From hidden laneway bars to wine tastings among world-class sculptures, get an insider look at Australia’s coolest city with a tour, writes Danielle Norton
Melbourne is a great city to wander around. The laneways are full of character and discoveries ofhidden bars, tiny restaurants, and fashion designers are interwoven with hot fashion labels and designer homewares. But to truly appreciate the culture pulsing through this food-loving, artsy, Unesco creative city of literature, a tour is a must.
Food tour with Flavourhood Tours
Hit the town with Raffaela Ceddia, the chief eating officer at Flavourhood tours. She’ll help you gain early access to the produce at Victoria Market or lead you out of the CBD to South Melbourne, Coburg or Carlton and immerse you in the flavours of some of Melbourne’s culture-rich neighbourhoods. From talking with specialist seafood traders to dining on pasta and delicacies in cosy trattorias, and feasting on Turkish labneh pizza, Egyptian-style falafels and even American-style brisket and BBQ, her tours showcase Melbourne’s multicultural culinary scene.
Melbourne has a reputation for incredible cocktails, but the question travellers may struggle with is, where do you find them? It’s a question answered by Depot Adventures, who run tours to four bars you wouldn’t discover alone. Drop into the bluesy bar beneath Driver Lane, find Mill Place Merchants, a cosy speakeasy behind a hidden door in what you think is a quiet part of town, meet the team at Little Lon and learn why they thought it might be a good idea to build gin distillery in a former brothel, and get the opportunity to meet the owners, bar tenders and mixologists serving up Melbourne’s best drinks. Your guide can also give you tips for other venues around town.
depotadventures.com
Ghost tour of Pentridge Prison
Once a prison for hardened criminals, the Pentridge Precinct is now run by the National Trust and you can follow a warden through the cells as he does his rounds during a night watch tour. Traipse through the old cellblocks and exercise yards and hear the sad and spooky tales of prisoners once held behind these walls. Other areas of the precinct have been renovated and high-end bars and accommodation are open to the public. Have a drink at Olivine downstairs and grab a quick dinner at Brewdog.
Pentridge Prison Ghost Tour Pentridge Prison's ghost tours reveal chilling stories from one of Australia’s historic jails. Photo / Visit Victoria
Sports arenas
Passionate about football or cricket? A Premium Access behind-the-scenes tour at Melbourne’s iconic MCG takes visitors through warm-up rooms, locker areas, ice baths, viewing boxes, training pitches and into the media room. Volunteer guides are founts of sports knowledge and take pride in their beloved ground. Follow up with the Keeper’s Collection tour and see the world’s second-oldest cricket bat, made in 1746. Other items of note are Don Bradman’s baggy green, a tandem bicycle used to win an Australian gold medal in the 1956 Olympics, jerseys, running shoes, trophies, footy records, cricket stumps, hockey sticks and anything you can imagine that’s related to rugby, football, cricket and sports in Australia. Request that All Blacks memorabilia be curated for your tour.
Melbourne Cricket Ground. The MCG tour showcases the world’s second-oldest cricket bat, dating back to 1746. Photo / Supplied
Ultimate Winery tours
Head out of town to the Mornington Peninsula for an unforgettable Ultimate Winery tour experience at Pt Leo Estate. Enjoy a wine tasting, then dine at the two-hatted Laura restaurant. The signature experience starts with champagne and oysters topped with ponzu and pickled ginger. Southern rock lobster is flambéed at the table, and a luscious wagyu is served with ice cream made from local avocado and wasabi. There’s house-made cheese wrapped in Pinot Noir leaves from the estate and strawberries straight from the Pt Leo Estate Garden. By the end of the meal, you’ll need a walk so follow a tour guide around Australia’s largest privately-owned sculpture park as they explain the concepts and history of some of the 70 large-scale works by artists like Yayoi Kusama and KAWS.
State library tour
If books are your passion, the state library runs free tours, which is fitting given it was one of the first free libraries in the world. Learn about the history of Australia’s oldest home of tomes, spend some time with a rare book or out-of-print magazine in the heritage reading rooms, and get into the archives to explore the collection of print and digital works like audiovisual files, music scores, plays, photographs, vintage postcards, and, of course, books. Wander through the halls and savour the rotating artworks and museum pieces of the collection. Volunteer guides are so knowledgeable and passionate about the history of Melbourne and Victoria, and skilled in helping visitors find specific information.
Melbourne’s State Library was one of the first free libraries in the world. Photo / Visit Victoria
