Discover Melbourne a Guide for International Students – 2009
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DISCOVER MELBOURNE A GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – 2009 1 Corner of Centre Place and Flinders Lane On behalf of the City The city is the events I wish you all the best Welcome tO of Melbourne, it gives capital of Australia with your studies me great pleasure and it is a unique and I am sure that MELBOURNE to welcome you to combination of first you will leave us as this wonderful city. class facilities with a ambassadors for Melbourne is an warm and cosmopolitan Melbourne. amazing place to live community. You are if you’re a student. sure to receive a warm There is always welcome as you enjoy something exciting to our beautiful parks do, from vibrant arts and gardens, colourful festivals and outdoor laneways, must-see entertainment to world- cultural venues, and class sporting events. excellent food and wine. Contents 2 Welcome 20 Calendar of events 4 About Melbourne 22 Places to visit 8 Places to explore 24 Places to play 10 Places to shop 26 Map of Melbourne Dr Kathy Alexander 12 Free things to do 28 Key locations Chief Executive Officer 14 Places to eat 30 More information City of Melbourne 16 Places to relax 2 3 Arts and culture. Live This guide contains all Flinders Street Station music. Delicious food. the information you Endless shopping need to make the most choices. Friendly of the city and live people. All in one of the like a local – including world’s safest cities. places to visit, free things to do and special Melbourne is a great insider’s tips. place to live, because it never sits still. In fact, Enjoy! there’s so much to do and see you may never want to leave. ABOUt MELBOURNE 4 5 The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia Swanston Street City Circle Tram Short hiStory Fast factS USeFUl everyday inFormAtion 1835 Melbourne is founded by John History: A mix of Aboriginal culture, 19th transport taxi phone numbers Banks Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner century European settlement and ultra Trams, buses and trains are the cheap Arrow 132 211 These are open Monday to Thursday on the traditional lands of the modern urban design and culture. and easy way to get into and around Black Cabs 132 227 from 9.30am to 4pm, and Friday 9.30am Wurundjeri (Aboriginal) people Population: 3.6 million people in Greater the city. You will need to have coins to Embassy 131 755 to 5pm, although some branches in 1851 Gold is discovered in Ballarat, Melbourne. purchase a ticket on board Melbourne’s North Suburban 131 119 the central business district are open 120km west of Melbourne trams. Remember to validate your ticket Silver Top 131 008 longer hours. Major banks are now open Language: English is the official in the validating machine on the tram or West Suburban 9686 1444 Saturday mornings. Automatic teller Victoria becomes a separate colony language but more than 100 languages at the train station. For late night travel machines are found throughout the city from New South Wales are spoken in Melbourne. home on the weekends, the NightRider telephone for cash withdrawals 24 hours a day. Local calls from public telephones in 1880 The Royal Exhibition Building Ethnic diversity: More than a quarter of Bus is a safe and cheap option. All you Australia cost a fixed 50 cents, regardless Post opens and the Melbourne residents in the City of Melbourne were need is a valid Metcard. Help and advice of the time spent on the call. Calls to The city’s main post office is on the International Exhibition is held born overseas. The top 10 countries of about the public transport system is interstate, international and mobile corner of Little Bourke and Elizabeth origin across Greater Melbourne are available from the Met Shop at the 1901 The Commonwealth of Australia is numbers are charged by time. Most Streets. It is open weekdays 8.30am to England, Italy, Vietnam, Greece, New Melbourne Town Hall, Swanston Street. formed and Melbourne becomes public telephones accept coins. Phone 5.30pm, Saturdays 9am to 4pm, and Zealand, China, India, Sri Lanka, Scotland www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au the temporary national capital cards can be purchased in post offices, Sundays 10am to 4pm. All of the city’s and Malaysia. or call 131 638. 1927 Canberra becomes the new newsagents, gift shops and other outlets post offices are run by Australia Post and national capital and Melbourne Environment: The World Health taxis in amounts of $5 to $20. are generally open from 9am to 5pm Organisation rates Melbourne one of the loses its capital city status Melbourne’s taxis are yellow and can Important numbers: weekdays. You can pay many of your healthiest cities of its size in the world. be flagged down at the kerb or caught Directory assistance 1223 bills at Australia Post outlets. 