Melbourne is dubbed marvellous for a reason. Healthy hedonism masquerades as high art: Melburnians are equally passionate about football and ballet, fashion and restaurants. They are ravenous for music and hot for theatre. It's a smorgasbord of a city that you'll want to sink your teeth into.

A leafy bayside community on the 'upside-down', brown Yarra River, Melbourne is, in turns, cosmopolitan, suburban, cultivated, conservative and a haven for the avant-garde. Visitors come for its shopping, restaurants, nightlife and sporting calendar, and most agree that it's one of the world's most liveable cities.

When To Go
With the northern states taking the brunt of tourism down under, Melbourne is a best-kept secret year round. The shoulder seasons are the gems. While Melbourne's spring is a sight to behold, with multitudes of gardens in bloom and the festive Spring Racing Carnival heralding summer, any local will tell you that mid-autumn sees Melbourne at its most resplendent. A sturdy coat never goes astray at this time, but a little cold is worth bearing for the strolls through the amber and ochre parks.

Full Name
Melbourne

Area
8,806 sq km

3,400 sq miles

Population
3,200,000

Time Zone
GMT/UTC +10 ()

Daylight Saving Start
last Sunday in October

Daylight Saving End
last Sunday in March

Electricity
220-240V 50Hz

Female Travellers
Melbourne is generally a safe place for women travellers, although you should avoid walking alone late at night. Aussie male culture does have its sexist elements, and sexual harassment does occur. If you do encounter infantile sexism from drunken louts, the best bet is simply to leave and find a better place.

Helpful organisations that offer advice and services for women include the Royal Women's Hospital Health Information Service (tel: 9344 2007), the Royal Women's Hospital Sexual Assault Unit (tel: 9344 2201) and the Women's Health Information Service (tel: 1800 133 321).

Gay & Lesbian Scene
The gay scene is an integral part of city life; however, there are exclusively gay venues and accommodation options. Up-to-date listings can be found in the local gay street press, such as Melbourne Star, MCV , Bnews and Lesbiana.  All are free and available from cafes, bars and clubs.

The ALSO Foundation is Victoria's premier gay and lesbian community-based organisation, and their website contains a services directory, which is also published in print and available at Hares & Hyenas Bookshop (tel: 9824 0110; 135 Commercial Rd, Prahran). Tune into Joy FM for gay-focused radio.

Disabled Travellers
Travellers with disabilities will find Melbourne fairly amenable. Most of the tourist attractions are accessible for wheelchairs, and trains and newer trams have low steps to accommodate wheelchairs and people with limited mobility. If you need a taxi, phone ahead for one with wheelchair access. There are also many car parking spaces throughout the city allocated for disabled drivers.

Many new buildings incorporate architectural features helpful to the vision impaired, such as textured floor details at the top and bottom of stairs. Melbourne's pedestrian crossings feature sound cues.

The excellent Mobility Map of Melbourne is available from the Melbourne Visitor Information Centre in Federation Square and from the information booth in the Bourke St Mall.