⌛ Sightseeing in Melbourne and Aukland

G'day! So, I will be traveling in mid-April to Aukland NZ and Melbourne (St Kilda) Aus, and will have a free day at each location. I'm wondering what are the "must see" or "gotta do" things available at each location. I know that their are plenty of books and web sites for this, and I'll research them. But I'm sure that there are many Aussies, Kiwis, or travelers to NZ and AUS, who frequent this site. And I'd like to here from them.

Thanks in advance for any input

 

Sorry mate i am in sydney not melbourne so i can not help you... one day is not long to see things but.
You could always take a kangaroo ride down to the pub and have a beer.. HAVE A GREAT TRIP...

 

Yes, That's a given, and it fits in my timeframe!! Thanks. I've been to Sydney before, but not Melbourne. So I'm looking forwad to it even f it's for a very short period!

 

I live in Perth. Between BAZ in Sydney and me in Perth we have probably the two most scenic cities in Oz. Although Hobart is real nice too. Unfortunately I've been to Melbourne several times...and just to change planes (usually to Tasmania - love it there). But.....if I was staying in Melbourne on a weekend day (don't know if that is the case for you)....this time of year...I'd be trying my best to see an AFL game (Australian Football League). Melbourne is home for several legendary teams and they are fanatics there about AFL games. St. Kilda has a team of the own, St. Kilda. Saints. Great way to spend a few hours....
We're rugby fans ourselves - but we also like the AFL games...d*mn hard to get decent AFL tickets in Perth, but much easier in Melbourne from what I hear....Anyway, you'll get a real bit of Australiana doing it...
Hopefully someone from Melbourne will appear on the board. If you are going there for business perhaps your contacts there can give some advice? Anyway, I'm sure you'll like the break. Auckland is nice too!

 

Great idea, Garbonzo, Thanks! I love watching sporting events, all types. Not just for the sport, but for the atmosphere. Your right, in a short time, you can get a feel of the people...Have you been to a cockfight in Dumaguete? That's entertaining... Plus my kids are learning and playing Australian Footy in their PE class. Not sure how that happened, but it keeps the kids active! New Page 9... scroll to the bottom

It’s a great idea, one that I would have never considered. Unfortunately, I’ll be there during the week, but I’ll still check out their schedule, maybe get a replica jersey as a souvenir for the kids. I like rugby also, and am more familiar with it. I became enamored with the sport following the ’95 world cup matches on STAR Sports. That was the first time I watched high level international rugby, and was hooked. There were some great matches that I still vividly remember. Still can't believe NZ lost!

 

oz footie

oz football, is that where you catch the ball and run like the wind? and boot it over the bar. seen it on the tv like rugby but faster. or do you mean soccer as the U.S.A say

 

Oz football, I'm pretty sure that's what Garbonzo (love the name) meant. Football (Soccer in US) is still just "Football" in Australia, I think!

Hey in honour of Baseball's Opening Day. Listen 103.7 The Mountain KMTT Listen to Eddie Izzard...I heard it this morning...Funny!

 

Hey,

Just got back from Australia , and watched my share of oz footbal, rugby and cricket on tv. In oz football, they don't kick it over a bar, but in between 2 sets of bars. And they run for 10 meters, then they have to bounce it. It looked pretty physical and entertainingl

 

Welcome back.
I have a brother-in-law and sister-in-law living in Melbourne and spent a couple of weeks traveling with them and a couple of Aussies in RP back in February.
I'm very interested in knowing what you thought of Melbourne.
Thanks.

 

Thanks Timn8ter,

It was a good trip, but it's always nice to be back home in the Pacific NW. It was definitely too short of a trip for the distance you have to travel, 14 hours Mel. to LA. I had about a half day to roam around Melbourne and found it very easy to get around by using their trams. It was very lively as there were many people in the city center out and about, along with street entertainers, tourists, etc. There was a big rugby match that night, NZ v Aus, and a lot of pubs were packed watching it on the big screens. We walked thu their chinatown, the Greek Precinct, little Italy. Had dinner one night at a Morrocan restaurant, it was gooood.:D The people there were very friendly. We got a couple of offers of help when they saw us studying tour maps with confused looks.


I saw a sign stating "Melbourne: worlds most livable city". I'm not sure if I agree with being "the most" , but I felt that it's definitly ranked high in my book.