Melbourne and
Australia Virtual
Tour and
Travel Guide
by Ed Prifogle
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Virtual Tour
Melbourne, Victoria
is the second largest city in Australia. See this MAPQUEST
city map
1. Take a pictorial
virtual
tour.
2. Read
this visitor's
guide.
2. See this link for a
description of the major attractions
3. Study this
link to learn about the lifestyle of this
city.
4. View this description
of the 35 parks of Victoria.
5. Watch this virtual
tour of the city.
6. Click here
to see
live scenes of the city.
7. Watch and listen to these 10
personal video clips and these Travelago
videos about Melbourne..
8. Use this Victoria
Interactive map to
get a better perspective of where Melbourne is located.
9. Read this BBC article
and these reviews
of 25 visitors to Melbourne.
10. See these Victoria
railroad videos and photos.
11. View theseMelbourne live web cams.
12 Watch this TV station
13. Read this Melbourne newspaper
to learn what's
happening today. 14. Also check the current weather.
15.
Watch this 6 minute Australia
Promotional Video-56k | 100k | 300k | Broadband
16 View the 10 World
Hertitage sites of Australia
17.. After exploring this site, Explore Sydney.
18. PBS Beyond
Our Shores Video
Melbourne at Night (Up from Australia)
Exerpted Worldroom.Com Descrption
CITY HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION
The road to Melbourne is
spectacular no matter the direction from which
the city is approached. There is a route through the rugged Australian
Alps; as well as a Princes Highway seaside route from Sidney that
passes beautiful sandy beaches. The Hume Highway is lined with
vineyards and fine wineries; and the drive from Adelaide along the
Great Ocean Road provides a showcase for some of Australia's most
dramatic scenery. View a hot
map of Melbourne Streets
Melbourne (pronounced Mel
bun) is located on the banks of the Yarra
River and overlooks the huge expanse of Port Phillip Bay, a sailing and
boating paradise. Its beautiful beaches provide recreation for local
residents and visitors throughout the year. The many parks along the
banks of the Yarra and the Maribyrnong Rivers are popular spots for
picnics, parties and barbecues by the water.
Magnificent landscaped
gardens and parklands make Melbourne one of the
greenest cities in the world.
The streets of the city
center are alive with thousands of residents
bustling in and out of buildings that are a blend of grand Victorian
and modern architecture and house everything from outstanding galleries
to opulent theatres. Hundreds of designer fashion boutiques, many shops
and countless rows of sophisticated little cafés line the main
thoroughfares. Over 3000 restaurants present fine cuisine accompanied
by superb local wines. This friendly multicultural city is home to
people from over 140 nations, a fact that is reflected in the
excellence and diversity of the food choices that are available. There
is something to please everyone.
Green and gold trams
circle the city providing efficient transportation
in the gracious style of days gone by. Children will love the riverboat
cruises, water taxis and gondola rides that provide the best in aquatic
travel on the Yarra River. They will also enjoy a visit to a shark at
Melbourne Aquarium and an afternoon at the Melbourne zoo.
It's only a short ferry
boat ride across Port Phillip Bay to
Williamstown and St Kilda, the beach suburbs that function as the
playgrounds of Melbourne.
This cosmopolitan and
sophisticated city hosts major cultural
festivals, world famous horse races, smash hit musicals and
international sporting events throughout the year. Melbourne Festival,
Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, Qantas Australian Grand
Prix, Australian Football League finals series, Spring Racing Carnival,
Australian Open, Melbourne Comedy Festival and Melbourne Food and Wine
Festival are just a few of the key events.
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Melbourne
is the gateway to the State of Victoria. Victoria's walking
and riding trails provide the perfect getaway for anyone who enjoys the
beauty of the out of doors. They cover diverse landscapes ranging from
National Park wilderness to immaculate gardens, from serene lakes to
endless beaches, from rolling mountain ranges to deserts. Many hiking
trails can be found close to Melbourne within easy driving distance of
the city.
