Melbourne, Australia has many visitor attractions in the fields of arts, culture, sport and entertainment. This short article examines some aspects of the city's history, and some modern day cultural and sporting events held in the city. The Hilton hotel, near the international airport, is a convenient Melbourne Airport accommodation for visitors arriving by air.
The city of Melbourne is centred at the estuary of the Yarra River where it flows into Port Philip Bay. Port Philip Bay (or just "The Bay" for local people) covers a large area (about 1900 square kilometres), and its shoreline stretches for about 260 kilometres. Melbourne, and its suburbs, extend mostly along the eastern and the northern sides of the bay, and inland up the Yarra valley and its tributaries.
Most of Melbourne's beaches are located in the south eastern suburbs in areas like Port Melbourne, St. Kilda and Albert Park. As these are on The Bay they are rather sheltered. The closest surfing beaches are located about 80 kilometres from Melbourne's central business district (CBD).
Port Philip Bay was first explored by John Murray on the Lady Nelson in 1802, closely followed by Matthew Flinders on the Investigator. The first settlement by Europeans was at Sorrento, but it was soon abandoned (1804), and it was thirty more years before permanent settlements were founded. The settlement at Bearbrass, at the mouth of the Yarra river, was founded in 1835 by settlers from Tasmania, which was then known as Van Diemen's Land. In 1837 Bearbrass was renamed Melbourne in honour of the British politician Lord Melbourne.
Melbourne was made a city in 1845, and in 1851 it became the state capital of Victoria. It experienced major growth as a result of the Victoria Gold Rush in the 1850s. At that time the Australian population tripled, and two tons of gold per week were being exported through Melbourne.
Nowadays Melbourne is centre for arts, commerce, tourism, sport and entertainment. In the cultural field Melbourne plays host to a variety of events and festivals, including international film and comedy festivals, and the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Melbourne is also the birthplace of the Australian TV and film industries, and in fact the world's first feature length film (The Story of The Kelly Gang, 1906) was made in Melbourne, at a cost of 1,125 pounds.
In the sporting field Melbourne is also notable, in 1956 it hosted the first Olympics to be held in Australia, and in 2006 the Commonwealth Games were held here. Three major international sporting events are held in Melbourne every year, in tennis, horse racing and motor racing. These are the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, the Melbourne Cup and the Australian Open (tennis). The Australian Open is held on hard courts at Melbourne Park every January, and is one of the four Grand Slam events in the tennis calendar. The Melbourne Cup (3 year olds and up, over two miles) is held on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse, and the Australian Grand Prix is usually the first race of the Grand Prix calendar.
Tullamarine (Melbourne International Airport) is the main airport for the area. It is an international hub airport for the Australian carriers Qantas and Virgin Blue, and there are many domestic flights connecting Melbourne to the other state capitals in Australia. The Hilton Melbourne Airport Hotel is a convenient option for Melbourne airport accommodation. This hotel connects directly to the airport via a covered pedestrian walkway, and is just twenty minutes distant from the city centre of Melbourne.
The city of Melbourne is centred at the estuary of the Yarra River where it flows into Port Philip Bay. Port Philip Bay (or just "The Bay" for local people) covers a large area (about 1900 square kilometres), and its shoreline stretches for about 260 kilometres. Melbourne, and its suburbs, extend mostly along the eastern and the northern sides of the bay, and inland up the Yarra valley and its tributaries.
Most of Melbourne's beaches are located in the south eastern suburbs in areas like Port Melbourne, St. Kilda and Albert Park. As these are on The Bay they are rather sheltered. The closest surfing beaches are located about 80 kilometres from Melbourne's central business district (CBD).
Port Philip Bay was first explored by John Murray on the Lady Nelson in 1802, closely followed by Matthew Flinders on the Investigator. The first settlement by Europeans was at Sorrento, but it was soon abandoned (1804), and it was thirty more years before permanent settlements were founded. The settlement at Bearbrass, at the mouth of the Yarra river, was founded in 1835 by settlers from Tasmania, which was then known as Van Diemen's Land. In 1837 Bearbrass was renamed Melbourne in honour of the British politician Lord Melbourne.
Melbourne was made a city in 1845, and in 1851 it became the state capital of Victoria. It experienced major growth as a result of the Victoria Gold Rush in the 1850s. At that time the Australian population tripled, and two tons of gold per week were being exported through Melbourne.
Nowadays Melbourne is centre for arts, commerce, tourism, sport and entertainment. In the cultural field Melbourne plays host to a variety of events and festivals, including international film and comedy festivals, and the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Melbourne is also the birthplace of the Australian TV and film industries, and in fact the world's first feature length film (The Story of The Kelly Gang, 1906) was made in Melbourne, at a cost of 1,125 pounds.
In the sporting field Melbourne is also notable, in 1956 it hosted the first Olympics to be held in Australia, and in 2006 the Commonwealth Games were held here. Three major international sporting events are held in Melbourne every year, in tennis, horse racing and motor racing. These are the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, the Melbourne Cup and the Australian Open (tennis). The Australian Open is held on hard courts at Melbourne Park every January, and is one of the four Grand Slam events in the tennis calendar. The Melbourne Cup (3 year olds and up, over two miles) is held on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse, and the Australian Grand Prix is usually the first race of the Grand Prix calendar.
Tullamarine (Melbourne International Airport) is the main airport for the area. It is an international hub airport for the Australian carriers Qantas and Virgin Blue, and there are many domestic flights connecting Melbourne to the other state capitals in Australia. The Hilton Melbourne Airport Hotel is a convenient option for Melbourne airport accommodation. This hotel connects directly to the airport via a covered pedestrian walkway, and is just twenty minutes distant from the city centre of Melbourne.
About the Author:
Jasmine Zahara is seen as a respected article author with a business office in Melbourne Accommodation and is passionate on this general vicinity of Australia. Jasmine gives advice on virtually all provincial Victorian subjects and acknowledges Beechworth as just one of the most delightful country Australia vacation spots.
