Alexandra. Gardens. King's. Domain. Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. ACMI. Melbourne. University .... As well as hostin
Flinders Street
3 ACMI Federation 1 Square
29 Steps Princes Bridge
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4 Landings Upper Terrace Pr in c e s 5 Artplay Wal k Birrarung Marr 6
Yarra River
Hamer Hall
Melbourne Boatsheds University Boat Club
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22 Victorian College of the Arts
20 ACCA
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King’s Domain
Floating Landing Tan Track
Melbourne Swan Street Park Bridge 18 The Sw Oval an Str
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Alex andr a Aven ue
Map not to scale
Yarra 9 Park National Sports MCG Museum Tours
14 Rod Laver Arena
19 Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Southbank Theatre
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Speakers Corner
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Melbourne Recital Centre
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Queen Victoria Gardens
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From the bells head to the William Barak Bridge 8 on your right. At its highest point, there is an expansive seating area to take in the beautiful views. Over the bridge, you are in Yarra Park 9 , set aside as parklands in 1856, and in front of the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground 10 – the MCG, or just ‘the G’. One hundred years later, Yarra Park and the MCG were the focal point for the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Now the G is home to Australian Rules Football and cricket’s famous Boxing Day Test.
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Middle Terrace
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Alexandra Gardens
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The Australian Ballet
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Forward Surge
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Arts Centre Melbourne
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Continue on towards Artplay 5 , a children’s art centre and gallery which then leads into Birrarung Marr 6 , a beautiful 8-hectare (20-acre) urban public park. In the language of the Wurundjeri, the Indigenous inhabitants of the area at the time of European settlement, ‘Birrarung’ means ‘river of mists’ and ‘Marr’ is ‘side of the river’. Other features of the park include Deborah Halpern’s two-headed Angel sculpture and the magnificent Federation Bells 7 , a set of 39 upturned brass bells of various sizes and sounds which play compositions three times each day.
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Federation Bells
St Ki l da R oa d
Walking time 2.5 hours Distance 6 Kilometres
Around the ground, the Tattersall’s Parade of the Champions 13 are 10 largerthan-life-sized statues of elite sports men and women by Melbourne sculptor Louis Laumen. Cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman, outside Gate 5, was the first to be unveiled in May 2002.
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An exploration of Melbourne’s sporting and creative achievements.
From the end of the William Barak Bridge, go straight ahead towards Gate 3 and the National Sports Museum 11 incorporating the Australian Gallery of Sport and Olympic Museum, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, the Australian Football Exhibition, Champions – Thoroughbred Racing Gallery, and temporary exhibition areas. The Museum also manages daily MCG Tours 12 which take 75 minutes.
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The Art of Sport
Standing in the midst of Federation Square 1 , often referred to as ‘Fed Square’, turn full circle and take in the atmosphere of one of Melbourne’s most significant meeting places. With your back to St Kilda Road, you are facing the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia 2 , totally dedicated to Australian art. To your left is ACMI, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image 3 , a celebration of the moving image in film, television and digital culture. Turn to your right and head down the steps to the River Terrace, Federation Wharf and the Yarra River 4 . The Yarra’s banks have barbecue and picnic spots, fishing platforms and jetties, and there are trails and paths to cycle, walk and jog. The Yarra also hosts spectacular events and festivals. On your right – over the river – you will see a number of rowing and boat clubs, the furthermost being the Melbourne University Boat Club, established in 1859 – the oldest rowing club in Australia.
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Melbourne Walks
Melbourne & Olympic Parks
15 Hisense arena
Olympic Park
16 AAMI Park
Melbourne 10 Cricket Ground
Tattersall’s Parade of the Champions
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Continue to your right and cross the historic 1952 Swan Street Bridge 18 . To your left you will see a number of barbecue areas which are extremely popular in the warmer months. Crossing Alexandra Avenue, you can walk up to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl 19 located within the King’s Domain. Inspired by the Hollywood Bowl, this much-loved summertime venue was opened in 1959 and is now part of Arts Centre Melbourne.
From Hamer Hall cross over the 1888 heritage-listed Princes Bridge 29 . Turning right at the first set of traffic lights you are back at your starting point, Federation Square 1 .
The Edge
Melbourne Visitor Booth in the Bourke Street Mall Open seven days a week 9am to 5pm (excluding Good Friday and Christmas Day)
Birrarung Marr
Yarra Building
Crossbar
River Terrace
Pr Whinces arf
Yarra River Vau lts
The Ian Potter Centre: Atrium NGV Australia Transport Square
Alfred Deakin Building Australian Centre for the Moving Image
Fitzroy Gardens Visitor Centre Open seven days a week 9am to 5pm (excluding Christmas Day) This centre provides information services, touch displays, and free Wi-Fi and café facilities. Purchase your Cooks’ Cottage tickets and merchandise, or take part in the free guided garden walk which departs from the centre every Saturday at 10am.
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The Edge
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City Ambassadors Keep an eye out for the City Ambassadors dressed in their distinctive red uniforms in the central city. Mon to Sat 10am to 4pm, Sun noon to 3pm (excluding Good Friday and Christmas Day).
