Forever known as the "Garden City" owing to its picturesque botanic gardens and parks, Melbourne now claims the privilege of being the "the world's most liveable city". Melbourne is renowned for its festivals and sporting events, staging an exciting variety of entertainment each year including the Formula One Australian Grand Prix, the Australian Open Tennis, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Melbourne Film Festival, the Boxing Day Test Cricket, the AFL Grand Final, the Heineken Golf Classic, and the Spring Racing Carnival.

Melbourne is situated on the Yarra River where it enters Port Phillip Bay . The recent Docklands development has seen Melbourne city embrace the beauty of the Bay, converting old port authority sheds west of the city into a vibrant residential, business, sporting and entertainment precinct by the water.

For the night cats, Melbourne has the most live music venues in Australia and a burgeoning number of chic and groovy inner city bars for every level and style of socialising imaginable. Melbournians are also spoilt by the quality and range of gastronomic delights available to them. And for the shop-a-holics Melbourne fashion is the envy of many, from the Paris end of town in ritzy Collins Street to the urban cool of Chapel Street in South Yarra . World smash hit theatre productions such as ‘The Producers' and ‘The Lion King' come to Melbourne regularly as do art exhibitions like The Impressionists at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Take a drive for about one hour out of the city and depending on the direction chosen, you might be forgiven if you thought you were suddenly in Tuscany at any of hundreds of wineries in the Yarra Valley or Mornington Peninsula regions. Toward the south west there's the Great Ocean Road and the picturesque seaside towns of Queenscliff, Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay. A longer drive is rewarded at historic Port Cambell by the magnificent natural grandeur of the 12 Apostles. To the south east you'll find the fairy penguins and seals at Phillip Island, the famous surf of Portsea and Cape Woollami , and further on the wild natural parks of Wilson's Promontory. A short trip north leads to the salubrious spa country at Daylesford, historic country towns like Castlemaine, Kyneton, and Ned Kelly's Glenrowan and the mighty Murray River at Echuca. Just beyond Mansfield is the Victorian high country where ski bunnies have recently enjoyed bumper snow seasons at Mt Buller and Mt Hotham come wintertime.

Check out the following links for more information:

• That's Melbourne - www.thatsmelbourne.com.au
• Visit Victoria – www.visitvictoria.com
• Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau - www.mcvb.com.au