Melbourne - Australia 2004 - page 528

You'll find some information services at Information Victoria, 356 Collins
St. ( & 1300/366 356 in Australia). Staffed information booths for Melbourne
Visitors Centre are also found in Bourke Street Mall. In the central city area, also
look for Melbourne's City Ambassadors for tourist information and directions.
Good websites on the city include CitySearch Melbourne, http://melbourne.
citysearch.com.au; www.melbourne.vic.gov.au; and www.visitmelbourne.com.
CITY LAYOUT
Melbourne is situated on the Yarra River and stretches inland from Port Philip
Bay, which lies to its south. Look at a map, and you'll see a distinct central
oblong area surrounded by Flinders Street to the south, Latrobe Street to the
north, Spring Street to the east, and Spencer Street to the west. Cutting north-
to-south through its center are the two main shopping thoroughfares, Swanston
Street and Elizabeth Street. A series of cross streets, including Bourke Street Mall
(a pedestrians-only shopping promenade), runs between these major thorough-
fares. If you continue south along Swanston Street, and over the river, it turns
into St. Kilda Road, which runs to the coast. The central area is surrounded by
Melbourne's various urban “villages,” including South Yarra, Richmond, Carl-
ton, and Fitzroy. The seaside suburb of St. Kilda known for its diverse selection
of restaurants is also positioned very near to the beach. If you've visited Sydney,
you'll find Melbourne's city center to be smaller and far less congested with peo-
ple and cars.

NEIGHBORHOODS IN BRIEF
Melbourne is huge. At more than 6,110 sq. km (2,383 sq. miles), it's one of the biggest cities
in the world. Below are the areas of most interest to visitors.

City Center Made up of a grid of
streets north of the Yarra River, the
city center is bordered to the south
by Flinders Street and to the north
by Latrobe Street. The eastern and
western borders are Spring Street
and Spencer Street, respectively.
There's some good shopping and
charming cafes, and in recent years
an active nightlife has sprung up
with the opening of a swath of funky
bars and restaurants playing live
and recorded music to suit all ages.
The gateway to the city is Flinders
Street Station, with its dome and
clock tower, flanked by the stunning
new Federation Square precinct.
Chinatown This colorful section of
the city is centered on Little Bourke
Street between Swanston and Exhi-
bition streets. The area marks Aus-
tralia's oldest permanent Chinese
settlement, dating from the 1850s,
when a few boardinghouses catered
to Chinese prospectors lured by gold

rushes. Plenty of cheap restaurants
crowd its alleyways. Tram: Any to
the city.
Carlton North of the city center,
Carlton is a rambling inner-city
suburb famous for the Italian
restaurants along Lygon Street with
outdoor seating—though the qual-
ity of the food served is variable. It's
the home of the University of Mel-
bourne, so there's a healthy student
scene. From Bourke Street Mall
count on a 15-minute walk to reach
the restaurant strip. Tram: 1 or 22
from Swanston Street.
Fitzroy A ruggedly Bohemian
place, 2km (1 1 ⁄ 4 miles) north of the
city center, Fitzroy is raw and funky,
filled with students and artists
and popular for people-watching.
Fitzroy revolves around Brunswick
Street, with its cheap restaurant
scene, busy cafes, late-night book-
shops, art galleries, and pubs.
Around the corner, on Johnston