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How to have fun in Melbourne I am feeling... INSPIRED
no matter what floats your boat
By Charlotte Ekkel
Ahh Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne. Home of the bushranger barista, the backyard music-maker, the
scooter-riding businessman, the twenty-something who’s far too hip for their own good… and now you!
Welcome to your new hometown! It’s a goodun’, let me tell you. But where on Earth to start? Melbourne is so
big that it can be pretty overwhelming at first. So, in this little (or perhaps not so little) guide, I’m going to give
you a few tried and true suggestions for how to have a brilliant time in this city, no matter what you’re into.
Get ready to have your heart stolen by this beautiful, buzzing city, my friends…
I am feeling...CREATIVE
Melbourne is arty-farty central! Galleries and museums abound, and there’s so much colour and life
splattered around everywhere you look. Get exploring!
NGV: The most famous gallery in Melbourne. The NGV has several
FREE, quite generous exhibitions, plus one or two temporary paid
exhibitions (usually worth it) which rotate through the year. Spend a bit
of time lying down in the cathedral-like room at the back of the gallery
– it’s absolutely mesmerising. 20 mins away by tram.
Brunswick St: This street is the heart of Fitzroy and it is chockas
with arty vibes! There are a few thoughtfully curated small-scale
galleries around, with Brunswick St Gallery and Sutton Gallery being
my top picks; both free entry. The Rose Street Artists’ Market (just off
Brunswick St) is also fabulous and is open Sundays from 10-4.
Street art: Melbourne is pretty famous for its laneways, the
majority of which are plastered with incredible graffiti art. If you take
the 19 tram (heading towards the city) right to the end of the line,
then walk a couple blocks east, you’ll hit some of the best arty lanes
in Melbourne. Start with Hosier Lane, Rutledge Lane and AC/DC Lane.
It’s worth visiting these laneways on multiple occasions because
they’re ever changing; art of this kind is inherently ephemeral, which
to me is a big part of its magic.
ACMI: The Australian Centre for the Moving Image is a really unique museum which looks at the past,
present and future of film, TV, video games, digital culture and art in Australia. It’s located up the back of Fed
Square (20 min by tram). It’s currently closed due to huge redevelopment works, but it will re-open halfway
through this year, so put it in your diary as a Semester Two activity. The generous main exhibition is always
FREE. It’s amazing.
Melbourne Museum: This place is brilliant. The permanent
exhibitions are FREE for students (just make sure you’ve got your
UniMelb card on you!) and can keep you going for hours. My favourite
room is the one with all the rocks in it. Super gneiss. There’s even an
actual forest smack-bang in the middle of the museum! About a 25
min walk from college. Make an afternoon of it and have a picnic in
the surrounding Carlton Gardens.
Tick off places you’ve been!
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No matter what time of year, there are always a kajillion performances, events, and festivals happening in
Melbourne. And, being a student, there are heaps of cheap deals out there for you to capitalise on!
MTC UniMelb Theatre Pass: Ok, get on to this, stat! For just $50, you’ll get tickets to seven different
Melbourne Theatre Company productions throughout the year. That’s basically $7 per show; bonkers! Last
year, I saw a whole bunch of plays that I never would have otherwise, and they were all brilliant in different
ways. Go online to grab the form to fill out. Any questions, just come find me!
Festivals: Two key festivals to have on your radar are the Comedy Fest and
the Fringe Fest, which are both three-week events which take over Melbourne
when they’re on. The Comedy Festival is running from March 25 until April 19
this year. Pick up a guide (they’ll be in most cafés & shops in Feb/March) to see
the full program of shows. I recommend seeing one bigger (and thus pricier)
act, and then going to a couple of random, cheap comedy nights.
Melbourne Fringe runs from September to October and is all about
giving anyone and everyone a platform to put themselves out there
artistically. I’m talking unique, made-from-scratch productions like
intense poetry battles and cabarets all about being bisexual. Good
fun and often very, very cheap (we like that). Full program will be out
in August.
MSO Student Membership: The MSO is Melbourne’s world-renowned symphony orchestra, putting
on a huge range of performances every year, from live sound-tracked movie screenings to classics by
Beethoven and Bach. A student membership (FREE – just sign up online) gets you $20 tickets for almost
every show.
I am... UP FOR A BOOG
Don’t just sadly wait til the next college party rolls around for a boogie! Sate that ravenous appetite for
dancing at one of these hot spots:
The Night Cat: Night clubs can be super lame, but this one gets it right. Really good live music almost
every night. Sundays are salsa nights (the best) and Wednesdays are for swing! $15 entry usually. 30 min
walk from college.
Thursgays: A FREE-entry weekly party (need I say more?)
held at the Fitzroy nightclub Yah Yah’s. For queer folks &
cheap in the drinks department, with two levels for dancing and
killer lip sync battles (which many a JCHer has won). Pretty
standard, trashy music, and a lot of fun. Be prepared for long,
albeit pretty fast-moving, lines. 30 mins by tram/bus from
college.
Nocturnal @ Melbourne Museum: Ok, so this is a little bit
cool. The Museum puts on a themed, after-hours, adults-only party
once or twice a month. That means dancing with the dinosaurs.
And the whales. And the rocks. Don’t forget the rocks. Tickets are
around $30.
Evie’s Disco Diner: An into-the-morning dance party dedicated
exclusively to disco at an 80s-themed bar? Yes please! A 50%
vegan menu, an emphasis on sustainability and low waste, and a
swish-as drinks list? Even more yes please! 30 min tram/bus ride
from college, 10 min Uber.
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