Melbourne in Australia - Things to do!

fiveub · 31 Jul 2012 at 13:02

So far this is my list:

City:
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Flinders St Station and Federation Square
Trams
Tour at Dads work
St.Kilda (Penguins) and Mornington beach
Docklands
Queen Victoria Market
Melbourne's Waterfront
Eureka Skydeck 88 (If not expensive)
Melbourne Aquarium
Crown Entertainment Complex
Great Ocean Road
Ramsay Street

Animals:
Healsville Sanctuary (Platypus, Barking Owl, Dingo, Koala, Greater Bilby, Red Kangaroo, Tasmanian Devil, Wombat)
Walk around Plenty Gorge Park

Food:
Winery for dinner
Docklands for dinner

Have you been and where would you highly recommend which is a must do! Needs to be in Melbourne, and close to it if possible.

TheDean · 31 Jul 2012 at 13:04

The crown complex is utterly astounding.....i could have spent a full 24hrs in there when I went - and very nearly did!

Someone said they gamble on the toss of a coin, and I didn't believe it. Sure enough, they have a pit, with two blokes tossing coins and you can bet on the outcome!!!

Xordium · 31 Jul 2012 at 13:26

Yarra Valley is only a short drive away.

Nimdok · 31 Jul 2012 at 13:28

Sadly I've not been myself but I've wanted to go to the Mana Bar (a Video Game bar) since it opened

(iirc the original one was in Brisbane, and was advertised/supported by Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw/Zero Punctuation) A couple of years back they had announced that it was supposedly going to open up in a number of other places in Australia, and it looks like there's one in Melbourne now too: http://melbourne.manabar.com.au

I can't personally vouch for it but it looked pretty interesting when Yahtzee announced it some time ago

fiveub · 31 Jul 2012 at 14:17

TheDean said:
The crown complex is utterly astounding.....i could have spent a full 24hrs in there when I went - and very nearly did!

Someone said they gamble on the toss of a coin, and I didn't believe it. Sure enough, they have a pit, with two blokes tossing coins and you can bet on the outcome!!!

Is it mainly a casino?

Xordium said:
Yarra Valley is only a short drive away.

I will look into that.

Sankari · 31 Jul 2012 at 14:35

TheDean said:
Someone said they gamble on the toss of a coin, and I didn't believe it. Sure enough, they have a pit, with two blokes tossing coins and you can bet on the outcome!!!

It's called Two-up, and it's illegal to play without a state license except on Anzac Day.

Dave M · 31 Jul 2012 at 14:39

botanical gardens, a steam train (can't remember name, off to the east tho), ferry to tasmania (recommend overnight in a cabin - don't waste any of your days then).

CaptainRAVE · 31 Jul 2012 at 14:44

Would highly recommend Queen Victoria Market. I also really enjoyed Melbourne Zoo. St Kilda was a fun day out. I forget the name of the parks we went to, they were all pretty good though

. The moonlight cinema was also a great evening (with the giant fruit bats flying overhead!) - possibly more of a couple thing though

Trying to remember the name of the places we ate at - all in all I found most food places in Melbourne to be outstanding

Sankari · 31 Jul 2012 at 15:33

Telescopi said:
a steam train (can't remember name, off to the east tho)

Puffing Billy. Great experience and beautiful scenery!

ferry to tasmania (recommend overnight in a cabin - don't waste any of your days then).

Agreed. You can take a car on board as well. Twin cabin with ensuite:

Ferry photos from 2006.

Dave M · 31 Jul 2012 at 15:50

And a bar with more boags than I've ever seen in my life

tbh I didn't use the cabin much

TheDean · 31 Jul 2012 at 16:11

5UB said:
Is it mainly a casino?

Oh yes. The biggest in the Southern hemisphere!

NathWraith · 31 Jul 2012 at 16:22

I bet the aquarium is ace!

Kutter · 31 Jul 2012 at 16:24

The aquarium is Ace, although it was full of school kids when we went.

fiveub · 31 Jul 2012 at 16:26

Anywhere else? My list is getting bigger, I want to do everything. Well, majority of the best things!

Ben Cole · 31 Jul 2012 at 16:59

If you're into history go to Captain Cook's cottage. It was disassembled and transported brick by brick and rebuilt out there.

Bit of an oddity and probably of only moderate interest but i enjoyed it.

The big shopping centre with the shot tower inside it is quite impressive.

[TW]Fox · 31 Jul 2012 at 17:10

Penguins are at Phillip Island not St Kilda. It's about an hours drive and it's the most over-rated pile of crap you'll ever waste money on. Do not bother.

Great Ocean Road is fantastic though it'll be a push to do it in a day from Melbourne! It's a few hours to the start alone.

SMN · 31 Jul 2012 at 17:13

Dont do the Penguins at Phillip Island whatever you do on this earth as long as you shall live, ever ever ever ever ever x 1000...

MCG, St Kilda, Crown Casino to name but a few. Also head up north to Daylesford area, beautiful place. Also Gt. Ocean Road rocks.

SMN · 31 Jul 2012 at 17:14

Oh, aside from the Penguins Phillip Island is a gorgeous place -reminded me a bit of Amity in Jaws

[TW]Fox · 31 Jul 2012 at 17:18

SMN said:
Dont do the Penguins at Phillip Island whatever you do on this earth as long as you shall live, ever ever ever ever ever x 1000...

x 100000000000000000000

TO THIS DAY IT HAUNTS ME EVERY TIME I SEE PENGUINS AT A ZOO

Sankari · 31 Jul 2012 at 17:20

Ben Cole said:
The big shopping centre with the shot tower inside it is quite impressive.

Melbourne Central. Pretty stunning for a shopping centre.