We had a GREAT experience working with Dianne and her firm GoWalkAbout Travel. (…) She has deep knowledge of the accommodations, sights and adventures, earned over many years of experience, but happily finds the new and innovative.
Melbourne
The capital of Victoria and Australia’s second-largest city – is a modern, cosmopolitan city with a host of entertainment, sports, culinary, cultural, and shopping options to be enjoyed. The streets, parks, distinctive cultural precincts, and waterfront area of Melbourne make it a magnificent city to explore at leisure.
The city has an amazing range of attractions and activities to keep you entertained all year round.
Enjoy a cruise along the Yarra River, relive some great sporting memories on a tour of the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) or see some spectacular 360-degree views from the Melbourne Observation Deck.
Explore the animal kingdom at the Melbourne Zoo or dive with the sharks at the Melbourne Aquarium. Join in some interactive footy action at the AFL ( Australian Football League) Hall of Fame & Sensation or enjoy the international art on offer at NGV International and Australian art at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia.
To find out how Melbourne became the city it is today, spend a day or two at one of the many local museums. The Melbourne Museum houses the state collection in an imposing modern building. The Immigration Museum and Maritime Museum- home of the Polly Woodside, highlight key events in the growth of Melbourne, while the Gold Treasury Museum shows how Melbourne became a city built on gold.
Other histories include the stomach-turning tales of the Old Melbourne Gaol, Ned Kelly’s armor at the State Library of Victoria, and Cooks’ Cottage, the parental home of Captain James Cook. Kids will love the hands-on workshops, the new playground at ArtPlay, and the Champions Australian Racing Museum & Hall of Fame at Federation Square.
The Melbourne area is well worth a visit for at least 4-5 days, so you can also visit Great Ocean Road and see the cute Fairy Penguins. Whether you are a family from Pittsburgh or wine lovers from Austin, there is something for everyone in this region.
Melbourne Attractions
Federation Square – Fast becoming the cultural icon of Melbourne with its ‘Fractal Facade’ system on each building in the square. The facade is made up of triangles made of sandstone, zinc, and glass pieced together at different orientations and surface angles. See it from the inside at The Atrium and the BMW Edge Theatre indoor amphitheater. The Square is home to restaurants, cafes, bars, and retail outlets as well as venues including the Melbourne Visitor Centre, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Australian Racing Museum, and the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia – dedicated exclusively to Australian art.
Queen Victoria Market - a Melbourne institution since the late 1860s, you can shop for gourmet food, clothing, toys, souvenirs, and more. Closed Monday and Wednesday.
Melbourne Cricket Ground – Melbourne’s home of cricket and Australian Rules football, and the heart of the 1956 Olympic Games and the 2006 Commonwealth Games. There are tours and the ground houses the Australian Gallery of Sport, the Olympic Museum, and the Cricket Hall of Fame.
Southbank – a bustling entertainment complex situated on the south side of the Yarra River, housing Crown Casino, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, cinemas, sculpture, artworks, and more. There is an open-air Arts & Crafts market on Sundays.
Melbourne Aquarium – a state-of-the-art aquarium located by the Yarra River, featuring sharks, stingrays, and coral.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral – with soaring interiors and stained glass windows.
Old Melbourne Gaol and Penal Museum – amongst the museum’s chilling exhibits are the gallows from which Ned Kelly was hung. If you’re brave, take a night-time tour of the jail.
Docklands – New Quay – a short walk or tram ride from the CBD, you’ll find restaurants, cafes, bars, and riverside walkways decorated with public artworks.
The Shrine of Remembrance – in the parklands of Kings Domain, off St Kilda Road, a fine European-style boulevard.
St. Kilda – a beachside suburb with restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Scienceworks – a hands-on, innovative science museum in Spotswood also includes Melbourne Planetarium. Exhibits include Australia’s first plane and car.
Melbourne Museum – innovative collection housed in a stunning modernist building.
Lygon Street, Carlton – known as “Little Italy”, a popular restaurant, cafe, and bar strip.
Melbourne SkyDeck - Visit the Southern Hemisphere's highest observation deck. The Melbourne Skydeck and its ever-changing views are a must-do!
Brunswick Street, Fitzroy – a street with a bohemian heart, with cafes, restaurants, clubs, and fashion shopping.
What Our Past Travelers Have to Say
G’day Dianne. Thank you! You listened well and organized our trip extremely well. Pick up and delivery times were spot on. The hotels were all good to great. (…) I just wanted to let you know that we appreciated everything you did to arrange a wonderful trip.
42 Days, 2 Countries, 6 States, 1 Territory, 15 Cities/Locations, 14 Flights and not a single mishap. On top of that, we had a GREAT TIME! A TRIP OF A LIFE-TIME! Our six week adventure to Australia and Singapore was our most memorable vacation to date. (…) Dianne is a wonderful find and without hesitation we recommend her to family and friends. Dianne will certainly be organizing our next adventure.
(…) Dianne put together an incredible New Zealand trip for us – we travelled from one tip to the other, East and West included. I would have thought Dianne knew me from childhood as every spot we visited or stayed at – was exactly what I would have chosen myself (had I known the country). (…)
Dianne planned a fantastic honeymoon for us. (…) We gave her an idea of the things and activities that we like to do and she just rolled with it! We didn’t really know much about either place, so didn’t have too much of a preference of where we wanted to go, but with her knowledge she was able to send us to some amazing places. (…) Thanks for planning us a wonderful honeymoon!
(…) Everything went very smoothly, thanks to you and your organizational skills! We really appreciate everything you did for us! (…) I want to thank you (Dianne) for all the work you & your colleagues did to ensure that we had an enjoyable holiday.
(…) Dianne, there are so many things you did for us that I cannot list them all in a letter. However, I can say that I have never worked with a travel agent before who took as much time to deal with all the details – big and small. It was like we were part of your extended family and you took full responsibility for our wellbeing. I would recommend you to anyone looking for a great travel agent, and I wish you the best of success in the future.
(…) From the beginning, Dianne really stood out. She spent a significant amount of time on the front end learning what we were interested in and what we did not like about previous tours. (…) I would definitely recommend GoWalkabout Travel to any of my friends and family. Thanks again for our trip! We had a fantastic time!
It was a trip of a lifetime!! (…) Every thing was working like clockwork. (…) Thanks Dianne and it was a pleasure meeting you and you taking the time to meet us in Sydney.
We really enjoyed working with Dianne in planning our trip to Australia. She was very efficient and gave us great recommendations. Prior to our departure, she ensured we had everything we needed including packing tips, in order to have a great trip. We would highly recommend using her services.
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