Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

11
Melbourne
by Marc Llewellyn
Melbourne (pronounced Mel-bun),
the capital of Victoria and Australia’s second-largest
city, with a population well
over 3 million, is a cultural melting pot.
For a start, more people of Greek
descent live here than in any other city
except Athens. Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese,
and Lebanese immigrants have
all left their mark. In fact, almost onethird
of Melbournians were born overseas
or have parents who were born
overseas. With such a diverse population,
and with trams rattling through
the streets and a host of stately European
architecture surrounding you, you could
easily forget you’re in Australia at all.
Melbourne has a reputation of being
at the head of the pack when it comes
to shopping, restaurants, fashion,
music, nightlife, and cafe culture. It frequently
beats out other state capitals in
bids for major international concerts,
plays, exhibitions, and sporting events,
such as the Formula One Grand Prix.
The city also revels in a healthy
rivalry with its northern neighbor,
Sydney, but it’s interesting to note that
almost every Melbournian adores their
city—often described as the “most livable”
in the world—whereas Sydneysiders
are mostly half-hearted in their
praise for their own abode.
Melbourne’s roots go back to the
1850s, when gold was found in the surrounding
hills. British settlers took up
residence and have since prided themselves
on coming freely to their city,
rather than having been forced here in
convict chains. The city grew wealthy
and remained largely a conservative
bastion until World War II, when
another wave of immigration, this time
mainly from southern Europe, made it
a more relaxed place.
1 Orientation
ARRIVING
BY PLANE Melbourne’s main international and domestic airport is Tullamarine
Airport, located 22km (14 miles) northwest of the city center. If you’re
traveling from Sydney, the flight will take you around 1 hour, 20 minutes. It’s a
5-minute walk between the international and domestic terminals. Travelers’
information desks are open on both levels of the international terminal building
from 6am until the last flight. There are snack bars, a restaurant, currencyexchange
facilities, and duty-free shops in the international terminal. There’s
also a post office, open daily from 9am to 5pm, but mailboxes and stamps from
vending machines are available after hours. ATMs are available at both terminals.
Showers are on the first floor of the international area. Baggage trolleys are
free in the international baggage claim hall but cost A$2 (US$1.30) if hired in
the parking lot, departure lounge, or the domestic terminal. Baggage lockers cost
A$4 to A$8 (US$2.60–US$5.60) per day, depending on size. The Hilton Melbourne
Airport is in walking distance from the terminals (& 03/9338 2322).