Six Things to Do for Free in Melbourne
Keep it Cheap With These Great Melbourne Attractions
May 31, 2009
Melbourne's appeal has never been in her landmarks. Unlike Sydney, where the attractions are big and showy, the best things about Melbourne are the things you discover by chance: the strange artworks plastered above your head, the quirky shops, the picturesque streets that are still and quiet despite being minutes from the city.
Luckily for the visitor you can appreciate all these things for free. Take your time in exploring and you may discover why Melbourne has been described as one of the world's most livable cities.
1. Explore city laneways. Between the streets of the CBD are a labyrinth of laneways that house some of the city's best shops, cafes and bars as well as some fantastic public art. Ditch the map and let your feet guide you as you stumble across bizarre installations (courtesy of the government's 'Laneway Commissions' project) and quirky establishments such as Section 8, an outdoor bar made from a converted shipping container. For a cheap feed go to Centre Place, where rows of hole-in-the-wall cafes serve up simple food and a great atmosphere.
2. Relax in the Botanic Gardens. The Botanic Gardens here are the most beautiful public parkland in the country, with over 80 acres of lush lawns, sprawling trees and exotic plants from around the world. Pack a picnic and wander until you find a quiet corner to spread out in.
3. Check out the galleries. Big or small, old or modern, there's a gallery to suit every taste in Melbourne and most of them don't cost a cent. The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has both an international and an Australian gallery and they both have amazing permanent collections as well as the biggest shows from around the globe. Flinders Lane has the greatest concentration of galleries in the city and is the best place to go to see a range of contemporary art, including Aboriginal art. Also worth a look are the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) for its thought-provoking exhibitions and the nearby VCA Margaret Lawrence Gallery, which shows student work from the state's premier art college.
4. Wander the neighborhoods. Every neighborhood has its own personality and many are worth a day of exploration in themselves. Forgo touristy St Kilda and try the inner southern suburbs of South Melbourne and Albert Park instead for their cute shops, tree-lined streets and pretty Victorian terraces. To the north, Fitzroy and Collingwood have a bohemian vibe and some of the city's best bars and cafes, as well as great vintage stores. In the northwest Brunswick's many immigrants have made it one of the best places to get great international food.
5. Visit a market. The famous Queen Victoria Market is a great place to pick up fresh produce or cheap souvenirs but for a more authentic experience try one of the many art and flea markets that exist around town. The weekly Camberwell market is a Melbourne institution, and with over 300 stalls selling every kind of treasure (and trash) imaginable its easy to lose half a day here. The Rose St Artists Market in Fitzroy is a wonderful place to pick up a unique souvenir, with all products handmade by the person selling them.
6. Go to free festival events. There's a festival for everything in Melbourne and all of them have free events for those on a budget. The Fringe Festival (Sept/Oct) has loads of free events, including comedy, art and performance, that occur all over the city, as does the Design Festival (July), which, among other things, lets you into their studios of some of the city's top designers and artists. Other great festivals include the Comedy Festival (April), the Jazz Festival (May) and the Arts Festival (Oct).
For more detailed information about one of Melbourne's great neighborhoods have a look at Melbourne Neighborhoods - Albert Park.
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