Melbourne - Australia 2004 - page 553

city plus a champagne breakfast once you've hit the ground again. Dawn flights
cost A$265 (US$146) for adults, and A$175 (US$101) for children under 12 (but
if they're under 1.2m (4 ft.) tall they won't be able to see over the basket). Reser-
vations are essential.
BIKING Extensive bicycle paths wind through the city and suburbs. For details
on the 20 most popular routes, pick up a copy of Melbourne Bike Tours, pub-
lished by Bicycle Victoria ( & 03/9328 3000; fax [phone]; www.bv.com.
au), available at most bookshops. Bicycle Victoria also runs several major cycling
tours throughout the state every year.
Bike Now, 320 Toorak Rd., South Yarra ( & 03/9826 6870 ), rents bicycles
for A$15 (US$9.75) for 2 hours, A$20 (US$13) for 4 hours, A$30 (US$20) for
a full day, and A$70 (US$46) for a week. The shop is open Monday through
Friday from 9am to 7pm, Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and Sunday from 11am
to 5pm. Take tram no. 8 to Toorak Road.
You can also rent a bike from Hire a Bike at St. Kilda Pier ( & 03/9531
7403 ); non-Australians must show their passports.
GOLF One of the best public golf courses in Australia is Yarra Bend, Yarra
Bend Road, Fairfield ( & 03/9481 3729 ). Greens fees are about A$15
(US$9.75), and club rental is an extra A$10 (US$6.50) for a half set and A$25
(US$16) for a full set.
The exclusive Royal Melbourne Golf Club, in the suburb of Black Rock,
24km (15 miles) from the city center, is rated as one of the world's 10 best golf
courses. It's open to members only, but if you belong to a top-notch golf club at
home, you might be able to wheedle your way in.
For more information on golf in Victoria, contact the Victorian Golf Asso-
ciation, 15 Bardolph St., Burwood ( & 03/9889 6731 ).
IN-LINE SKATING The promenade in St. Kilda is the most popular place
to strap on a pair of skates. You can rent all you need at Rock'n 'n' Roll'n, 11a
Fitzroy St., St. Kilda ( & 03/9525 3434 ). The first hour costs A$8 (US$5.20).
Successive hours are less expensive.
TENNIS The venue for the Australian Open, the Melbourne Park National
Tennis Centre, on Batman Avenue ( & 03/9286 1244 ), is a great place to play
tennis. When tournaments are not scheduled, its 22 outdoor courts and four
indoor courts are open to the public. You can rent courts Monday through Fri-
day from 7am to 11pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 6pm. Charges
range from A$14 to A$30 (US$9.10-US$20) per hour, depending on the court
and time of day (outdoor courts are cheapest). Show courts 1, 2, and 3 are also
for rent at the same prices. Racquets are also available for A$3 (US$1.95).
SPECTATOR SPORTS
CAR RACING The annual Australian Formula One Grand Prix takes place
in early March. Call Ticketmaster ( & 13 61 22 in Australia), or the Grand Prix
Hotline ( & 13 16 41 in Australia, or 03/9258 7100) for information on tick-
ets, accommodations, and airfares. Also check out the Grand Prix's website at
www.grandprix.com.au.
CRICKET From October through March, cricket's the name of the game in
Melbourne. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Brunton Avenue, Yarra
Park, Jolimont ( & 03/9657 8879 ), once the main stadium for the 1956 Mel-
bourne Olympic Games, is perhaps Australia's most hallowed cricket field. The
stadium can accommodate 97,500 people. For the uninitiated, “one-day” games