City Overview: Melbourne
Melbourne is one of the largest and most popular cities in Australia. The capital of Victoria State, it’s a modern city that attracts many visitors, thanks to its mixture of commerce, history, culture and lifestyle. Etihad Airways operates flights to Melbourne from Abu Dhabi. Take a look at our quick guide to Melbourne to find out more about some of its attractions.
About the City
Situated on the shores of Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne first came into being when the first white colonists set up a trading post there in 1835. The Gold Rush of the 1850s saw Melbourne make its mark on the map as an international city. Thanks to the wealth created from it and the construction boom that followed, Melbourne expanded. It became prosperous, gained much of its renowned architecture and was labelled by visitors as ‘the jewel of the Southern Hemisphere’. Melbourne became the capital of Australia in 1901 and remained so until 1927.
Melbourne is a centre for culture, commerce, fashion, sport and tourism. The Melbourne Fashion Festival, held every March, is Australia’s style showcase to the world. The Australian music industry is based in Melbourne and it was also the birthplace of the Australian television industry. The city has a thriving nightlife, with many quality bars, restaurants and clubs for you to enjoy.
Australia wouldn’t be Australia without its passion for sport and Melbourne is no different. Australian Rules football, which is a hugely popular national sport, originated in the Melbourne area. Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit has hosted the first round of the Formula One World Championship since 1996, and the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground is host to first-class and international matches every year.
Etihad Airways operates flights to Melbourne Airport, which is situated about 25km from the city’s Central Business District. This journey will take about 25 minutes by car, with bus and taxi services available at the airport.
Attractions
When booking flights to Melbourne and planning your itinerary, you may want to consider visiting some of the following attractions.
The National Gallery of Victoria is generally regarded as having the best collection of artwork in Australia. The gallery has several key works, including Rembrandt’s ‘Self Portrait’, and regularly hosts exhibitions of collections from around the world. The Gallery is split between the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square and NGV International at St Kilda Road. Regular tours and workshops are available and can add a lot to your gallery visit.
The extremely popular Melbourne Museum is a favourite destination for tourists, with over one million visitors passing through its doors each year. The museum covers a broad base of natural and physical sciences, plus social history and culture. Exhibits include ‘The Melbourne Story’ which explores the history of the city and ‘Dinosaur Walk,’ an exhibition of the skeletons of the long extinct beasts that once walked the earth. The Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre examines the state of Victoria’s indigenous Koorie culture, whilst the Forest Gallery is a living forest complete with real wildlife. Melbourne Museum is open all year round.
Every March, Melbourne’s Albert Park is transformed into a state of the art racetrack in time to host the Formula One Australian Grand Prix. The race has been held at the park every year since moving from Adelaide in 1996, and attracts visitors and local residents alike. This is a superb opportunity to see some of the finest drivers in the world, in cutting-edge cars, take each other on in a beautiful parkland setting.
Queen Victoria Market is more than three hundred years old and is home to more than 600 traders selling all types of food and drink throughout the week. On Sundays, the produce is replaced with clothing stalls and the market is also open on Wednesday evenings with music and dance performances. The Queen Victoria Market is the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere and a variety of tours are available to the visitor.
Booking Melbourne Flights
You can book flights to Melbourne online with Etihad Airways.