Melbourne Australia Travel Guide - Melbourne tourist and travel information

Melbourne Australia is the capital city of the State of Victoria, the second largest city of Australia after Sydney. With a population of over 4 million people it is a multi-cultural city famous for it's sporting events, shopping and vast variety of great Melbourne restaurants. These web pages are all about Melbourne - the highlights of Melbourne, activities in Melbourne, Melbourne Hotel and accommodation guides, Melbourne Restaurant and Food Guide and suggestions for short trips from Melbourne to many cool places found in Victoria.

What's on in Melbourne 2011

May 2012, June 2012, July 2012, August 2012, September 2012, October 2012, November 2012, December 2012 and January 2013

What's on in Melbourne this week until Sunday 20th May 2012

Melbourne Festivals and Events

Human Rights Arts and Film Festival Tuesday 15th May 2012 until Sunday 27th May 2012. Films showing at Cinema Nova.

National Careers & Employment Expo Friday 18th May 2012 and Saturday 19th May 2012 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Free Entry.

Love Vintage Clothing Expo 18th - 20th May 2012 at the Royal Exhibition Building Carlton.

Next Wave Festival May a festival for the next generation of Australian Artists every 2 years. Saturday 19th May 2012 until Sunday 27th May 2012

Buddha's Day and Multicultural Festival Saturday 19th May 2012 - Sunday 20th May 2012 at Federation Square Melbourne. Celebrations for Buddha's Birthday.

International Snow Travel Expo Sunday 20th May 2012 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

RSPCA Million Paws Walk Sunday 20th May 2012. Albert Park Melbourne. Bring your pet dog, go for a walk and raise money for the RSPCA.

HBIA 2012 Australian Hairdressing Championship Sunday 20th May 2012 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

15^th Spanish Film Festival 2012 Saturday 12th May 2012 until Tuesday 22nd May 2012.

Suzuki Night Markets every Wednesday night at Queen Victoria Markets 5.30pm - 10pm throughout March.

Roller Derby in Melbourne May 2012

Victorian Roller Derby League Bout 3 - Dead Ringer Rosies vs Rock Mobsters 5.45pm Saturday 19th May 2012 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Tickets sold by Moshtix.

Music concerts, events, festivals, theatre and entertainment this week in Melbourne

Prince 8pm Monday 14th May 2012 and Tuesday 13th May 2012 and Wednesday 30th May 2012 at the Rod Laver Arena. Tickets available from Ticketek.

Public Enemy rap and hip-hop 7.30pm Tuesday 15th May 2012 at the Palace Theatre. Tickets available from Ticketmaster.

Boy and Bear alternate rock 7pm Wednesday 16th May 2012 and Friday 18th May 2012 at the Forum Melbourne. Tickets available from Ticketmaster.

Lindsay Phillips 7.30pm Wednesday 16th May 2012 at the Toff in Town. Tickets available from Moshtix.

The Maccabees 8pm Wednesday 16th May 2012 at the Hi-Fi Melbourne. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Dead Letter Circus alternate rock 7.30pm Thursday 17th May 2012 at the Ferntree Gully Hotel. Tickets available from Ticketmaster.

Tim Ripper Owens (USA) 8pm Thursday 17th May 2012 at the Hi-Fi Melbourne. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Fahrenheit 43 single launch 8pm Thursday 17th May 2012 at the Revolver Upstairs. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Opossom (NZ) 9pm Thursday 17th May 2012 at the Phoenix Public House. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Nicki Minaj Friday 18th May 2012 at the Hisense Arena. Tickets available from Ticketek.

Dead Letter Circus alternate rock 8pm Friday 18th May 2012 at the Hi-Fi Melbourne. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Boy & Bear 7.30pm Friday 18th May 2012 at the Forum Melbourne. Tickets available from Ticketmaster.

Jam Express featuring Seany B 9pm Friday 18th May 2012 at the Prince Bandroom. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Ajapai (Japan) 10pm Friday 18th May 2012 at Brown Alley. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Our Last Enemy EP launch 9pm Friday 18th May 2012 at the Revolver Upstairs. Tickets sold by Moshtix.

New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys 7.30pm Saturday 19th May 2012 at the Rod Laver Arena. Tickets available from Ticketek.

