Melbourne
Car Rental Touring Information
There’s
always something happening in Melbourne. The major festivals
include the Melbourne Festival (an arts festival), the Comedy
Festival, the Food and Wine Festival and the Film Festival.
For sports enthusiasts, the year starts with the Australian
Open tennis; the Australian Formula One Grand Prix follows;
the cricket season leads into the football season, then there
is the Spring
Racing Carnival (horseracing), culminating with the Melbourne
Cup in November. The year ends with a cricket Test Match that
traditionally begins on Boxing Day at the Melbourne
Cricket Ground (MCG). Why not check out some of these
great events in your Melbourne rental car and see the best
this city has to offer.
Situated
at the head of Port Phillip and centred on the north bank
of the Yarra River, Melbourne’s population is about
3.8million. The suburbs spread in all directions, particularly
down the east coast of the bay and towards the Dandenongs,
the picturesque mountains east of Melbourne. The Yarra River
has become a focus for Melburnians: there are barbecues and
picnic tables overlooking the river near the Botanic Gardens,
and a bike path runs along the riverbank from the city into
the Yarra Valley. The Yarra is an integral part of the Moomba
Festival in March, with dragon boat racing, fireworks and
water skiing drawing huge crowds. The popular Southgate and
the Crown Entertainment Complex are the stars of the south
bank, along with the beautiful riverside public gardens.
The
city centre is easy to explore, with its wide streets laid
out in a grid system. Public transport is excellent, particularly
the tram system. Park your Melbourne rental car in one of
the city parking stations and try this amazing service. There
are free City Circle trams around the perimeter of the central
grid, in both directions. Normal tram services criss-cross
the city on their way to the suburbs. Tickets are available
at railway stations and shops displaying a Metcard flag throughout
Melbourne, as well as a limited choice from vending machines
on the trams; tickets are valid for suburban trains, trams
and buses. Always be careful to give way to trams in your
rental car when driving in the city.
There
are two main railway stations in Melbourne: Spencer Street
services country and suburban destinations, while Flinders
Street is the main terminus for the suburban lines. Trains
from Flinders Street go round an underground loop that can
be used instead of the City Circle tram to explore Melbourne.
Buses cover major routes that are not reached by trams or
trains.
A
good way to explore the city is on the City Wanderer (summer
only) or the City Explorer, the former extending as far as
the Westgate Bridge and Williamstown. View more than 50 attractions
from their upper decks or, alternatively, break your journey
at any point and rejoin later Both buses operate daily and
tickets are available from the Visitor Information Centre,
or your bus driver. Ask us at our Melbourne Airport car rental
depot about these services.
The
city centre has plenty of parking, mainly as short-term parking
meters and undercover carparks for your rental car. At peak
times it can be difficult to find an unoccupied meter, and
inexpensive long-term parking is not so easy to locate centrally.
Outside the centre, however, there is usually no problem finding
a parking spot.
The
Yarra River has a variety of tour boats, including water taxis
and ferries. Many are moored at Southgate or Princes Bridge,
and destinations include Williams-town and St Kilda. There
are sightseeing trips around the bay and the river, and along
the Maribyrnong River departing from Dynon Bridge in Footscray.
Cycling is popular, particularly alongside the Yarra River,
and you can hire a bicycle at Princes Bridge to explore the
Yarra Bike Trail. |
