02 AUSTRALIA TRAVEL TIPS | PDF

TRAVEL Australia
VICTORIA
One of Australia’s smallest and most densely populated states
developed on the back of the gold mines. Victoria is visually stunning with its Australian
Alps, Eastern Highlands and its commanding views over the Indian Ocean. The capital
Melbourne now boasts one of the world’s most cultured societies with highly signifcant
global arts influence thanks mainly to the Arts Faculty of the Melbourne University
The Brighton Beach Huts
A wide range of cuisine in Melbourne’s restaurants
MELBOURNE
B
eautiful Melbourne gives home to some three million
OUT AND ABOUT
YARRA RIVER
Take some time out to cruise up the Yarra
OUT AND ABOUT
people and is today, one of the world’s cultural capitals.
The Arts are superbly represented here and complimented
THE GOLD RUSH
by Australia’s most sophisticated café society.
Remember that cult classic Picnic At Hanging
River and see the bird colonies at
The Arts Faculty at Melbourne University is one of its oldest
Herring Island.
and largest with over 7,000 students and has, over the last
PHILIP BAY
decade; become the strongest centre for artistic learning in
Watch the penguins parade at Port
Australia. Its School of Fine Arts is now the best in the world and
Philip Bay, where each night hundreds of
the city fosters a large and diverse international arts community.
them shuffle ashore. Weather allowing,
Learning aside, sport, especially Australian Rules Football,
Collins Street is the most luxurious part of town, with many a
you can even get to swim with the
is a religion here, and racing’s Melbourne Cup in the autumn
decent bar and restaurant. I tried out The Box Cafe & Restaurant
was first discovered in 1851, and
is granted public holiday status.
at No.189 after drinks at the bar of the Sofitel though later on I
Maldon, which the National Trust
dolphins and seals here. This is also the
Rock? You can’t possibly visit Victoria without
seeing it and it’s a good opportunity to
explore Goldfields, the area where great
The Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road
fortunes have been made and lost.
You’ll find Hanging Rock near Gisborn in
Woodend. Visit Bendigo, where gold
place to get some surfing action.
There’s the Grand Prix in the spring, Test matches at the
was told of a great restaurant with a view on the 35th floor of
declared as being the best preserved
TWELVE APOSTLES
Melbourne Cricket Ground and plenty of championship golf
the same Sofitel. For a luxurious stay the well - appointed luxury
gold-era settlement in 1965.
You can get to the dramatic Twelve
courses, such as the Royal Melbourne which hosts the
Meridien Hotel is only further up the street in the Rialto Towers
There’s also Ballaret, an hour’s drive from
Apostles (see picture above right) easily
Heineken Classic, not to mention the numerous watersports
and the Grand Hyatt is at No. 123. The Rialto tower is
throughout the region.
Melbourne’s highest building, offering extraordinary views
in a day. These gigantic (some are as
Melbourne, where a quarter of Victoria’s
The prestigious Menzies at Rialto Hotel on Collins Street
high as 65m) limestone rock formations
(from the 55th floor) accross the city and over Port Philip
have eroded into dramatic shapes over
Bay. It’s open until 10pm so you get a chance to see
GOLF COURSES
the ages. Find them in the Port Campbell
Melbourne cityscape by night. Visit the 1890s Block
Royal Melbourne Golf Club
National Park.
Arcade here with its glass - domed roof and ornate mould-
Black Rock, 3193. Tel: +61 3 9598 6755
YARRA VALLEY
ings, there’s a few good cafes here guarding some of
Kingston Heath Golf Club
Melbourne’s smartest shops.
If you’re going by car, the Yarra Valley
Cheltenham, 3192. Tel: +61 3 9551 1955
and snowboarding.
Mount Buller (www.mtbuller.com.au) are
Victoria Golf Club
South Yarra (www.rbgmelb.org.au) and romantics should dine
the main resorts, and both get busy at
in the Observatory Café while gazing up at the stars.
peak times. Smaller venues like the Mount
hills, forests and, essentially, wineries. You
just across from the cathedral in the National Trust-listed Young
can take a trip on the Puffing Billy Steam
and Jackson’s Hotel and enjoy a private viewing of
Sth Oakleigh, 3167. Tel: +61 3 9579 3033
Engine through the area, which has been
Melbourne’s sculpture icon Chloe, a full - length nude that
The National Golf Club
in operation since 1900.
reclines in Chloe’s Bar and Bistro – she’s lived here since
LOCAL VINEYARDS
1881. At Bourke Street Mall you’ll see Melbourne’s oldest
There are more than 230 vineyards in
arcade, Royal Arcade (1839) which is paved in black and
Dromana Estate in Dromana for a light
July and August for cross-country skiing
An absolute must for classic - film buffs between December
Falls Creek (www.mtbeauty.com) and
1880s though he never even set foot in Australia. You can stay
Chinatown is around here, situated around Little Bourke
The Victorian Alps region is popular in
the Theatres Building (see www.artscentre.net.au).
