Melbourne, one of the most popular cities in Australia and the capital of Victoria, has plenty to offer to both tourists and those moving to Australia on a more permanent basis.
Located in the south east of Australia and just atop Port Philip Bay, Melbourne encapsulates all that is good about Australia with a lovely social scene, ocean views and largely hot weather.
It has great history too, with the city formerly being one of the richest in the world. This period came when the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s got into its full swing.
Nowadays, it is much more popular with people and families of all ages for its relaxed and upbeat lifestyle. At the centre of that is Federation Square.
This is widely considered the main meeting point for Melbourne residents and with everything on offer there, it’s not hard to see why.
As well as being one of the most visited tourist attractions in Victoria for its historical attraction, receiving over 60 million visits to date, the square also has a big technological day-to-day draw.
This is because Fed Square, as the locals dub it, enjoys the biggest free Wi-Fi spot in Australia enabling casual surfers and business people alike to pick up fast, easy internet access.
Add to that the first museum in the country to be dedicated to Australian art, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia and a wide range of restaurants, cafés, bars, visitor services and shops and you can see why it is so popular.
Then there is the recently opened Docklands area of the city, which can be found just over the main bridge. As well as offering scenic views of the moored boats, you can also enjoy a sun-drenched picnic or a bike ride in the nearby green space.
This is one of the more relaxed areas of the city and can offer a peaceful way to enjoy Melbourne.
Also within the Docklands are regularly appearing art installations and public galleries showcasing some of the best works in the area.
Given that Melbourne is located on the north a bay, it’s perhaps unsurprising that water features strongly in a number of different areas of the city. Another ‘place to be’ is the Waterfront.
The waterfront stretches right the way along the banks of the Yarra to the Docklands and includes a gamut of shopping, dining, arts, culture, events and attractions for people to take in en route.
Returning to dining, another hotspot for food, drink and hospitality is South Wharf. Several eateries and restaurants can be found in delightfully restored cargo sheds.
This is often suited to business meetings or lazy lunches, but if you have a family to keep entertained then it might not be a bad idea wrapping up lunch and exploring some of the great family facilities in Melbourne.
Those moving overseas to the sunny shores of Melbourne can watch their kids enjoy several different days out and events including ArtPlay, the Medibank Icehouse and over 460 various other attractions for kids of all ages.
What’s more Melbourne has an impressive transport network consisting of trains, trams and buses. It is also a cycle-friendly city, with lots of facilities to keep bikes safe.
As mentioned previously, Melbourne loves its art, especially its outdoor art, and the city’s love of culture doesn’t stop there.
It also hosts a number of different festivals ranging from comedy through to music and even a tattoo and arts convention. The broad range of festivals will leave anyone in the city with plenty to keep occupied with all offering a warm, friendly atmosphere.
Sport too is big on the map, as you may expect with Australia. Melbourne has a steady stream on sporting events on the go at most times of the year. As well as ‘Aussie Rules’, they also have soccer, cricket and fun runs and bike rides.
These sports are all played in pretty impressive stadia too, with Melbourne being home to venues like the famed MCG cricket stadium and the Etihad Stadium which is used for a variety of sports and concerts.
There are a variety of international sporting events which take place in Melbourne every year too, including the Melbourne Grand Prix and the Australian Tennis Open.
For those moving to Australia, there is plenty of information relating to visas and other forms of paperwork on the Australian government’s website.
This includes information on documentation as well as on Australian values and the cultural diversity of Australia’s people.
All in all, Melbourne offers a real chance to immerse yourself in the cultural Australian values and modern facilities that the city offers.
With Melbourne being earmarked more and more as an ‘on-the-move’ place to be, the benefits it has to offer are clear to all.