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Melbourne Life
 For years, Sydney and Melbourne have been squabbling over which is the more interesting city to visit. While Sydney has its harbour, ivory beaches and gentle weather, Melbourne has plenty to offer visitors who don?t mind packing a coat and umbrella, just in case, for when they?re out and about.
Attractions in Melbourne begin at places like the Planetarium, giving visitors a fantastic chance to explore space from the comfort of a chair. Melbourne?s IMAX theater, featuring the world?s biggest indoor screen, takes visitors on an amazing journey of discovery with pictures that are startlingly clear. Kids will love the Melbourne Zoo, which is an internationally acclaimed home for precious animals that live in carefully recreated natural habitats.
Throughout the year, open-air concerts and events including the popular ?Carols by Candlelight? are held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl while Melbourne Concert Hall hosts frequent performances including gala events and symphonic concerts.
The Melbourne skyline has erupted in recent years with giant commercial and mixed commercial/residential building leaping ever highter. Wonderful views of Melbourne and the Dandenong Mountains can be seen from the Rialto Towers Observation Deck atop the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere.
It seems almost every Western city has a ?Chinatown?. Melbourne is no exception and for good reason. Chinatown in Melbourne has long been an authentic Chinese settlement since Victoria?s goldrush days of the 1850?s. Visitors will have no trouble finding a large choice of extraordinary restaurants from which to experience authentic Chinese cooking.
The Victorian Parliament offers tours of both the upper and lower parliamentary while nearby the Royal Botanic Gardens offers guided and self-guided tours around the elegant lakes, charming picnic areas and well-groomed lawns.
Those who enjoy parks as expressions of a city?s history and personality will also enjoy a visit to Queen Victoria Gardens, featuring beautifully manicured lawns and rose beds, plus a statue of the lady herself on higher ground behind the gardens. Other garden and parks include Batman Park alongside the Yarra River, Alexandra Park also on the Yarra River, Kings Domain featuring the Pioneer Women?s Memorial Garden, La Trobe?s Cottage and a number of statues and sculptures, and the
Fitzroy and Treasury Gardens, which are home to Cook?s Cottage, J.F. Kennedy memorial, the Conservatory with its floral displays, a model Tudor Village and a dolphin fountain.
The National Gallery of Victoria always has an exciting range of international exhibitions as well as hosting an extraordinary collection of Australian art.
Children will be drawn to the Fire Services Museum of Victoria maintains a truly fascinating display of fire fighting equipment, uniforms, helmets and a collection of toys and equipment from all over the world.
There a numerous fascinating historic properties connecting visitors with Melbourne?s colonial past including the stately and once privately owned Rippon Lea House, Captain Cook?s Cottage, Latrobe?s Cottage, Old Melbourne Gaol, and the Old Treasury Building.
Markets are very popular with Melburnians, many of whom head for the South Melbourne Market for clothing, jewellery and a huge range of fish. The other major market, the Queen Victoria Market located just a few blocks north of the city centre is the largest outdoor market in the world with over 1000 traders supplying food, fashion, plants, crafts, souvenirs and farm fresh produce.
Melbourne?s Yarra River was once disparagingly referred to as the ?upside-down? river owing to the thick tan-coloured water flowing past to toward Port Phillip Bay. Years of careful environmental restoration upstream have helped restore the river to a near jewel-like condition. River Cruises through historic Port Melbourne or upriver past the scenic river gardens to Herring Island provide a wonderful way to experience the atmosphere of Melbourne while also discover local wildlife that has returned to the river.
Getting about the inner city is easy. City Circle Tram runs continuously and provide ideal hop-on-hop-off commuting between the many inner city attractions.
For those who?ve seen and done everything in the city will find plenty of options for day tours away from the city. The famous penguins on Phillip Island always draw crowds. Train buffs and kids of all ages will enjoy a ride through the eucalypt-soaked mountain atmosphere of the Dandenong mountains aboard Puffing Billy, the historic steam train stilling running on its original line. For ocean views, a scenic Great Ocean Road is well worth the trip and wander-lusters armed with a picnic will find The Grampians a perfect way to reflect on their visit to Australia?s great southern capital.
There?s plenty to do in and around Melbourne spanning history, technology, art and environment. Be sure to take a few photos and share them here on Being Australian so family and friends and people around the world can experience Melbourne with you.
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