Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Melbourne's Liveability
Melbourne consistently ranks as one of the
most liveable cities on earth. In 2013, and not
for the first time, Melbourne basked in the title
of the World's Most Liveable City according
to the prestigious
Economist
Intelligence Unit.
In the same year,
Monocle
magazine's quality
of life index put Melbourne in a still-rather-
enviable second (behind Copenhagen). So
what makes Melbourne so good?
Melbourne always ranks highly when it
comes to infrastructure and safety, while
Monocle
's criteria takes in public transport,
urban design and tolerance. And although the
state (and Australia in general) hasn't been
immune to the global financial crisis, Victoria
has consistently recorded growth rates that are
the envy of the industrialised world.
But the city does have some chinks in its ar-
mour. Perhaps Melbourne just couldn't win
Monocle
's #1 ranking because climate and
sunshine are among their criteria - Melbourne
weather can be glorious, but it can also be wet,
windy and changeable at a moment's notice.
And then there's the spiralling cost of living.
Salaries have largely kept pace, but everything
from restaurant meals to hotel rooms have
soared in recent years. To see what we mean,
stop by a real-estate auction and watch the
prices climb ever higher.
Top Films
The Castle
(1997) Cult-comedy classic set in a
working-class Melbourne suburb.
On the Beach
(1957) Apocalypse Now-ish.
Picnic at Hanging Rock
(1975) Elliptical, sen-
sual classic.
Dogs in Space
(1986) Chaotic chronicle of the
city's punk past.
Animal Kingdom
(2010) Menacing, moody
crime-family thriller.
Red Hill
(2010) 'Revisionist' Western/cop-
thriller genre mash-up, set in breathtaking East
Gippsland.
Top Playlist
'Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo)'
, Skyhooks
'Shivers'
, Boys Next Door
'Beautiful People'
, Australian Crawl
'Leaps and Bounds'
, Paul Kelly
'Under the Sun'
, Hunters & Collectors
Famous Victorians
St Mary MacKillop
Dame Nellie Melba
Barry Humphries
Nick Cave
Kylie Minogue
Cate Blanchett
Julian Assange
City Limits
Urban planning stands at the centre of public debate in Melbourne, not least because Mel-
bourne's population is expected to almost double to eight million by 2050. All around its
