We had a free morning in Melbourne. Done with the Great Ocean Road, we planned on visiting the Shrine of Remembrance a day before ANZAC Day. We weren’t in the mood for visiting vineyards today as we were simply exhausted after yesterday’s long drive. And the city tram is forever hanging with tourists and locals. So what’s best to do without tiring one’s self?
Flinders Train Station
The iconic Flinders Station.
Found this hop on, hop off shuttle bus going around major tourist sites within the city. Tempting to hop off the bus to do retail therapy at a major factory outlet or to browse around the many souvenir and food stalls in Queen Victoria Market. Cost: $5 all day, children under 10 are free. So why pay more? This is too good to be true.
Shrine of Remembrance. A Memorial to ANZAC heroes.
Coffee and Doughnuts To Go!
The Au$5 tickets are available from Best of Souvenirs in the Melbourne Visitor Centre at Federation Square or from ticket machines located at each stop. The Visitor Center in Fed Square is just right across the St. Paul Cathedral where the red shuttle bus stops to pick up tourists.
Melbourne Visitor Center in Federation Square.
Culled from their website is this itinerary which lists 13 stops over a 90 minute journey complete with onboard commentary.
Stop 1 Arts precinct
Step off here for plays, pictures and performances.
Arts Centre Melbourne
NGV International
Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA)
Malthouse Theatre
Melbourne Recital Centre
Southbank Theatre
Stop 2 Federation Square
Step off here for visitor services, culture and art.
Melbourne Visitor Centre
Federation Square
Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia, Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)
Birrarung Marr and William Barrack Bridge
Federation Bells
Flinders Street Station
St Paul’s Cathedral
Hosier Lane
Stop 3 Sports precinct
Step off here for stadiums, legends and gardens.
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
National Sports Museum (in the MCG)
Melbourne, Olympic and AAMI parks
Fitzroy Gardens, Cooks’ Cottage, Fairies Tree, Model Tudor Village and historic Conservatory.
* Note that this stop is not in service on MCG event days.
Stop 4 Chinatown precinct
Step off here for shopping, theatre and a Chinese dragon.
Her Majesty’s, Princess, Regent, Athenaeum and Comedy theatres
Chinatown
Collins Street, Greek precinct
State Library of Victoria, Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne’s GPO, Melbourne Central, QV Melbourne
Stop 5 Melbourne Museum and Carlton Gardens
Step off here for culture, cinema and city gaol.
Melbourne Museum
IMAX Theatre
Royal Exhibition Building
Carlton Gardens
Old Melbourne Gaol and City Watch House
Stop 6 Lygon Street precinct
Step off here for La Dolce Vita and La Mama.
Lygon Street lifestyle
La Mama and Carlton Courthouse theatres
Piazza Italia
Museo Italiano Cultural Centre
Stop 7 University of Melbourne
Step off here for museums, music and modern art.
University of Melbourne
Ian Potter Museum of Art
Grainger Museum
Stop 8 Queen Victoria Market
Step off here for the market, museum and mint.
Queen Victoria Market
Melbourne Zoo
Flemington Racecourse
Arts House and Errol Street
Hellenic Museum
Stop 9 Harbour Town, Docklands
Step off here for shopping, skating and sailing.
Harbour Town
Medibank Icehouse
NewQuay
Tourism Lounge
Stop 10 Etihad Stadium and Victoria Harbour
Step off here for arts, parks and sporting events.
Victoria Harbour
Yarra’s Edge
Etihad Stadium
Docklands Park
Fox Classic Car Museum
Stop 11 William Street
Step off here for culture, courts and coastal wonders.
Immigration Museum
Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Centre
Legal precinct
ANZ Banking Museum
Enterprise Wharf
Melbourne Aquarium
Stop 12 Southbank and Yarra River
Step off here for the skydeck, shops and ships.
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
South Wharf Promenade
Crown Entertainment Complex
Southgate
Eureka Skydeck 88
Polly Woodside
Stop 13 The Shrine and Royal Botanic Gardens
Step off here for music, a memorial and meandering gardens.
Shrine of Remembrance
Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Government House
La Trobe’s Cottage
lifeisacelebration 