Budget Melbourne
Description:
There is a cheap yet fun (not to mention delicious) way to experience Melbourne. You might have to give taxis and five star accommodation the flick, but there’s no better way to really get a feel for a city than by exploring on foot, bike and public transport. Lucky for the frugal amongst us that Melbourne’s best culinary experiences aren’t necessarily to be found in the glitz of a table cloth and fine china. Family run bakeries and hole-in-the-wall kitchens are where the real flavors of this city mix it up. Same goes for the contemporary art scene; local hipsters with less money than you run a plethora of free galleries all over the city for your cultural fix. So put your wallet away and get yourself a tram ticket, Melbourne is an easy place to be with your short on cash.
Author: Nicole Muir
Day 1 - Melbourne
First off, jump aboard the City Circle Tram to get your bearings. It’s free, and a great way to get around the CBD border. If you’re counting your pennies, you will want to know Melbourne’s public transport system inside out, and a trip to the Met Shop is the place to buy bulk Met tickets and save. The State Library of Victoria is just down the road and stunning architecture and free public lectures makes it well worth the visit. For a cheap culture fix and insight into Melbourne’s pumping contemporary art scene, pop into the RMIT Gallery. There’s also a bevy of Artist Run Initiatives dotted all over Melbourne’s CBD showcasing the work of up-and-coming contemporary artists. Both West Space and Blindside galleries are highly regarded and exhibit challenging and engaging shows. When it comes to eating on the cheap, Melbourne’s Chinatown is strip to hit. Shark Finn House is a Melbourne institution and nice place to share a bottle of BYO clean skins over chopsticks. If sharks aren’t your kettle of fish, take a left down Tattersall’s Lane and experience the Bollywood shenanigans at Gaylord Indian Restaurant. Cheap and delicious, the electric décor and live music are enough to entertain. Head to up to Meyer’s Place for affordable beer on tap whilst getting a glimpse into Melbourne’s thriving bar scene.
1
City Circle Tram
Location:
view in google mapsMelbourne
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9619 27272
Met Shop (The)
Location:
view in google maps103 Elizabeth Street
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
13 16 38 (Local calls only: Met Transport Information Centre)3
State Library of Victoria
Location:
view in google maps328 Swanston Street
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 (0)3 9669 9888 / +61 (0)3 9669 98104
RMIT Gallery
Location:
view in google maps344 Swanston Street
RMIT Storey Hall
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9925 17175
West Space
Location:
view in google mapsLevel 1
15 - 19 Anthony Street
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9328 87126
Blindside
Location:
view in google maps37 Swanston Street
Room 14, Level 7, Nicholas Building
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9650 0093 / +61 4326921847
Chinatown
Location:
view in google mapsLittle Bourke Street
(Between Swanston and Russell streets)
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 (0)39 658 9658 (Visitor Information Centre)8
Shark Fin House
Location:
view in google maps131-135 Little Bourke Street
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
61 03 9663 15559
Meyers Place Bar
Location:
view in google maps20 Meyers Place
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
61 3 9650 860910
Gaylord Indian Restaurant
Location:
view in google maps4 Tattersalls Lane (off Little Bourke Street)
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
61 03 9663 398011
Nunnery (The)
Location:
view in google maps116 Nicholson Street
3065 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 (0)3 9419 8637Day 2 - Melbourne
Hire a bicycle and build up your appetite as you ride along Melbourne’s main river, The Yarra. Take the Yarra City Trail and stop off at the Collingwood Children’s Farm for some brunch out on the ranch… Only a few kilometers from the city but with the calming benefits of a country escape, this lush retreat is a regular for city slickers that need a breath of fresh air. Pick up some fresh produce at the Farmer’s Market held on the second Saturday of every month, and ride back town for a picnic lunch among the highly manicured lawns and blooms in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Garden. It’s time to park your bike and get a beverage. Cookie affords punters the class and sophistication of a Fitzgerald novel, but with beer on tap, you won’t need pockets as deep as the Great Gatsby’s to have a good time. Soak up the booze at Pellegrini’s, no fuss Italian that’s cheap and quick, it’s impossible to blow your budget.
1
Main Yarra Trail Bike Path
Location:
view in google mapsMullum Mullum Creek
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9533 80302
Yarra River
Location:
view in google mapsSouthbank Promenade
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9658 9658 (Tourist Information)3
Collingwood Children's Farm
Location:
view in google mapsSt Helliers Street
Abbotsford
3067 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9417 58064
Royal Botanic Gardens (Melbourne)
Location:
view in google mapsBirdwood Avenue
South Yarra
3141 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9252 23005
Cookie
Location:
view in google maps252 Swanston St
CBD
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
03 9663 76606
Pellegrini's
Location:
view in google maps66 Bourke St
Melbourne CBD
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
61 03 9662 1885Day 3 - Melbourne
Take a tram south of the river to the St Kilda Esplanade Market. Be sure to collect a take-away café latte and pastry from one of the many cake shops on Acland Street before you meander along the boardwalk, perusing the handmade and affordable goods for sale. St Kilda beach makes for a tempting backdrop, so pick up some cheap Asian-fusion take away from the popular Bala’s and enjoy it with your toes in the sand. Spend the afternoon exploring St Kilda’s most infinite drags, Fitzroy Street and Acland Street. The once artistic playground for Melbourne’s bohemia in the 1950s, the stunning Art Deco architecture and colorful locals make for hours of entertaining people gazing. Visit the neighboring suburb Prahran and go to Lucky Coq for a pub atmosphere with seriously cheap pizza. The train’s your best bet back to the CBD from here. Stop off at Horse Bazaar on your way home – part bar, part multimedia gallery, there’s always something entertaining projected on the walls in this joint. In fact, no surface is left blank, even the urinal in the gents can have George Bush’s face projected on it. Hours of entertainment…
1
St Kilda Esplanade Market
Location:
view in google mapsThe Esplanade
(St Kilda)
3182 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 (0) 39 534 00662
Bala's
Location:
view in google maps1E Shakespeare Grove
St Kilda
3182 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
61 3 9534 61163
St. Kilda Beach
Location:
view in google mapsJacka Boulevard
St. Kilda
3182 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
+61 3 9658 9658 (Melbourne Visitor Centre)4
The Lucky Coq
Location:
view in google maps179 Chapel Street
Windsor
3181 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
61 3 9525 12885
Horse Bazaar
Location:
view in google maps397 Little Lonsdale Street
Between Queen Street and Elizabeth Street near the corner of Hardware Street
3000 Melbourne, Australia
Phone:
61 3 9670 2329