Victoria

pread across a huge area of 990 acres, the popular Kings Park and Botanic Garden is a magnificent city garden lined by war memorials and this is one of the best places to visit in Perth. This massive garden is home to umpteen varieties of Australian birds and flora and many other interesting sights in the city. Overlooking river Swan and river Canning, this spellbinding park offers its visitors the opportunity to catch spectacular glimpses of the Darling Ranges, Perth Water, and the skyline of the city. Known for its incredible beauty, smart design, scientific research, and rich diversity, Kings Park and Botanic Garden also offers you the chance to experience guided tours and pay tribute at the War Memorial of the state. One can also enjoy cycling, birdwatching, and picnicking at this spot.Location: Fraser Ave, Perth WA 6005, Australia

Queen Victoria Market, the iconic landmark of Melbourne, Australia was publicly opened on March 20, 1878. This marketplace has been serving the residents of the city for over 140 years. It has undergone numerous changes and of late, been included in the National Heritage List. It’s one of the most prominent places to visit in Melbourne, the capital of Australia and the country’s most significant fresh product market. Queen Victoria Market popularly called Queen Vic or Vic Market is a major attraction in the heart of Melbourne and stretches across two city blocks. A pulsating and lively marketplace where you can let loose your shopping spree at more than 600 small stores selling everything from fresh vegetables, fruits, local, imported epicure food, souvenirs, and garments.The market remains open for five days in a week, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Queen Victoria Market operates seasonally, especially on Wednesday nights. The timings being 5 pm to 10 pm, when you can hang around mid-week with your family and friends to savor mouth-watering street food, beverages, as well as live entertainment.The market place has taken many green initiatives so that shoppers can buy stuff keeping the environment and sustainability in mind. Vic Market implemented a countrywide ban on the usage of plastic bags as well as straws in May 2019. The shoppers have an array of choices to shop conveniently sans the use of plastic bags. These include hiring a trolley from Market Espresso, filling a cardboard box right from Pick-A-Box spots on I Shed and Queen Street, or purchasing a recyclable bag from Vic Market itself.

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is Australia’s oldest and pre-eminent public art museum, hosting blockbuster exhibitions and one of the world’s finest art collections. The collection encompasses treasures from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome and the pre-Columbian period, in addition to an Oceanic gallery dedicated to the indigenous cultures of the Pacific area. The collection also includes nearly 16,000 international prints and drawings, a distinguished array of European and Asian decorative arts, and a gallery space dedicated to 4000 works representing the art of Asia. You will also find an outstanding collection of European and British paintings dating from 1200 to today, fashion and textile exhibits, photography, furniture and sculpture. Dining options include Persimmon, the Gallery Kitchen, and the Tea Room. The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest, largest and most visited art museum.Location: 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC 3006, AustraliaEntry fee: FreeTimings:  10am–5pm

Before the Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne was established by Lieutenant General Charles La Trobe in 1846, the area in which the garden now exists was a mundane stretch of swampland. The area on the South Bank of the Yarra River was filled with craggy rocks, outcrops, marshland and weeds and it is one of the best places to visit in Melbourne.The first director of the garden- Ferdinand von Mueller- was appointed in 1857. He was also one of the most renowned botanists of the 19th century and was responsible for bringing exotic plants to the Botanical Gardens from all parts of the world.Mueller was succeeded by the second, and most remarkable director of the Botanical Gardens- Willian Guilfoyle- who was responsible for changing the look and structure of the whole area, to turn it into the natural spectacle that it is today. He took the National Herbarium, established by Mueller, and the several plants that he brough, and turned the garden into a sprawling mass of winding paths, lakes, pleasant gardens and walkways. Guilfoyle’s efforts to renovate the garden into a modern tourist attraction and natural retreat were aided by the pleasant and mild weather conditions prevalent in Melbourne.The weather allowed both tropical and temperate plants to flourish, which has led to more than 12,000 plant species thriving in this facility. It has also created a stable, natural ecosystem for local birds and animals to build their homes in, while the people who visit can take advantage of the natural beauty of the trees, as well as interact with indigenous animals, first hand.An expansion effort was undertaken in 1960 when a piece of land adjacent to the Melbourne Botanical Gardens was purchased. This led to the establishment of the Cranbourne Gardens in 1970, which opened to the public in 1985.The “Royal” prefix was added to the name of the garden in 1958 by Queen Elizabeth II. Today, both the Melbourne Garden and the Cranbourne Garden constitute the Royal Botanical Gardens Melbourne.

