Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia and is the capital of the south eastern state of Victoria. Situated on Port Phillip Bay, and covering an area of 7,280 sq kilometres, it is home to 3.2 million people from diverse backgrounds and interests, giving the city a distinctive cosmopolitan character.
Melbourne is Australia's second largest city. Attractively located on the the banks of the Yarra River and the shores of Port Phillip, Melbourne is characterised by a sophistication and a certain solidity of purpose.

For the first time visitor Melbourne is an easy city. It is basically laid out in a grid system (roads run at right angles to each other) which means that if you miss a street you can drive to the next street, do a right or left hand turn, go around the block and pick up the street a few blocks further down.
Uniquely it has maintained its tram system which is efficient and which adds greatly to the appeal of the city. And, in shopping terms, it has maintained a love affair with arcades and narrow streets which means that it is quite different from other modern cities where huge malls and skyscrapers are the norm.

From magnificent tree-lined streets and classic architecture, to the vast array of culinary experiences, Melbourne is a city of contrasts offering something for everyone.
Laid out in a symmetrical, rectangular grid, with wide streets and an abundance of parks and gardens, Melbourne gained a reputation as the 'Garden City', something it has been proud to maintain.

Melbourne's world-class parks and gardens are host to a wide range of recreational activities. And Melburnians have a particular passion for all types of sport. This is demonstrated throughout the year with major events such as the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, the AFL Grand Final, the Australian Open Tennis Championships and the world famous horse race that stops the nation, the Melbourne Cup