Australia Independent Travel | Melbourne City Attractions | Flinders Street Station | Federation Square | Royal Arcade | Hosier Lane | State Library Victoria | Queen Victoria Market
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| Flinders Street Station Flinders Street Railway Station |
The very heart of Melbourne, known as the Melbourne CBD (Central Business District), is one of Australia's busiest commercial areas and is also rich in history and cultural heritage. It's a hub of food and coffee culture, offering all kinds of dining options, from local coffee to international cuisine.
Although the CBD isn't very large, it packs in all sorts of famous attractions, such as Flinders Street Station, the State Library Victoria, Queen Victoria Market, shopping centres and countless cafés. Visitors can easily walk between these sights, and the trams throughout this whole area are free, which is extremely convenient for tourists.
List of city attractions:
- Flinders Street Station
- Federation Square
- Royal Arcade
- Hosier Lane (Graffiti Lane)
- State Library Victoria
- Queen Victoria Market
Flinders Street Railway Station
Built in 1909, Flinders Street Railway Station is Australia's first railway station. Located at the corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street, it is one of Melbourne's busiest stations. Besides being a transport hub, it is also the station every suburban train must pass through.
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| Flinders Street Station Flinders Street Railway Station |
There are many important attractions and commercial areas around Flinders Street Railway Station, such as Melbourne Town Hall, Federation Square and the banks of the Yarra River. These places are great to wander around during the day or at night.
- Address: Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Official site: https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/
- Getting there: take a free tram to the following stops
- Flinders Street Station – Stop 5: 35, 70, 75
- Federation Square/Swanston St: 1, 3/3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72
Federation Square
Federation Square is a large public square in central Melbourne, located at the corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street, right opposite Flinders Street Station (Flinders Street Railway Station), and it is a popular gathering spot.
The square is surrounded by modernist architecture and a number of facilities, such as The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, the Australian museum spaces and a visitor information centre. It is not only a place for locals to relax, but also one of the main venues for major events and festivals, such as the Christmas tree lighting ceremony. There are also plenty of bars and restaurants offering all kinds of food; on fine evenings, many people sit here chatting or having a snack.
- Address: Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Official site: https://www.fedsquare.com/
- Getting there: take a free tram to the following stops
- Flinders Street Station – Stop 5: 35, 70, 75
- Federation Square/Swanston St: 1, 3/3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72
St Paul's Cathedral Melbourne
St Paul's Cathedral is a historic church in central Melbourne, dating back to 1836, and is the cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. Its exterior is Gothic in style, while the interior is decorated with exquisite stained-glass windows and murals.
- Address: Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Official site: https://cathedral.org.au/
- Opening hours:
- Mon–Fri: 10:00–18:00
- Sat: 10:00–16:00
- Sun: 07:30–17:00
- Getting there: take a free tram to the following stops
- Flinders Street Station – Stop 5: 35, 70, 75
- City Square/Swanston St: 1, 3/3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72
Royal Arcade
Royal Arcade, in Melbourne's CBD, is a historic shopping arcade built at the end of the 19th century. It has become a popular local tourist attraction, though the entrance isn't especially conspicuous—if you're not paying attention, you'll walk right past it.
The place is full of old-world atmosphere; the roof is made of glass, so the interior is very bright. At the southern end stand the famous carved mythological figures Gog and Magog, and Gaunt's Clock is another highlight of the arcade—on the hour, one of the figures strikes the bell with its arm.
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| The rather inconspicuous entrance |
There are also some distinctive shops here selling handicrafts, jewellery, antiques, gifts and more. Among them, the KOKO Black chocolate boutique is a famous name here—if you're interested, come and try their hot chocolate.
- Address: 335 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Official site: https://www.royalarcade.com.au/
- Opening hours:
- Mon–Thu: 07:00–19:00
- Fri: 07:00–20:30
- Sat: 08:00–19:00
- Sun: 09:00–19:00
- Getting there: take a free tram to the following stops
- Elizabeth St/Bourke St: 86, 96
- Bourke Street Mall: 19, 57, 59
Graffiti Lane – Hosier Lane
Hosier Lane, also known as Graffiti Lane, is a small laneway on the southern edge of Melbourne's CBD, running between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane, opposite the entrance to Federation Square. In 1998, the City Lights initiative turned Hosier Lane into a street-art gallery, and ever since the lane has been filled with all kinds of graffiti artworks. It is not only one of Melbourne's most famous tourist attractions but also one of the world's most famous street-art sites, brimming with cultural and artistic atmosphere.
- Address: Hosier Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Opening hours: 24hr
- Getting there: take a free tram to the following stop
- Russell Street – Stop 6: 35, 70, 75
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is Australia's oldest library and the world's first free public library—and it was the very first stop we made in Melbourne! Besides its vast collection of books, the library displays many local historical artefacts and has several reading rooms, but the most famous spaces are the Octagon and the domed La Trobe Reading Room upstairs: spacious and beautifully lit, they're extremely photogenic and draw huge numbers of visitors every year.
- Address: 328 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Official site: https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/
- Opening hours: 10:00-18:00
- Getting there: take a free tram to the following stop
- Melbourne Central Station / State Library of Victoria: 1, 3/3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72
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| The landmark in front of the library |
Queen Victoria Market
Queen Victoria Market covers a huge 7 hectares. Besides being an important shopping spot for locals, it is the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere and the third largest in the world! You can find just about anything here—fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and seafood, as well as all kinds of souvenirs and clothing, plus a deli/food section where you can buy a variety of foods and enjoy them on the spot.
Besides the daytime market, in winter and summer there is a seasonal Wednesday night market where you can enjoy all sorts of traditional and international food, along with street and music performances—well worth a visit!
For a more detailed introduction, see: Australia Independent Travel | Melbourne City Attractions | Queen Victoria Market | Seasonal Wednesday Night Market | A Century-Old Market
- Address: Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Opening hours:
- Closed Monday and Wednesday
- Tue, Thu, Fri 06:00~15:00
- Sat 06:00~16:00
- Sun 09:00~16:00
- Seasonal night market: Wednesdays 17:00~22:00 (check dates on the official website)
- Official website: http://www.qvm.com.au/
Central Melbourne isn't very big, and the attractions aren't far apart—taking it slow, you can cover the city-centre sights in about 1 to 2 days. There were a few CBD attractions we didn't visit this time, such as the Old Melbourne Gaol, the Shrine of Remembrance and Melbourne Skydeck for night views, because we set aside time for quite a few suburban and more distant destinations. If you want to include out-of-town attractions such as the Great Ocean Road or penguin watching, you'll need to extend your trip and allow more time.
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