Melbourne, Mar 06: Australia is known more for its unpredictable weather than kangaroos!
Like London it's a city of villages, and unless you're a superficial tourist it's better to find one area and explore that, with occasional forays to the bigger attractions.
There are treasures to be found in almost every suburb. For those who want to discover something about Melbourne's ethnic diversity and its heritage architecture, Parkville is the place to be. It's central, just 10 minutes from the CBD on the No. 19 tram from Elizabeth St along Royal Parade, possibly the most beautiful major road in Australia.
Even the trams and cars are dwarfed by the four parallel rows of 150-year-old trees, which make the wide divided road almost park-like. Many of the terraced houses, once let out as student digs, are now heritage-listed and have become some of the most desirable residences in Melbourne.
A walk through the streets of South Parkville will lead you past spectacular examples of the famous filigree architectural tradition, as well as buildings in the art nouveau style, solid old Victorian terraces and federation houses. In the midst of all this heritage splendour, you might wonder if there's anywhere to stay, but we found the perfect solution.
The 1960s Park Royal, set well back from Royal Parade, has been taken over by the Vibe hotel chain, upgraded and refurbished in a sophisticated modern style, and is now the aptly named Vibe Carlton, with lots of space, bright airy rooms, and a cheerful, energetic buzz.
Although it's not actually in Carlton, which is on the other side of Melbourne University, it's well within striking distance of that gentrified suburb, if the sharp cafe society is what you want. Carlton is now Melbourne's Little Italy, although changed beyond recognition from its cheap, grotty Italian cafes on grubby streets. Genevieve is still there, as is Jimmy Watson's, regrettably now gone upmarket from the days when you bought a glass of wine, threw your steak on the DIY barbie, and sloshed wine over it.
What you find these days are sophisticated eating houses such as Brunetti's in Faraday St, a trattoria as good as any you'll find in Italy proper, and the sharp shops of Lygon St. More interesting than Carlton, though, is Brunswick, a five-minute tram ride up Royal Parade into Sydney Rd.
Brunswick is a suburb of battlers and bluestone that has never lost its working-class migrant roots. It's a socio-economic melting pot where you'll hear every language under the sun, with shops selling everything from full Islamic dress for women to Greek delicacies and Chinese knick-knacks.
· Things to see: Melbourne Zoo, Sydney Rd in Brunswick, Royal Park, University of Melbourne, Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton, Queen Victoria Markets. For details of walks in all these areas, Walking Melbourne, by Helen Duffy and Ingrid Ohlsson, is invaluable.
Bureau Report