Buckley Ward 'So Pretend' Album launch 8pm Saturday 19th May 2012 at the Toff in Town. Tickets available from Moshtix.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre 7.30pm Saturday 19th May 2012 at The Forum. Tickets sold by Ticketmaster.

The Bombay Royale 8.30pm Saturday 19th May 2012 at the Hi-Fi Melbourne. Tickets available from Moshtix.

The Butterfly Effect 7.30pm Sunday 20th May 2012 at Pier Live. Tickets sold by Ticketmaster.

Florence and the Machine 8pm Sunday 20th May 2012 at the Rod Laver Arena. Tickets available from Ticketek.

Boy & Bear 12pm Sunday 20th May 2012 at the Hi-Fi Melbourne. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Vince Jones jazz and blues 8pm Sunday 20th May 2012 at the Trak Lounge Bar. Tickets sold by Ticketmaster.

Owl Eyes 8pm Sunday 20th May 2012 at the Toff in Town. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Tomas Strode & The Tour Guides 8pm Sunday 20th May 2012 at the Evelyn Hotel. Tickets available from Moshtix.

Last updated 13th May 2012

Top 10 Things to do in Melbourne

1. The food! Melbourne has such a great variety of restaurants with many great locations packed with choice. From the city centre, Chinatown, Lygon Street and the many suburbs have countless great restaurants to choose from. Check out our Melbourne Restaurant Guide.

2. Go Shopping. Melbourne is Australia's shopping capital.

3. See a live event at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) locally referred to as 'The G'. It's best to see a big event like an AFL (Aussie Rules games) or a Cricket match at the MCG with a capacity crowd of 100,000 people. When there aren't events on you can still go along for a tour of the MCG facilities.

4. Take a tram ride. Melbourne has an extensive tram network to take you to all corners of Melbourne. If you are driving in Melbourne beware, the trams always have the right of way. There is a free tram service on the city circle looping around the Melbourne CBD and Docklands..

Melbourne Trams

5. Visit Melbourne Aquarium, located on the Yarra River directly across from the Crown Entertainment Complex. Melbourne Aquarium has on display thousands of marine animals including penguins, sharks, stingrays, moray eels and a giant pacific octopus. There are dive experiences for your opportunity to swim face to face with the sharks.

6. Visit St Kilda Beach, located on Port Phillip Bay with great cafes, restaurants and the amusement park Luna Park.

7. Visit Docklands, just 10 minutes by tram from the centre of Melbourne CBD, this used to be real working docks though now transformed into one of Melbourne's highlights. With great restaurants, cafes, bars and parklands to walk around and relax.

8. Visit Melbourne Zoo with the highlight being the recently born elephant.

9. Visit Captain Cook's Cottages located in Fitzroy Gardens just 10 minutes from the city centre.

10. Do a day trip to Phillip Island just 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne to see the Fairy Penguins, Koala Conservation Park and lots of Kangaroos and Wallabies.

Phillip Island Penguins 1.5 hours from Melbourne

Day Trips from Melbourne

Victoria is quite a small state so there are plenty of interesting places close by the visit in a day or for short trip from Melbourne. Here are some of the highlights of Victoria an easy distance from Melbourne:

The Great Ocean Road is 110km from Melbourne, starting at Geelong. One of the most popular and truely must see tourist destinations within Australia.

Yarra Valley is a wine producing region that is less than 1 hours drive from Melbourne. There are around 145 wineries to visit for some tasting and to purchase a few bottles or cases to take home with you. For more information about Yarra Valley click here.

Ballarat is an old historical town which was the centre of Australia's gold rush in the 1800's.

Philip Island is an easy day trip from Melbourne with beautiful scenery and wildlife like the fairy penguins.

Hotel recommendation in Melbourne

Hotel Lindrum is a boutique hotel located on Flinders Street a short walk to Federation Square, Southbank, Flinders Street Train Station and to the city centre. The MCG and Rod Laver Arena are an easy 10 minute walk from the hotel. There is a tram stop right out the front with the free City Circle Tram stopping regularly. Room prices start from $195 per night. For photos and hotel reviews for Hotel Lindrum click here.

Hotel Lindrum Flinders St Melbourne

Melbourne Video Gallery

Sunrise over Melbourne City