Free Attractions Guide - Melbourne, Victoria
1. Albert Park
Albert Park boasts 225-hectares of beautiful parkland including a picturesque lake and network of trails. It is located in the City of Port Phillip, approximately three kilometres from the Melbourne CBD and is the venue for many of Victoria's popular public events. The park is a beacon to sporting and recreation enthusiasts with a superb 18 hole golf course, golf driving range, walking and cycling tracks and on-water activities.
Other facilities include picnic tables, barbecue areas, playgrounds, restaurants and toilets. Albert park is also an important sanctuary for wildlife and vegetation.
2. Chapel Street
A fashion, dining and lifestyle strip with a multicultural flavour. This precinct has inspired a large number of stunning young designers to international acclaim and is home to Melbourne's cutting edge fashion and designer gift wear stores, much loved by super-models and celebrities.
You will also discover lounge bars, clubs, lively cafes and great restaurants that make for a great place to visit, day or night, any time of the week.
3. Chinatown
The place for dining, shopping, entertainment and accommodation. Chinatown is a distinctive and well known area of Melbourne which dates back to the gold rush days of the 1850s. Chinatown Melbourne is the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the western world.
Chinatown's essential character and main focus is along Little Bourke Street with alleys that link the area to Bourke Street and Lonsdale Street.
4. Crown Casino Complex
There is always something happening at the Crown Casino Complex from live entertainment to themed displays and riverside festivals, Crown truly is A World of Entertainment. The Crown Entertainment Complex located on the north bank of the Yarra River combines gaming, hotel, convention, restaurant, retail and comprehensive entertainment facilities in one of the most innovative and technologically-advanced sites in the world.
+61 3 9292 5505 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank5. City Circle Tram
The Circle City Tram is a free tourist tram within Melbourne's central business district. This service operates in a circular route (clockwise and anticlockwise) passing major tourist attractions.
The tram runs approximately every 12 minutes between 10am and 6pm with extended hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Clockwise service: Flinders Street > Harbour Esplanade > Docklands Drive > La Trobe Street > Victoria Street > Nicholson Street > Spring Street > Flinders Street.
6. Collins Street Gallery
Collins Street Gallery opened at 411 Collins Street, Melbourne in 1988, showing works of contemporary artists, key exhibitions and stockroom sales. Apart from representing paintings by accomplished artists, the Gallery exhibits some contemporary sculpture.
Our exclusive collection of carvings of birds, fish and other Australian wildlife from Pilbara Jade has received wide acclaim. The Gallery's comprehensive display of Australian early studio pottery ranks among the world's finest private collections. Collins Street Gallery is affiliated with the Sussex Street Gallery in Sydney and provides access to work exhibited in either gallery.
7. Flinders Street Station
Flinders Street Railway Station at the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets is the oldest station in Australia (1910) although the first station on this site opened in 1854! It is the busiest suburban railway station in the southern hemisphere even after the completion of the city loop railway subway and its 700 metre main platform is the longest in the country. Also a popular meeting place for Melbournians due to its central location.
Cnr Flinders & Swanston Sts, Melbourne8. Federation Square
Meet at Federation Square. Everyone else does. Ever since this landmark cultural and entertainment destination was opened to the public, Melburnians and visitors have been gathering here.
Locals have embraced Fed Square as a true reflection of their city, with rich cultural experiences. Fed Square is where cultures meet, friends meet, minds meet and worlds meet. The city’s new public space brings together striking architecture, restaurants, and arts venues. The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) Australia at Federation Square is the spectacular new home of the gallery’s Australian Art collection.
9. Gold Treasury Museum
The Old Treasury is regarded as one of the finest public buildings in Australia. Restored and opened to the public as a museum in 1994, the Gold Treasury Museum provides an ideal orientation to Melbourne for visitors wishing to understand and explore the city's history, architecture, art and contemporary life while on their camperan hire holiday.
The outstanding attraction of the building is the evocative gold vaults housing a dynamic contemporary exhibition built on gold. The Old Treasury was designed by a nineteen year old architect J J Clark and is a reflection of the vision that Melbournians of the 1850s gold rush era had for their future city.
As well as being built to store the colony's gold, the Old Treasury provided offices for the leaders of the young colony. The Governor, the Premier, the Treasurer and the Auditor General all had offices within the magnificent Old Treasury. Whilst the building is now a public museum, the Old Treasury continues its unbroken history of governance in the affairs of the state. The Governor of Victoria continues to meet weekly with the Executive Council to sign off legislation in the magnificent Executive Council Chamber situated on the first floor.
10. Lygon Street
One of the city's premier eat streets within walking distance of the city centre. It has its origins in the early immigration of Italian migrants to Melbourne and, in particular, to Carlton. It also owes much of its growth and popularity as a eating out destination to the students from Melbourne University, who frequented the street long before it became fashionable with business people.
