Grand Hotel Melbourne – Hotel in Melbourne CBD – Crown Casino Hotel – Flinders Street Station

The Melbourne Shuttle is a free hop-on, hop-off the bus service, stopping at key city destinations. The complete trip takes approximately one hour and includes an informative onboard commentary as you travel around Melbourne.

The shuttle runs daily every 15–20 minutes between 9:30am and 4:00pm.

Federation Square is Melbourne’s meeting place and a unique cultural and community project. Opened in 2002 and spanning an entire city block, its development was one of the most complex and ambitious construction projects ever undertaken in Australia.

Take your time to explore the area’s many cultural institutions, restaurants, bars and cafes as you soak in its stunning architecture.

Reaching high into the sky, Eureka Tower offers awe-inspiring views of Melbourne. The Skydeck on Level 88 is the Southern Hemisphere’s highest viewing platform.

Check out The Edge, a glass cube that projects three metres out from the building, if you have nerves of steel, but be forewarned that it is not for the faint hearted. Open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm.

For some of the biggest names in international art, make your way to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). The NGV’s International collections are regarded as the most comprehensive in the country, and in certain areas their quality and depth place them among the best in the world. Open 10:00am to 5:00pm daily, except Tuesdays.

Explore a rain forest. See Phar Lap in the flesh. Touch a dinosaur bone. Walk onto a set from the TV show “Neighbours”.

Live a lifetime in no time at all at the award-winning Melbourne Museum. Open daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

More than just Melbourne’s shopping mecca, Queen Victoria Market is a historical landmark, a tourist attraction and an institution for Melburnians.

This vast, vibrant centre of trade and commerce was officially opened on 20 March 1878 and has served consumers’ needs for more than 130 years.

Immerse yourself in hours of underwater adventure at The Melbourne Aquarium, where a spectacular collection of more than 10,000 exotic animals showcase the diversity of Australian aquatic life. This is the newest and most state-of-the-art aquarium in Australia.

From guided tours with marine specialists to scuba diving in a tank with the sharks, prepare for a complete interactive entertainment experience. Open daily. Allow up to 2.5 hours for your visit.

These glossy, burgundy restaurants on wheels present a delightful and innovative approach to dining. Cruise the streets of Melbourne while enjoying fine cuisine and the very best of Australian wines.

Since its inception in 1983, the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant has become a star attraction and tourist symbol in Melbourne.

Melbourne’s historic network of laneways and arcades boasts the unique, the exotic and the quirky. Discover an eclectic and delightful mix of small boutiques selling everything from Melbourne-designed fashion to Russian dolls and lollipops.

There’s plenty to find and explore, from the Block, Cathedral and Royal arcades to Degraves and Crossley streets, just to name a few.

Home to some of Australia’s premier performing arts companies, Arts Centre Melbourne consists of the Theatres Building, with its magnificent spire towering 162 metres above St Kilda Road, and the elegant Hamer Hall. Across the road in the Kings Domain is the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

The city’s most famous tree-lined shopping street, Collins Street is home to boutiques selling high-end jewellery, fashion, shoes and luxury goods.

You will also find multi-level shopping centres here, where you can shop to your heart’s content among the fashion, home ware and gift stores. The beautiful stores in the 19th century Block Arcade are well worth a visit.

The traditional home of Australian sport now boasts the finest facilities in the World. The MCG has seen it all... Olympic & Commonwealth Games, Test Cricket, International soccer & rugby and of course AFL. Lord’s, embley, Old Trafford, Eden Gardens and Yankee Stadium are considered among the greatest sporting arenas in the world, but for history, pure drama and emotion it’s hard to look past the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Tours are available on non-event days between 10.00am - 3.00pm.

Situated in the heart of Melbourne’s Docklands, Etihad Stadium is just minutes from the central business district. It is the only football stadium in the Southern Hemisphere with a fully retractable roof.

Home of the Australian Open Tennis Championships, Rod Laver Arena was completed in 1988 as part of the original National Tennis Centre complex.

This multi-use venue is able to host a wide range of sports and entertainment events, from Grand Slam tennis matches to international rock stars, and motorbike super-cross action to conferences, dinners and classical performances. Guided tours are available.

Each night at sunset, the world’s smallest penguins – the Little Penguins – emerge from the sea and waddle ashore to their sand dune burrows. This is a truly memorable natural wildlife experience.

Experience the wonder of the Little Penguins coming ashore after a day’s fishing at sea. The elevated boardwalks and viewing stands allow you to enjoy all the penguin action without disturbing them or their burrow homes.

Experience the wonder and diversity of the world’s wildlife with a walk through the award-winning Melbourne Zoo. More than 300 species are on display in a brilliant botanical setting only 4km from the city.

Wander through the lush tropical surrounds of the Asian and African rainforests and be amazed by the spectacular tree-top viewing at the new Orang-utan Sanctuary.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Great value laughs are dished out by the most popular of local comics and some very special international guests - from stand-up to theatre, music, film and even visual art.

Dates: 28th March - 22nd Apr 2012

For more information on this event click here