Top Melbourne Attractions and Points of Interest

There’s a lot to see and do in Australia’s cultural capital. Melbourne has consistently ranked among the world’s most liveable cities and it’s not hard to see why. It boasts the largest number of Victorian buildings in the country. It has the largest tram system in the world. It is the only city in the world with five international standard sporting facilities. It has the highest number of restaurants and cafes per capita in the world. More than a hundred languages are spoken in Melbourne and over a million international tourists come to visit each year. Awesome shopping. And, of course, Vegemite is a Melbourne invention. Therefore, making a short list of the best Melbourne attractions is not an easy task.

With so much going on, it’s hard to narrow down the options to a handful of “must sees” but we’ll do our best in this guide. Here are the top 10 Melbourne attractions that appear consistently on every visitor guide, tourist map, and travel review detailing points of interest in this vibrant and diverse city. These are the things the locals will tell you to do, and things they have all seen or done themselves.

 

National Gallery of Victoria

The NGV is a must see Melbourne point of interest. It spans two locations, separating the international collection from the works of Australian artists. The international collection is housed in a modernistic bunker-like building on St. Kilda road, which was not universally praised when it opened in 1967. The building has now become a familiar landmark and houses over 70,000 works of art. There is an extensive Asian collection, along with European masterpieces on the upper floor. The stained-glass ceiling in the Great Hall is the largest in the world.

The Australian collection can be found at the Ian Potter Centre in Federation Square. That’s where you can go to see 20 galleries of exclusively Australian art, from the Heidelberg School to contemporary paintings, photographs, prints and drawings.

NGV International, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
Ian Potter Centre (Australian) – Federation Square, corner of Flinders and Russell Streets

 

City Circle Tram

Start by taking the free City Circle Tram. It leaves every 12 minutes from Flinders Street Station and makes 28 stops through the centre of the city. There’s no better way to get a sense of where you want to go, or to travel from one sightseeing destination to the other. Best of all, it’s absolutely free. You’ll get to see the best of the downtown core, and a full circuit takes just under an hour.

Wait at any tram stop in the City Circle Tram route as outlined above in the photo. These tram stops are specially marked.

 

Melbourne Museum

Get a broad overview of Victoria’s natural and cultural history at the Melbourne Museum. The ground floor holds Bunjilaka, the museum’s Aboriginal Centre. There, Australia’s first peoples interpret their own cultural heritage for both indigenous and non-indigenous visitors. The rest of the museum is a veritable treasure-trove of natural wonders and cultural icons.

Learn about dinosaurs, volcanos, and giant squid. Explore Melbourne’s history or take the kids to the children’s gallery. The taxidermy hall is always popular, and don’t miss seeing Phar Lap – the legendry race horse whose hide was lovingly tanned, stuffed, and placed in the museum after his death in 1932.

Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton

 

Melbourne Cricket Ground

This is hallowed ground to sports fans across the country, one of the five international-standard facilities we mentioned earlier.

The first ever cricket test match was held here in 1877, and every September, 100,000 fans pack the stands for the Australian Football League Grand Final. Tour the awe-inspiring facilities and be sure to stop in at the National Sports Museum.

Brunton Ave, Richmond

 

The Royal Botanic Gardens

Established in 1846 on the south bank of the Yarra River (from marshland and swamp), these beautifully landscaped gardens are adorned with over 12,000 different species of native and exotic plants.

Popular among Melbourne attractions, you can stroll through almost 40 hectares of constantly evolving terrain, filled with the calls of native birds. Also high among our list of free things to do in Melbourne, the Royal Botanical Garden highlights include an Australian forest walk, Fern Gully, a New Zealand collection, and the Water Conservation Garden. Don’t miss the Tan Track on your visit too.

Birdwood Ave, South Yarra

 

The Shrine of Remembrance

Sharan Sai

A visit to the memorial which commemorates the sacrifice of Australians who have served in all wars is a somber one, yet consistently ranks among the top three attractions for visitors to Melbourne. Designed by two architects who were themselves veterans of the Great War, the shrine is built around a central sanctuary which hold the Stone of Remembrance. Upon it are written the words “Greater Love Hath No Man”.

On November 11th, a ray of sunlight falls upon the word “love” as part of the ANZAC day commemorative events. The crypt beneath the sanctuary houses a bronze statue of a soldier father and son. The Visitors’ Centre is a font of information about Australia’s military history, and a tour of the grounds reveals multiple statues and tributes to Australia’s fighting men and women.

Shrine of Remembrance, Birdwood Avenue/St Kilda Road

 

Melbourne Zoo

Australia’s oldest zoo opened in 1862 and was modelled after the zoo in London, England. Many historic buildings are still standing, among them the Elephant House, which is included on the Australian National Heritage List.

Over a million people pass through the gates each year to get a closer look at an abundance of native Australian animals, along with the standard exotic fare of tigers, monkeys and giraffes.

Melbourne Zoo, Elliott Ave, Parkville

 

Federation Square

Robbie Hanzra

This is where it all happens in the centre of the city. More than 2,000 events a year take place in this spacious agora, which is also circled by a tantalising array of specialty shops, restaurants and bars. This is where you’ll find the NGV’s Ian Potter Centre along with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. The latter is a state of the art exhibition centre for everything relating to film, television, movies, video games and digital culture.

Corner of Swanston and Flinders Street, CBD

 

Queen Victoria Market

The Queen Vic Market rambles across 7 hectares and is the largest open air market in the Southern hemisphere. It has been catering to bargain hunters of all stripes for over a hundred years and is an important Melbourne attraction. A favourite with both locals and tourists, it remains true to its origins and focusses primarily on meat, poultry and produce. Specialty foods stalls abound, however, as do others selling everything from clothing to jewellery to handmade crafts.

513 Elizabeth St, Melbourne

 

Yarra River Cruise

This one doesn’t actually make every list of Melbourne attractions, but it should.

The source of the Yarra River lies deep within the Yarra Ranges, 242 km from where it flows into Port Philip Bay in Melbourne. Colonists first settled on the South bank, but the river now runs straight through the centre of the city. A cruise on the Yarra lets you see the city from a whole different perspective and is a great way to either begin your Melbourne sightseeing journey, or wrap it all up at the end.

What do you think of our list of top Melbourne attractions and points of interest? Any other attractions that should be added? Let us know in the comments below