Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia, the capital of the state of Victoria, is set around the bay of Port Phillip. The population of the suburbs is about 3,8 million people (estimated 2007).
The city is considered one of the major commercial, industrial and cultural centers in Australia. Melbourne is also often called "sporting and cultural capital" of the country, as there are many sporting and cultural events in the life of Australia. The city is famous for its combination of Victorian and modern architecture, numerous parks and gardens, a diverse and multicultural population. In 1956 Melbourne hosted the summer Olympic Games in 2006 – the Commonwealth Games. Here in 1981 hosted the meeting of Heads of State of the British Commonwealth, and in 2006 – the summit of G20, which was attended by leaders of the nineteen most developed countries.
Melbourne was founded by free settlers in 1835 as an agricultural settlement on the bank of the River Yarra (it happened after 47 years after the first European settlement in Australia). Thanks to the gold rush in Victoria, the city quickly turned into a metropolis and became a 1865's largest and most important city in Australia. But in early XX century, he gave the palm to Sydney.
In the period since 1901, when it was formed Federation of Australia, and until 1927, when Canberra-city became the capital, Australian Government agencies was located in Melbourne.
The land adjacent to the Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay, which Melbourne is currently located on, before the arrival of Europeans was inhabited by members of the tribe of Australian Aborigines wurundjeri. It is generally accepted that Aborigines have lived in this area at least 40,000 years. The first attempt to found a European colony was made by the British in 1803, when they formed a convict settlement in the area of Sullivan Bay, but this settlement was abandoned after only a few months.
In May and June 1835 the territory, which now houses the central and northern parts of the city, has been surveyed by John Batman, one of the founders of the Association of Port Phillip, which concluded with the eight leaders of the tribe wurundjeri contract to sell 600,000 acres (2400 km ²) of adjoining land. He chose to settle at the north bank of the Yarra, and announced that "this place will build a village, then returned to the city of Launceston in Tasmania, then bore the name" Van Diemen's Land. " However, when the settlers sent by the Association, arrived at the site for the foundation of the village, they discovered that there already was a settlement formed by a group of people led by John Paskou Fawkner, who arrived here aboard the Enterprise on Aug. 30, 1835. In the end, both groups agreed on the joint development area. The Treaty, which entered into Batman with the aborigines, it was soon canceled the administration of New South Wales, to be administered in a time throughout the mainland of Australia. This meant that the land becomes the property of the Crown, but the rights of people living here have been fixed, and the newly formed town was given the right to exist.
In 1836 Governor Bourke declared the city as the administrative center of the district of Port Phillip, it was part of the colony of New South Wales and in 1837 approved the first city plan, known as "Plan Hoddle". At the end of that year, the city has got a final name – Melbourne, in the honor of British Prime Minister, William Lamb, 2 nd Viscount Melbourne, whose family estate was located in the town of Melbourne, Derbyshire, England. Melbourne was declared as a city after the announcement of 25 June 1847 charters of Queen Victoria.
When the state of Victoria has received the status of an independent colony in 1851, Melbourne was its capital. Since the discovery of gold in the state in the 1850's and early gold-rush town began to grow rapidly, providing the region with all necessary and serves as the main port of south-east Australia. During the rapid development of Melbourne in the 50's and 60's of the XIX century, were are built many of the most famous city buildings, such as: Victoria's parliament building, the building of the Treasury, State Library, Supreme Court, the university, the central post office, government building, as well as St. Paul's Cathedral and St. Patrick. Central city neighborhoods have been well planned and boulevards and numerous gardens and parks were paved in the city. During these years, Melbourne has become a major financial center in the country: it is the headquarters of several major banks.The first Australian Stock Exchange was formed in Melbourne in 1861.
By the 80 th of the XIX century, the rapid growth of the Melbourne continued. The city became one of the largest cities of the British Empire and one of the richest cities in the world. In these years of prosperity Melbourne hosted several international exhibitions in specifically for this purpose-built exhibition center. One of the journalists who visited the city in 1885, named the city "Marvellous Melbourne". This phrase caught on, and the city is still called so throughout the XX century. Rapid urban growth has led to a boom that reached its peak in 1888. At this time property prices fueled by optimistic forecasts for industrial development. As a result, there were built a large number of high-rise buildings, offices, coffee palaces, apartment buildings. Not all of them are preserved in the subsequent development of the city, construction of modern high-rise buildings, as well as after the demolition of many buildings of that era because of the tightening of the rules of fire safety. However, despite this, Melbourne is still famous for its Victorian architecture. This period was also characterized by extensive development of public transport and, in particular, the radial network of tramways.
Period of prosperity came to an end when in 1891 the strongest economic crisis in the city has began, which led the city to finance the full chaos: during this period were closed down 16 small banks and investment communities, and 133 companies have announced their elimination. Melbourne financial crisis provided the impetus for the economic crisis across Australia, which lasted all of 90-ies of the XIX century, as well as the Australian banking crisis of 1893. The effect that depression has had on the city's economy, it is difficult to overestimate. And although the city continued to slowly evolve, the impact of the crisis affected during the first decades of the XX century.
Attractions
Arriving in Melbourne in the first place, tend to see not only the city itself, as its surroundings. Despite the fact that Melbourne is beautifully situated on the banks of the River Yarra River, compactly planned center is full of museums, galleries and shops, and a huge part of the city occupied by parks, public gardens and Royal Botanical Gardens, the most interesting is situated far from the city.
This is, first and foremost, the amazing "Penguin Parade" at Phillip Island. Every evening from the ocean beyond the tiny planet on the most northerly penguins, and merrily swaying from foot to foot slap in single file across the beach to their nests in the bushes, ignoring the curious people coming to this beach with the same regularity, to admire these pathetic .
Another place that has become long been one of the main symbols of Australia – is the Great Ocean Road, and the majestic cliffs – Twelve Apostollov. This tour takes all day, but it remains in memory forever.
If you have a little more time, we recommend to visit the historic town of gold miners – Sovereign Hill near Ballarat. In this open-air museum you will see Australia gold rush era. Here, ladies walk in the lush skirts romp through the streets of horse-drawn carts and drink beer in the saloons miners in his famous hats – Digger hat. By the way, why not buy and own one such.
In addition, we recommend an excursion to the mountains Dandenong, located 50 km from Melbourne, and a ride on an old train "puffing Billy" – Puffing Billy – a dense forest known for its diversity of Australian and imported European flora.
Melbourne map:
Melbourne hotels:
- La Meridien At Rialto Melbourne 5* super
- Crown Towers Melbourne 5*
- Grand Hyatt Melbourne 5*
- Park Hyatt Melbourne 5*
- The Westin Melbourne On Regent Place 5*
- Windsor 5*
- Novotel Melbourne on Collins 4*
- Rydges Melbourne 4*
- Savoy Park Plaza International Melbourne 4*
- Sheraton Towers Southgate Melbourne 4*
- Batmans Hill Hotel 3*