Federation Square or the Fed Square is Melbourne's leading hub of significant cultural attractions and world-class events. It is located at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets on the edge of the Melbourne central business district and opposite Flinders Street station and it is one of the best tourist places in Melbourne.It opened in 2002 and since then, it has been a major point of attraction in Melbourne and has seen millions of visitors per year. It is also named the 6th Best Public Square in the World and won several awards for its architecture and design.Fed Square is an open square with nine elaborately designed and attractive buildings surrounding it and is spread over an area of 3.6 hectares. It has two civic spaces; one is a huge Plaza with an open-air amphitheater that boasts of being capable of hosting up large gatherings at a time, while the other is an Atrium that is exquisitely glazed and comprises a glass-walled theater on the south side.Fed Square offers multiple tourist attractions, like the National Gallery of Victoria's Australian collection, The Ian Potter Centre, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), and an outstanding array of restaurants, bars, and specialty stores. Here, you get to enjoy free Wi-Fi, free daily health and wellness classes, and free sports events on the giant TV screen.The Fed Square has become the city's iconic meeting place as there's always something going on here, with an exciting schedule of events and activities happening throughout the year. It lets you delve into the city's acoustic acts through a series of free outdoor concerts and festivals that are held every Thursday during the summer.It is the perfect place to cherish Melbourne’s matchless cultural scene through eclectic and diverse theatre performances at The Edge, modern art exhibits, and presentations of Australian artworks at the National Gallery of Victoria, and live concerts and yearly events at the Zinc.

All great cities in the world have a great icon. And that icon is a point of recognition for it. And that’s what Eureka Tower is for Melbourne. It is a glistening, urban skyscraper in the modern, cosmopolitan city of Melbourne. It was named after the Eureka Stockade, which was a rebellion during the Victorian gold rush in 1854 and it is one of the famous places to visit in Melbourne.The Eureka Tower is more than just a tall building, it is a popular tourist spot. The tower stands tall at 297 meters (975 ft.). The building is gold plated and is next to the Yarra River, in the center of the Southbank precinct. The top 10 floors have 24 carat (99.9%) gold plated glass windows. There is a constant system of pumps moving water between the two 300,000 liter tanks so it can beat the wind-induced oscillations.What makes this a very popular spot for tourists is the amazing view from the Eureka Towers. From the top floors, one can get unrivaled views. This also happens to be the highest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere. There are a whole lot of things that you can do here. In fact, the towers also have a range of activities available for everyone from kids to adults. There are interactive games, one can dine here and also do some shopping.These towers are more than just a tourist spot. You get to experience going up at a speed -- quite enthralling. Plus, there’s something very soothing about being at a spectacular height. It still remains to be the third tallest building in Australia, with the Q1 in Queensland and Australia 108 leading the way.

The Melbourne Zoo is also known as the Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, and it is one of the biggest zoological parks in Australia and one of the amazing tourist places in Melbourne. Located in the Royal Park premises in the Parkville region of Melbourne, the zoo is about 4 km away from the center of the city.It is the primary serving habitat for many animals in Melbourne and is home to more than 320 species of animals. Some of these animal species are native to Australia, but there are many that are native to other parts of the world as well. The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens are an institutional member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association. The gardens are also a part of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, shortly known as the WAZA. A large part of the zoo is inspired by the London Zoo. It was inaugurated in 1862 on the 6th of October. The 55-acre land area for the zoo was donated by the city. Soon after its opening, the zoo became home to many animals that were previously living in the botanical gardens in the city. It is set amidst beautiful gardens and picnic areas and is divided into several bioclimatic zones. The African rainforest zone, for instance, is home to many gorillas, pigmy, hippos, and parrots. On the other hand, the Asian rainforest zone houses animals like otters and tigers.  Some of the most popular exhibits in the zoo are The Trails of Elephants, Butterfly House, Orangutan Sanctuary, Australian Outback, and Predator precinct. For animals’ lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, this is an unmissable destination in Melbourne.

Puffing Billy travels through the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne (sometimes referred to as 'The Dandenongs') All aboard Puffing Billy – Australia's most popular steam train ride! Running daily from the foothills at Belgrave to the mountain town of Gembrook, Puffing Billy is the most fun way to tour the Dandenong Ranges. Puffing Billy's rattling red carriages run across three historic timber bridges, uphill and down dale, through valleys and plains filled with tree ferns, and under the shadow of towering mountain ash. The route runs through the eucalyptus of Sherbrooke Forest, past the steam museum at Menzies Creek and the picnic grounds at Emerald Lake, in the pretty town of Gembrook. The one-way journey is 24 km (15 miles), taking just under two hours. Puffing Billy is Australia's favorite steam train and is one of the finest preserved steam railways in the world. This century-old steam train is still running on its original 25-kilometer mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook, through the beautiful forests and fern gullies of the Dandenong Ranges.