Say G’Day to Melbourne – one of the friendliest stops on the F1® calendar. Fans of a certain age might recall that Adelaide hosted the Australian Grand Prix from 1985 until 1995. Stealing it off their South Australian cousins was not so friendly perhaps. Still, this is Australia’s sports capital – home to the mighty MCG Cricket Ground and a huge stadium for Aussie Rules football – and a natural home for F1®. The Albert Park Circuit encircles a lake and mixes public roads with high-speed corners and a high-quality asphalt surface. Fans of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team will be intrigued to see how the team’s 2024 challenger, the AMR24, performs Down Under.
What makes Melbourne the perfect foodie city?
Melbourne has come a long way from Lassiters – the fictional complex in hit soap Neighbours. Now it’s all about fine dining with flair; plus, those Aussie brunch bowls with avocado and micro herbs that Bill Granger and Neil Perry popularised. The craft brew revolution shows no signs of slowing and South Melbourne welcomes new taproom Pirate Life. Sustainability is a watchword in the city too – 1 Hotels will be bringing their eco-philosophy over to their first Aussie opening, Seafarers Melbourne, with a restaurant embracing low waste and biodynamic wines. Rooftops and patios are a Melbourne trait: newcomer Johnny’s Green Room in Carlton exemplifies this open-air idyll.
How to find joy in the journey?
A drive along the Great Ocean Road from windswept cliffs to abundant wildlife – The greatest Australian drive mixes power and drama. Petrolheads can test their vehicles on the freeway down to Geelong before the roads turn quiet as you pass the retro seaside resort of Lorne. Just don’t miss the highlight of the drive – the 12 Apostles. Surfers can get their boards out at Torquay where the breaks are magnificent and animal lovers should lookout for koalas along the roads in Great Otway National Park. It’s also the perfect place to get out of the car and enjoy a hike to the striped lighthouse in Cape Otway. The weather can sometimes get wet and windy, while the cliffs can be tall and jagged, making it an exciting adventure.
What’s new in Melbourne?
Two new restaurants vying for attention – It’s a toss-up between which is the most dramatic new city eatery out of Reine and Atria. Reine & La Rue has taken over the Cathedral Room in the former Melbourne Stock Exchange to much acclaim. Whereas in Atria, you’ll be dining on the 80th floor of the Ritz Carlton with panoramic views over Victoria. Michael Greenlaw is at the helm. Former Vue de Monde chef is the poster boy of cooking in Melbourne right now, and his menu celebrates lesser-known Australian ingredients. As a keen fisherman he has championed the likes of boarfish and grass whiting – which may be an unfamiliar treat to some. He also serves up wallaby broth over wallaby carpaccio.
Where should I go next?
Head to Sydney’s sunny beaches and boulevards – While Melbourne has hipster credentials, Sydney has the most serene setting, where water and land seem to dance with each other, compelling you to slide into silky swimming pools on rocky promontories and walk from Bronte to Bondi. Check out Sydney’s new wave of design hotels like Capella, the Ace, Paramount House, Old Clare and the W, down by Darling Harbour. Sydney’s new Metro speeds you around the city, but you should never miss those ferries which steam slowly out to Manly for a momentous day of surf and chips.
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