Panoramic view of Melbourne

Melbourne is a close rival in size and population to Sydney. It is a tranquil, gracious city. Melbourne occupies a considerable plain that stretches between the deep blue ranges of the hills of the Dandenong ranges and the edge of the big, calm bay. The city skyline seems to change constantly, as multi-story skyscrapers replace old buildings. There are extensive public gardens as lovely as any in the world, imposing modern buildings in broad streets and boulevards, and some delightful lanes and arcades to explore. In Melbourne, the most fashionable suburbs are the south of the river, though the city itself, the University and its principal sports grounds and arenas are on the northern side. There are about 120 kilometres of lovely beaches inside the bay. The centre of Melbourne has a great dignity and calm. Malls and city squares abound with canvas awnings, and pavement tables where one can sit and watch the world go by in dappled sunshine under spreading plain trees. Huge towers, their walls set obliquely to the pavements have added an exigent air to our streets but there are still many peaceful old Victorian homes with sequestered gardens and innumerable suave yellow brick or concrete blocks of flats. Almost all streets are cardinally aligned. Frequently neither sea nor mountains are visible, but to the south east of the City, where I live, the mountains are visible as well as the sea. From radiating freeways, the city stands in blue or grey silhouette and its best view can be seen from the West Gate Bridge elevated high above the mouth of the Yarra River. Melbourne has its own individual features, we have a strong adherence to organised sport, especially to Australian Rules football, staged from mid February to late September, the Melbourne Cup staged in November, the Australian Open Tennis Championships staged in January and the Australian Grand Prix which is staged in March.

A forest of gum trees as far as the eye can see

Within a twenty-minute drive one can be in the country, which is vast, empty, and extremely beautiful. A third of Victoria is still bushland or forest wilderness, which includes towering mountain trees and dense rainforest. The north east of the State is mountainous. Magnificent forests, caves, lakes and waterfalls highlight the southeastern part of the State and in the west you will find lush green downs that make up the heart of the pastoral industry. To the east of the State the beaches are wide and long with clean, white sand curving around deserted coves and headlands. One beach is over a hundred and forty-four kilometres (ninety miles) long.

Victoria is aptly named the Garden State. The apple blossom, the roses of the north, begonias of the central highlands, the tulips, rhododendrons and azaleas of the Dandenong ranges, all circle the State in a kaleidoscope of colour. Autumn belongs to the ranges around Melbourne and the valleys of the northeast where sunlight filters through the poplars, liquidambars, beech and oak trees. Native wildflowers carpet the country mostly in spring and summer, but winter has its favourites too, dominated by the yellow and creams of wattle, which give way to the brilliant reds and pinks of flowering gums. Victoria is very much a State for all seasons.