Reasonable

We will have overseas visitors new to Melbourne and have arranged to drive them down the Great Ocean Road with an overnight stay at Apollo Bay. We also have a whole day to look around the centre of Melbourne. What would you recommend is on that itinerary – preferable reached on foot or by tram?

Any ideas welcome.

Weird Fish

You live in Melbourne?

Mornington & Sorrento
St Kilda
Dandenongs
Vineyards
Healsville
Footy Game

Tour of the CBD would include
Federation Square
SouthBank
The Lanes
QV Market
NGV
..... list goes on and on, depends on the age of your visitors what attractions might interest them.

wanderingwombat

The view in the rearview mirror heading north up the Hume Highway ??

MartinLuther

Some suggestions in here

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=545316

This may be useful as well.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=574929

mohogony

A ride on the puffing Billy scenic train ride through the Dangenong mountains

A walk through The Melbounre Botonic gardens, probably the best Botonic gradens in OZ and Fitzroy gardens nearby to see Captain Cooks Cottage.

A short trip to the coastal town of Queenscliffe just outside melbounre

fish.01

I would take them through the laneways...from Flinders (between Swanston and Elizabeth) you can head north (start on Degraves I think?) through a series of lanes and arcades and then turn around inside the Melbourne GPO and follow a different set back until you end up near where you started as if tracing an upside down U shape. You go through a great range of places with fantastic shops, grafitti art, architecture, whole in the wall cafe's, fashion etc. Brilliant and very unique to Melbourne.

I would also not miss the State Library of Victoria Reading Room: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St...floor_view.jpg

I would skip Docklands personally.

Eureka Tower is good for getting an overview of Melbourne. Could do The Edge: http://www.eurekaskydeck.com.au/the-edge.asp

You could organise a Melbourne Greeter to take you around as a group for free: http://thatsmelbourne.com.au/Getting...erService.aspx

Some people love the Tram Restaurant: http://www.tramrestaurant.com.au/

Botanical Gardens is nice - has a great kids playground with water play and a bunch of other historic homes: http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/rbg-melbou...ildrens-garden

St Pats blue stone Cathedral: http://ih3.redbubble.net/work.344468...x550,075,f.jpg

Bring them to Young and Jackson Hotel to see the famous naked lady: http://www.youngandjacksons.com.au/chloe.html

The toilets at the Sofitel: http://www.tripandom.com/australia/m...t-toilet-view/

Some CBD shops to check out:

o Aesop in Flinders Lane - shop made totally from cardboard: http://www.notempire.com/images/uploads/chaesop.jpg
o Gog and Magog in the Royal Arcade: http://studenttravel.about.com/od/me...yal-Arcade.htm
o Upstairs at Koko Black, Royal Arcade for indulgent hot chocolate, ice coffee, chocolates etc.: http://www.xes.cx/pics/melb09-kokoblack-1.JPG
o Lunch/Dinner at Ca De Vin Italian restaurant in the laneway adjacent to GPO: http://www.visitvictoria.com/display...B36182EA99E5E/ (best pizza ever!!)
o Laurent patisserie: http://melbella.com/wp-content/uploa...48066_1_fs.jpg

2plus3

Great thread; I've noted all these places down as it will be great to explore all of them ourselves after we arrive

MartinLuther

The golden mile is a great way of seeing the architecture of Melly. Pick up a guide booklet from the immigration museum (about $8 - I think). But be aware that it is more than a mile of walking.

Reasonable

Thanks to all for your inputs. I am gathering ideas for walking/tramming around the centre

stuckinblighty

Show them around the parks of Noble and Hampton...the lovely shopping areas of Dandenong and have a saturday Night out down at Frankston.
That'll sure impress anyone

MartinLuther

I can see where you're going wrong.

furkew

Not easy if it's only tram, train or foot, but my parents are coming tomorrow for a month, and these are some of the things that we have on the agenda:

http://www.skyhighmtdandenong.com.au/

http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=88

http://www.wineyarravalley.com/

http://www.qvm.com.au/

http://www.greatoceanrd.org.au/

http://www.visitphillipisland.com/

http://www.zoo.org.au/HealesvilleSanctuary

Vic market has this coming Wednesday night the last Suzuki market of the summer season. We'll be heading there, its a great evening out.

MartinLuther

Probably just add that people doing the Gt Ocean Rd might want to think about a diversion to the Otway Fly.

furkew

have you been yourself? The reviews arent very good that I have read.

Good but expensive‎
By Kaushal - 2 Jan 2010
The entry fee is a bit too much for this sort of thing. The engineering is beautiful but it would have been enthralling if from the tree top - one could see the ocean - but unfortunately that is not the case. Its something worth doing on your way but not something to look forward to specifically. The cafe there had no vegetarian options - so vegs dont bank on it...‎

maps.google.com
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Forest area is nice but it is...‎
By A TripAdvisor Member - 2 Dec 2009
The actual forest area is nice and the walkway is cool though there is not many birds/wildlife around though. For some reason they have put a dinosaur display in the forest in the first section. It looks like a last minute 'idea' and the ...‎

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...61656-d482078-...
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A huge waste of time.‎
By A TripAdvisor Member - 18 Jul 2009
We visited the Otway Fly in January 2008. It was well constructed and should have been a good attraction. It turned out to be a huge disappointment, though. The entire time we were in the exhibit, we saw the grand total of 1 bird, ...‎

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...61656-d482078-...
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WOW!!‎
By A TripAdvisor Member - 20 Apr 2009
I took my family to the Otway Fly, off the Great Ocean Road, over the Easter period. We used Turtons Track from Apollo Bay to get there and WOW, I've never seen tree ferns that big or lush. The Fly was busy but that didn't stop us from ...‎

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...61656-d482078-...
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otway fly‎
By A TripAdvisor Member - 4 Mar 2009
We thought the otway fly was reasonalbe but thank God the good people at the Gelibrand Store where we stopped on the way for directions tole us to go to triplet falls after the fly. It made the day worth while to see the water falls as well. ...‎

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...61656-d482078-...
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MartinLuther

I thought it was worth a divert but maybe not a specific trip. Can't remember how much it cost; I went in 2005.