Better than Sydney' Melbourne Walking Tour (Afternoon)
- Duration: 3 Hours (approx.)
- Location: Melbourne, VIC
- Product code: MelbWalk - Afternoon
'BETTER THAN SYDNEY' MELBOURNE WALKING TOUR
If you don’t know the rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney, it goes a bit like this: Sydney people think we’re a bit stuck up (half true), while we think Sydney people have the depth of a bottle cap (absolutely true!).
Sydney may have its giant coat hanger and a snozzle of schnozzes (Harbour Bridge and Opera House), but we have The Holy Trinity: Coffee, Culture and…Conversation! And streets that are built for walking. Do you hear that, Sydney? Walking! It’s a verb.
No wonder we were voted the most liveable city 7 times in a row!
Let’s grab a coffee and come along on my irreverent walking tour where I take you on a journey
of our Indigenous custodians, laneways and arcades, street art, how immigration built this city, the dubious characters, before finally cooling your heels at a riverside bar and finding out once and for all how this Sydney-Melbourne rivalry all began!
HIGHLIGHTS
- Nature. Take in the brilliant views of our cityscape from the riverbank of the Birrarung River (Yarra River) and find out why this river used to be blue.
- Batmania. Discover why Melbourne was going to be called 'Batmania' and became one of the richest cities in the world
- Laneways. See the most photographed street art laneway in Australia and many more, including AC/DC Lane (yes, the band is from Australia!)
- Culture. Stroll down the oldest Chinatown in the Western world
- Literature. Marvel inside the huge dome of the State Library - the first free library in the world
- Shopping. Wander through the iconic arcades (shopping malls) of the 19th century, such as one modelled on the Milan Galleria which also has the largest mosaics ever laid in Australia
- Coffee. Learn about the birth of coffee culture in Melbourne and why we're such coffee snobs!
- Fancy a drink? Finish the tour and cool your heels at one of our riverside bars and come to the realisation why Melbourne is better than Sydney!
START AND FINISH TIMES
Morning Tour: 9 am - 12 pm
Start - under the big ACMI sign on Flinders Street, Melbourne.
Yarra River
Fed Square
Hosier Lane and ACDC Lane
Parliament
Chinatown
State Library
The Shot Tower
Bourke Street Mall
Royal Arcade & The Block
Central Place/Degraves
St Pauls/Flinders Street
Finish - Yarra River
INCLUSIONS
Small groups (12 max)
A guide with ‘personality!’
Coffee
Local chocolate tasting
A local pot of beer, a glass of wine or non-alcoholic drink
MEET UP POINT
ACMI, Flinders Street, Melbourne.
NOTE: Meet me at the top of the steps under the big ACMI on Flinders Street (not inside). It's between Swanston Street and Russell Street.
ABOUT ME
I’ve always loved stories, travel and people. I’ve traversed right across the world from Africa, India and Asia, collecting stories so it was inevitable I became a published travel writer, and later, an award-winning playwright and performer.
Here in Melbourne I’ve worked with some wonderful tour companies visiting highlights such as the Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley and the penguins at Phillip Island.
Prior to tour guiding, I was a podcast journalist for an audio travel guide company, which gave me a rare in-depth knowledge of Melbourne and Australia.
Lastly…I actually do love Sydney. Just like to wind them up!
Looking forward to meeting you,
Russell McGilton
