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Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the
second largest city in Australia, with a population of 3,366,542 (census 2001).
The city's name is pronounced "MEL-buhn" . The city's motto is the Latin "Vires
acquirit eundo" which means "we gather strength as we go". Melbourne has twice ranked first in a survey by The Economist of "The World's
Most Livable Cities", once in 2002, and again in 2004.
Melbourne Facts & Figures
- Central Business District (CBD)
- Area 2.52 sq.km
- Total Resident Population
- (31 December 1996 estimate) 2488
- Total Floor Area (1992) 9 048 869 mē
- Total Employment (1992) 142 252
- Tallest Building Rialto, 505 -535 Collins Street (66 Levels/251 metres)
- Oldest Building Mitre Tavern, 5-9 Bank Place (1837)
City of Melbourne
- Area 36.5 sq. km.
- Total Resident Population (31 December 1996 estimate) 39 100
- Total Length of Roads 315 km
- Total Area of Parkland 563 ha.
Metropolitan Melbourne
- Area 7 826.5 sq. km.
- Estimated Resident Population: over 3.5 million
Brief facts about Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria, Australia. Covering an area of 7,280
sq kilometre, it is home to over 3.5 million people from diverse backgrounds and
interests.
Melbourne's economic and political centre is located within the municipal
boundaries of the City of Melbourne, an area of 36.5 sq kilometres, which
encompasses the Central Business District, some of Melbourne most historic
suburbs, the Southbank precinct site of new residential development with its own
postcode 3006, and a casino. As well as most of Melbourne's famous sporting
venues and its world famous parks and gardens.
Central Equity Ltd, Melbourne leading developer of inner city apartments, has
contributed the majority of the Southbank residential developments, and
continues to provide quality and value added apartments for those who seeks an
inner city lifestyle. Central Equity has also many developments in the South
Melbourne area, a suburb that has attracted much attention with the "young and
professionally mobile group" in Melbourne.
Melbourne, the Garden State, is noted for its diversity, vitality, and
sophistication, all of which have made it one of the world's most liveable
cities.
The government of the City of Melbourne is the Melbourne City Council, which, as
Victoria's capital city council, speaks on behalf of all Melbourne local,
national and international forums.
The City of Melbourne, working in conjunction with other local municipalities,
is committed to ensuring that this Melbourne is one of the safest, healthiest,
and cleanest in the world. It supports Melbourne's position as Australia\'s
pre-eminent centre for arts and culture, education, fine food and dining and
exciting shopping experiences.
Melbourne is the ideal location for international business, embracing a
pro-business attitude. With an excellent strategic location in the Asia Pacific
region, Melbourne is also the nation's transport hub a legacy for its highly
developed infrastructure. It has a sophisticated industry base and skilled
workforce, and offers low costs for doing business. Both the State government
and the city of Melbourne actively encourage business opportunities and aim to
make Melbourne the centre of business activity in the Southern Hemisphere.
Over the year of 1998/1999, Melbourne has successfully attracted 48 major
conferences to Victoria, and that is an anticipated number of 45,600 delegates,
which will definitely see an inflow of dollars and adds to the social growth on
a whole. Melbourne has consistently ranked in the top ten of international
convention destinations and is currently ranked 3 in advance bookings for the
year 2001.
This is an indication that Melbourne is not only the place to live, but also for
business and leisure activities. It has the infrastructures and facilities to
hold large event and conduct business. Australia as a whole has abundance of
entrepreneurial skills and spirit which is potentially ideal for economic growth
and is geographically proximate centred relative to the rest of the states in
the Australia.
Melbourne has also fostered Sister City relationships with 5 other cities in the
world. The relationships are built to transcend political boundaries and
celebrate and ethnic difference. The City of Melbourne's sister cities are Osaka
(Japan), Tianjin (China), Thessaloniki (Greece), Boston (USA) and St Petersburg
(Russia).
Around Melbourne
There are so many interesting places in Melbourne including the Yarra River, Old
Melbourne Gaol, the "G" better known as the MCG, home to the 1956 Olympic Games
and Australian Rules Football.
City Centre
The city centre consists of a 7 sq km (3 sq mi) rectangular grid of streets
bordered by the Yarra to the south, the Spencer St railway station to the west
and the Fitzroy Gardens to the east. Two of Melbourne's most obvious central
landmarks are the recently renovated Flinders St Station and the neo-Gothic St
Paul's Cathedral. North of these buildings lies the continuing saga that is the
badly planned city square (construction of a hotel/apartment/shopping complex on
the verge of completion), the boom-years' Town Hall, the domed and pillared
building containing the State Library and the flamboyant City Baths.
Other city attractions include the bustling Queen Victoria Market on the
northern fringe of the CBD; views from the 35th floor of the Sofitel Hotel at
the eastern end of Collins St (especially from the toilets!); the mammoth
Treasury and State Parliament House buildings; Scots and St Michael's churches;
the 19th-century Block Arcade, which runs between Collins and Elizabeth Sts; the
collection of Gothic-revival banks on the corner of Collins and Queen Sts; and
the landmark Rialto Towers (now boasting an observation deck) at the western end
of Collins St. At the top end of Russell St there's the atmospheric Old
Melbourne Gaol. Other historic buildings include the Old Customs House, St James
Cathedral and the Old Royal Mint.
South Bank
The focus of Melbourne is slowly shifting to the south bank of the Yarra, which
has seen large scale construction and the influx of huge sums of money and
political will. The Victorian Arts Centre buildings and the National Gallery of
Victoria are both on the south bank. The aliens-are-coming spire of the arts
centre's theatre building is probably Melbourne's most famous landmark.
Opposite the arts precinct are the Royal Botanic Gardens - considered to be
among the finest in the world - and Kings Domain, which contains the Shrine of
Remembrance, Governor La Trobe's Cottage and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The
Southgate complex of shops, wine bars, snack stalls and restaurants line the
Yarra's bank. Melbourne's gigantic Crown Casino entertainment complex is nearby.
Inner-City Sights
The inner suburbs of Carlton, Fitzroy and Richmond are all recommended for their
architecture, restaurants and atmosphere. Carlton is the Italian centre, full of
pasta & spaghetti bars, muscle cars and slick Italian clothing stores. Victoria
St in Richmond is the vibrant Vietnamese centre, chock full of budget
restaurants, and the focus of the Lunar New Year celebrations in
January-February. Fitzroy is now a magnet for the urban cool, cafe dwellers and
property renovators, but was once the working-class heart of Melbourne.
St Kilda is a day trip in itself. For years it was Melbourne's sex and sin
centre - drunks, drugs, girls, shady deals and shady characters abounded - but
the suburb is slowly being rejuvenated. Fitzroy St retains traces of its former
tarnished character, although today you're more likely to be sipping a crisp
white and dining on rocket salad than slugging a beer and looking for action.
There is a string of average beaches running from St Kilda back into the city,
including Middle Park, Albert Park and Port Melbourne. Luna Park, near St Kilda
Beach, is an old-fashioned fairground that's fun for kids and coltish adults.
The City of Melbourne has been awarded two distinguished awards, "Best city in
the world" and "Most live-able city in the world". Melbournians come from almost
every country in the world creating a vibrant and diverse city of people proud
to call Melbourne home.
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