Melbourne, Australia is the culture capital of the country and is a great place to wander, explore, and take in the food, art, music, history, and sports that make this city so vibrant. It does not have the architectural icons that define other cities around the world, such as Sydney. However, by just wandering through the alleys and streets of the city, you can experience the energy and understand the appeal of the city. Is Melbourne worth visiting? If you are interested in current Australia culture or seeing the smallest penguins in the world, then Melbourne is a great destination to explore.
Is Melbourne Worth Visiting: Amazing Food and Art Culture
The Food Scene of Melbourne
Melbourne is the food and art center of Australia. As an international city, this destination celebrates the multiple cultures that have come together to create the local vibe of this city. There is a large population of immigrants from the United Kingdom, China, India, Vietnam, Greece, and more. Each of these have an impact on the culinary offerings of the city.
The central business district is full of different alleys that are filled with small restaurants. These are distinct and unique offerings that make the dining scene of Melbourne very fun. Just wandering through the city to find places to eat and drink is part of the whole experience. Is Melbourne worth visiting? For any foodie in Australia, this is the city that you should visit to discover delicious food from all around the world.
The Art World
Melbourne is a city that champions art. Not only does it have world-class art museums, some of which are free to visit, it also has alleys that are full of murals. There are alleys and surfaces that are covered in beautiful artwork, making the streets themselves a public museum. You can take tours of these alleys or wander through them independently, discovering the fun culture of the city.
Is Melbourne Worth Visiting: Wildlife
Phillip Island is an island located 140 kilometers (85 miles) from the city of Melbourne and is a great way to see some unique wildlife to the entire country of Australia and this particular region especially. The island is a sanctuary to an enormous little penguin colony that makes their way to shore every evening. This is called the penguin parade and seeing them arrive and waddle their way to their homes is a unique and special opportunity. So, wondering is Melbourne worth visiting? If you want to see this incredibly unique natural occurrence, and watch countless little penguins waddle back to their homes, then the answer is yes!
The great thing about attending the penguin parade here is the consistency and likelihood of seeing these cute animals. Because this is a sanctuary and the colony is so large, seeing a few hundred penguins walking up the beach is very likely to happen. (Obviously, these are wild animals and there is no guarantee of if/when they will appear.)
Preparing for the Penguin Parade
To attend the penguin parade, you can reserve the experience on your own or attend the sanctuary with a tour group. Either way that you visit Phillip Island, there are some things that you should consider when going to the penguin parade.
- Try to bring a towel or picnic blanket to sit on the sand while waiting for the penguins. There are steps that you can sit on but the closest seating areas are on the sand. You can also bring snacks to eat while waiting for the penguins to arrive.
- Bring a warm jacket, beanie and whatever else you may want to stay warm because the temperature can really drop after the sun sets.
- You cannot take photos at night during your time in the sanctuary. The little penguins eyes are incredibly sensitive and the flash of the camera will make them permanently blind. To protect the penguins, the sanctuary has banned all use of any camera after sunset, which means that you will not be able to photograph the penguins since they arrive after the sun goes down.
- After you see a few groups run up the beach, head back on the boardwalk and follow them as they make their way to their homes below or adjacent to the area that you are walking.
Visiting the Island with a Tour
The easiest way to get to the penguin parade of Phillip Island from Melbourne is with a tour that will allow you to visit different parts of the island and culminate at the penguin parade. Because the penguin parade happens after sunset, going on a tour means that you will not personally have to do the 1.5 hour drive back into Melbourne in the dark. The start time of tours may range depending on the time of the sunset in the summer versus the winter, so keep this in mind when planning your itinerary.
The other aspect that could change the start time of different tours are the variety of itineraries different companies provide based on what you want to explore. If you want to see some different Australian animals, consider a tour that includes a visit to the Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park or the Koala Conservation Reserve, or a tour that allows you to add it as an upgrade. The conservation park has many different animals endemic to Australia and will even allow you to interact with koalas, kangaroos, and more while the Koala Conservation Reserve specifically handles koalas and their rehabilitation.
