Melbourne

Shows in Melbourne come in all kinds of shape and form. Included are stage shows, performing arts and even outdoor entertainment. Melbourne is a noted hub of culture for people of all nationalities and religious backgrounds, with many contributing to the kinds of performances on offer for a night out or varied daytime entertainment. While the winter months are dominated with football, better known elsewhere as Australian Rules or AFL, the warmer weather of summer often means that there are other kinds of entertainment available. Most municipal councils in Melbourne and nearby suburbs have at least one major event or festival each year. With a few dozen council areas across Melbourne this means an average of at least one every weekend! These festivals include food and wine shows, cultural events, school shows and more. Included in the bigger street fairs and festas are full-blown amusement rides for kids and adults of all ages, party balloons, face painting, temporary tattoos, fairies and goblins, clowns, roving entertainers, magicians and more. In other words there are lots of great party shows for kids in Melbourne.
A recent fun item are the outdoor rock climbing trucks that come in with a massive giant tree like thing on the back, which is twisted skywards and then features kids climbing on harnesses to the top. The rock climbing displays seem to be safe, with little evidence of kids falling and injuring themselves. For those with a busy schedule and unable to get to a rock-climbing display at a public event, there is always the option of going to a dedicated indoor rock-climbing venue. There are several of these dotted across Melbourne.
Another popular pastime is hot-air ballooning which is only possible on days with fine weather. These trips don’t come cheap, but as the promoters say, they really are an experience to remember. While Melbourne is a flat and boring town, it still looks good when viewed from the sky with the backdrop of the You Yang and Dandenong hills and the Port Phillip Bay on the south-side. Other popular shows in Melbourne include reptile show party events as seen for corporate displays, store openings and other special occasions. While they are usually promoted as childrens entertainment, kids that are oldish and even adults find them interesting. If you live in Melbourne, you may spend years in the inner city and not see much wildlife. However the snake and wildlife animal shows will bring the animals to you and allow you to get intimate with our native species. There are also a number of public and private zoos in Melbourne, which range from squalid to good in terms of their displays and educational values. A number of these have had serious safety breaches, accidents and the like, so be careful and aware of potential mishap if you visit some of these venues.
Of course another thing to do instead of attend a show in Melbourne is to simply take a drive to the hinterland to areas such as the Mornington Peninsula, Manningham Parks and the outer western suburbs to enjoy the best landscapes in the region.
If you wish to travel further afield you could explore the Macedon Ranges or even the goldfields and see the history that created many of the first big settlements in Victoria. Accommodation choices in Melbourne and environs are also manifold, and include cheap bed and breakfasts, through the various grades of hotel, to five star and beyond, or of course serviced apartments for people who stay in the city for extended time frames.
People from outside Victoria can often take a cheap day flight to Tasmania, Sydney or Adelaide to see what’s on offer in these places, with Sydney and Adelaide noted for much warmer weather than Melbourne. All these places have wineries nearby for the connoisseurs as well as scenic farm stay accommodation for those who want to get their hands dirty and play with farm animals.
Sydney visitors can also enjoy such attractions as the harbour bridge climb, a trip to the Rocks to see the first settlements in Australia, or perhaps a soaking in the sun and surf at the iconic Bondi Beach. However if staying in Melbourne, you may be better off avoiding Sydney to the locals as many are envious of the warmer weather and larger size of the more northern city.
However where Melbourne does Ace Sydney is with it’s food. The quality of food at Melbourne’s restaurants does on average far surpass that you are likely to get in Sydney.
Overseas visitors to Australia often worry about all the dangerous animals here such as sharks, funnelweb spiders, venomous snakes and box jellyfish. However the reality is that all are rarely seen and even less often attack people. As it happens you are less likely to have serious accident or mishap here than most other countries.
In Melbourne, the most dangerous animal that is commonly encountered is the Common Tiger Snake, rated as the world’s fourth deadliest snake. It is usually seen by people hiking along the Yarra River, which meanders through the main parts of Melbourne, with large numbers of snakes inhabiting the river banks and nearby bushland. If you find one in the wrong time and place in Melbourne, then call a snake handler.