| Page Views: 5,075 Last Visit to Melbourne: 2009 | Melbourne - Australia. by Intrepidduck - last update: Sep 14, 2009 |
The Australian Cultural Capital - Melbourne | St Pauls Cathedral from Federation Square |
Melbourne was the place where my travels all began back in the mid 1970s - half day wanders around my suburban nieghbourhood with an adventurous friend - we would at times excite worry in our mothers. We never really wandered that far, but for children it was travelling either the Wild West or the depths of space and the final frontiers. Deep down I always just wanted to get away
As a child, and into my late teenage years, I had a repeating dream that I would flap my arms in the night and swiftly sail above the suburban rooftops and head to the city. Gaining altitude I could see the distant glow of the city core. My facination with the city had began, but it was not until I left home at 20 years of age where I really started to explore the inner city. Shifting about from one bad shared household to the next with the odd good one in between. Thus gaining some more insight into Melbournians.
Melbourne has become a place of refuge and a place to escape from for me. I still return to Melbourne after long periods of travel abroad or living interstate for a while. There is always something new to find and discover for me in Melbourne. I still delight in walking the city's streets and back lanes of the inner city suburbs.
Like wise there is always something going on for almost everyone in Melbourne, state capital of Victoria. With 3.5 million inhabitants there is a rich cultural diversity to match any great western city. Cultural events and festivals are always running through out the entire year.
Melbourne has had a rich history of immigration and social cohesion. Here there is little racial tension and Melbourne is a great example of racial tolarance to show the world. The more racially diverse it has grown since the 1950s the more interesting it has become. With different groups arriving each decade there is so much good representation of the world's different cultures and in many cases living higher than they could have back home with out prejustice.
In a European tradition Melbourne has been fortunate to value much of it's 19th and early 20th century heritage. While high rise development for nearly 50 years has dominated the central city area, well maintained older buildings are very much still in abundance. Entire city blocks have maintained much of their Victorian era heritage. Most inner suburbs have retained their Victorian and Edwardian shop frontages and housing, while warehouses have been converted to apartments. There is a general public opinion to preserve as much of the old as possible regardless of some inappropriate renovations. New developments must meet strick heritage and or safety standards.
The recently completed Federation Square is one such major development which has truely excelled in repressenting progressive modern architecture. The human scale of the project and it's new approaches to urban town planning are a good model for Australian cities to adopt a more sensitive and European approach to dealing with public space. It is up there with the Opera House and the Guggenheim Bilbao, certainly when regarding it's cultural contribution.
For someone who enjoys good city living and sophistication Melbourne is certainly the place to spend some time while in Australia. |
| Gog and Magog at the Royal Arcade |
|  | Victorian Heritage Melbourne is one of the world's 3rd largest intact Victorian era city - the values of that era it has fortunately dropped while the architectural vernacular of the 19th century it has preserved. Below the shinning glass of corporate masculinity lies the curvaceous charm of Victoria's legacy. |
| | Melbourne's Icons Melbourne lacks the tranquility of a great natural harbour like Sydney, nor does it have the internationally reconisable architectural ikons such as the Opera House or the Harbour Bridge. However down on street level there are symbols of a unique Australian city and one which puts it in a world class. One of Melbourne's most cherished ikons is none other than it's fleet of trams. While other cities in Australia, in the early 1960s, tore up their tram lines Melbourne retained and later extended it's system to become the 4th largest in the world. Although skeletal in numbers the old "W" Class trams still runs along some lines, while a large and moderized fleet serve all. |
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| Pros: | "Vibrant, great architecture heritage, cafes and bars." | | Cons: | "Love it / Hate it it is my Home Town" | | In A Nutshell: | "A great place to return to after long periods of travel." |
Intrepidduck's Melbourne Travel Tips
 Comments for Intrepidduck about Melbourne | | | | |
groovergreen Thu Aug 2, 2007 10:10 UTC
Well done on capturing the Yellow Peril in its splendid golden glory and without a car bonnet tucked under it. (It always makes me smile to see cars using it as a carport, tho I know they shouldn't do it!) | rsleisk Fri Oct 28, 2005 20:04 UTC
Great photos and tips! I have seen similar artisticly creative graffitii in Austin, TX. I hope to travel to Australia someday, cheers! | mtncorg Thu Aug 4, 2005 23:46 UTC
So, which does the Duck recommend, Melbourne or Sydney if one has to choose one or the other to visit. Hobart is already a given! | XenoHumph Mon Feb 21, 2005 21:55 UTC
Excellent page, gorgeous picts and very interesting art tour!! I plan to go there in May 2006 for a meeting. (this year, it is Le lot, your "Quintessentially French" region!!) |
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