09 -12 MARCH Melbourne Moomba Festival.
02 – 21 MARCH Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
12 FEBRUARY- 24 APRIL The Famous Spiegel Season.
ONGOING – Urban Art, South Melbourne Market.
The Moomba festival is located in the heart of Melbourne, spilling across Alexandra Gardens, Birrarung Marr and the Yarra River between Princes Bridge and Swan Street Bridge.
Moomba is Australia’s largest free community festival and remains one of Melbourne’s favourite annual events. Presented by the City of Melbourne, it has been bringing Melburnians together in a spirit of celebration for more than 56 years. The Moomba monarchy has been one of the most celebrated and controversial components of the festival and the King and Queen this year are Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Harry Kewell
Moomba is marked by both continuity and change, and has reinvented itself through the years to remain relevant. Because of this, Moomba has survived in spite of its critics, and it commands a strong place in the social history of the city. Although not traditionally recognised for its music offerings, Moomba has seen some of biggest acts from Australia and around the world grace its stages. From AC/DC and ABBA to Paul Kelly to the Whitlams on the various stages around the festival site. Annual water ski and the Birdman competitions are significant program features based on the Yarra River. Good vantage points for these are the Alexander Gardens where the majority of the carnival rides are located, and don’t miss the night fireworks culminating on the last night.
Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, all across Victoria 2 – 21 March 2012 as the Festival celebrates 20 years with 20 days of unforgettable eating and drinking during Victoria’s long warm autumn. We celebrate the best of Victorian regional food and wine at more than 100 events across the state.
There’s the Regional World’s Longest Lunches held simultaneously in 29 stunning locations, such as atop the historic Trestle Bridge at Noojee and beneath shady trees by the river’s edge in Kyneton’s Botanical Gardens.
Events across the state celebrate seasonal bounty and the boundless imagination of farmers, chefs and winemakers. Imagine boarding a train to the country, feasting on yabbies, picnicking in a park, or tasting rare vintages of your favorite wine.
Choose your favorite regional event then stay the night before exploring another event or two the next day. Get to know real Victorians who dedicate their lives to making great food and wine.
The Famous Spiegel Season , 12 February – 24 April, 2011
The Famous Spiegel tent, which for much of the past decade has been a much-loved feature of the Arts Centre forecourt, returns to Melbourne with an exciting new program of cutting-edge cabaret, music, comedy and circus programmed by the Arts Centre. Check out the program here.
Offering a range of ticketed shows, the Famous Spiegel tent season will run for 11 weeks from 12 February and will also introduce visitors to a series of themed outdoor spaces designed to provide a relaxed social atmosphere in the shadow of the iconic aspire.
Whether you are attending one of the season events or just strolling past, take a moment to have a drink the bar located in the vintage tram next to the tent on the forecourt and chill out watching the promenade along St Kilda Road.
Urban Art not just a market – South Melbourne Market’s new an Urban Gallery Space.
Located along the some of the exterior and internal walls of the market, Urban Art displays some contemporary street art which include works from the following street artists amongst others:
• Paul Round, back from painting in Berlin, has contributed to the door near Claypots & Italian Brasserie
• Vexta’s new work in SO:ME Space. Vexta is known for her ‘stencil paintings and wheat-pastes which draw from cultural visual debris’.
• East wall of York St sub station, by Jenny Antony.
PHOTO SCROLL:
MELBOURNE STORM – National Rugby League Tea, Home ground AAMI Park
ASHCOMBE MAZE and LAVENDER FARM is on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne and is about a 90 minute drive. There are plenty of things to do, from beaches to cool climate wineries and farm gate properties selling their produce. Popular for sampling and purchasing Victorian gourmet treats, is the Redhill Market.
You’ll find plenty of Bed & Breakfast properties if you wish to spend a few days in the region.
MELBOURNE THEATRE COMPANY
TWELVE APOSTLES – GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VICTORIA
Sovereign Hill
SOVEREIGN HILL, at BALLARAT is about a 90 minute journey North West of Melbourne. It is one of those tourist attractions that I always take my visitors, as a living city from the1850-1890′s with mine, working shops and town etc. it will appeal if you have children in your group. There are a range of accommodations on site and if you do not wish to be totally immersed in the experience there is lots of choice nearby in Ballarat.
I recommend staying for the sound and light show “Blood on the Southern Cross’ which is well worth the additional cost. If planning to see the sound and light show, try and book the first show before you leave Melbourne or once you arrive at Sovereign Hill. Staying on to catch the second show if they are running one can make the day a long one especially if travelling up and back in one day.
WATTLE TREE, THE AUSTRLIAN GARDEN
SOUTH MELBOURNE
