Slept in and had breakfast at the hotel. Then, following Google Maps, we walked to the State Library of Victoria. It’s a popular Instagram spot, but we took our time, starting with a refugee exhibition. We then visited the main hall to check out the city history gallery, a new wave style photo exhibition, and explored various reading rooms and bookshelves before heading to the main radial reading room and dome.
It’s definitely beautiful and photo-worthy, showcasing classic English elegance and tranquility. The best photo spots are a few floors up, and it can get quite crowded with people waiting in line. The library has both quick snap-takers and those who have plenty of time to study. We ended up at the café and souvenir store, which feels more like a bookstore, with pricey book-themed merchandise.
After exploring, we took a short tram ride out of the free city zone and decided to walk towards the University of Melbourne. Before heading to the university, we stopped by Lygon Street, known for its Italian eateries, and tried the famous Universal Restaurant. I seriously underestimated the portion size of the chicken schnitzel; each serving is $18 and is enough for two people. I regretted ordering the tiramisu as well—one serving was too much for even a big guy to finish. In the end, we had to take it to go.
After a big meal, we walked towards the University of Melbourne. The campus is open, so I took the route from John Medley to South Lawn, Doorway, Elizabeth Murdoch Building, and University Oval. The courtyard at the doorway, with its camellias, is pretty photogenic. The Elizabeth Murdoch Building is the most beautiful in my opinion, and the adjacent outdoor café is one of the more affordable options on campus. Walking past the sports fields and rugby grounds, you’ll see many Gothic-style buildings, which are actually private schools affiliated with the university, like Ormond College. These are not open to the public, but I visited Ormond College anyway. It’s absolutely stunning! The Gothic architecture gives it a magical, Harry Potter movie feel.
NGV (National Gallery of Victoria)
The NGV is a large, modern art museum. This time, we happened to catch the Pharaoh exhibition in collaboration with the British Museum. We purchased tickets in advance on the museum’s website for $38 per adult.
The NGV is located on the south bank of the Yarra River. We took the tram to Flinders Street and walked from there (beyond the free tram zone). Upon entering, bags can be checked to the right of the entrance. The tour starts from the central courtyard, marked by two statues, with the Pharaoh exhibition located on the first floor.
The first section of the exhibition is relatively small, featuring various pharaoh busts from different dynasties. The second section opens up into a larger hall filled with statues of gods. This is followed by the turquoise-colored treasure gallery and concludes with displays of steles, papyrus scrolls, and coffins. The exhibition is quite detailed, with a lot of information to take in, and though the crowd was sizable, the space provided a good balance between comfort and careful observation.
Of course, this exhibition doesn’t represent Egypt in its purest form—it’s the British Museum’s curated selection of Egyptian artifacts. However, with over 500 exhibits, it’s an impressive collection for Melbourne.
Because the exhibition was so overwhelming, I found myself still engrossed in it by mealtime. Rushing to grab a meal, we hurried through the permanent collection on the second floor, barely giving it the attention it deserved. It wasn’t until I spotted works by Picasso, Matisse, Bacon, and Dalí that it hit me—why were such masterpieces completely overlooked by visitors? The classical paintings section on the other side was just as empty. If we were to explore this floor thoroughly, it would easily take a lot more time.
The third floor seemed to feature a special fashion exhibition in collaboration with the V&A Museum from the UK, but it required a separate ticket, so we didn’t visit.
After leaving the NGV, we strolled along the Yarra River, heading toward Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. The aquarium isn’t exactly a must-see attraction, similar to a zoo. When we went to buy tickets, we were told that some exhibits, like the jellyfish gallery, were closed, so the entrance fee was half-price.
Initially, I thought it would be just an average local aquarium, but then I saw a saltwater crocodile—the largest species of crocodile in the world. I was stunned to see this massive Aussie croc over five meters long. At first, we stood downstairs debating whether it was real, thinking there was no way a crocodile could be that big—it had to be a decoration.
But when we went upstairs, we realized it was indeed the real deal. According to the exhibit information, this giant croc was a rescue animal. It was originally placed in a crocodile sanctuary, but because it attacked other crocodiles, it had to be relocated to the aquarium. This beast is undoubtedly the aquarium’s star attraction!
After leaving the aquarium, we hopped on the loop line, rode two stops, and got off at Flinders Street Station. From there, we took any tram heading toward the city, making our way to Queen Victoria Market. Since it was Wednesday, we were lucky to catch the night market, which is not to be missed.
The night market was bustling with crowds, filled with smoke from grills, and buzzing with energy. It offered a global selection of street food, and almost every major stall had long lines, with diners waiting for their numbers to be called.
In addition to food, there were plenty of craft shops, specialty stores, and live performances, but the sheer number of people was overwhelming. We first lined up for Turkish kebabs, then joined the queue for Korean egg waffles, followed by grilled squid and Italian arancini. I absolutely love night markets from around the world—the vibrant atmosphere was infectious, even if it was a bit hard to move through the crowd.
