Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
11
Melbourne
by Marc Llewellyn
M
elbourne (pronounced
Mel
-bun),
the capital of Victoria and Australia's
second-largest city, with a population
well over three million, is a cultural
melting pot. For a start, more people
of Greek descent live here than in any
other city except Athens. Chinese,
Italian, Vietnamese, and Lebanese
immigrants have all left their mark. In
fact, almost one-third of Melburnians
were born overseas or have parents
who were born overseas. With such a
diverse population, and with trams
rattling through the streets and a host
of stately European architecture sur-
rounding you, you could easily forget
you're in Australia.
Melbourne has a reputation of
being at the head of the pack when it
comes to shopping, restaurants, fash-
ion, music, nightlife, and cafe culture.
It frequently beats out other state cap-
itals in bids for major international
concerts, plays, exhibitions, and sport-
ing events, such as the Formula One
Grand Prix.
The city also revels in a healthy
rivalry with its northern neighbor,
Sydney, but it's interesting to note that
almost every Melbournian adores their
city—often described as the “most liv-
able” in the world—whereas Syd-
neysiders are mostly half-hearted in
their praise for their own abode.
Melbourne's roots go back to the
1850s, when gold was found in the
surrounding hills. British settlers took
up residence and have since prided
themselves on coming freely to their
city, rather than having been forced
here in convict chains. The city grew
wealthy and remained largely a con-
servative bastion until World War II,
when another wave of immigration,
this time mainly from southern
Europe, made it a more relaxed place.
1 Orientation
ARRIVING
BY PLANE
Melbourne's main international and domestic airport is
Tullama-
rine Airport,
located 22km (14 miles) northwest of the city center. If you're
traveling from Sydney, the flight will take you around 1 hour, 20 minutes. It's a
5-minute walk between the international and domestic terminals. Travelers'
information desks are open on both levels of the international terminal build-
ing from 6am until the last flight. There are snack bars, a restaurant, currency-
exchange facilities, and duty-free shops in the international terminal. There's
also a post office, open daily from 9am to 5pm, but stamps are available from
vending machines after hours, as well as mail boxes. ATMs are available at both
terminals. Showers are on the first floor of the international area. Baggage trol-
leys are free in the international baggage claim hall but cost A$2 (US$1.30) if
hired in the parking lot, departure lounge, or the domestic terminal. Baggage lock-
ers cost A$4 to A$8 (US$2.60-US$5.60) per day, depending on size. The
Hilton
Melbourne Airport
is walking distance from the terminals (
&
03/9338 2322
).