The City of Melbourne has developed an impressive range of environmental policies and practices to create a more sustainable and liveable Melbourne.

Melbourne prides itself on being a great city. It's hardly surprising, with its spectacular combination of old and new architecture, elegant streetscapes, ethnic communities and lavish parks and gardens. Add Australia's best eating, an excellent transit system and a packed events calendar boasting sporting spectaculars and exuberant events, and you have all the ingredients for one of the most enlightened and liveable cities in the world.

Australia's second-largest city and capital of the state of Victoria, Melbourne has a lively passion for eating and drinking, which is reflected in thousands of restaurants serving up gastronomic experiences from around the world.

What's more, everywhere you look you'll find an array of fashionable cafés, where you can enjoy Melbourne's fantastic coffee culture to the full.

Known as the "Garden City", Melbourne is renowned for its culture, festivals, gardens, wide boulevards and sporting events. It is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city that is host to a multitude of international sporting events including the Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam, International One Day and Test Cricket matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and the world famous Melbourne Cup.

Melbourne was recently voted "the world's most liveable city" and is a modern, progressive city.

Things to See and Do in Melbourne
The central business district of Melbourne is based around the delta of the Yarra River at the top of a large bay. The city area contains some of Australia's finest parks, gardens and historic buildings, all within walking distance. Melbourne is also Australia's entertainment, sporting and cultural capital. Nearly every cuisine is represented in the many hundreds of Melbourne's very reasonably-priced restaurants and cafes.

Places of interest include:

• Melbourne Zoo, recognised as one of the world's best.
• The observation deck of the Rialto (southern hemisphere's tallest building) for a bird's-eye view.
• The sporting precinct which includes the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), scene of the Melbourne 1956 Olympics and still one of the world's great stadiums, as well as Rod Laver arena (venue of the Australian Tennis Open).
• Many waterfront promenades and cafes along the Yarra River or docklands precinct.
• Some of the finest examples of historic gothic architecture (used as backdrops in many major movies).

Public Transport in Melbourne
The Melbourne Central Business District (CBD and its suburbs) are one of a few cities in the world that has a low cost electric tram network, as well as an underground train system. There is a free-of-charge historic tram that runs regularly around the perimeter of the Melbourne CBD. This free historic tram is designed for visitors to Melbourne and has high-quality maps and tour guides on board - a most recommended means of getting around the Melbourne CBD.

The city and suburbs is also well-serviced by taxis and buses or, for something a little different, catch a water taxi along Melbourne's famous Yarra River and docklands area. One of the reasons that Melbourne is regarded as one of the world's safest and most livable cities it is quite safe to walk and travel around Melbourne, day and night.

Melbourne is well serviced by trains, trams, buses and taxis both in the city and surrounding suburbs. For more information about the transport network, go to Metlink www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au

Airport and Transport
Melbourne is easy to access and even easier to get around. The city provides around 530 international flights a week. Linked to other major Australian centres by air, interstate rail, major highways (car and coach) and ferry (Tasmania only), Melbourne's location within the country's population epicenter makes it a preferred place to visit for most Australians.

Melbourne Airport is the gateway to southern Australia, with around 530 international flights operating every week to and from major destinations.
23 international carriers operate direct at Melbourne, including Qantas, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Malaysian, Thai and British Airways.

For further information visit: www.melbourneairport.com.au

The central business district is 30 minutes from the Airport. A taxi costs approximately A$30.00. A regular airport to city bus service (Skybus) departs the airport every 30 minutes for A$8.50.

Melbourne's Metlink ticketing system allows multiple journeys using the complete Metlink transport network. Tickets are know as Metcards and provide flexible travel on trains, trams and buses. Check maps located at stations, tram stops and on transport to match your ticket to your journey. Melbourne can also provide Delegate Passes on its transport network which can be supplemented by coach shuttle services if required. Much of Melbourne's tram and rail fleet will be either replaced or refurbished in time for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. The $700 million Southern Cross Station (formerly Spencer Street Station) now nearing completion will provide a major transport hub for interstate and metropolitan trains and the Airport Shuttle (Skybus). For further information visit: www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au