Melbourne is no stranger, having visited when I was a fresh, bright-eyed graduate ready to face the world. This time, the Melbourne trip was a short respite from reality.
Why Melbourne?
The year-end family trip had a few considerations:
- Wheelchair-friendly trip
- Good variety of halal food
- A mix of city and nature
- Affordable direct flights
Melbourne, being a cosmopolitan city filled with activities for all ages, day and night, fitted right into our plans. We ended up doing a lot of things other than shopping, like cherry picking, attending a concert, and even a dance class.
And yes, we were so well-fed in Melbourne!
One thing that I didn’t like about Australia though was the credit card processing fee for EVERY purchase you make. zzz.
Accommodation – The Old Caretakers
I had visited a friend’s apartment which had a gorgeous view of the city skyline and the beautiful sunset from the balcony in the city! Naturally, I wanted my family to have the same experience, so we looked for a similar location on a high floor. We eventually booked this fully equipped apartment on Collins Street.
The moment we arrived on a Sunday in December, we saw and heard Pro-Palestine supporters on their march down from Swanston Street to Flinders Street. They have been peacefully protesting in Melbourne’s CBD every weekend, and the crowd was huge.
That too, was an equally beautiful sight.
It felt like we were living in a penthouse, and my friends were equally impressed by the unique stay. The only downside was the apartment’s inward-facing view, offering only a reflection of the sunset.
A friend recommended another city location that had a proper sunset view:
Avani Melbourne Central Residences
It is close to restaurants and popular cafes as well. Will check it out next time!
Address: 60 A’Beckett St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Places we explored during our week-long trip:
- In the heart of the city
- Melbourne Town Hall
- Hosier Lane
- Webb Bridge
- DFO South Wharf
- The Block Arcade
- Kmart Centre Melbourne
- Woolworths Metro Flinders Street [Permanently closed]
- Queen Victoria Market
- Melbourne Central + 100 SQUARED
- Emporium Melbourne
- Bourke Street Mall + Melbourne GPO Mall (H&M)
- The Walk Arcade
- QV Melbourne + Chinatown
- Southern Cross Train Station
- State Victoria Library
- Concert – DPR @ Festival Hall
- Natural Beauty
- Down Under South
- Hopping up North
- Getting Around Melbourne
In the heart of the city
Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Town Hall was transformed into a merry landmark with light projections by The Electric Canvas. The projections ran every night in December every 10 minutes from 9pm till 11pm until Christmas. Heard that the classically designed building has a clock tower, grand council chambers, and an auditorium with a grand organ.
In the day, you can spot Santa taking photos with families on one of the sleighs outside the town hall over the weekend. There were lots of buzz around the landmark all day and night, with buskers, marches and movements passing through the street.
Address: 100 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
Hosier Lane
Graffiti walls are aplenty in Australia, but Hosier Lane is an iconic part of street art that made the Melbourne urban art scene known internationally. The lane is vibrant and colourful, and filled with both symbolic messaging and non-meaningful art.
Was super happy to spot the SKZOO mural that commemorated Stray Kid’s “DominATE” tour in Australia still.
The art is constantly changing, and we even spotted someone doing graffiti in real time. Many visitors took photos and models were having photoshoots. Hosier Lane is still a working road, so do look out for vehicles. There were also some commercial shops in the alley which suited the street culture vibes.
Address: Hosier Lane, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Webb Bridge
You can think of the Webb Bridge like Singapore’s Helix Bridge, with a wide pavement and eye-catching modern design which lights up beautifully at night. Apparently, it won some awards for its unique composition.
The structure was designed as an ode to Australia’s aboriginal history, modelled after a fishing trap to catch eels.
Photo Credit: Ghazi
We visited the Webb Bridge in the afternoon to get to Yarra’s Edge Marina and the DFO South Wharf. There were lots of joggers and cyclists in the area, but there was lots of space to hang around in the area. It was peaceful with a pretty view of the Yarra River.
