Melbourne

Located on 11 Nicholson Street in the Carlton Gardens next to the Royal Exhibition Building in downtown Melbourne, the Melbourne Museum is a cultural and natural history museum that was established in 1854. The largest museum in the Southern Hemisphere, the Melbourne Museum consists of seven main galleries as well as a children’s gallery, and the Touring Hall, a gallery that hosts temporary exhibits.

There are several theaters in the museum including an IMAX theater, the Age Theater, and the Sidney Myer Amphitheater. The Discovery Center is a public research center, and the museum also offers many education programs. The Melbourne Museum is one of the best things to do in Melbourne, Australia. There is also a cafe and a souvenir shop.

11 Nicholson Street, Carlton VIC 3053, +61-3-8341 7777

Named after Charles and William Degraves, two merchants from Hobart, Tasmania, Degraves Street is a short alley that runs from Flinders Street to Flinders Lane in Melbourne’s central business district. The cobbled bluestone lane is a busy and popular location filled with bars, cafes, and restaurants.

In the 1990s, the tall old buildings were transformed into loft style apartments, which added to the vitality of the street. Many of the eateries feature outdoor dining with umbrellas: Degraves Espresso and Andiamo are a few of the many places to eat on Degraves Street. If you are wondering what to do in Melbourne today, this is a great place to start exploring. The Degraves Street Subway and the Platform Artist Group offer underground events and exhibits.

Attractions for Couples

Located on St Kilda Road in the Southbank area of Melbourne, the National Gallery of Victoria , also known as NGV, was founded in 1861 and is the oldest art museum in Australia. Thanks to donations of works of art and generous funds, the museum now houses more than 70,000 works and is one of the top Melbourne attractions.

These works represent Australian Aboriginal art and Australian art works from the colonial period to contemporary times. In addition to its large collection, the museum also offers classes, lectures, and special events like music concerts, films, and workshops.

180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3006, +61 3 8620 2222

The City Circle Tram is a free tram that goes all around downtown Melbourne. You can hop on and off as you please, and simply everyone is using it: shoppers, tourists, office workers, kids, and families. Trams circle their routes every 12 minutes, so you will never have to wait long.

Most of the trams are heritage W class modern trams painted green and maroon with gold and yellow trimmings, but you will also see MMTB's traditional standard green W Class trams. If you are wondering what to do in Melbourne, the City Circle Tram goes around Melbourne business district and connects with other trams and trains in the city and its surroundings. If you are on the way to see the Parliament House, the Old Treasury Building, or the Princess Theatre, just take the tram and you’ll be there in no time.

Melbourne Gardens are a city oasis with its green sweeping lawns, peaceful lakes, and magnificent trees. The gardens were established in 1846 and now extend over 36 hectares. They are home to a richly diverse collection of more than 50,000 plants from all over the world, a collection that includes some threatened and rare species.

Melbourne Gardens host numerous events, tours, picnics, and weddings, and are a favorite spot for Melbourne families to spend the weekend. A popular feature with children is The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden, where they can explore the ruin gardens, wetland area, gorge, bamboo forest, rill, plant tunnel, and kitchen garden. More than one million and a half people visit the Melbourne gardens every year.

There are people who love Melbourne so much that they are willing to pass on that love by sharing their time and the knowledge of the city with visitors. If you want to see Melbourne through their eyes, learn about what makes the city tick, visit the trendiest bars, and try the city’s best coffee, just look for the young people in green shirts with the logo “I am free”to join I'm Free Walking Tours of Melbourne.

Simply show up in front of the State Library of Victoria and follow their lead. There are no fees or bookings necessary, and tours are available any day of the week. Tips are, of course, welcome, as most of the guides are students. The tours last about three hours and they give you the opportunity to see Melbourne’s Laneways, Yarra River, Street Art, Eureka Tower, Chinatown, Old Melbourne Gaol and Carlton Gardens.

Recommended Activities for Families

The Melbourne Zoo is located on Elliott Avenue north of downtown Melbourne. It is home to over 320 different animal species from Australia and from other places around the world. Modeled after the London Zoo, the Melbourne zoo is the oldest zoo in Australia: it opened in 1862.

Some of the exhibits include the Asian Rainforest with rare Sumatran tigers, the Australian Outback with emus, kangaroos, and koalas, and Trails of the Elephants with five Asian elephants, among others. The zoo offers many education programs for children, teachers, and youth, including the Career Program, which allows students to spend a day as a vet or animal keeper. The zoo is open every day.

Elliott Avenue, Parkville VIC 3052, +61-3-9285-9300

You can spend your entire Australian vacation just exploring the wildlife. However, if you only have one day, join one of the Echidna Walkabout - Day Tours. This company has won numerous awards for its conservation efforts, and they want to give you the opportunity to play a small part in preserving the Australian wild. They will take you to the real Australian bush to see and meet wild animals in their natural habitats.

Your participation supports their conservation efforts as part of the fee you pay for the tour is used to support koala research and wildlife species protection. Their one-day tour will take you to see koalas and kangaroos in the wild and walk with them in their habitats. The tours have groups with a maximum of 10 people and are led by a knowledgeable Wildlife Guide (+61-3-96468249).

Melbourne is sometimes called the graffiti capital of the world. Wherever you go, whether you look up or down, you will see street art in all its glory. WithMelbourne Street Art Tours , your guide, a practicing street artist, will take you on an exploration of this modern urban art media.

You’ll take a stroll through colorful and hip Hosier Lane, Duckboard Place, Blender Lane, Tattersalls Lane, and many other parts of the city where Street Art is becoming an integral part of Melbourne. Your guides will also share with you what Street Art means for them and how it is being used by artists to express their social and political views.