City guide · Melbourne · Naarm
Melbourne
A Victorian city built by the gold rush: laneway cafés, street art and the Great Ocean Road
Melbourne is Australia's cultural capital: cafés tucked away in laneways, the graffiti-covered walls of Hosier Lane, and Victorian streets with clanging trams. From here you can drive the Great Ocean Road to the Twelve Apostles, or go to Phillip Island to watch the little penguins come ashore.
History
Los orígenes de la ciudad
Melbourne stands on the land of the Kulin Nation, whose traditional custodians include the Bunurong, Wathaurong and Wurundjeri peoples; its Aboriginal name is Naarm. In 1835 free settlers from Van Diemen's Land (today's Tasmania) founded Melbourne. Queen Victoria declared it a city in 1847, and in 1851 it became capital of the new colony of Victoria. The Victorian gold rush of the 1850s brought Melbourne a long boom, and by the late 1880s it was one of the largest and richest cities in the world. After Australia federated in 1901, Melbourne served as temporary capital until the move to Canberra in 1927.
- 1835Free settlers from Tasmania founded Melbourne
- 1847Proclaimed a city
- 1851Became capital of the colony of Victoria; the gold rush began
- 1880sOne of the richest cities in the world
- 1901–1927Temporary capital of the Commonwealth of Australia
Must see
Lugares imprescindibles
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Melbourne's street-art laneways
A whole laneway as a canvas: the soul of Melbourne's street art
Phillip Island Penguin Parade
At sunset, little penguins waddle home — the homecoming ritual of the world's smallest penguin
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Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road
Limestone apostles carved by the Southern Ocean: a temple of light at sunrise and sunset
Local life
Gastronomía y vida cotidiana
Before you go
Normas que debe conocer en Melbourne
Australian beaches: swim between the red and yellow flags
- Swim only between the red and yellow flags where lifeguards are on duty
- If you don't know the conditions, ask a lifeguard
- Swimming at unpatrolled beaches or outside the flags
Outside the flags there may be rip currents, and lifeguards cannot reach you in time.
Sin verificarFuente: Surf Life Saving Australia: beach safety signs
Uluru: climbing is not allowed
- Walk the base track around Uluru and learn about Anangu culture
- Climbing Uluru
The climb closed permanently on 26 October 2019; climbing breaks the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and is punished.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park: climb closure
Entering Australia: food, plant and animal products must be declared
- Truthfully declare all food (even small, packaged snacks), plants and animal products on your arrival card
- If in doubt, declare it
- Bringing fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, seeds or wooden souvenirs without declaring them
You can be issued an infringement notice; your visa may be cancelled, you may be refused entry and barred from returning for up to 3 years.
Sin verificarFuente: Australian Department of Agriculture: travelling to Australia
Australia: tipping is not required
- When service is especially good, round up or leave a small tip
- Feeling bad about not leaving a tip
There is no penalty; Australian wages do not depend on tips.
Sin verificarFuente: Mozo: tipping in Australia