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East Shard
Melbourne Visitor Centre
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St Paul’s Court
Melbourne Greeter Service Discover from a local what locals love about Melbourne. English orientations available seven days per week. Other languages on request. Bookings are essential. 03 9658 9658 (M-F only)
Taxi Rank
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Your walk starts here
Flinders Street Station
Melbourne Visitor Shuttle Hop on and off at any of the 13 stops along the route at key city destinations, guided by an informative on-board commentary. The complete trip takes approximately an hour and a half. The bus runs every 30 minutes with the first service leaving Stop 1 at 9.30am and the last at 3.45pm daily excluding Christmas Day.
The Ian Potter Centre: Australian Centre for NGV Australia the Moving Image
Arts and Culture Restaurants, Cafes and Bars ArtPlay Bookings essential, artplay.com.au Tel: 9664 7900 Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) Mon to Sun 10am to 5pm NGV Studio Sun to Wed 10am to 5pm Thurs to Sat 10am to 10pm No Vacancy Project Space Tue to Sat 11am to 5pm Sun 12pm to 5pm The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia Tue to Sun 10am to 5pm
Optic Kitchen & Bar Mon, Tues and Sun 8.30am to 6pm Wed to Sat 8.30am to 10pm Arintji Mon to Fri 10am to late Sat & Sun 9am to late Beer Deluxe Mon to Sun 7am to late Bokchoy Tang Mon to Sun 11.30am to late Café Chinotto Mon to Sun 10am to late Chocolate Buddha Mon to Sun noon to late Feddish Mon to Sun noon to late
Il Pomodoro Italian Mon to Sun 11am to late In a Rush Espresso Mon to Sun 7am to 5pm Riverland Bar and Café Mon to Sun 7am to late Time Out Café Mon to Sun 8am to late Transport Mon to Sun 11am to late Taxi Dining Room Mon to Sun noon to 3pm and 6pm to late Transit Rooftop Bar Sun, Wed & Thurs from 5pm Fri to Sat from 4pm Mon to Tue closed
Shops and Retail
Useful Numbers
Best of Victoria Best of Souvenirs Open same hours as Melbourne Visitor Centre Kirra Galleries Mon to Sun 10am to 6pm 7–Eleven Mon to Sun Early to late
Best of Victoria Booking Service Public transport queries
9928 0000 1800 800 007
Travellers’ Aid – Flinders St Station
9610 2030
Travellers’ Aid – Southern Cross Station 9670 2072 Airport Bus – Skybus
9335 2811
Ticketmaster
13 6100
Ticketek
13 2849
Directory Assistance
1223
Emergency – police, fire and ambulance
000
There are a number of self-guided walks in this series. These walks were developed by Federation Square and the City of Melbourne. For more information, call the City of Melbourne Hotline 03 9658 9658, visit melbourne.vic.gov.au/ visitor or go to the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square MelbourneVisitorCentre @MelbVisitor TM 03/16
Continue along Alexandra Avenue, and veer left into Linlithgow Avenue to St
On the corner of Southbank Boulevard and St Kilda Road is the National Gallery of Victoria 24 , established in 1861 and Australia’s oldest public art gallery. It has an extensive collection from Europe, Asia, America, and Oceania. Next door on St Kilda Road is Arts Centre Melbourne 25 , and its Theatres Building, over which presides a Melbourne landmark – the 162-metre Arts Centre Spire – with its ballerina’s tutu at the base. Within this arts precinct, take a class or a tour of the headquarters for one of Australia’s flagship arts companies, The Australian Ballet 26 , founded in 1962. The Arts Centre Melbourne Lawn features a range of outdoor activities and performances, as well as Inga King’s magnificent 1974 sculpture, Forward Surge 27 . Adjacent to the Yarra is Hamer Hall 28 , Melbourne’s main concert hall, seating almost 2,500 people, with performances across all musical styles.
Atrium and the Crossbar
Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square Open seven days a week 9am to 6pm (excluding Christmas Day)
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Back at Gate 1, with the practice nets for the Victoria cricket team, the Bushrangers, in sight, head up the steps to the left to the pedestrian bridge across Brunton Avenue. Over the bridge veer right down the steps – and you will see Rod Laver Arena 14 , the 15,000 seat centre court for the Australian Open Tennis Championships. Continue on and you are now in the heart of Melbourne & Olympic Parks, which together cover over 98 hectares. As well as hosting events such as tennis, rugby, soccer, netball and basketball, and high profile music concerts and family shows, this area is the administrative and training home to many sporting organisations and professional clubs. Melbourne Park also includes the multi-purpose venue Hisense Arena 15 and the National Tennis Centre. On the other side of Olympic Boulevard, Olympic Park features AAMI Park 16 , with 30,050 seats and a geodesic dome roof, the Holden Centre 17 , Olympic Park Oval and Gosch’s Paddock training fields.
Walk back along Sturt Street toward the CBD and you will see the western boundary of the The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) 21 , a faculty of the University of Melbourne, which has several performance and exhibition venues. From the VCA, continue along Sturt Street towards the city. On the corner of Sturt Street and Southbank Boulevard is the acoustically perfect and architecturally significant Melbourne Recital Centre 22 , with two world-class performance spaces for the best musicians and ensembles. Next door, on Southbank Boulevard, is the Southbank Theatre 23 , home to the Melbourne Theatre Company, the oldest professional theatre company in Australia.
Visitor Information
ArtPlay Pop-up Patch Carpark
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Southbank Theatre
Federation Square
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Kilda Road. Turn left down St Kilda Road and then right into Grant Street. ACCA, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art 20 is on your left, a leading contemporary art space housed within a distinctive rusty building.
