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In The Know
Did You Know?
Australia's second largest city, with a population of around 3.4 million, Melbourne is very different from its glossy northern sister. Founded long after Sydney, in 1835, this more elegant, European-style city retains many grand buildings and while its citizens are regarded as more conservative than Sydneysiders, this is not borne out in any tangible way. The climate is often `four seasons in a day' and can be very hot in summer. Melbourne's cooler winter temperatures are often accompanied by romantic, grey days.
Melbourne has plenty to entertain the visitor. There are over 4,000 restaurants and the dining scene is superb; the shopping rivals that of Sydney; sport is practically a religion; and there is plenty of nightlife - including high-quality theatrical and cultural events at the Victorian Arts Centre and other venues.A vibrant, sophisticated and dynamic city, bisected by the Yarra River (on which you can take a scenic cruise), the central city area contains many museums and galleries, gracious avenues such as Collins and Spring Streets, and an abundance of green open spaces. Another Melbourne delight is riding the extensive tram network; trams have practically disappeared from all other Australian cities, but in Melbourne this is very much the way to get around.
Melbourne is a city of many ethnic groups - as a visit to Chinatown, with its exotic shops and restaurants and the Museum of Chinese Australian History, or the suburbs of Italian-influenced Carlton and multicultural Richmond reveal. Other enclaves are St Kilda and South Yarra, with boutiques and the grand 1840s house, Como.
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