Address: Capital City Trail, Docklands VIC 3008, Australia
DFO South Wharf
You can find most things at a really good bargain at this Duty Free Outlet without even haggling! The shopping centre has both local and international brands. Was tempted to buy things at almost every shop, so you will likely be able to hit at least $300. Thereafter, you can claim the Tourist Refund Scheme with your receipts at the airport during departure.
There was also a large Chemist Warehouse, and we bought lots of items that the cashier had to question us. Recommended items to buy: Dencorub, Osteo Panadol, Difflam. She honestly had a right to be suspicious, but we bought lots of health souvenirs, and spent over AU$130. There were household and furniture shops too.
You don’t have to be worried about food as there is a food court, some restaurants, desserts, and halal options too. Thought the uber was quite cheap – AU$21.60 from DFO to our accoms in the city.
Address: 20 Convention Centre Pl, South Wharf VIC 3006, Australia
The Block Arcade
This is a small shopping area with fancy architecture, glass roof and marbled floors. The place has cafes, retail shops, and curated shops with limited edition toys, shoes and more.
The service at Haigh’s Chocolate here was high quality, like the chocolates they sold. Was introduced to Haigh’s Chocolate by a friend, and though it may a bit more pricey, their chocolates were worth it.
Address: 282 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Kmart Centre Melbourne
Kmart needs no introduction. It has everything that you need and there was one located right in the city. The number of times we visited Kmart on this trip was truly a wonder.
They have clothes and accessories, toys, household goods, stationery, sports goods, electronics, snacks and more. They even had cute lego sets. We somehow bought lots of essentials here for ourselves and as souvenirs, because the items here were affordable and comfortable.
The building that housed three Kmart levels also had other stores that sold food and pharmacies.
Address: 236 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Woolworths Metro Flinders Street [Permanently closed]
This was one of the nearest Woolies to our accoms, so it was a quick grab and go when we needed to buy food or other necessities.
Address: 262 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Queen Victoria Market
The Queen Victoria is always lively and full of things to explore, whether day or night. The bustling market is home to over 600 small businesses and local franchises. There are two main areas, which was the wet market and general retail in the building, and other food and dry goods sold at the sheds.
You can buy produce, seafood, cheese, coffee, pastries, and more at the wet market area, while you can eat your mains at the sheds area where the food trucks are at. Thereafter, you can walk to explore vintage shops, hand-made products, cool trinkets, souvenirs, eggs, fruits and vegetables too. We even saw durian for sale!
Since it was winter, there was a huge Christmas tree in front of the shed, and other events to celebrate the festivities. At night, it was transformed into the fabulous and vibrant Queen Victoria Market Winter Night Market. More on the food here.
Address: Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Melbourne Central + 100 SQUARED
Melbourne Central feels like one of those shopping malls in Orchard Road in Singapore. We initially came here to check out the Coops Shot Tower. It is a 50m brick tower built in the 19th century, which is now preserved below the Glass Cone which was build by a Japanese architect, and surrounded by places to shop and relax at.
The shopping mall here has interesting shops like a Monopoly cafe, a small popmart, and discounted flagship stores. 100 SQUARED was on the first floor of Melbourne Central, which features emerging and independent designers too.
There is like a food hall, supermarket and a train station at the basement. Did not think I would visit it on multiple occasions but they did have the shops I wanted, like Nene Chicken and Dr Martens. The staff here were all really sweet and nice too.
Address: Cnr LaTrobe and Swanston Streets, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Emporium Melbourne
From Melbourne Central, you can actually visit two more shopping malls, one of them being Emporium Melbourne. Just spot the traffic light along the extended part of Central Melbourne, and cross over to Emporium.
This mall has a huge lululemon store, and other elegant and cute speciality stores, which were definitely on a higher price tier. There were mostly a mix of fashion, beauty and lifestyle stores, and it was pretty fun to window-shop.
The best area was the food court, which had some halal options, and also the link bridge to yet another mall – Myer Melbourne and David Jones department store.
Address: 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Bourke Street Mall + Melbourne GPO Mall (H&M)
Then comes another shopping area right when you exit the department store, which includes Bourke Street Mall and the iconic H&M store right around the corner. The area is surrounded by pedestrians and buskers, especially the weekend.