Scientists believe that Australia is a piece of continental crust that
broke away from Antarctica about 50 million years ago. The result is
that many reminders of Australia's Antarctic heritage remain, and have
over the centuries provided challenges to those who immigrated and
sought to remake Australia in the image of their native lands. In the
1800's attempts were made to make the country look more like Europe.
Salmon, sparrows, and trout were among the species introduced. All of
them competed with native animals and forced their counterparts into
extinction. Too much of the land was cleared; erosion took place, and
sources of drinking water became contaminated by salt run off. Since
the 1980's there has been a massive team effort by environmentalists
and farmers to reverse the extensive damage and to restore the land to
its original beauty. Their efforts have paid off. Instead of trying to
mould Australia to fit modern European farming methods, agriculturists
have learned to work in concert with the naturally occurring dust
storms and floods. The earliest known settlers, the Aboriginal people
known as the Kooris, adapted to the ebb and flow of Australia's seasons
over 60,000 years ago, and continue to do so today.
In the
early 17th century European expeditions mapped parts of the coast, but
passed on by to settle in other areas of the world. In 1770 the British
sailed up the eastern coast, named it New South Wales, and claimed
ownership of Australia in the name of King George III. In 1778 about
800 British convicts were set ashore in what is now Sydney. This penal
colony became the first European settlement on Australian soil.
In 1803 Captain David Collins settled for a time in the Melbourne area,
but had to relocate due to his inability to find anything but salt
water, which was unsuitable for drinking. Shortly thereafter another
British settler, Sir Charles Grimes, found the Yarra River and declared
it to be the ideal place for a settlement. In 1836 and 1837 many staked
claims for land in the region. In 1837 the Surveyor General mapped out
the grid for the city streets, and the settlement was named Melbourne.
By 1840 the population had reached 10,000.
National Gallery (Up
from Australia)
Growth began in earnest during
the early 1850's
when gold was
discovered and British pioneers flocked to the area in search of it.
Within a few months, the State of Victoria was producing more gold than
anywhere else in the world. The population leapt to 77,000 and then to
95,000. By 1860 there were 500,000!
The gold rush ended, but prosperity continued. Roads, railways,
telephone and electric lines, and beautiful churches were constructed
to serve the rapidly growing area. Melbourne had emerged as the
financial capital of Australia. Agriculture, mining, and later brewing
and flour milling were its main industries. The lavish Royal Exhibition
Building was built for the Great Exhibition of 1888. Other buildings in
the style of the grand architecture of England followed. Large expanses
of land were set aside for parks and gardens. A series of strikes and
an extensive drought diminished the fortunes of many in the 1890's, but
prosperity soon returned. In 1901 Melbourne became the political
capital of a federation of the six Australian colonies, a position held
until 1927. During this period the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was
formed.
The worldwide depression of 1929-1930 brought massive unemployment to
Melbourne, but once again things quickly improved. Government funds
were made available to put people to work building monuments and making
other public improvements. By 1933 the population was over one million.
World War II had little effect on Melbourne. However, in 1945 a postwar
immigration tidal wave brought to the area whole villages from Lebanon,
Turkey and Greece. The blending of cultures has enriched Melbourne and
added a cosmopolitan dimension.
Melbourne entered the world spotlight in 1952 with the visit of Queen
Elizabeth, and again in 1956 when the city hosted the Olympic games,
held in the southern hemisphere for the first time. In the 1960's and
1970's Melbourne welcomed many immigrants from Vietnam and China.
Melbourne's rich cultural mix includes over 60 nationalities.
In 1992 the ten year reign of the Labor party ended when a conservative
Liberal/National party coalition under the leadership of Jeff Kennett
was voted in. Sweeping efforts at modernization in Melbourne have
occurred since that time. Highlights include Southgate, a world class
casino; the new museum of Victoria, and the Tennis Center. Major
national events such as the Australian Grand Prix have been attracted
to Melbourne, and major renovation and restoration of the city's
buildings is continuing.
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