Transportation Directory - Melbourne Australia

Description: Melbourne is the capital of the Australian state of Victoria and the second-most populous city in Australia (behind Sydney), although the most populous by contiguous urban area. Its occupies 9,993 km2 (3,858 sq mi) metropolitan area also known as Greater Melbourne, comprising an urban agglomeration of 31 local municipalities, although the name is also used specifically for the local municipality of City of Melbourne based around its central business area.

Population: 5,031,195

Demographics: At the 2021 census, the most commonly nominated ancestries were English (24.8%), Australian (22.5%), Chinese (8.8%), Irish (8.2%), Scottish (6.9%), Italian (6.7%), Indian (5.5%), Greek (3.6%), German (2.8%), Vietnamese (2.5%), Filipino (1.7%), Dutch (1.4%), Maltese (1.3%), Polish (1.1%), Sri Lankan (1%), Lebanese (1%).

History: Aboriginal Australians have lived in the Melbourne area for at least 40,000 years. European colonizers arrived in the 19th century. The first British settlement in Victoria, then part of the penal colony of New South Wales, was established by Colonel David Collins in October 1803, at Sullivan Bay, near present-day Sorrento.

The discovery of gold in Victoria in mid-1851 sparked a gold rush, and Melbourne, the colony’s major port, experienced rapid growth. Within months, the city’s population had nearly doubled from 25,000 to 40,000 inhabitants. Exponential growth ensued, and by 1865 Melbourne had overtaken Sydney as Australia’s most populous city. The 1880s saw extraordinary growth: consumer confidence, easy access to credit, and steep increases in land prices led to an enormous amount of construction. During this “land boom”, Melbourne reputedly became the richest city in the world, and the second-largest (after London) in the British Empire.

In the immediate years after World War II, Melbourne expanded rapidly, its growth boosted by post-war immigration to Australia, primarily from Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Since the mid-1990s, Melbourne has maintained significant population and employment growth. There has been substantial international investment in the city’s industries and property market.

Elevation: 31 m

Climate: Temperate oceanic climate. Average annual temperature in Melbourne is 15 C (59 F), the average for July is 10 C (50 F), the average for January is 21 C (70 F).

Attractions: City Circle Tram, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne Skydeck, Block Arcade, Melbourne Museum, Melbourne Zoo

Airports: Melbourne International Airport MEL, Avalon Airport AVV

Distance To City Centre: 20 km

Commute Length: 30 min

Average Cost: 75 AUD

Traffic Hours: 6 am – 9 am, 4 pm – 7 pm