Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
H4
170
QV
F3
Readings
(see 5)
171
Somewhere
E4
172
Sticky
E6
173
Wunderkammer
C3
Federation Square
(
www.fedsquare.com.au
;
cnr Flinders & Swanston Sts; 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67, 72, Flinders St)
While it's
taken some time, Melburnians have finally come to embrace Federation Square, accepting
it as the congregation place it was meant to be - somewhere to celebrate, protest, watch
major sporting events or hang out on its deckchairs. Occupying a prominent city block,
'Fed Square' is far from square: its undulating and patterned forecourt is paved with
460,000 hand-laid cobblestones from the Kimberley region, with sight-lines to Mel-
bourne's iconic landmarks; its buildings are clad in a fractal-patterned reptilian skin.
Within are cultural heavyweights such as the Ian Potter Centre and the Australian
Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), as well as restaurants and bars. At the square's
street junction is the subterranean Melbourne Visitor Centre (
Click here
)
. Highly recom-
mended free tours of Fed Square depart Monday to Saturday at 11am; spaces are limited,
so get here 10 to 15 minutes early. The square has free wi-fi, and there are always free
public events going on here, particularly on weekends - as well as free daily tai chi from
7.30am, and meditation at 12.30pm on Tuesday.
LANDMARK
Ian Potter Centre:
NGV Australia
GALLERY
(
03-8620 2222;
www.ngv.vic.gov.au
; Federation Sq; exhibition costs vary;
10am-5pm Tue-Sun;
1, 3, 5, 6,
8, 16, 64, 67, 72, Flinders St)
Hidden away in the basement of Federation Square, the
Ian Potter Centre is the other half of the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), set up to
showcase its impressive collection of Australian works. Set over three levels, it's a mix of
permanent (free) and temporary (ticketed) exhibitions, comprising paintings, decorative