1956 The Olympic Games are held in at one of the city’s many taxi ranks, Melbourne Climate: Mild, with four distinct seasons. Reverse charge calls 12550 www.auspost.com.au including Flinders Street Station. Taxis International directory assistance 1225 1996 Development of the Docklands Average temperatures: Around 14°C are vacant when their rooftop sign is on. area begins in winter and 30° in summer (though Orange lights mean the taxi is not for Melbourne’s weather is very variable). hire. Remember that all taxi fares must 2002 Federation Square opens Average rainfall: 55mm per month. be pre-paid between 10pm and 5am 2006 The Commonwealth Games held in across Victoria. 24 hour taxi ranks are Melbourne shown on the map on page 26, 27. 6 7 Places tO Explore Melbourne is a city of precincts, or distinct neighbourhoods. Each has its own special flavour. Any precinct is a good place to get your bearings and start discovering the city’s amazing diversity. These are just some of the city’s precincts that you can explore. Cho Gao Movida Bar De Tapas CollinS Street Chinatown is busy all week, but FlinDerS Quarter melBoUrne GreeK PreCinCt lyGon Street Leafy Collins Street is famous for its especially on Sundays. This is when the Flinders Lane was historically the centre DoCKlAnds Melbourne has the largest Greek Lygon Street’s offer is broad with an grand historic buildings. It’s also the streets are full of Melburnians out for of Melbourne’s clothing trade. Now it’s Melbourne Docklands is the city’s newest population outside of Athens. The Greeks abundance of dining and international home of Melbourne’s most expensive shopping and yum cha. where you’ll find the funkiest boutiques precinct, with 3km of sparkling water are spirited and passionate people cuisine establishments, European jewellery and fashion boutiques. for local and international designers. frontage and spectacular views from and this is where they come to enjoy a flavoured shopping and cultural aspects hArDwAre lAne NewQuay and Waterfront City to Yarra’s Collins Street is Melbourne’s home to Try Degraves Street for boutiques and traditional meal. such as the Piazza Italia. Lygon Street AnD other Edge. There’s plenty to see and do in Carlton has the biggest selection of international designer boutiques and lAnewAyS cafes, especially Degraves Espresso, Explore the shops in and around here, with waterfront bars, cafes and Italian cafés and restaurants in Australia. jewellery such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, One of the city’s prettiest laneways to which has some of the best coffee in the Lonsdale Street for Greek magazines, restaurants, plus the Telstra Dome sports It’s a great place to spend a warm Gucci and Tiffany. explore on foot, Hardware Lane is a city, or Little Cupcakes across the road. music, jewellery and religious icons. Or stadium. summer’s evening in a garden café with Take the time to admire the grand great place to have breakfast, a relaxed Check out Zambesi and Miss Lau for nibble on sweet cakes washed down Melbourne Docklands hosts many events a gelati in hand. historic buildings, especially the beautiful lunch or dinner. It’s also ideal if you’re an fashion from the hottest designers and with strong coffee. throughout the year, celebrating food, 19th century Block Arcade. adventurer, with loads of outdoor stores, cute metal jewellery. Alice Euphemia Make sure you try a souvlaki – tasty slices Many of the streets and buildings are wine, art and sports. Waterfront City travel agents and camera shops. Feel like stocks all manner of bright young of meat in bread with lettuce, tomato, heritage listed, so it is also a great Piazza also has two huge screens that ChinAtown stopping for a drink in a cool bar? Try the Australian labels. Try Il Papiro for pens, onions and garlic sauce. place to wander and feel a sense of add to the entertainment on offer. Little Bourke Street, with its ornamental award winning Asian inspired bar, Golden paper and accessories. Or visit Smitten Melbourne’s early history. As a recent gates and arches, is the backbone of this Monkey in a laneway basement for some Kitten for gorgeous underwear. By day or by night, Docklands is home addition to the area, Piazza Italia is lively area. fabulous cocktails and Asian tapas. to more than 29 public artworks to view. designed to encourage people to sit, relax, enjoy the sun or the shade, and Walk through the many streets and One of the best ways to take in Walk, drive or ride along one of the watch the passing parade. The design is arcades and discover affordable shops Melbourne’s laneways is to dine alfresco many bike paths and enjoy the beauty of an enduring reminder of the wonderful and boutiques.