Puffing Billy Train and Yarra Valley
This little steam train deep in the mountains is incredibly popular, with tickets selling out fast. Getting a spot a week before departure was already lucky. We booked a 20-person tour online, which included hotel pick-up in the city, stops at the Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes, a ride on the Puffing Billy train, and visits to Yarra Valley wineries—all for about $100.
To our surprise, the bus only had 9 people instead of 20, and most were quiet young adults or families, meaning there was no need to worry about dragging the group down.
The day started with a visit to the Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes, a filler attraction. The beach gave us our first taste of Melbourne’s winter—chilly and brisk. After a few photos, we headed into the countryside to visit three wineries. The landscape was filled with greenery, cows, sheep, and bare vineyards typical of winter, which created a relaxed and peaceful vibe.
Unexpectedly, our tickets were for a partial ride on the train—from Lakeside to Belgrave. Though advertised as 40 minutes, the ride lasted only 30. We missed the longer one-hour route, but the scenery along this section was still beautiful. The station staff were friendly and even helped us take photos (of course, everyone stretched their legs out of the windows!). Regardless of the shorter ride, just getting on the train was already a win, and the smaller group made the trip more comfortable.
When we reached Belgrave Station, it was packed with people, so we quickly took the chance to snap photos with the stationmaster, train driver, and other staff. After that, we followed the driver back to the city.
Overall, the tour wasn’t extraordinary but wasn’t bad either. For a first-time visit to Melbourne, trying out this iconic experience felt worthwhile.
Sovereign Hill Gold Mining Town Day Trip
There are group tours available for Sovereign Hill, but I bought my ticket directly from the official website for $49 (adult). After purchasing, I printed the QR code to scan on-site for entry.
Sovereign Hill is located about 100 km from Melbourne, requiring a train ride to reach. To make things easier, I had already booked a hotel close to Southern Cross Train Station for the following days.
On the morning of the trip, I checked out of Mercure Welcome Melbourne, grabbed my luggage, and used Google Maps to navigate to the tram. I took Route 96 to Southern Cross Station (within the free tram zone). After arriving, I first stored my luggage at The Savoy Hotel nearby, then headed to the train station.
The day before, I bought a myki card from a 7-Eleven. The card costs $6 to activate, and since the trip involved taking regional trains, I knew I would hit the daily fare cap, which seemed to be around $10.60. I loaded $12 on my card to be safe, and that was more than enough for the day.
At Southern Cross Station, I needed to take a V/Line train, but the signage for V/Line platforms wasn’t very clear. I asked a staff member and told him I was heading to Ballarat Station. Sure enough, both the departure times and platforms were different from the online information.
The train runs hourly, but not exactly at times like 9:14 or 10:14 as I had read. Instead, mine departed at 9:56. The platform was located at the far end, so be prepared to walk a bit. Once on board, seating was unassigned. Shortly after departure, a conductor came by to check if passengers had enough balance on their myki cards.
The journey to Ballarat took about 1.5 hours, as it’s just one of many stops on the line—so be sure to get off at Ballarat.
Upon arrival, the town immediately gave off a charming Western feel, with a distinct historical vibe. From there, I called an Uber to Sovereign Hill, which took about 5-10 minutes and cost around $11.
After scanning the code to enter, we were transported back in time to 19th-century Australia. We arrived around 11:45 a.m. and headed uphill to find the ticket booth for the gold mine tour. Without paying much attention to language options, I booked the 12:10 p.m. tour. There were three tour packages, and the laid-back guy at the ticket booth gave a chill introduction to each. I chose the middle option, Gold Explore, which required an additional fee.
After a brief stroll around the area, we joined the tour on time, following an NPC guide down into the mine. At one point, the mine cart plunged us into total darkness before arriving at the tour stop. We explored different sections of the mine, including a presentation on the story of Chinese miners’ adventures in search of gold. The 45-minute tour ended at a lookout point offering a panoramic view of the town.
We approached Sovereign Hill like players in a Western RPG, immersing ourselves in the daily life of a mid-19th-century town. We experienced every part of the community: the bank, blacksmith shop, fire station, pub, inn, post office, general stores, school, church, vegetable garden, and more. There was even a small farm on the hill, home to guineafowl, donkeys, and miniature horses. Most NPCs were interactive and would engage you in conversations, sometimes triggering storylines or street performances.
Several residential houses were open for exploration, each furnished with real-life details. The fireplaces were burning actual coal, and the pickled plums and jam jars on the shelves were real. Even the props in drawers were authentic, making us feel like we were inside a fully interactive game.
At one point, I met a gentleman whose role was the town doctor. I wanted to chat about the town’s storylines, but it quickly turned into casual small talk—guess not all NPCs stay in character!
Downhill from the town is the gold-panning river, where visitors can try their luck. Many people seemed hooked, spending hours panning for gold, including my kid, who got completely absorbed in the activity. Rumor has it that some people do find tiny specks of gold—though it’s said the park occasionally “plants” gold to keep things exciting.
The area also features tents set up to mimic gold miners’ camps, along with a more comfortable tent area for government officials, reflecting the differences in living conditions at the time.
We stayed until closing time at 5 p.m., then took an Uber back to Ballarat Station and boarded the V/Line train to Southern Cross Station.
