by Lori Tenny

It’s no surprise that Melbourne is often described as one of the “world’s most liveable cities,” twice so named by The Economist, which in 2004 placed it at the top of the list. While it is the hub of Australia’s smallest mainland state, there’s nothing small about its business and leisure appeal.

"Melbourne is the capital of the state of Victoria, but it also is an epicenter of seemingly everything cosmopolitan in Australia: fashion, food and wine, arts and culture, shopping, and sports. It’s a modern waterfront city with historic flair, all complemented by a multicultural heritage that claims 200 nationalities speaking more than 150 languages."

When you factor in the city’s sophisticated hotels and group venues, Melbourne becomes one of the most attractive destinations for meetings, conventions and incentives Down Under.

“Melbourne really is the only purpose-built business event city in Australia,” says Lisa Pile, director, sales development, for the Melbourne Convention and Visitors Bureau, pointing to the state-of-the-art Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre and the new 5,000-seat convention center that is slated to open at the end of 2008. “It will be the first “green” convention center in Australia. It’s a $1 billion [AUD] project, so it just goes to show the level of confidence we have in being the major business events capital of Australia.”

The new facility, one of the many major developments that have been gracing the city in recent years, is under construction along the Yarra River next to the existing exhibition and convention venue, and upon completion, the combined venue will be the largest exhibition and convention center in the country. The project also includes a Hilton hotel and a waterfront promenade with retail shops, restaurants and public spaces.

Other major group selling points, according to Pile, are the city’s user-friendly atmosphere, with vibrant, walkable districts and a comprehensive transportation system that includes light rail and vintage tram cars, and the city’s diverse hotel lineup. The metro area is home to 20,000 hotel rooms, 12,000 of which are in the city and 4,000 of which are within a five-minute walk of the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Of the city’s many major meetings-friendly properties, two standouts are the Westin Melbourne, set in the heart of the all the action yet tucked away on an Old World street, and the massive Crown Entertainment Complex, which occupies two city blocks. A major social center of the city, the riverfront complex opened in 1997 as the final component of the Southbank arts and tourist precinct, and it boasts hotels; a casino; dozens of restaurants, bars and shops that span the spectrum; cinemas; and a ballroom staging prestigious events and world-renowned musicians. The complex has two hotels: the 482-unit Crown Towers, greeting guests with a lavish marble lobby and grand staircase and some of the poshest suites and villas around, and the 465-unit Crown Promenade Hotel, a contemporary minimalist property. Group conference and event facilities round out the offerings at Crown, including the hip new Studio 3, carrying a film studio design concept.

Elsewhere in Melbourne, planners will find plenty of unique event venues that reflect the city’s cutting-edge and historic sides—the varied museums and other facilities at the ultramodern Federation Square, the 19th century Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens, the opulent Regent Theatre, and the Arts Centre and Sidney Myer Music Bowl, to name a few.

During free time, there are countless diversions on tap in Melbourne.

The garden-like atmosphere and waterfront setting are perfect for strolling along tree-lined boulevards, arcade walkways with Victorian details, lush parks, and riverfront promenades, and electric trams link the city center with colorful districts such as trendy South Yarra, bohemian Fitzroy, fashionable Carlton, and bayside St. Kilda.

As the fashion capital of Australia, Melbourne brims with designer boutiques, and as a hub of arts and culture, the city offers a vast assortment of art galleries, museums, and performing arts stages.

Dining is a highlight of a visit to Melbourne, which dishes out everything from ethnic fare to the latest nouvelle cuisine from celebrity chefs, and for a quintessential Melbourne experience, visitors can dine on the traveling Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, restored to its 1930s grandeur.

Melbourne is also a hot spot for events—from sports to offbeat art festivals. The Melbourne Grand Prix and the Australian Open tennis championships are two of the city’s biggest events, but for a uniquely Melbourne experience, the annual Spring Racing Carnival, particularly Melbourne Cup Day, takes the prize.

Featuring “The Race that Stops the Nation”—if not to witness which thoroughbred crosses the finish line first then to see the thousands of fashionable women donning over-the-top hats and hair “fascinators”—Melbourne Cup Day, a formal affair at Flemington Race Course, is the place to be on the first Tuesday of every November. Planners who want to transport clients in true style can rent helicopters that run from Federation Square to the track, and secure passes to the famous Birdcage, a “district” of sponsored tented pavilions. The cafe and club-like atmosphere comes complete with champagne, cocktails and food, in addition to the occasional star sighting; Chris Isaak and Diana Ross were among the celebs mingling with the locals at the 2006 event.

For More Info

Melbourne CVB    011.613.969.33333     www.mcvb.com.au