You do not actually see a mall per se because the shops are lined along the street.
Enjoy the stroll and visit any store that’s to your liking. There was an F1 store, and of course the H&M store with a bright and open interior.
Address: Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
The Walk Arcade
Walk down the street to visit their various arcades, including the Walk Arcade. It has an European-style architecture and tiled floors offering designer stores, lifestyle apparel and goods, as well as cafes and dining. There was a mini Agathé Pâtisserie stall, and spotted some limited edition shoes and Labubus for sale, and also a tarot shop. But if you are tired of shopping, you could give this a miss.
Address: Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
QV Melbourne + Chinatown
The next block down Melbourne Central is QV Melbourne. It is a shopping centre which has a slightly different set of trendy stores, as well as eateries, billiards, bowling & a turf courtyard. I did not really see any halal restaurants here, but it is right beside Chinatown.
It is an open-air design with many speciality shops and fashion boutiques, including a Carhatt and an ADLV which had SEVENTEEN’s Hoshi plastered on the glass walls. Personally felt Melbourne Central/Emporium had a better variety. The basement features the city’s only full-sized supermarket under Woolsworth.
Address: Cnr Lonsdale Street and, Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Southern Cross Train Station
This train station is located up a hill, and is a huge station with multiple train tracks. Maybe taking a train here should be next on my bucket list when I visit Melbourne next time!
We bought new Myki cards at $16 each from the ticketing machine at one of the tram stops, and topped up a little during the trip (about AU$30). On the last day, we headed to the Southern Cross Station Myki office to refund the remaining amounts, but do note that refund is only possible with an Australian bank account.
Address: Spencer St, Docklands VIC 3008, Australia
State Victoria Library
Did not enter the library this time, but the surrounding was definitely a place to hang out for all ages.
Address: 328 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Concert – DPR @ Festival Hall
It was a coincidence that DPR happened to be in town for ‘The Dream Reborn’ tour, and there were resale tickets on the LiveNation AU site! We bought the tickets online two hours before the show. The ticketing system was interesting – you needed to have the AU Live Nation account, you could resell tickets in the same system with the price stated (it was the original price for ours), and you needed to log in to your account to scan the tickets at the door (which rendered screenshots as useless). Grateful to a friend who helped us out!
We took a free tram, followed by a 10-minute walk to the venue. It was easy to navigate our way since there were people on the same trail (and we walked past a police building so yes, no safety concerns there). And the beautiful sunset glow was glorious.
We did the same when going back, and walked down the next few streets to take a free tram back to our accoms.
There were multiple queues based on the door numbers. However, there were no proper instructions that even the locals did not know which queue to join.
After we scanned our tickets, we were greeted by the merch booth, and thankfully bought the shirts before the show because the queue was super long afterwards! The shirt was AU$70.
The hall was a relatively cosy space, so while we were further back in the standing pit, we could still see the stage and the artistes pretty clearly. Anyway, the artistes lingered on stage to sign autographs, so we actually managed to get near the barricade and see them even more up-close. The tickets were super worth it.
Here’s the concert recap:
Address: 300 Dudley St, West Melbourne VIC 3003, Australia
Natural Beauty
We also made sure to soak in the breathtaking nature view which Australia is known for. We booked a 1-day tour on Klook to ride the Puffing Billy Steam Train, cherry picking, and eat famous chocolates! Overall, it was a 9/10 experience (minus point for the random periods of waiting in between stops).
The day before the tour, the tour company informed us on the pick-up time, location, as well as driver and vehicle details. The next morning, all we had to do was wait at the pick-up point, which was located about a 10 minutes walk away from our accoms at Russell Street.
We thought going on a Thursday would not be a big crowd, but the medium-sized bus was filled with about 30 passengers. We were the first group to arrive at some of the stops, and the crowd at each stop was not overwhelming at all, so it was great.
