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Melbourne for a day and a half-Penguin parade?
We fly from Uluru to Melbourne and get in around 3pm. We have the next day and then leave for Sydney the following day. Friends have seen the Penguin Parade and enjoyed it. I have found a tour that leaves Melbourne at 4pm. Is it worth going to or should we do things in Melbourne?
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Personally, I would not do the tour and enjoy seeing things in Melbourne instead. It's nice to see the penguins but with such a short stay in Melbourne, I wouldn't spend so much time travelling to Phillip Island.
Also if you mean your flight arrives in Melbourne at 3pm, there is no way you'd be able to make a 4pm tour. You need to (probably) collect luggage, get some sort of transport to your hotel, check in, etc. It all takes time. Domestic flights are often a bit late as well, particularly by the afternoon or evening as any delays back up. If you will reach your hotel by 3pm, then you'd have time but have you thought of other things you want to see and do instead, in the city area? Kay |
Thank you Kay. We fly in at 3pm from Uluru and will be staying at the Melbourne Westin in the CBD. This is the last city in a month long trip to New Zealand and then Australia. We were thinking of exploring the laneways and CBD that evening. The next day is a full day in Melbourne. In many cities, we have taken the hop on off bus but I did see that Melbourne has a free tramway. Any suggestions for what to see and do? The following day our flight is at 10am.
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From Melbourne's airport (Tullamarine) into the city, you can take the Sky Bus. This takes you into Southern Cross Station and then you can transfer to their free hotel shuttle (hotel shuttle operates until early evening)
https://www.skybus.com.au/ The City Circle Free Tram is handy for exploring Melbourne's CBD. I believe all trams are free within the "free tram zone". Rather than wait for trams, I've usually just walked. Melbourne's CBD is very walkable and there are loads of interesting buildings, shops, and laneways to explore. Here's a great map of the Inner City: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/Site...ap-low-res.pdf More maps here: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/abou...City-maps.aspx Free tram zone: Attachment 3490 Inner Melbourne is known for its pedestrian laneways, such as Hosier Lane, which is near both St. Paul's Cathedral and Federation Square. https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attrac..._Victoria.html https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au...ndArcades.aspx http://fedsquare.com/about The National Gallery of Victoria has two locations and both are well-worth visiting. Admission is free! The more contemporary museum, IAN POTTER CENTRE: NGV AUSTRALIA, is located at Federation Square, the other, NGV INTERNATIONAL is a short walk away (or you can jump on the tram for a couple of stops). To walk from one museum to the other, you'll cross a short bridge across the Yarra River, then walk along St. Kilda Road that borders inner Melbourne's huge public gardens (among these its Botanic Garden). https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/visit/ The Yarra River flows right through central Melbourne. There's a promenade, as well as restaurants, bars, and the Eureka Sky Deck on the trendy South Bank. Visit Queen Victoria Market! It's huge and on the edge of the CBD. They also have a night market on Wednesdays until April. http://qvm.com.au/ http://qvm.com.au/whatson/the-night-market/ My husband and I enjoyed the Melbourne Museum, which is a natural history museum. Great displays about animals, minerals, Victoria's Aboriginal peoples, and a Forest Gallery with live trees and birds. Unfortunately, the museum is not free. It's in pretty Carlton Gardens and next to the "hipster" neighborhood Fitzroy. https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/ A Guide to Fitzroy - Melbourne's Most Hipster Neighbourhood |
1 Attachment(s)
From Melbourne's airport (Tullamarine) into the city, you can take the Sky Bus. This takes you into Southern Cross Station and then you can transfer to their free hotel shuttle (hotel shuttle operates until early evening)
https://www.skybus.com.au/ The City Circle Free Tram is handy for exploring Melbourne's CBD. I believe all trams are free within the "free tram zone". Rather than wait for trams, I've usually just walked. Melbourne's CBD is very walkable and there are loads of interesting buildings, shops, and laneways to explore. Here's a great map of the Inner City: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/Site...ap-low-res.pdf More maps here: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/abou...City-maps.aspx Free tram zone: Attachment 3491 Inner Melbourne is known for its pedestrian laneways, such as Hosier Lane, which is near both St. Paul's Cathedral and Federation Square. https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attrac..._Victoria.html https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au...ndArcades.aspx http://fedsquare.com/about The National Gallery of Victoria has two locations and both are well-worth visiting. Admission is free! The more contemporary museum, IAN POTTER CENTRE: NGV AUSTRALIA, is located at Federation Square, the other, NGV INTERNATIONAL is a short walk away (or you can jump on the tram for a couple of stops). To walk from one museum to the other, you'll cross a short bridge across the Yarra River, then walk along St. Kilda Road that borders inner Melbourne's huge public gardens (among these its Botanic Garden). https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/visit/ The Yarra River flows right through central Melbourne. There's a promenade, as well as restaurants, bars, and the Eureka Sky Deck on trendy South Bank. Visit Queen Victoria Market! It's huge and on the edge of the CBD. They also have a night market on Wednesdays until April. http://qvm.com.au/ http://qvm.com.au/whatson/the-night-market/ My husband and I enjoyed the Melbourne Museum, which is a natural history museum. Great displays about animals, minerals, Victoria's Aboriginal peoples, and a Forest Gallery with live trees and birds. Unfortunately, the museum is not free. It's in pretty Carlton Gardens and next to the "hipster" neighborhood Fitzroy. https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/ A Guide to Fitzroy - Melbourne's Most Hipster Neighbourhood |
Great ideas from Diamantina. I was going to say Queen Victoria Market too which has a huge array of goods, from fresh food/deli to souvenirs, clothes etc. It's not open every day so check the website, they also do guided walking tours.
The trams are free within a certain area in the CBD but if you stray outside that area you will need a valid ticket. I'd suggest getting on the City Circle Tram which is free and a bit different (the only one coloured burgundy). It's one of the original old trams which is not as quiet and sleek as the new ones but full of character. You could do a loop to give you a feel for where things are. https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/route/1112/35/ https://www.visitmelbourne.com/regio...ty-circle-tram Brunetti's is a Melbourne institution, we love going there for cake and coffee. The (original I think) one is in Lygon St, Carlton, there is a big newish one in Flinders Lane where you can get pizza, pasta etc as well as a huge array of Italian cakes. There is also a small one in Myer department store which I avoid as it's always a crush. You can catch a tram up Lygon St from the city, it's wall to wall restaurants. Used to be all Italian but now there is more of a mix. Lots of places to eat along the river at Southbank too. Yum Cha in Chinatown is good, where they wheel trolleys stacked with bamboo baskets past, it's usually reasonably priced and quick. If you are near Melbourne Central, a multi-storey shopping centre in the CBD, check out the large musical clock and the Shot Tower. The Shot Tower is original and they built the shopping centre around it. The big gold clock is next to it and it opens and plays music, on the hour I think. Not a must-do unless you are in the area. There is also a Free Little Library if you have a book you've finished or want one to read - I LOVE the concept of these. Kay |
Great suggestions for you . There is no tram up Lygon Street - catch the tram in Swanston Street that goes to Coburg or Mebourne University and that will take you near Lygon Street . |
Thank you so so much for all of the suggestions. We had company for the holidays and I am just getting back to my computer. We leave tomorrow!
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Thank you for all of your suggestions. I wasn't aware of the Sky Bus. Now we plan to take it.
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Thank you Kay. All of the responses have provided so much information.
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Thanks northie!
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if you want to see pengins you can go to St Kilda pier-1400 little penguins there.
stkildapenguins.com.au of course not the display that there is at Phillip Island. |
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