If you’re planning a trip to Melbourne, there are a few things you should know right off the bat. First off, the people who live here are some of the nicest, happiest people you will ever meet. You can’t walk down the street without someone smiling at you and yelling “how ya going, mate?” The culture is very laid back; people laugh often and make jokes about pretty much everything. Secondly, locals pronounce the name of this city like so -“Mel-bin.” The slang took some getting used to, but by the end of our 3 months in Australia, we had adopted quite a few of these phrases into our own vocabulary. I’ve included commonly used slang below; study up before your trip!

• Arvo = afternoon
• Maccas = McDonald’s
• Let me take a squiz = Let me take a look
• Quid = money
• Jumper = sweatshirt
• Barbie = barbecue
• Footy = Australian Rules Football (hybrid between soccer and rugby)
• Servo = gas station
• What’s the John Dory? = What’s the latest gossip?
• Blokes and Sheilas = men and women

Melbourne is where we spent the majority of our time in Australia, and I really fell in love with this city. I’ve compiled a list of fun things you must do while you are in Victoria, Australia.

• St. Kilda Beach – Located about 20 minutes out of Melbourne, St. Kilda Beach is a young and hip beach city with tons of restaurants, stores, and a very clean public beach. You can ride roller coasters at Luna Park or attend one of the many festivals, concerts, and/or markets that take place in St. Kilda. On Sundays, I would make plans to shop your way through the Esplanade Market where local vendors bring Australian-made food products, clothing, and beauty products.

• The Great Ocean Road – Kellin and I spent the entire day driving along The Great Ocean Road which parallels the beautiful coast of southern Victoria. The drive was scenic and we stopped at Sheoak Waterfall Trail along the way for a hike.  About 4 hours into our drive, we came across the Twelve Apostles which are these beautiful rock formations that rise majestically out of the ocean.

• Melbourne Cricket Grounds – Also known as the “MCG,” it’s the 10th largest stadium in the entire world. It’s home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen Australians go wild over their cricket matches, and you absolutely cannot leave Australia without attending one of these games. I was shocked to learn that these games can sometimes last several days because I was wiped after 1 evening, but this is a sporting experience you don’t want to miss out on. Make sure to sit next to some local Aussies so they can explain the rules to you.

• Downtown Melbourne – In the city there are so many fun things to check out. Start with Flinders Street Railway Station (especially during Christmas time), Federation Square, and walk along the Yarra River which runs straight through the city. There are several fantastic restaurants that line the river; whether you go to dine on the patio during the daytime or you enjoy a drink in the evening, nothing beats dining on the riverfront.

• Crown Melbourne – I make this suggest, not just for people who want to gamble at the beautiful Crown Casino, but also for anyone with fine dining taste. There are several fantastic restaurants with scenic views; both rooftop restaurants and riverfront restaurants. There are also high-end retailers with shops at the Crown. On Christmas Eve, Kellin and I enjoyed dinner at Mr. Hive Restaurant and Bar where I indulged in their delicious Baramundi entree. We were in Melbourne during Christmas time, and the entire plaza was decorated beautifully.

• Family-Fun Activities:
  • Penguin Parade – Takes place each night of Philip Island. You can watch all the penguins travel inland from the water and make their way home for rest each night. This was really cool.
  • Maru Koala and Animal Park – I was not leaving Australia without feeding Kangaroos, and I was even able to hold a Koala Bear at this animal park.
  • Brighton Beach – This is where we enjoyed surf lessons and lazed on the beach. There are iconic bathing boxes that can be rented. This beach was typically very crowded each time we went.

Until next time!