Melbourne

Melbourne, coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria. Australia is so big, that it is easy to fly between cities. We flew from Alice springs to Melbourne. When we were in Alice springs, one Australian couple told us a fun fact. Some relatives called them and said we are landing in Sydney airport, come pick us up. They were making fun that if I need to pick them up in Sydney airport from Melbourne, I have to drive about 9 hours one way..:) It’s easy to fly between major cities in Australia.

With 3 days in hand, we wanted to spend one full day for Great ocean road drive. Other 2 days to exploring MCG, Melbourne city life. One thing Melbourne is famous for is it’s street art. Melbourne is also known as coffee capital of the world. Public transportation is very good in the city.

Top things to do

  • The Great Ocean Road
  • The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
  • City Circle Tram
  • Queen Victoria market
  • Eureka Skydeck
  • Chinatown
  • Luna park
  • The Shrine of Remembrance
  • National Gallery of Victoria
  • Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens
  • Melbourne Zoo
  • The Dandenong Ranges, Mount Dandenong
  • Werribee Open Range Zoo
  • St. Paul’s Cathedral
  • hosier lane street art (Must see)
  • St. Kilda beach and boardwalk
  • Federation Square

Day 1: Chill out & a relaxing dinner in Melbourne

First thing we noticed near the airport, around 100’s of Kangaroos in one area. Similar to goats in my home town, I see Kangaroos there. That screen reiterates that we are in Australia…:)

Day 2: Great Ocean Drive

Melbourne to Twelve Apostles is about 4 hours, 275 km. While going we took inside route and coming back along the coast. The Great Ocean Road has many twists and turns  along the Victorian coastline, close cliffs on one side, with sheer drops on the other side towards the ocean. With road constructions and steep turns in the dark, this was little scary ride. This is an amazing place and worth more than a day to enjoy. Views are simply stunning and and beautiful landscapes. You can stay near Twelve Apostles if you want to enjoy more time. Once you reach Twelve Apostles, you can still drive to close my scenic attractions. We went up to Bay of Islands.

The Great Ocean Road starts in Torquay (the surfing capital of Australia), ninety minutes drive from Melbourne. It stretches over two hundred and fifty kms to the coastal town of Warrnambool going through the Great Otway National Park.

Scenic Attractions :

Twelve Apostles  to Loch Ard Gorge –  4kms , London Bridge – 19 kms , and Bay of Islands – 30 kms

Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles are spectacular. These are massive limestone stacks  45 meters above the ocean formed by erosion along the shore of Port Campbell National Park. These are believed to be formed over twenty million years ago.  There are only seven of the original twelve apostles remaining, the rest have collapsed into the ocean. With time, salt water and Mother nature changes they disappeared. Rest will be gone soon, so that’s the reason everyone wants to take a look at them while they still stand.

Depending on the weather sometimes the beaches are closed. Bring a light jacket even in summer.

Gibson Steps

Get down the stairs and walk on the beach for stunning views of the  Twelve Apostles formations.

Loch Ard Gorge –  4kms from Twelve Apostles

Three minutes drive from the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge is another fascinating stop in the Port Campbell National Park. The gorge is named after the clipper ship Loch Ard, which ran around on nearby Muttonbird Island on 1 June 1878 approaching the end of a three-month journey from England to Melbourne. Of the fifty-four passengers and crew, only two survived. There are stairs to go down to the beach and enjoy views. 

London Bridge – 19 kms  from Twelve Apostles

It is few steps away from the parking and views worth a stop. As seen seems like name came from the shape.

Bay of Islands – 30 kms from Twelve Apostles

As the name says, there are collection of islands.  It offers astounding ocean views and a collection of fascinating geological features. There are 2 viewing points at this stop and you can enjoy both of them. A small walk from parking.

Apollo Bay is a decent sized town on the Great Ocean Road and it’s a popular place to stop for a night. It has many restaurants, places to stay and shops to browse. Its 4 km long main beach is great for a relaxing walk. We stopped here for dinner before heading back to Melbourne. Very good food and we were surprised with the taste.

Day 3: MCG Tour

Melbourne cricket ground (MCG), We booked tour of the MCG. Amazing to see the world famous cricket ground.  Each picture has a story to tell in MCG. Like a board with most number of wickets, runs etc., This tour covers players rooms, players dining area, nets. Also covers commentators box, press conference area, boxes, luxury viewing rooms and more..

Afternoon Stroll in Melbourne central , Queen Victoria market, tram ride and street art.

Lunch at Melbourne Central for Burgers and take out for dinner. Long waiting for the food.

Few Tips

1. Where to Stay in Melbourne?

We booked our hotel in Melbourne central, which is close to many attractions and walk-able. But guess what it’s like a downtown and we need to pay parking fee for rental car. It’s very expensive per night.

2. Which side of the road to drive in Australia?

Drive left side of the road in Australia .

3. Weather ?

Melbourne is colder and prepare with light jackets.

 

Travel Date: August, 2019