Vacation in Melbourne, Victoria
Melbourne :: Sydney :: Hobart :: Adelaide :: Brisbane :: Outback
Melbourne, Victoria Must See
Federation Square, Melbourne
Vacation Must See in Victoria – 4 days:
Melbourne is the culture, food and wine, and fashion capital of Australia. It is a vibrant, modern, cosmopolitan, international city with a sporting and outdoors lifestyle.
The ‘Fairy’ Penguins – the only Australian colony of this unique species lives 2 hrs from Melbourne.
Healesville Sanctuary – displays of 200 species of Australian wildlife set in 31 hectares of natural bush. Here you can see the platypus, Australia’s shyest animal.
‘The High Country’ of the Australian cattlemen. A real Aussie vacation experience, traveling with your field guide through a national park to the summit of Australia’s tallest mountain range. The views and the silence are an ultimate experience!
The Great Ocean Road – see 230 km (143miles) of continuous wide, sandy Australian beaches, rugged cliffs and inland, the ancient rainforest.
Background:
Historically Aborigines inhabited the region for 50,000 years. In 1835 European settlers arrived and took over the land for farming and trade. In the 1850s gold was found and the population grew quickly from 2,000 to 20,000 people. By the 1880s Melbourne was a city of grand buildings with an international reputation for trade and culture. It had more millionaires than New York, and members of its society indulged themselves in a lavish lifestyle and building elegant city mansions.
Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne built in 1880
Today Melbourne is a city of 3.5 million people - a blend of 60 nationalities that has contributed to its colourful cosmopolitan culture. Melbourne is a vibrant international city with contemporary and historic architecture. It has wide tree-lined boulevards and a public transport system that makes journeys easy and places readily accessible.
Melbourne is also a city of gardens, with a warm Australian temperate climate that fosters lush growth. It also a city of beaches with a large seawater bay with shores of pristine sand and a beach front promenade that is busy with locals walking, jogging, swimming and roller-blading. It is here that Visitors on vacation can see Melbournians and can appreciate the outdoor lifestyle.
Melbourne is an egalitarian society and its people are friendly. It is a place where visitors on vacation will feel warmly welcomed.
Australian Vacation – Melbourne, Most Livable City
For the past 10 years Melbourne has been voted the world’s most livable city – healthier, cleaner and safer than any other city in the world. Tourism sights are accessible and its roads are not overly congested. Regional sightseeing destinations are all within a comfortable distances - convenient for visitors on vacation.
Australian Vacation – Melbourne, Culture Capital of Australia
- Theatre
- Opera
- Ballet
- Symphony Concerts
- Cabaret
- Fringe Theatre
- The Melbourne international Comedy Festival
- Melbourne Arts Festival
- Aboriginal Artifacts
- International Writers Festival
- Jazz Capital of Australia
Australian Vacation – Melbourne, Arts Capital of Australia
- The centre of Australian Art, galleries and sales
- Tapestry Art, one of only two workshops worldwide specialising in the hand weaving of large-scale tapestries
- The centre of Art Jewelry, with artists trained in masterly traditions
Australian Vacation – Melbourne, Sports Capital of Australia
- The Australian Tennis Open
- The Australian Grand Prix
- The Australian Masters Golf Championship
- The Melbourne Cup – Horse Racing Event
- Home of the Australian Football League
Australian ‘Aussie Rules’ Football is notable of all sport to bring every one together. It crosses every social boundary; gender, class, and ethnicity. Generations of families have supported teams and their clubs and this is the key to its success. No other football code in the world has a 50% female attendance and children in the crowd! Visitors on vacation seeing it played are immediately enthralled by the flowing movement and the athleticism of the players.
Australian Vacation – Melbourne, Wine and Food Capital of Australia
A thriving local agricultural industry provides the finest Australian meats, Australian seafoods, Australian olive oils, vegetables, wine and dairy products. Dining experiences include; Asian Fusion, Italian, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian and Turkish.
Asian Fusion, Australia’s leading Chinese restaurant (*must try on vacation)
- Australian Cuisine - a master Chef and creator of recipes that are distinctly Australian
- the Queen Victoria Market, the largest undercover fresh produce market in Australia (* must see on vacation)
Asian fusion cuisine with light wines to match its flavours
Australian Wines
Victoria has over 22 major regions producing table wines that are of high quality and reasonably priced. Chefs and sommeliers are showing an increasing interest in matching food with wine and there is a high preference for the light wines to accompany Asian fusion dishes. This has led to the production of lighter wines–pinot noir, sangiovese and pinot gris, styles that are crisp and delicate.
Melbourne’s Coffee Culture
Melbourne's Coffee Culture has a life and language of its own
Dining is incomplete without coffee. In Melbourne there is a distinct coffee culture and a new breed of aficionados has led to hundreds of coffee houses emerging throughout the city and suburbs. Coffee in Melbourne is an occasion. That’s not to suggest that in other cities of Australia coffee is disregarded; it’s just that Melbourne has always led in style.
Visitors on vacation will learn that coffee ordering has a language of its own. Your waiter will patiently explain the combination to be sure you get exactly what you want!
Vacation in Australia – Melbourne, Fashion and Shopping Capital of Australia
- The centre of Australia’s fashion retail and textile industry
- Melbourne designer stores and large department stores
Melbourne – Australian Shopping and Fashion Capital
On vacation Meridian Tours offers a customized itinerary, ‘Melbourne Style Tour’ for visitors on vacation wanting distinctive Australian accessories and collectible items by Australian designers. The Style Tour is an indulgence for men and women who seek items that are distinctive and unique. By appointment, you visit secret locations only available to the privileged few. You will be warmly welcomed by the designers and manufacturers themselves and learn the stories behind their creations. This tour is highly recommended.
Vacation in Australia – ‘HIGH COUNTRY’ of the Australian Cattlemen
North Eastern, Victoria, 3.5 hrs from Melbourne
Australian ‘High Country’, cattleman’s timber slab hut
Your vacation journey visits the country of the bush cattlemen since early settlement in the 1840s. At the summit enjoy a gourmet smorgasbord lunch in grass meadows and see ranges 60 million years old. These are the oldest ranges on the oldest continent on earth. The silence and views are an ultimate experience.
Your Field Guide escort is a local and your visit is personalized with all the information you desire to know about the way of life in the Australian bush countryside.
Your 4WD vehicle journeys up the mountain range to the summit where, in summer, the cattle graze in grass meadows that are right above the tree line.
At the summit the views and the silence is an ultimate experience.
Vacation Highlights – Personalized Itinerary
A ‘High Country’ gourmet smorgasbord and, weather permitting, a country-style or Aussie BBQ with fine wines. Epi-curious travellers can try Billy Tea and ANZAC biscuits!
Stop at a small township for a street walk. Here you will find an authentic ‘Bush Outfitters store’ selling cattlemen’s hats, leather boots and sheepskin coats.
The High Country of N-E Victoria - 3 hours from Melbourne
Vacation ‘High Country’ Tour Options
Rivers and Plains of the High Country - a campsite set up with marquees for added comfort, and singing around the campfire with a local bush singer who entertains with Australian ballads and your favourite songs.
(*campfire, weather permitting)
For visitors on vacation, horse riding is also an option. A gentle ride along wooded trails and two shallow river crossings can be included in your personalized itinerary. The river is great for trout fishing and for nature loves there’s an escorted bush walk.
This is a great journey in the great outdoors and a great Aussie experience!
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