Well I am back from my first ever visit to Melbourne. Start with the positives first.

POSITIVES

It really does have a nice European feel to the place and so much easier to get around than Sydney. The transport really is pretty good and the free city circle tram is a nice touch for us touristy types.

The centre of Melbourne as expected is more lively than the centre of Sydney on a night, this comparison is an old one and we were expecting this.

I like the way that Melbourne has the European style trees down the centre of some city streerts. In Fitzroy gardens I notice and heard lots of British song birds such as sparrows and blackbirds, haven't head those for a long time. We have a few sparrows down at the rocks in Sydney but otherwise it is noisy parrots all the way.

In Melbourne you also don't feel as though you are in the centre of a concreate jungle like Sydney, driving around I noticed it was much quicker getting out of the place and in to the countryside than Sydney.

NEGATIVES

The airport was surprisingly small for a major world city and whilst the skybus was ok there should be better links to the city than this.

First impressions of the city heading in to the city from the airport weren't all that good. It was a pretty cloudy day and looking at the city over the docks wasn't great. In Sydney the old buildigns are made out of Sydney sandstone, this glows even in the gloom. The Melbourne blue stone really looks dark.

We stayed on Southbank and before we left we were told how great the restaurants are. The reality is they are no different to the over priced stuff you get around Darling Harbour in Sydney. Southbank is trying to be a Darling Harbour and like Darling Harbour for me it fails.

I don't pretend to know I understand modern architecture, I can only give an opionion as I see it and Federation Square isn't all that crash hot. People rave about the size of the art gallery compared to Sydney but in reality it is just the Art Gallery of NSW and the Contempory Art museum at Circular Quay combined in to one building. Sydney has the same , just split between two buildings close together. I have to say that I think the newly renovated museum at Circular Quay outdoes Melbourne personally. A local we know made a big thing about Flinders Street station, we were supposed to look at it and go 'wow' I think. Few old clocks above an entrance but it is not exactly Sydney Central.

The centre of Melbourne is busy on an evening compared to Sydney. But then I live near and spend lots of time in places like Newtown, Leichardt, Glebe. Bondi and so on........ There were places in Melbourne as lively as these but I wouldn't say any better.

I love the beach and so we headed down to St Kilda and had a walk around, nice ckae shops, shame about the beach. I believe you need to head further out of Melbourne before you hit the good beaches?

There are as many bogans in Melbourne as there are in Sydney, easily.
And don't get me started on Geelong!!!!!!! I used to think Wollongong was bad, not anymore!

I like Melbourne and will be back for a visit again but I wouldn't exchange my Sydney life style for that of Melbourne on the back of this introduction to the place, and we did see a lot of it and really got around.

Hey, less of the Geelong bashing thank you!

I personally love living here. What didn't you like? (and yes, I know about the refinery etc.). I have to admit the drive in from the airport was a bit alarming but now I live here, it has its upsides..........

Now I'll sit back and wait for the tirade to start!!

Ha! I remember that. They were my first moments in Australia and heading to my then OH's parents place who I was told lived in 'Melbourne'. After leaving the airport we seemed to be heading west...through endless, flat, brown scrub...I could still catch glimpses of the blue lights on top of the Rialto as we headed around the bay but they definitely seemed to be getting further away! Eventually we arrived in Lara! I thought I was in A Country Practice c. 1985!