EVENTS

Summer in Melbourne sees outdoor evening performances of plays, Carols by Candlelight at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, cricket at the MCG, the Australian Open tennis championship, St Kilda Festival, Victoria Street Lunar Festival, Chinese New Year celebrations and the three-week-long gay and lesbian Midsumma Festival. Autumn features the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, the Moomba Family Festival, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, the Greek Antipodes Festival, the start of the football season, the International Flower and Garden Show and the International Comedy Festival.

Winter brings football, the Melbourne International Film Festival and the Melbourne Writers' Festival. Spring sees the football finals (phew), Melbourne Fringe Festival, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Royal Melbourne Show, Oktoberfest, Spring Racing Carnival (including the Melbourne Cup), Italian Lygon St Festa and Hispanic Community Festival.

1 Jan - New Year's Day
26 Jan - Australia Day
Mar - 1st or 2nd Mon - Labour Day
Mar/Apr - Good Friday
Mar/Apr - Easter Monday
25 Apr - Anzac Day
2nd Mon in Jun - Queen's Birthday
1st Tue in Nov - Melbourne Cup Day
25 Dec - Christmas Day
26 Dec - Boxing Day


When to Go

With the northern states taking the brunt of tourism down under, Melbourne is a best-kept secret year round. The shoulder seasons are the gems. While Melbourne's spring is a sight to behold, with multitudes of gardens in bloom and the festive Spring Racing Carnival heralding summer, any local will tell you that mid-autumn sees Melbourne at its most resplendent. A sturdy coat never goes astray at this time, but a little cold is worth bearing for the strolls through the amber and ochre parks.