Lygon Street has the biggest selection of Italian restaurants and cafes of anywhere in Australia, and was the first suburb in Melbourne to promote eating outdoors and tables and chairs on footpaths. Lygon Street is a great place to spend a warm summer's evening with a group of friends, especially if you're sitting in the garden cafe of one of the terraces that line the street.
11. Michael's World Famous Camera Museum
Experience a unique journey through time, with an inspiring self tour of Michael's World Famous Camera Museum! Cameras and photographic equipment have been part of the Michaels family business since 1928. At that time, Michaels was primarily a pharmacy combined with a small range of photographic equipment.
The camera collection began in a modest way during the 1950's. Michaels began operating as a specialty camera store in 1975.Due to the imposed import restrictions following World War II, the number of cameras obtainable for resale were severely limited.
12. National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) International
The oldest and most visited public art gallery in Australia. The NGV's collection spans thousands of years, dating back to the art of ancient civilizations right up to contemporary art and reflects a multitude of different disciplines, periods, styles and inspirations.
The selection of works included on this highlights page showcases the breadth and diversity of the collection and give a brief insight into the variety and quality of this renowned collection.Open from 10am-5pm (closed Tuesday). Entry to the permanent collection is free. Fees may apply to special exhibitions
13. Old Treasury Building
Sitting at the top end of Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD, the Old Treasury Building is one of the most significant 19th century buildings in Australia. The design for the building was by John James Clark (JJ Clark) who started design on the building on 1857 when he was only 19 years old.
The Old Treasury Building hosts the original gold vaults where gold bullion was stored during the gold rush era, as well as rare and historic documents from Public Record Office Victoria highlighting key moments from Victoria’s history. The Old Treasury Building is open free to the public on Wednesdays, Sundays, 10am-4pm and extended times over school holidays.
14. Parliament House
Parliament House, Melbourne, has been the seat of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia, since 1855, except for the years 1901 to 1928, when it was occupied by the Parliament of Australia. It is the largest 19th century public building in Australia and one of the finest examples of the civic architecture of the British Empire period anywhere in the world.
Free Public tours are available when Parliament is not sitting.
15. Queen Victoria Market
Queen Victoria Market is Victoria's premier open-air market. It's a thriving and vital place pulsating with life. The friendly competition between stallholders, and their concern for customers, is what gives the Market its Old World Charm and the addictive Power to draw millions of visitors each year.
The vibrant, cosmopolitan atmosphere of this historic site has endeared the Market to Melburnians for 130 years. The Market is probably best known for its huge variety of fresh produce. Almost 50% of the Market area is dedicated to the sale of fresh produce, including fresh fruits and vegetable, meat, chicken, seafood and delicatessen products.
The remainer of the Market is used for variety and speciality goods, with Sundays being the most popular day for this category. On Sundays, the hustle and bustle of the weekday Market gives way to a more relaxed and leisurely family day. Queen Street is closed and converted into an outdoor café area, with children's rides and other activities.
16. Royal Botanical Gardens
See over 10,000 different plant species in the haven close to the CBD. The picturesque setting of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne extends over 36 hectares and displays more than 50,000 plants.
Diverse plant collections, year-round events, unique tours, and a reputation as one of the world's finest gardens has made the Royal Botanic Gardens one of Melbourne's most popular tourist attractions. The Ian Potter Foundation Children's Garden is a magical place to discover the world of plants. It’s a place where children can dig, build, imagine, create, hide... come and explore!
Entry is free and the garden is open from 7.30am until sunset every day of the year.
17. St Kilda Markets
Open only in the summer months, December, January and February on Thursday nights from 5pm. Enjoy food stalls, music and craft items in a warm friendly atmosphere with a diversity of cultures.
O'Donnell Gardens, Cnr The Esplanade and Acland Streets, St Kilda18. The Esplanade Market
Every Sunday since 1970, The Esplanade Market St Kilda has been the destination for those searching for something special, somewhere special. Established as an outlet for local artists, there are now nearly 200 of Victoria's best artists and craftspeople displaying and selling their work direct to the public.
The Esplanade, between Cavell & Fitzroy Sts, St Kilda19. The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia
The oldest and most visited public art gallery in Australia. The NGV's collection spans thousands of years, dating back to the art of ancient civilizations right up to contemporary art and reflects a multitude of different disciplines, periods, styles and inspirations.
The selection of works included on this highlights page showcases the breadth and diversity of the collection and give a brief insight into the variety and quality of this renowned collection.Open from 10am-5pm (closed Monday). Entry to the permanent collection is free. Fees may apply to special exhibitions.
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