Cherry Hill Orchard
We took a 1.5 hour drive from the city centre to Cherry Hill Orchard’s cherry-picking site. The driver shared that cherry season only occurs for six to eight weeks in the summer, and we happened to be right in the middle of it. So there were lots of cherries waiting for us! Located in the Yarra Valley Fruit Orchard, the staff introduced us to the orchard, and explained to us patiently on the steps.
With a red bucket in hand, off we went to explore the orchard. We plucked some cherries to eat them on the spot, collected some in the bucket, and also took lots of photos and videos. (Note: You can eat as many as you want, but be warned that cherries are natural laxatives.) The staff was super friendly and even helped us take group photos.
There were also picnic areas for you to relax at after you are done with cherry picking. You can also take a break with a cherry slushie or ice cream (or coffee) while soaking in the scenic views. Boxed cherries were also for sale.
Yarra Valley Chocolate and Ice Cream Factory
We had lunch here, and there were so many delightful treats for all ages. The chocolates that we bought here tasted really good. Explore the factory, enjoy the cafe, and admire the Yarra Valley’s stunning natural scenery.
More on what you can expect here.
Puffing Billy Steam Train
This has been on my bucket list – to ride through one of Australia’s oldest steam trains, through the lush Dandenong Ranges. It used to be a train that transported goods, but as technology advanced, the steam train became redundant. They turned it around by turning it into a tourist attraction where you ride for about 20 minutes from one station to another, fully run by volunteers.
The set-up was truly old-school. The kept the chalkboard at the station to display the train timings, and the train tickets had to be clipped by the train conductor before you can hop on the train. All the station staff had been working there for the longest time. One of them will ring a bell, walk down the train, and raise a white flag to signal that the train is ready to depart.
The cool thing about this train is that you can sit on the carriage sills with your legs hanging out throughout the train ride. Not the most comfy if you sit throughout, but the thrill was too great to resist! Some of the tour guides would also wait at a halfway point and wave to you as the train crosses a bridge. Tip: Sit on the right side of the carriage facing forward for cooler view for the first half. But we still got some great views while sitting on the left at the bridges.
There is a souvenir store at the next station.
We wanted to do a great ocean drive tour the next day, but ended up being too tired from the activities here.
Down Under South
South Melbourne Market
The vibes and store layout was very similar to Queen Victoria Market, just that it was on the other side of the city. Felt like there were a lot more variety of food, and everything we tried was pretty good, but much sweeter (for their desserts).
There were fresh fruits and vegetables and poultry. Other items for sale included men and women’s fashion, footwear, accessories and children’s wear, homewares and kitchenware, books, souvenirs, plants and flowers. There were also barber and manicure shops. Overall, it was a fun place to explore because there were more household items here.
There’s a water cooler available here, which was great.
Address: 322-326 Coventry St, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit
This pit stop was specially for an F1 fan in the fam. While there were no races then, we could visit the “race track” that’s part of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix since 1996. The roads serve as public roads on non-race days, so you could see cars driving through, similar to the Singapore F1 circuit.
Spot the starting grid, finishing line, and the pit lanes! Most of the pit building is locked, except for Pit Building 3, including a small snack shop and Nomadic Recovery which provides ice baths and even a traditional Finnish sauna recovery services for athletes! Being the land of graffiti, we also could not miss out the graffiti of F1 drivers in Melbourne fashion.
Albert Park Circuit is a popular venue among fans, as we spotted another group also looking for the F1 landmark like us.
It was honestly a relaxing place, since it was a park with a lot of greenery and there were many sport activities happening in the area. There were also basketball courts beside the pit building!
Address: 12 Aughtie Dr, Albert Park VIC 3206, Australia
St Kilda Esplanade Market
We only arrived when the market was closing at 5pm (they really close on time!). The St Kilda Esplanade Market is lined along the Upper Esplanade with plenty of signages, so it was easy to spot. There were food trucks as well as booths that sold artwork, handmade items, jewelry and souvenirs. Even while they were dissembling their booths or wrapping up final sales, it was apparent that they took pride and passion into their craft.
