Melbourne has many parks, used by city dwellers and workers for relaxation, picnicking, or jogging in beautiful surroundings. The Royal Botanic Gardens, established in 1846, are world famous. With large exotic trees and some plants that are now 150 years old, these gardens are among Melbourne’s finest. Set on the banks of the Yarra River, they are also home to a number of majestic black swans and flying foxes, or fruit bats. In the 32-ha (79-acre) Fitzroy and Treasury Gardens is a stone building that once stood in Great Ayrton, England. Built in 1755, it was Captain Cook’s childhood home. The building was bought in 1933 by Sir Russell Grimwade and rebuilt in the gardens as a monument to the great explorer. Other beautiful parklands include the Queen Victoria Gardens, which feature a magnificent floral clock 9 m (30 feet) in diameter -more than 7000 plants are used to create this intricate floral display. The clock actually tells the time and is synchronised to chime with the clock on the Town Hall.
The Hoddle Grid, Melbourne’s original Central Business District in Victoria, Australia
The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens are on the edge of the city, and with over 3500 animals, the zoo is considered one of the world’s finest. During the summer months Melbourne Zoo holds a Twilight Jazz Festival, and patrons bring picnic hampers and enjoy the music in very unusual surroundings. Within an hour’s drive of the city there are two other excellent wildlife parks: the Werribee Zoo and the Healesville Sanctuary. Life is never boring in this city -if there isn’t a major sporting event scheduled, then there is probably a festival. Often there are both! A diverse mix of races and cultures sees Melbourne come alive with a variety of exciting and unusual carnivals year round. Best Buy 2022 calendar
The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival runs for approximately three weeks from mid-March, celebrating the diversity of Melbourne, Australia’s culinary capital, through 120 outstanding events. This feast of a festival includes the internationally acclaimed Master Class, the Hawkers’ Market and the World’s Longest Lunch, plus Breakfast Week, Restaurant Week, Chocolate Week and many more delicious events. The Formula One Grand Prix and the Melbourne International Motor Show, both huge and exhilarating events in their own right, coincide with this festival.
NewQuay in Melbourne Docklands – Victoria, Australia
There are more festivals in March, including the Yarra Valley Grape Grazing Festival, which involves a number of wineries in the Yarra Valley Region. This region produces some of Australia’s best wine, and during the festival food from a selection of restaurants is matched up with wines from the local wineries to create gastronomic delights. Jazz adds to the festival feel of this event.
Festivities head indoors during the winter months, with the Melbourne International Film Festival and Victoria State Opera season. Spring brings Melburnians outside again for the Royal Melbourne Show and a range of horticultural shows in September. The outdoor tradition flows through to Christmas, and thousands of Melburnians head to the Myer Music Bowl on Christmas Eve for the ever-popular ‘Carols By Candlelight’ concert.
Melbourne people’s love of sport, whether it be football, tennis, car racing or a sport totally foreign to Victoria, such as rugby, is well documented. Many large sporting events are held in Melbourne.
Melbourne is the home of Australian Rules Football, and a visit to Melbourne should include a trip to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). As well as cricket being played in summer -notably the Boxing Day Test -the Aussie Rules Grand Final is held here on the third Saturday of every September. Tours of the venue are available and include a walk on the hallowed turf of the MCG. During Grand Final week the whole city has football fever; it is a great time to visit and there are a number of celebrations in the city.
Every January, Melbourne Park is the venue for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tennis event of the year. The main feature of this impressive tennis venue is the centre court roof, which can be opened or closed. With Melbourne’s reputation for having four seasons in one day, this has proved very useful. Melbourne Park is also the venue for concerts and productions all through the year, and the outside courts are available for hire.
Melbourne also hosts the first round of the Formula One Grand Prix season each year, in March, and this is another really exciting time to be in Melbourne -the Albert Park Lake area is transformed into an award-winning racetrack and thousands of people join in the festivities, which run over four days. Grand Prix ticket holders have free travel on the Melbourne trams, and after the racing each day the city comes alive as race-goers head towards the restaurants, clubs or the Melbourne International Motor Show.
