8 hours in Melbourne

[ragin_cajun]

We dock at 7am in Melbourne.  If we stay in the city center, what do you suggest we do?

[MicCanberra]

Look around the city, there are lots of options, there laneways with murals, shops, Chinatown for lunch,  pub crawl, go to the sporting precinct, the Botanical Gardens, the Queen Victoria markets, museums, galleries.

[greatestvalue]

28 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Queen Victoria markets

Looking this one up.  

 

Thanks so much @MicCanberra for all the info you pass on about the area.  So very helpful. 

 

Just applied and was granted Visa for Australia & New Zealand today, so its getting real!

[MicCanberra]

Btw, The trams are free in the CBD area of Melbourne 

[cruiser3775]

To get into the city from the port, you can take a tram, or a bus. You need to buy a transport smart card, called MYKI, which will be sold at the port.  Once in the central city, you can ride the trams for free. If you want to see some Australian native animals, you can take a tram to Melbourne Zoo, which has a big Australian fauna section.

[MelbTone]

Add State Library, top of Swanston Street: there's an exhibition in the Dome Gallery also make sure to visit the Reading Room under the dome and Old Treasury Building for lots on the history of Melbourne and Victoria. Both free.

 

Note Queen Vic Market is closed Mon + Wed.

[yarramar]

This website is a good start. It updates regularly, so take a look at several weeks out from your visit. https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/

Also take a look here

[stewart_oz]

Eight hours means sticking basically within the CBD unless on a tour.

So much to see/do in the CBD 8 hours will seem short

 

As others have noted there is tram/bus into Melbourne central .

If not too crowded would catch the tram as a bit more of a unique experience

 

For Melbourne itself as @yarramar noted .. see

https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/visitor-info/attractions-sights

 

[greatestvalue]

On 8/4/2024 at 7:28 PM, MicCanberra said:

CBD area of Melbourne 

Is there only 1 CBD area in Melbourne, unlike Sydney?

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, greatestvalue said:

Is there only 1 CBD area in Melbourne, unlike Sydney?

Just the one as shown here.

[stewart_oz]

As @MicCanberra  has excellently "mapped" out.

Melbourne has one CBD area refered to as the "hoddle" grid.  The surveyer who designed it.

 

Think grid as in grid iron and you get the gist.  All easy to follow. 

The area as marked is about 1 mile by 0.5  miles.  So easy to walk or catch free trams.

The bottom of the grid is the yarra river .  NIce to stroll along the south bank . Then walk up thru the city.

Tram from port can  drop you off at bottom left corner of yellow area . or anywhere around the middle of it.

[cruiser3775]

Here's the map of the free tram zone in the Melbourne CBD.   If you catch a tram from Port Melbourne (not free) it will come into the city at Spencer Street, on the bottom left of the map.

 

https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/assets/PDFs/Maps/Network-maps/5b4a3efe80/PTV-Free-Tram-Zone-Map.pdf

 

The photo shows the tram at the end of the Port Melbourne line. The building you can see in the background is at the entrance to the cruise ship port, Station Pier.

Edited August 6 by cruiser3775

[buchhalm]

8 hours in Melbourne is enough for a lifetime