The City of Melbourne

Melbourne (pronounced "melban") is the more common name for the geographic region and statistical division of the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area. It is the second most populous city in Australia, with a population of approximately 3.8 million (2007 estimate) and serves as the state capital of Victoria. Melbourne is located on the lower reaches of the Yarra River and on the northern and eastern shorelines of Port Phillip and their hinterland.

A tiny pastoral town established by settlers from Van Diemen's Land around the estuary of the Yarra (47 years after the first European settlement of Australia) was rapidly transformed into a wealthy metropolis by the Victorian gold rush and immigration. By 1865, Melbourne had become Australia's largest and most important city, and by the 1880s "Marvellous Melbourne" was one of the largest and richest cities in the world.

Many major international and national conferences and events have been held in Melbourne, including the 1956 Summer Olympics, 1981 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting the World Economic Forum in 2000, 2006 Commonwealth Games and the G20 summit.

Melbourne is a major centre of commerce, education, tourism, the arts and cultural activities, and also industry. It is consistently ranked one of the most liveable cities in the world. The city is recognised as Australia's 'sporting and cultural capital' and it is home to many of the nation's most significant cultural and sporting events and institutions.

It has been recognised as a gamma world city by the Loughborough University group's 1999 inventory.

Melbourne is notable for its mix of Victorian and contemporary architecture, its extensive tram network and Victorian parks and gardens, as well as its diverse, multicultural society.

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Don't spend a premium price to stay in the best hotels in Melbourne. Have a look at these great establishments and you will be surprised at how little it will cost you to stay there!

There are so many excellent hotels and guest houses in this great city, but, for the best value of them all, check out these cheap hotels in Melbourne!

• The Victoria Hotel
  "A historic landmark hotel in Melbourne's CBD" (3.5 stars)
  215 Little Collins Street, Melbourne Victoria 3000, Australia.
  Phone: 61 3 9669 0000 Fax: 61 3 9669 0001
  




• The Lyall Hotel
  "Luxury Lifestyle Hotel" (5 stars)
  14 Murphy St, South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria 3141, Australia
  Phone: 61 3 9868 8222 Fax: 61 3 9820 1724
  



• Park Hyatt Melbourne Hotel
  "Smaller, luxury hotels catering to discerning travellers." (5 Stars)
  1 Parliament Square, Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia
  Phone: 61 3 9224 1234 Fax: 61 3 9224 1200