Melbourne at night question

[3some]

We will be arriving in Melbourne at 8pm on Wed Dec 3 after 4 sea days (crossing the Tasmanian sea from NZ). My SO is going to want to get off the ship, do some walking and find an internet cafe. Is the Docklands area in walking distance of the where the ship docks? Is it safe to walk at night in the area? Is there an area of the city that would be good for an evening stroll?

 

On Thurs, we will be taking the Melbourne Greeter's tour to get acquainted with Melbourne and then explore on our own. The suggestions on this board have really helped to make the planning process easier. Thanks to all for your assistance.

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[moojar]

Sorry no-one has answered you, Marti. I'll just <bump> it up so maybe some of those recalcitrant Melburnians will notice it... ;) Their local football competition is just reaching the business end of the season, and they are famous for thinking of nothing BUT football. :D

 

I cannot help you, sorry, I am not familiar with the Docklands area at all.

[OHCruisinDad]

We will be arriving in Melbourne at 8pm on Wed Dec 3 after 4 sea days (crossing the Tasmanian sea from NZ). My SO is going to want to get off the ship, do some walking and find an internet cafe. Is the Docklands area in walking distance of the where the ship docks? Is it safe to walk at night in the area? Is there an area of the city that would be good for an evening stroll?

 

On Thurs, we will be taking the Melbourne Greeter's tour to get acquainted with Melbourne and then explore on our own. The suggestions on this board have really helped to make the planning process easier. Thanks to all for your assistance.

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Marti -

 

Are you arriving in Port Melbourne on the Spirit of Tasmania or will you be on a larger cruise ship? If you arrive in Port Melbourne you are a tram ride or a taxi ride away from the CBD. It's a little too far to walk in my opinion. The Docklands area is on the west end of the CBD, just past the Telstra Dome. We recently stayed in the Docklands for nearly two weeks and walked, rode the trams or took trains from Southern Cross Station nearly everywhere. You might want to check out the Metlink website for a lot of detailed informaiton. See the site at

http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/

 

If you are in and around the Docklands, you should be fine walking around in the evening as there are many restaurants, cafes and night spots along the water. As with any city, if you exercise reasonable care and caution, you should be fine.

 

Hopefully one of the many locals will jump in and provide more detailed information to assist you.

 

Enjoy your visit to a wonderful and very cosmopolitan city.

[mazza]

Hi 3some

The cruise ship will dock at Port Melbourne, which is as OHCruisinDad said, too far to walk to the city. Taxis will operate from the pier and and trams (Route 109) are nearby. Melbourne is usually a safe city to walk in at night, but like all big cities, there are places where you shouldn't go. Docklands and Southbank are full of restaurants (not to mention Crown Casino) so there is usually lots of activity at night.

 

Your first stop could be the Federation Square tourism information shop, where you can get info and specific advice. It's opposite the main train station, Flinders Street, and right on the Yarra River near the Arts Centre, so it's a good spot to start exploring the city.

 

Visit Metlink for info about trams which are a great way to get around the city. The City Circle tram is free and will give you a sense of the CBD. The Rialto Building has a great viewing platform for great views of the city as well.

 

Let me know if you need any more info.

[3some]

Thanks for your replies mazza and OHCruisinDad. The metrolink was very helpful. I was surprised to see that the tram runs until after midnight during the week. I had only seen the free loop train schedule in my searches and that is done at 6pm on Wed. Anyway, I think we'll be able to navigate to the Docklands and I've found an Internet cafe that is open till 11pm there.

 

BTW, OHCruisinDad, I grew up just a few miles down the road from you in Lorain.

[bobsydney]

We will be arriving in Melbourne at 8pm on Wed Dec 3 after 4 sea days (crossing the Tasmanian sea from NZ). My SO is going to want to get off the ship, do some walking and find an internet cafe. Is the Docklands area in walking distance of the where the ship docks? Is it safe to walk at night in the area? Is there an area of the city that would be good for an evening stroll?

 

If your main interest on the Wednesday night is to find an internet cafe and have a walk, I wouldn't bother with Docklands since you have to go through the city to get there. There are actually several internet cafes in the city itself quite close to Flinders Street Railway Station .. I have used one called eLounge at the railway station end of Elizabeth Street and from memory, there was another in Flinders St between Elizabeth and Swanson.

 

For your evening stroll, I would then go over the river and wander along SouthBank towards the Casino. It is a lovely walk at night and shows Melbourne at its best.

 

Cheers

Bob

[3some]

If your main interest on the Wednesday night is to find an internet cafe and have a walk, I wouldn't bother with Docklands since you have to go through the city to get there. There are actually several internet cafes in the city itself quite close to Flinders Street Railway Station .. I have used one called eLounge at the railway station end of Elizabeth Street and from memory, there was another in Flinders St between Elizabeth and Swanson.

 

For your evening stroll, I would then go over the river and wander along SouthBank towards the Casino. It is a lovely walk at night and shows Melbourne at its best.

 

Cheers

Bob

 

Thanks Bob, that's exactly what I was looking for. The other option was the free WiFi at Federation Square which also appears to be near the Flinders Street Station.

 

Marti

[bobsydney]

Yes, Fed Square and Flinders Street Station are opposite each other at Swanston St.

[cands]

A list of free wi-fi hotspots in Melbourne:

 

http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=10425

 

Cheers,

Steve.

[charliegirlac]

Hi,

 

I have just replied to your post in the Melbourne - What to see thread. As moojar said the Football season has just come to and end! Go the mighty HAWKS!!! I'm a kangaroos fan but my hubby barracks for Hawthorn (Hawks) so it was a big day yesterday!

 

Carly