Melbourne backpacking
Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and has a great tram network making it easy to navigate your way around and soak up the wonderful sights on offer. Make sure you pack some warm clothes, especially if you are going in those winter months, it can get a little chilly.
Melbourne is the capital city of the southern Australian state of Victoria and is the second largest city on the continent. Melbourne is known for its sporting events, from aussie-rules football to horse racing, Melbourne is a great place for backpackers who have an interest in learning about Australian sport. If you are there in November, the Melbourne Cup horse races are a sight to be seen. The races are world renowned and provide a great opportunity for backpackers to dress up, party, and immerse themselves in one of Australia’s favorite pastimes.
Melbourne is also known for its shopping by Australians and foreigners alike. With everything from expensive boutiques to massive malls, you can easily spend days simply browsing through the shops that Melbourne has to offer.
Sport . Melbourne has fantastic racing, international tennis, cricket and golf and is the home of Australian football – that’s Aussie Rules. There’s formula 1 car racing and international V8 and motor-bike racing. The G [short for MCG or Melbourne Cricket Ground] is a 20 minute stroll from the CBD. There are tours of the ground [home to the 56 Olympics and 06 Commonwealth Games] and the sporting museum is fantastic.
Food. Lygon Street Carlton is a short stroll from the CBD. Italian rest aurants abound and some of the scenes from the real-life TV crime saga Underbelly took place right here. Chinatown in the CBD is another wonderful spot for dining. Then there’s Southbank beside the river with its casino, rest aurants, shops and bars.
Pubs and Clubs . The Gig Guide in Friday’s Age newspaper lists who is playing where. The music scene in Melbourne’s pubs is alive and jumping.
Free Transport . The city circle line has trams – yes Melbourne has trams – which circle the CBD. They’re free and the guide will point out various landmarks. It’s a great way to get your bearings when you first arrive in town.
Arts . Melbourne has a fabulous arts precinct on the south bank of the Yarra river. Concert hall and theatres with the art gallery next door. The quality and range of shows and exhibitions are well worth checking out.
So having done Melbourne, you could head out of town to the following:
Another great activity for backpackers visiting Melbourne is a drive down the Great Ocean Road. The scenery along this 273km road is unreal. It is just a short drive to reach the Twelve Apostles, an eye-catching set of natural limestone pillars which stand along the edge of the ocean in Port Campbell National Park. Nowhere else in the world can such a majestic sight as the Twelve Apostles at dusk be found.
If you have something to say about Melbourne or Australian destinations let us know on the Backpacker forum.
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