University of Wisconsin–Madison

Australia: Mhari Gohlke (Top 10 List)

Top Ten List – Melbourne

Mhari walks through the different plants of the Botanical Garden, with large, pink flowers to her left.

Melbourne is a multicultural city with plenty of things to see and do. Here are some popular activities and attractions that I’ve really enjoyed doing:

Visit the Royal Botanic Gardens: There are so many birds and plants to see at the Royal Botanic Gardens. It’s a great way to see some native plants as well as have a little stroll around the gardens. I especially enjoyed visiting the glasshouses.

A person posing for a photo in front of a piece of art in a museum

Visit the National Gallery of Victoria: The NGV is a free art museum filled with many historic artworks. I was really impressed at the size of the facility and the styles of artwork there was to see. It was very impressive, and I spent a couple hours to see all the attractions.

A group of people posing for a photo in the middle of a road outside under a bridge

Take the Great Ocean Road trip: Melbourne is surrounded by scenic countryside and the coastline. There are so many breathtaking views along the Great Ocean Road to check out. Some of the highlights of the trip was seeing the 12 Apostles, Belles Beaches, and Bay of Islands. We also saw many wildlife including lizards, snakes, wallabies, and kangaroos.

Three people posing for a photo on a large soccer field

Watch Australian Football League game: Melbourne is known as the sporting capital of Australia. I went to an AFL game for the first time, and it was one of the most fun I’ve had at a sporting event. I sat in the front row and had such a good view of the game.

A large group of people posing for a photo on a beach at sunset

Kilda Beach: This beach is one of the best beaches in Melbourne. There are a lot of activities happening in St. Kilda, including its annual festival with music. You can watch the beautiful sunset and there are great restaurants and cafés around.

Person posing for a photo outside of a small house painted bright blue and yellow

Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes: Along Port Phillip Bay are 82 distinctive bathing boxes all in a row. These colorful huts are neat to see, and they make for great photo opportunities while enjoying the beach.

Three people posing for a photo on a boat on a river

Ride down the Yarra River in a GoBoat: GoBoats are self-driving boats you can rent to go down the Yarra River in the CBD. It’s a lot of fun with friends while enjoying a little cruise down the river.

Take the free City Circle Tram: You can take the free City Circle Tram. You can hop on and off the historic trams as often as you’d like. It’s a great way to get a quick view of the city.

 

Mhari smiles in front of a tile black and white mural.

Mhari Gohlke
Major: Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: Neshkoro, Wisconsin

Program: Australia, Melbourne / Monash University Exchange

CRICOS Provider: 00008C