Melbourne Favourites

1. Breakfast at a cafe with good coffee - almost anywhere at Southbank, Retro on Brunswick St, or Trotters or Cafe Lo Bello on Lygon St.
2. Feeding the ducks at the Botanic gardens (ok, so I'm a parent ...) or in the Fitzroy gardens just past the Sofitel.
3. Wandering round the Domain, taking in the Botanic Gardens and the Shrine and winding up with coffee by the river at Southbank. On the weekends there is great street theatre at Southbank - something is always happening. Southbank is adjacent to the Museum for Performing Arts, which turns over its exhibitions every couple of months and is well worth considering. Behind Southbank there is the National Gallery of Victoria (interesting naming - akin to USA's Mr Universe I've always thought) which has some excellent permanent displays and is usually host to a major exhibition of one kind or another.
4. Visiting Healesville. I've been hundreds of times (dad lives there) but it is always good value.
5. North Carlton - some of the Melbourne suburbs consist of small, idiosyncratic 19th century houses and well worth looking over. Try the area centred around Rathdowne St and Curtain Square, where there are several good cafes and bookshops.

1. Mario's cafe in Brunswick St, for the coffee and atmosphere. Best at dinner, but be prepared to queue for a while.
2. Rhumbarella's cafe in Brunswick St, for the coffee and lunch.
3. A hearty breakfast at Retro or The Fitz cafe in Brunswick St. Retro has better coffee than the Fitz.
4. La Porchetta pizza in Rathdowne St, Carlton for the noisy atmosphere, undergrads, and generally fine pizza with awful service for $6 a large pizza.

1. The Melbourne Zoo.
2. Tennis at the home of the Australian Open, Melbourne Park (bookings available indoor and outdoor).
3. The Botanic gardens.
4. Golf at Yarra Bend golf course.

1. A breakfast of Eggs Florentine at Red Sage in Clifton Hill, or croissants'n'coffee at Thresherman's Bakehouse in Carlton.
2. A Japanese or Thai meal at one of Melbourne's many restaurants.
3. Late night coffee at a Brunswick St cafe, in Fitzroy.
4. A loud band at the Evelyn Hotel in Fitzroy, or the Prince of Wales in St Kilda (to name just two of Melbourne's many live music venues).
5. Looking for new science fiction or fantasy at Minotaur Books in Bourke St, or at Slow Glass Books in Swanston St, in the CBD.

1. Yum Cha at Southbank for early lunch, then play by the river.
2. Fairfield boathouse.
3. The Zoo, to see the monkeys and chase Alex down the ramp to the icecream shop.
4. The playground round the corner from home with the sign saying no dogs.

1. I always loved to go to Southbank and watch the street performers.
2. Breathtaking outlooks from the Rialto Towers.
3. Relaxing in one of the many parks in Melbourne.

1. One of my favourites is a visit to William Ricketts Sanctuary in the Dandenongs, for some soul searching, followed by scones and tea or even a terrific buffet lunch or dinner at The Cuckoo!
2. Another is the Dutch tulip festival in Silvan (?). This may not interest the Dutch visitors (or indeed it may shock them) but would certainly convey the sense of genuine multiculturalism that exists.

1. A picnic at Lorne. Yes, you need a car, but it is worth renting one for a day. The Great Ocean Road is fun even in winter; being able to pick your own beach and not having to worry about melanomas are worth more than having to wear a jacket. Remember to take the kite.
2. If Lorne is too far, visit one of the suburban bay beaches, easily accessible by public transport. Walk along the beach, and then cross the road into the sidestreets and see how the other half live. Envy their gardens, and not their mortgages.
3. Walk down one side of the river from Princes Bridge, pick a bridge to cross, and then walk back up the other side. Have an ice cream in the Botanical Gardens, and watch the eels in the lake.
4. Have yum-cha with your friend Anna. Then sit around Southbank and watch people. As with the gardens, time goes slower if you have an icecream to lick.
5. Go shopping: at the Disney shop, Toys-R-backwards, and at Myer. (Special note from Anne: go with Mum, not Dad; Mum is easier to manage.)