(www.moonlight.com.au) in the Royal Botanic Gardens in
are the Dandenong Ranges, with their
Cafe society in the St Kilda area of Melbourne
VICTORIAN ALPS
National Gallery of Victoria, the Melbourne Concert Hall and
Sth Oakleigh, 3167. Tel: +61 3 9579 3122
William Butterfield designed St Paul’s Cathedral in the
be shy when it comes to tasting. Go to the
The Victorian Arts Centre, off St. Kilda Road, houses the
and March is a screening at the Moonlight Cinema
The Metropolitan Golf Club
white marble.
gold was found and there’s a recreated
gold town to visit at Sovereign Hill.
is an hour’s drive away from the city, as
Victoria. Make sure you visit one and don’t
Restaurant at the fashionable Lindrum Hotel
Cheltenham, 3192. Tel: +61 3 9584 1733
Commonwealth Golf Club
Home to the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the inner suburb
Baw resort (www.bawbawar.com.au) are
Fitzroy is the heart of the city’s bohemian culture. Its alterna-
better for the ski beginner.
tive and boasts a chic tribe of aspiring young artists with
NATIONAL PARKS
Mordialloc, 3195. Tel: +61 3 9580 3455
boutique galleries, second-hand shops, laid - back cafes and
For weird rock formations and Aboriginal
Cape Schanck, 3939. Tel: +61 3 5988 6666
Woodlands Golf Club
The Dunes Golf Links
Parisian street art. In Prahran and Toorak, it becomes more
rock art, the Grampians National Park in
Rye, 3941. Tel: +61 3 5985 1334
upmarket. The financial crowd hang out around the Central
western Victoria is spectacular.
Yarra Yarra Golf Club
Business District, where you’ll find another selection of quality
Learn about the Koories, Victoria’s
bars with restuarant venues dotted along the Yarra River.
Aboriginal people in the Brambuk
East Bentleigh, 3165. Tel: +61 3 9563 7711
Street and Spring and Swanston Streets, it’s where to experi-
Huntingdale Golf Club
Sth Oakleigh, 3167. Tel: +61 3 9579 4622
lunch and the Red Hill Estate or Main Ridge
Yarra Park is where the Melbourne Cricket Club has lived
ence the best in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai
Estate in Red Hill for some champagne.
since 1853. Then there’s Federation Square, the site for the
cuisines. The Bamboo House (traditional), Madam Fang’s
Towers Hotels is packed with bars, shops, restuarants, clubs
also the Bushtucker Café here, where you
Rod Laver Stadium (home to The Australian Open Tennis
(modern) and Kunis (sushi) are all good, I coudn’t resist Gilbert
and the 24-hour-a-day Crown Casino.The Duck Restaurant is
can try your luck with some possum-tail
Championship), the Melbourne Sports & Entertainment Centre,
Lau’s Flower Drum on Market Lane (+61 3 9662 3655) –
pricy, but with such an excellent setting on the river who’s
soup or a rooburger. The Wilsons
and the Olympic Park (home of the Melbourne Storm rugby
one of the best Cantonese meals I’ve ever eaten.
counting? For more views of the water, the famed Walters
Promontory, Gippsland is the place to
Wine Bar & Restaurant is also worth a visit.
swim, surf and take in the coastal scenery.
league team). There’s also the 10,500 seater Vodafone Arena
a
day
out,
visit
the
Melbourne
Museum
There may be no opera house or spectacular harbour but
One of the best ways to get about is by tram – the City Circle
which opened in 2000. It covers six enormous levels and
Melbourne is officially the trendiest city on the planet, crammed
Bulga National Park and take a breather
line is free and look out for the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, one
includes the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Centre, which showcases a
with spectacular restaurants, cafe culture, sophisticated bars,
on one of the many beaches in the area.
of Melbourne’s more unusual dineries.
stunning collection of native art.
quality hotels and complimented by an unusual amount of
which had a huge open - air, salt - water swimming pool, an
www.visitvictoria.com – The best local travel information
amazing collection of contemporary art, impressive boutique-
www.melbourne.vic.gov.au – For everything on Melbourne
www.parkweb.vic.gov.au – Get to know the Grampians
WORLD OF GOLF
Get back to nature in the forests of the Tarra
greenery for any city. I stayed at the Adelphi in Flinders Lane
VICTORIA ONLINE
218
Aboriginal Living Cultural Centre. There’s
(www.melbourne.museum.vic.gov.au) in the Carlton Gardens,
which hosts high-profile sporting events and major concerts.
The Melbourne Races
For
The Southgate complex home to the Sheraton and Crown
hotel decor and some quite good hotel food.
More golf listings on p236-241
Adelphi Hotel: www.luxehotel.com
WORLD OF GOLF
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