The other place that most tours visit is Nobbies Point with boardwalks that allow you to see the rugged coastline of Phillips island. You may have the opportunity to see some seals resting on the rocks at this point (but this is definitely not guaranteed.) The tours then go to the Phillip Island Nature Parks Penguin Parade to see the penguins make their return to their homes on land. After, you will be driven back into Melbourne. The tour linked here is one that we can personally recommend for visiting Phillip Island and the penguin parade.
Visiting the Island Independently
If you want independence to explore Philip Island from Melbourne, consider renting a car to traverse the region on your own. There are a few parts of the island that you will want to see including visiting Cowes (one of the towns on the island), heading to a wildlife reserve such as Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park or the Koala Conservation Reserve, exploring Nobbies Point, stopping at Southpoint Lookout, and going to the Phillip Island Nature Parks Penguin Parade. You may also want to consider spending the night on the island to avoid driving back to Melbourne from Philip Island after dark.
Don't forget to rent your car to visit Philip Island independently.
Is Melbourne Worth Visiting: Sports
Melbourne is such a diverse metropolitan city, appealing to a variety of different travelers and tourists. It is also known for its strong sports culture, hosting many popular tournaments for the sports most practiced in Australia. Here is a breakdown of a few of the most popular sports competitions in Melbourne, which depending on your interest, may be the primary reason that Melbourne is worth visiting or regardless can be something additional to do if they happen to line up with your planned trip to Melbourne.
Major professional sports in Melbourne all happen in Melbourne Park, the major sports complex of the city. The facilities are all about 30-40 minutes walking distance from the Central Business District of the city, making it very accessible for visitors and locals to attend.
Australian Open (Tennis) | January
This Grand Slam tournament is one of the four major tournaments that happen throughout the year for tennis and occurs at and around the Rod Laver Arena. The tournament happens over two weeks in January and the great thing about this sport is that there are so many tennis matches happening throughout any given day, giving you a variety of opportunities to see the top players in the sport.
You can purchase general admissions tickets that allow you into all of the tournament grounds. Many matches are played on small courts with general admissions seating available. If you want a guarantee to see some of the best players, you can upgrade your ticket to purchase a seat in one of the stadiums, which is where the most anticipated matches are played. Even without purchasing these saved seats, you can watch matches in the stadiums and sit in any seats that aren’t being used at the moment, knowing that you may have to move if the person who purchased the seat arrives. (Your best chance for this is early in the tournament when there are many matches being played and some of the matches are not as well attended.)
Australian Rules Football (AFL) | April - September
Australian rules football is the most popular sport in Australia and is a derivative of rugby (similarly to American football). If you enjoy American football or Gaelic football, you may be interested in attending one of these games. Made of teams of 18 players, the athletes attempt to move a ball down a field to score points through posts, all while thwarting opponents who can tackle and block. The games are played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Marvel Stadium. They are exciting and attending one is highly recommended by locals to experience the fun sports culture of the city. Traditionally the AFL championship is played annually at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and for many this event is reason enough why Melbourne is worth visiting.
Cricket (Twenty20) | December - February
Cricket is a popular international sport and a single match can typically take up to 5 days. It is complex sport and may not be enjoyable for everyone. However, a new version of the sport has been introduced called Twenty20 or T20, which limits the amount of time a match takes to 3.5 hours, making it more enticing for those who do not know much about the sport. The Big Bash League is the Australian league that plays with these rules and supports two teams in Melbourne, one that plays at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds and the other that plays at the Marvel Stadium. Look up the rudimentary rules of the game before going to a match so you can immerse yourself into the game.
Melbourne Cup (Horse Racing) | first Tuesday in November
If you are interested in horse racing, the most popular day of the year is the first Tuesday in November when the city of Melbourne takes a holiday to watch and celebrate the sport. Similar to the AFL Championship, it is a major event that is so popular that for many it is reason enough why Melbourne is worth visiting. The race occurs at the Flemington Racecourse and it is vital to dress up for the event. You will be among the who’s-who of the state of Victoria to watch the top horse race of the country that is said to be the race that stops the nation.
Australian horse racing is a year-round sport so you may be able to attend an event no matter when you visit Melbourne. You will also often see the races being played at pubs and bars throughout the country where betting on the races is part of the culture.