City Centre: walk the Golden Mile

From colourful Chinatown to the grand thoroughfares of Collins Street and Swanston Street, central Melbourne's diversity means there's something for everyone.

Melbourne's many stately 19th-century buildings blend in well with the modern towers of 21st century commerce, and the wide, tree-lined boulevards give a spacious feeling to this most European of Australian cities. The attractions in the CBD are easily reached by the free city circle tram and the grid street plan makes places easy to find. As for shopping, Melbourne is recognised as Australia's retail and fashion capital. Department stores and hundreds of specialty stores are interlinked by streets, walkways, lanes and Melbourne's delight: the classic old arcades. Walk down grand Collins Street and head for Hardware Lane where warehouses have been converted into restaurants, bars and boutiques.

Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)
Explore the moving image in all its forms at ACMI. Discover more than a century of movies Australia's best cinemas and travel underground to the world's largest Screen Gallery to immerse yourself in the interactive art of the future.
Open Daily.
Federation Square, Flinders Street, Melbourne
Ph: 8663 2200

ANZ Gothic Bank
This decorative Gothic-Revival building, completed in 1887, has a magnificent interior with gold leaf ornamentation and graceful arches and pillars. It is still a working bank.
386 Collins Street;
open Mon-Fri 9:30am-4pm
Ph: 9273 5555

Chinatown
This exotic precinct, for more than 100 years home to Chinese immigrants, has lots of Chinese restaurants, specialist food stores and outlets for Chinese medicinals.
Little Bourke Street (east)

Docklands
Dinner on the harbour in Melbourne? Catch the free City Circle Tram direct to NewQuay and experience the changing face of Docklands. Stroll or ride along the promenade and enjoy the public art. Only minutes from the Bourke Street Mall.
Visit www.docklands.com or phone 1300 663 008

Federation Square
The cultural heart of Melbourne. This complex is home to the Ian Potter:NGV Australia, Australia Centre for the Moving Image, the Melbourne Visitor Centre, BMW Edge at Federation Square, Birrarung Marr - Northbank Promenade and Champions, Australian Racing Museum and Hall of Fame.
Intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets

Gold Treasury Museum
Housed in one of the city's grandest buildings, built between 1858 and 1862, this museum displays the gold-rush era and highlights Melbourne's early history.
Spring Street;
Open Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm
Ph: 9651 2233

National Gallery of Victoria - Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia
This museum is dedicated to Australian art displaying works from the Galleries 20,000 strong collection, with the highlights being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. A shop and two cafes, Crossbar and Fed, are included in the building.
Federation Square; cnr Flinders and Russell streets;
Open daily
Ph: 9208 0222

Immigration Museum
Plotting the history of immigration to Victoria through compelling personal stories, the Museum offers a unique visitor experience. The historic grandeur of Old Customs House - Melbourne's original site for immigrant processing - superbly complements a permanent and changing exhibition program, as well as a public access Discovery Centre.
400 Flinders Street;
Open daily 10am-5pm
Ph: 9927 2700

Melbourne Aquarium
One of Melbourne's most exciting attractions, this world-class aquarium includes a walk-through section where you can watch divers hand-feeding sharks and rays and includes the new Ocean Down Under display. Themed sections include tanks with smaller marine creatures such as sea dragons, a mangrove ecosystem, a rock-pool exhibit and a simulated coral atoll.
Corner of Queens Wharf Road and Kings Way;
Open daily 9.30am-6:00pm, (last admission 5pm)
Ph: 9620 0999
www.melbourneaquarium.com.au

Melbourne Observation Deck
Take the high-speed elevators to the 55th floor of Rialto Towers, Melbourne's tallest building, for panoramic, 360-degree views of the city and surrounds. Large photographic displays, mounted in different locations, show you the most important sights. On a clear day, Port Phillip Bay is easily visible.
525 Collins Street;
Open daily 10am-1pm
Ph: 9629 8222

Museum of Chinese Australian History
This fascinating little museum recreates the history of the Chinese in Victoria with photographic and other exhibits such as the new Millenium dragon, the world's largest dragon.
22 Cohen Place;
Open daily 9am-5pm
Ph: 9662 2888

Old Melbourne Gaol
This historic bluestone prison is the place where Australia's leading folk hero and criminal Ned Kelly was hanged in 1880. This gloomy penal museum has three levels of cells, the original gallows and deathmasks, and exhibitions detailing the life and death of its most notorious inmates.
Russell Street;
Open daily 9:30am-5pm
Ph: 9663 7228

Princess Theatre
One of the world's grandest Victorian theatres, the Princess Theatre was built in 1854. Major musical productions are still presented here.
163 Spring Street;
Open daily
Ph: 9663 3300

Queen Victoria Market
Just five minutes walk from the CBD, a market has been on this site since 1869. The traders here are always keen to share their knowledge. Apart from the meat section, check out the delicatessens, bakeries and patisseries. The market is the perfect place to go for fresh provisions for a picnic lunch or for inexpensive clothing. On Sundays there is a wine market.
Corner Elizabeth and Victoria streets
Open Tue, Thu 6am-2pm; Fri 6am-4pm; Sat 6am-3pm; Sun 9am-4pm
Ph: 9320 5822

St Patrick's Cathedral
This graceful, bluestone Catholic cathedral was built in 1897. The interior has soaring, slender pillars and stained glass windows. Venetian glass mosaics are set into the marble and alabaster altars.
Cathedral Place;
Open daily
Ph: 9662 2233

St Paul's Cathedral
A wonderful example of late 19th-century Gothic-Revival architecture. The exterior features beautiful stonework and the interior has magnificent stained glass, carved cedar woodwork and tessellated tiled floors.
Corner of Swanston and Flinders streets.
Open daily
Ph: 9653 4333

State Parliament House
This grand public building, the first home of the Australian Parliament, was built during Victoria's gold rush in 1856.
The wide flight of bluestone steps and towering doric columns were added in 1892. Daily tours are conducted and you are welcome to attend a session when Parliament is sitting.
Spring Street;
Open Mon-Fri 10am-3pm
Ph: 9651 8568

Strike Bowling Bar
The Strike Bowling Bar has 3 locations in Melbourne and is the new edgy entertainment venue which has reinvented bowling.
Strike's designer bar, gourmet kitchen, glowing pool tables and interactive games assures that the best time will be had by all.
Open 7 days.
www.strikebowlingbar.com.au
Strike City
245 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
9656 7171
Strike On Chapel
325 Chapel St, Prahran, Melbourne
9573 9573
Strike Bayside
Cnr Wells & Thompson Sts, Frankston
8790 7500

Victoria Police Museum
This museum preserves old police records, photographs and artefacts and displays crime paraphernalia from the past.
It reflects the diversity of work carried out by Victoria Police since its establishment in the middle of the 19th century.
637 Flinders Street;
Open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm
Ph: 9247 5216

Windsor Hotel
Australia's grandest 19th-century hotel, the meticulously restored Windsor has all the elegance of a luxury hotel. Visitors are welcome inside to look at the ornate foyer and the splendid Grand Ballroom. Afternoon tea is a traditional institution at this classic hotel.
Spring Street, opposite State Parliament House.
Ph: 9633 6000