. The regions surrounding the city produce some of the finest wines in the country, and nothing beats a good meal with a bottle of the local red or white. That’s the culture of people in Melbourne.

Diversity of scenery.

One great thing about taking a holiday in Melbourne is that if you get tired of the sceneries that the city has to offer, or feel like changing scenery from the city to some fresh country air, there is plenty to choose from. You can head west to drive along the Great Ocean Road and enjoy the spectacular views and phenomenal geological features. Other spectacular sights are the Mediterranean delights of the Mornington Peninsula, the rugged mountains and lush valleys of the Dandenong Ranges.

Old or young, no matter what your interests are, you can count on the city of Melbourne and its beautiful surrounds will have something to make your holiday special.

Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

This is one event that is major not only in Melbourne but in Australia’s sporting events of the year. The thrill and excitement that comes with the Melbourne Grand Prix Formula 1 is unmissable.

This event takes place at ‘The Albert Park’ racing circuit. This is a five day event which begins with the main race followed by four days of different events such as kart-racing, and plenty of off-track entertainment too. From a 2009 Grand Prix Ball, to concerts, carnivals and the adrenaline pumping and heart-stopping racetrack of Albert Park, the 2009 Grand Prix is a sporting event not to miss.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

This is one of the biggest and funniest festivals in the whole wide world. It has different activities carried out from stand-up shows to cabaret to street entertainers.  Film and music too are part of it. It’s a festival that conglomerates the very best comedians and funny acts from Melbourne and the rest of the world. This is one hell of a festival which is synonymous with a good laugh.

Chinese New Year Festival

The Chinese New Year Festival (The Year of the Ox) usually celebrated in January. There are over 10,000 Chinese residents living in Melbourne and this is a big celebration for them and it keeps becoming bigger each year as the Chinese population in Melbourne increases.

You can join the celebration and get to experience the Chinese culture, arts, heritage and festivities. The delicious Chinese food, their music, dance and martial arts don this festival making it one festival that you should not miss out on.

Melbourne’s Big Day Out

Year in year out Melbourne people come together to enjoy the very best of music. They get to appreciate their own musicians and enjoy the music. Some of the musicians that are lined up to participate in this years event are Neil Young, The Arctic Monkeys, The Living End, The Prodigy, Sneaky Sound System, My Morning Jacket, Pendulum Bullet for my Valentine, TV on the Radio, Simian Mobile Disco among others.

The Australian Open Tennis Championships

This is an event that started back in 1905. It was initially known as the ‘Australian Championships’. It’s one of the major sporting events in the Australian Calendar.

Melbourne Park is the venue for the championships. Live performances by music bands, carnivals, as well as shows don this event.

The Australian Open Tennis Championship is also hosted in six different venues across Australia namely Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and in New Zealand.

Saint Jerome’s Laneway Festival

This is a rock festival which visits the Australian Cities such a Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Melbourne every year. Saint Jerome’s Laneway Festival is a rock festival that continues to grow each year and attracts music and cultural lovers from all over, flocking to the many laneway venues. The festival is held in the laneways that lead to the city of Melbourne.

This is a festival you don’t want to miss out on if you happen to be in Melbourne. You get to experience the talent of the top bands in Melbourne.

Melbourne’s weather is great most of the time and lends itself for outdoor activities, picnics and bike rides – but there are also rainy day things to do that are affordable and fun.

A Bike Ride

In Melbourne you can get virtually anywhere by bike.  Along the Yarra and the Merri Creek is a great place for children to ride. Along the eastern bay children can also get to ride as far as they can make it. The best thing about riding in Melbourne is that you can take bikes on trains so you can ride one way and return by train if you are too exhausted.

The Children’s Garden
The Royal botanical garden has a section for children. It is a great place for them to learn about plants, get to do things more practically like dig and create little gardens. There are labyrinths to hide in as they play their games. There also marvelous landscapes to explore. Get the children ready for this experience let them be in comfortable clothes and let them experience the botanical garden in a more personal way.

The Beach
Along the eastern side of Melbourne there are many beaches. There are no dangerous tides because it’s mainly a bay (Port Phillip Bay). This makes it safe for children to swim and indulge in a variety of water sports with other children on the beach or even with you.

Scienceworks Museum
This is located in Spotswood. Children really enjoy the many hands-on experiences and explorations they go through as they play about lights, mechanics and the solar system. This is a paid for though but it is good value for your money as the children get to learn as much as they are enjoying their holiday.

Community Environment Park
Ceres is a community environment project that is located on the Merri Creek in Brunswick which is a great hang out place. There are a wind pump, generators, chucks, an adventure playground, ponds and a garden. There is also a café that the children can grab a bite while in Ceres. It is a great place for a family visit in a modern natural environment where you can go to relax.

Melbourne is a great city and a great holiday destination not just for you but for your entire family including the kids. Let them get to experience Melbourne, share in the culture and the great attraction sites in Melbourne. From the museums, the green parks, the marvelous beaches, to the spectacular architectural monuments and above all get to learn about Melbourne and have something to share with their friends and schoolmates when they get back home.

We stayed in Melbourne for couple of weeks, watched the Footy, frequented some of the best and simplest Restaurants in the World. 

Also checked out the suburbs, with what I regard as the best transport system I’ve experience.

Some of the great suburbs and towns,  I’ve created links to for you convenience.  They could all be a individual holiday experience themselves.

Check these places out  Southbank”great casino”, Docklands”love that stadium”,  Richmond”shop all day”, Port Melbourne, Carllton”fine restaurants”, St Kilda”just for fun”, South Yarra, Footscray”cosmopolitan plus”, Flemington”best racetrack bar none”.

We also venture out a little further Malvern, Caulfield, Sandringham, Doncaster, Altona, Pascoe Vale, “mighty Bomberland”Essendon, Dandenong, Frankston, Geelong, Bacchus Marsh, Dromana.

We finally spent a couple of weeks out in these fabulous towns Ballarat, Cowes”love that Island”, Apollo Bay”what a coastline”, Wangaratta, Bairnsdale, Warrnambool”the Bool”, Horsham”this is the bush”, Mildura to Wodonga”mighty Murray”.

Look there is a hell of a lot to see and do, we didn’t meet a bad person along the way, the hospitality was tremendous.

I’ve missed many other unbelievable towns and some of these country towns are as big as cities.

Seriously with your family or friends, a people mover and a positive attitude,

“A Truly Life Changing Experience”

As you go from city to city your not sure what is available but here are a series of links that you can use that can really help you.

It provides you with all the different categories of businesses that you may need.

Melbourne Travel

Sydney Travel

Brisbane Travel

Canberra Travel

Hobart Travel

Darwin Travel

Adelaide Travel

Perth Travel

I am sure this will be of great assistance.

Good luck.

Here is a series of Australian cities and links that makes it ease to try different test searches to obtain a result.

Melboune Businesses

Sydney Businesses

Brisbane Businesses

Adelaide Businesses

Perth Businesses

Canberra Businesses

Hobart Businesses

Darwin Businesses

Hope this helps.