The market also had a lovely vantage point that overlooks the ocean! We actually wanted to visit the St Kilda Pier but it was under renovation then. I had the best time of my life seeing penguins up close at that Pier before, so it was a pity that we could not experience that on this trip.
Address: The Esplanade, St Kilda VIC 3182
Palais Theatre
It was quite a full circle moment for me since the Palais Theatre was under renovation on my first trip to Melbourne years ago, and I finally saw it in its full glory. The building was eye-catching with its bright yellow exterior. It is a concert hall, which showcased largely folk, country and indie musicians.
Address: Lower Esplanade (corner Cavell Street), St Kilda, Victoria, 3182
Luna Park Melbourne
Right across the street was Luna Park. Luna Park is something like an Uncle Ringo in Singapore, with rides and game booths in different cities. We visited the Luna Park in Sydney before too.
The amusement park celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012, and is known for its wooden roller coaster on the park’s perimeter! The last time I visited, we could enter and pay for the individual ride.
On this trip, it was undergoing some renovations and changed the ticketing system. Sadly, it is now a paid entry per person, and for its small size, the rates were pretty expensive, so we skipped it.
We instead enjoyed the park outside, where there were people hanging out on the grass or the benches, and someone even practising walking on a tightrope between the big palm trees. We were also lucky to catch the Classic Silent Disco City Walking Tour in action!
Address: 18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia
Acland Street Village
Acland Street Village is the place to chill for some food, drinks, and lots of dessert. The vibe was great here and I finally tried the huge meringue – which had crazy amount of sugar. The street is famous for its mouth-watering cake shops.
There were also some local brands and cafes, and we spotted a restaurant selling Malaysian food too, with some several outdoor dining. Even though it was summer, the weather was very cold in the evening.
Address: 171 Acland Street, St Kilda, Victoria 3182, Australia
Woolworths St Kilda
Heard the woolies staff were on strike, so a lot of items were out of stock, with limited items left.
Address: 117 Acland St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia
Acland Court Shopping Centre
Thought the building itself offered quite a mix of retailers and services in the shopping centre. There was a Coles supermarket, organic shops, gyms and medical centres, and a public restroom.
Address: 158 Acland Street, St Kilda, Victoria 3182
Hopping up North
The Rose Street Artists’ Market
Fitzroy was a bit out in the suburbs, but I thought the place was quite unique and I loved the display of artworks.
There were two main areas, one which was more on like a parking lot garage vibes filled with clothes and accessories – vintage, designer, and thrifted.
There were some pastries and some snacks too, but shopping was the main activity.
Walk down a little further to see the main open area with a wooden shed, filled with Melbourne’s best artists, designers, crafters and makers.
This half had a lot more art, handmade goods where you can connect directly with the artists. There were also commissioned pieces displayed. Everyone was really friendly and it was a delight listening to them talk about their passion.
Address: 60 Rose St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia
Getting Around Melbourne
We mostly got around by taking the free City Tram, the drivers were quite friendly and funny.
Tram 35, Melbourne’s iconic sightseeing tram, offered a fun journey through the city’s landmarks. The staff warmly greeted passengers, including my mum, who sat near the driver. Adding to the fun, the driver entertained the crowd with jokes, humorously revealing that the next driver for the next shift was late and playfully blamed him for the delay.
You can download the myki app to check out the best way to reach your destination, with the estimated fare. The transport system may be confusing because the trams and fares system are under different private companies. A friend who lives in Melbourne shared that the increase in fares may not necessarily lead to improved trams, so locals sometimes refuse to tap their cards.
We took the Skybus from the airport to Southern Cross Station, then walked over to a tram stop to reach out accommodation. The Skybus tickets were cheaper through Klook, and the whole process of taking the Skybus was easy and smooth.
We took an Uber for our trip back to the airport, and the price was an exorbitant amount after they included tolls, and extra fees. The fare was S$158.76.
Address: Arrival Dr, Melbourne Airport VIC 3045, Australia
The week long trip was full of ups and downs, but it was a good end of year break!
Uminsummer 