So I am traveling from the UK to Australia for 10 days (for work). I will spend one week in Tasmania (w/c19th sept) and then the next week I am meeting colleagues and suppliers around Melbourne then Sydney followed by flying home on the Wednesday (28th).

I will be flying in to MEL arriving at 07:30 on Saturday 24th and have to be doing nothing useful till Monday morning at 07:30 when I need to pick up a car. I am staying downtown at a hotel about 300m from the station. What is there for a Single traveler to do during that time, I believe there might be a small sporting competition going on on the Saturday, I obviously can't get tickets but where is the best place (bar) to watch and have friendly people explain the rules of a sport I don't really know anything about?

What are the tourist sites to go and see on the Sunday? Where should I avoid?

Thanks,

Fred

I’ve never been to Melbourne, but definitely plan to take a tour on the Great Ocean Road when I go there. It’s a couple of hours away from Melbourne and multiple companies do day tours.

www.aircraftspotting.co.uk

If you have time on your hands.

Saturday is AFL grand final day. That will be all that Melbourne is talking about on that day. Maybe find one of the live sites and soak up the atmosphere around the G (the Melbourne Cricket Ground, or MCG), or camp out in a pub and try to work out the game?

Walk through Alexandra Gardens, catch a tram to St Kilda and have pastries on Ackland St, visit the Victorian Arts Centre and visit the gallery, head to the Melbourne Museum via the Exhibition Building.

But the grand final will be all people are worried about on the Saturday.

Another attraction that is worth visiting is the observation deck on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower known as the Melbourne Skydeck. This is a place where you can see as much of Melbourne as possible in one location and save some tourist sites from visiting.
https://www.melbourneskydeck.com.au/
http://thenomadicexplorers.com/content/ ... skydeck-88

As an F1 nut I'd take a short trip to Albert Park. See what remains of the circuit when not in use.

I would head to a pub on the Saturday afternoon to watch the Grand Final, if only just to take in the atmosphere, and I'd take a walk around the MCG beforehand, there will be a lot going on outside the ground from the morning onwards. Swan Street in Richmond is only a short walk from the MCG, there's a few popular pubs on that street which will be heaving on the day & into the night. The Corner Hotel is well known for it's live music. Virtually every pub in Melbourne will have the game on a big screen. One of the great days in World Sport, similar to the FA Cup Final. The Friday before is now a public holiday here in Melbourne.

As for the F1 track, I would wait until you pick up your car for that. Outside of the GP period, it's parkland, but you can drive around the track, and the pit building is used for community sport, so you might be able to slip into pit lane.

Also remember, as you're staying in the CBD, that the trams are free within the CBD & Docklands, so you won't need a ticket/Myki if you travel within those areas.

As someone else said, the National Gallery is well worth a visit, and it's free. I would also check out the State Library, the reading room is spectacular, and there's a few exhibits to check out.

The Casino precinct is cool to check out at night, lots of bars, and it's constantly changing. Last time I was there was pre-COVID.

A couple of iconic CBD pubs to check out are the Mitre Tavern on bank place, Melbourne's oldest pub, and one of the oldest buildings in the City. Very much in the old English style, including the Ales on tap. Young & Jacksons opposite Flinders Street Station is a must visit, the bar with the famous portrait of 'Chloe' is upstairs from the main bar.

For rooftop bars, a favorite is the rooftop at the Imperial Hotel (Corner Bourke & Spring Streets, opposite Parliament House), and have heard good things about the rooftop at the QT hotel on Russell Street, but be warned that they have a dress code (normally no sneakers, shirts must have collars, etc..)

So a bit of an update, thanks to everyone for their input. So I spent Sunday doing a bit of shopping (presents for wife and daughter) and eating nice breakfast. I then took a trip up the skydeck to see the sights from above, I took a tour of the cathedral and spent a nice bit of time at the queen Victoria market. This morning I left via Albert park and drove the F1 circuit in the worlds fastest car (Hire car). Saturday was quite good too. I managed to catch the game from gate 7 section M22, Row HH, seat 21 It was awesome fun and always thought I would be watching cricket at the MCG. A true cultural experience. I knew absolutely nothing of the game but even I could see the cats were better, its like they had magnets for the ball, a well deserved win.

Fred

Well done for getting tickets to the game, always one of the hottest tickets in town. A bucket list experience for any sports nut! And you got a Robbie Williams concert thrown in, the tributes to Warnie & John Farnham were a nice touch.

Sydney didn't stand a chance, The Cats were just too good on the day.

flipdewaf wrote:

So a bit of an update, thanks to everyone for their input. So I spent Sunday doing a bit of shopping (presents for wife and daughter) and eating nice breakfast. I then took a trip up the skydeck to see the sights from above, I took a tour of the cathedral and spent a nice bit of time at the queen Victoria market. This morning I left via Albert park and drove the F1 circuit in the worlds fastest car (Hire car). Saturday was quite good too. I managed to catch the game from gate 7 section M22, Row HH, seat 21 It was awesome fun and always thought I would be watching cricket at the MCG. A true cultural experience. I knew absolutely nothing of the game but even I could see the cats were better, its like they had magnets for the ball, a well deserved win.

Fred

The only commonality between AFL and cricket is the pitch

When I lived there I caught a few of the matches at the MCG and what was then called Etihad stadium (now called Marvel Stadium). Its a great sport but hard to keep up with in North America, I still have a Richmond Jersey I wear especially in the summer and every now and then someone recognizes it.

As for Albert park, its one of 3 F1 tracks that I have technically been to (not when the race was happening) and used to play sports in the building where the pitlane and paddock is. Was there any police presence to prevent people thinking they are driving F1 cars? I know in Montreal they close Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve to cars for that reason. People will think they are the drivers and do silly things.

flipdewaf wrote:

So a bit of an update, thanks to everyone for their input. So I spent Sunday doing a bit of shopping (presents for wife and daughter) and eating nice breakfast. I then took a trip up the skydeck to see the sights from above, I took a tour of the cathedral and spent a nice bit of time at the queen Victoria market. This morning I left via Albert park and drove the F1 circuit in the worlds fastest car (Hire car). Saturday was quite good too. I managed to catch the game from gate 7 section M22, Row HH, seat 21 It was awesome fun and always thought I would be watching cricket at the MCG. A true cultural experience. I knew absolutely nothing of the game but even I could see the cats were better, its like they had magnets for the ball, a well deserved win.

Fred

What was the view from the top of the Eureka Tower like.