Places
- Melbourne
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Melbourne People & Places
1.
Royal Botanic Gardens
If you are in Melbourne, do not miss the opportunity to visit these fantastic gardens, which cover a surface of thirty eight hectares and hosts more than ten thousand different species of plants and flowers. The majority of them originate from Europe and they were introduced in the mid-nineteenth century. In addition, many of the gardens are thematic (Herb Garden, Arid Garden, Fern Gully, Bulbs, Rose Garden). The National Herbarium of Victoria has its headquarters here and the organization studies and identifies plants. It is also possible to visit the State Botanical Collection, which includes more than a million species of plants and a large collection of dedicated books and magazines.
2.
Geoff Newton
If you are passionate about contemporary art and wish to peruse more on the promising scenario of Melbourne, the right stop is Neon Parc, the gallery managed with bravery and intelligence by Geoff Newton. To celebrate the gallery's tenth anniversary, the curator and artist recently opened a satellite space called Neon Parc Mark II, located in the neighborhood of Brunswick. “I felt it was the right moment to experiment on a larger scale, even if it is always difficult to coordinate three or five different galleries.” Newton, born in 1977, graduated in 2000 at the Camberra School of Art and employs several people. In 2013, BLOUIN ARTINFO added him in the list of the international ten curators to keep tabs on.
3.
Palais Theatre
Until the Fifties, the Palais of Melbourne was the go to place to watch movies. It is a charming movie theatre decorated with long red drapes throughout. In its early years, the space hosted theatre shows, operas and ballets, as well as musical concerts by international musicians like the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones. Today it still hosts the major musical events that reach the city, so keep an eye on the schedule. Neil Croker is its CEO, a personality who in the past worked for the tours for the AC/DC, Dire Straits and Michael Jackson, among others.
4.
Michelle Payne
Among the personalities that have aroused attention over the past year, thirty-year-old female jockey, Michelle Payne, is high on the list. In November 2015 she was the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, riding Prince of Penzance. Michelle was born in Miners Rest, a town near Ballarat, in the state of Victoria. Her career began at an early age and after a bad fall from a horse in 2004, she returned to competitions in full force. In the 155 years of history of the Melbourne Cup, only four women have participated and only one has won, wearing, by chance, the colors of the suffragette movement: purple, green and white.
You can follow Michelle on Twitter @mj_payne
5.
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery, known also as NGV, is the most important museum in Melbourne. The exhibition space is split into two sections: NGV Australia and NGV International. Founded in 1861, on the wave of the great public collections of British origin, it hosts more than seventy thousand works of art, for the major part deriving from government purchases and donations. In the International section, visitors will be able to admire a vast collection of ancient art, with a few rooms dedicated specifically to primitive Oceanic art and a rich collection of drawings, prints, fabrics and artifacts. The Australian section, instead, includes more than twenty five thousand works, which range from the colonial age to contemporary art.
6.
State Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is located at the center of the business district in Melbourne and it hosts more than two million books. Founded in 1853, it is the reference library for the city's University and is currently undergoing a major restoration project announced by the Ministry of Creative Industries Martin Foley in April 2015. Financed with an investment of more than 55 million dollars, the Queen’s Hall will be restored and a panoramic garden on the balcony as well as an area dedicated to children will be built while 40percent of the historical palace will be open to the public.
