Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Victoria. Second most populous city in Australia, it comes after Sydney. Usually referring to the large 9,993 km² metropolitan area, sometimes known as Greater Melbourne, the name “Melbourne” Although the name is especially used for the local municipality of the City of Melbourne, centered around its busy central business district, this urban agglomeration consists of 31 local municipalities. Reaching the Mornington Peninsula, areas of West Gippsland, the hinterlands towards the Yarra Valley, the Dandenong Ranges, and the Macedon Ranges, the city spans much of the northern and eastern coastlines of Port Phillip Bay. Comprising 19% of Australia’s total population, Melbourne’s metropolitan population as of 2023 was almost 5.2 million. Residents of the city are sometimes referred to as “Melburnians.”

The Aboriginal Victorians, who have lived in Melbourne for more than 40,000 years, have profoundly entwined their rich legacy with For the clans of the Kulin country, it provides a major gathering place. Among the five peoples of the Kulin country, the Boonwurrung, Woiwurrung, and Wurundjeri peoples are acknowledged as the traditional stewards of the land including Melbourne. Starting in 1803 with a brief British penal colony at Port Phillip, then a part of the Colony of New South Wales, the city’s colonial past When free immigrants from Van Diemen’s Land, now Tasmania, arrived Melbourne was formally established in 1835. Originally named for William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, the then-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, it was incorporated as a Crown settlement in 1837. Queen Victoria declared it a city in 1847; by 1851 it was the capital of the recently split Colony of Victoria. During the 1850s Victorian gold rush, the city underwent a dramatic change and became among the biggest and richest metropolises in the world by late 1880s. Melbourne was the temporary seat of government after Australia’s federation in 1901 until Canberra was declared the official capital in 1927.

Melbourne is praised in modern times for its cosmopolitan energy and cultural variety. Being the fourth-largest foreign-born population among world cities, it is a cultural melting pot. Ranked 28th worldwide in the 2024 Global Financial Centres Index, Melbourne is a top financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region. The architectural scene of the city is a remarkable mix of one of the tallest skylines worldwide and Victorian-era buildings like the Royal Exhibition Building with World Heritage listing. Among iconic sites are the National Gallery of Victoria and the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Celebrated for its rich cultural legacy, Melbourne is the birthplace of Australian cinema, impressionism, and rules football. The city is also well-known for its active theater scenes, street art, and live music. It proudly hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics and hosts big yearly athletic events including the Australian Grand Prix and the Australian Open. Melbourne was regularly ranked as the most livable city in the world over much of the 2010s.

With the second-busiest airport in Australia and the nation’s busiest seaport, the Port of Melbourne, Melbourne boasts strong infrastructure. Southern Cross Station is the main regional rail and road coach terminus of the city; Flinders Street Station is its main metropolitan rail terminus. Reflecting its dedication to effective and sustainable urban transportation, Melbourne boasts Australia’s most comprehensive freeway network and the biggest urban tram system worldwide.