Melbourne, Victoria
Australia’s Knowledge & Cultural Capital
With over 4 million residents, Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia and is renowned as Australia’s knowledge and cultural capital. Situated on the picturesque tree-lined banks of the Yarra River, in 2016 it was voted ‘The World’s Most Liveable City’ by the Economist for a sixth consecutive year.
Melbourne is a thriving and cosmopolitan city with a unique balance of graceful old buildings and stunning new architecture surrounded by parks and gardens. It’s also home to some of the world’s most outstanding communities of research and innovation and is the birthplace of Australian film, television, art, dance and music. The city’s major drawcard is its research institutes and academia that facilitate world-leading contributions to key economic sectors. Melbourne offers a sophisticated multi-cultural lifestyle, hidden laneways abundant with arts, museums, festivals, sporting events, food, wine, shopping and much more. Melbourne really is the place to be.
Melbourne also comes alive at night with the most live music venues in Australia, and a burgeoning number of chic and groovy inner-city bars and restaurants for every level and style of socialising imaginable. On top of all of this, Melbourne is also the gateway to the Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles and Victoria’s most admired beaches.
To find out more about what Melbourne has to offer, visit www.visitmelbourne.com. You can, once you have arrived, also receive tailored advice by visiting the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square, open 0900 to 1800 7 days a week.
Below are some key attractions in Melbourne and it’s surroundings:
The Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is a 243 kilometre cliff-hugging stretch of road that starts a 90-minute drive from Melbourne. Through this drive, there are rainforest and beach views and also a few attractions and landmarks such as whale watching, the Australian National Surfing Museum in Torquay, the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch, the Otway Fly and the 12 Apostles. Koalas and kangaroos may pop out and make an appearance.
Melbourne Zoo
The Melbourne Zoo is home to over 2,000 beautiful animals who are only a 15-minute drive from Melbourne CBD. The team at Melbourne Zoo all work together to help conserve the animals and fight extinction. At Melbourne Zoo, there is the opportunity to get up close and personal with the animals with Wild Encounters.
Queen Victoria Market
Only a short walk from the city centre, the Queen Victoria Market is a shopping precinct held in heritage sheds with many different kinds on wares to be sold from food and fresh produce to clothing and toys. The most popular attraction the market has to offer is the 90-minute Ultimate Foodie Tour which is a small group walking tour for food lovers to taste test the best food the market has to offer.
Philip Island
Just a 90-minute drive south of Melbourne, Phillip Island makes a great day trip. Phillip Island offers visitors the chance to see incredible Australian wildlife amongst spectacular landscapes. The Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre and Churchill Island Heritage Farm and Nobbies Centre are just a few of the island’s unique attractions. Follow the Southern Gippsland Wine Trail and experience Phillip Island’s excellent cool climate wines and fresh organic produce.
Melbourne Gray Line Tours
Arinex Destination Management has negotiated a 20% discount on tours available through Gray Line for The World Congress for Hair Research 2021 delegates and accompanying persons. For further information on these tours, as well as other day touring options in and around Melbourne, or to make a booking on any of these tours and take advantage of the 20% discount, please click on the button below and select ‘Melbourne.’
Please find below some suggested touring options from Gray Line.
Gray Line Tours
Melbourne City Tours
Welcome to Melbourne – Heart of Australia’s classic south. Home to the Australian Open Tennis, Australian rules football, the Melbourne Cup and for a short time Australia’s capital. Melbourne is known for its gardens, restaurants, cafes and markets, galleries, the arts and its relaxed elegant charm. Inhabited by peoples from all corners of the globe its cosmopolitan people give generously and share passionately in the riches of this dynamic and elegant city.
Phillip Island Penguin Parade
So completely Australian – unique in the world. Every evening at dusk the Little Penguins come home from the sea at Phillip Island. From the waves – across the beach – to the sand dunes – the Little Penguins can almost be touched as they waddle to their burrows. It is the nightly ritual of these little flightless birds which will enthrall visitors who observe from the beach and the elevated boardwalk. Koalas – totally Australian – peering down from the gum trees where they live. Fat and furry, wet noses and a gentle smile of contented living on Phillip Island. Seals near the sea, basking in the late sunlight on halftide rocks compliment this island, rich in wildlife which makes Phillip Island a very special place.
The Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s great drives, a dramatic, powerful, dangerous and majestic coastline, also know as the Ship Wreck Coast. The day on the Great Ocean Road extends from Geelong to Bells Beach through Torquay, Lorne and Apollo Bay. After the lunch stop, continue on through the Otway National Park, to the rugged beauty of the Twelve Apostle National Park and the Twelve Apostles themselves, is there really twelve? To Loch Ard Gorge and Port Campbell shaped by the wild Southern Ocean this coastline will not fail to impress. Got your camera?
Yarra Valley Wineries
A delightful afternoon tour through the beautiful Blue Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley. Sample some of the best wine, food and scenery of Victoria and visit Fergusson’s Winery, Rochford’s Eyton and Domaine Chandon.
Here are some additional useful links to help you best plan your time when visiting Melbourne:
Top 10 things to do in Melbourne
General information about Melbourne
Travel information for getting around
Click here to find out more about where else you can visit whilst in Australia.
Register for Attendance
[html] <iframe src=”https://themegrilldemos.com/colormag<strong>/</strong>” width=”1000px” height =”500px” frameborder=”1″ scrolling=”yes” align=”left”> </iframe> [/html]
