Week in Melbourne

Similar to how UHM provides students with a spring break, UTS provides students with a "study vacation", or STUVAC. STUVAC is a much needed week off from university, giving students the opportunity to relax during the Easter weekend. To make the most out of it, I took a solo trip to Melbourne and stayed within their CBD (Central Business District).

Arriving at MEL airport, if you decide to take public transport like me, you will have to purchase a SkyBus ticket ($25 one-way) on the Melbourne City Express line. This is also a great opportunity to purchase a Myki card, which is Melbourne's public transportation card. From my understanding, all of the Australian cities use different cards and are not compatible with each other. Unlike Sydney, you are not able to tap your credit/debit card to board, you need a Myki card. Much to my surprise, during my trip in Melbourne (April 2026), the entire state of Victoria had FREE public transportation, which included all trams, trains, and buses (not the SkyBus - you'll still need a ticket to exit the airport). Before your trip, I would highly advise you to check the Transport Victoria website to see if they issued a temporary change on fare prices; it seems like the state of Victoria is cognizant of the fuel prices rising and is encouraging its residents to shift more into using public transport. Even if there isn't a fare adjustment, Melbourne hosts a free tram zone, covering a large section of their CBD. With how frequent trams come and go, take advantage of this free area and save your energy for your main activities.

Enough about transportation though, Melbourne has a lot to offer!

Here's a brief rundown of the places I would recommend:

• Museums:

  • Melbourne Museum:

    • Great if you are interested in the biological and earth sciences. They heavily emphasize their paleontology with their real-life size replicas of different dinosaurs. The exhibit that they had during my stay focused on the different environments that life can be found (ex. ice, roots, soil, forests) with plenty of taxidermies.

  • ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image):

    • Great if you are interested in "the moving image", which encompasses the process and different forms of film, animation, and video games throughout history and the present. Personally, I was drawn to the development of Australian indie video games, such as Cult of the Lamb and Hollow Knight.

      
      

• Theatre: generally the theatre scene is much more prominent than Sydney. If you are into watching performances, I would highly recommend you check what is playing!

  • Book of Mormon

  • The Heathers

    
    

• Nature:

  • Tesselaar Farms:

    • Perfect if you are interested in great photos. They are known for beautifully maintained fields of flowers and other flora, arranged in sweeping patterns. It seems their activities are oriented around the child's experience, so they'll be sure to enjoy their time there. However, the farm is quite far from the CBD and it will most likely take up an entire day.

  • Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria:

    • Extremely large garden with areas that emphasize different aspects of the nature. If you are looking for a relaxing nature walk or having a picnic, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria would be an excellent choice. My favorite section hosted a serene spot in the middle of their forest with a stream trickling throughout.

  • Puffing Billy 🚂:

    • If I had to choose only one thing to recommend, it would be the Puffing Billy. This historic steam engine train takes you through the Dandenong Ranges, known for its rolling hills and lush rainforests. While being a steam engine is unique in itself, one of the main features is your ability to dangle your legs outside of the train as it rushes through. After arriving at your destination, or at least for my return trip from Belgrave to Lakeside, you can relax at their cafe or go on different walking trails while waiting. However, you MUST purchase your ticket well in advance. Due to its outstanding popularity, tickets sell out fast.

      
      

• Food:

  • Fluffy Torpedo: gelato featuring truly unique combinations of flavors. If you aren't feeling adventurous, don't worry; their classics are just as great.

  • Lune Croissanterie: as the name might suggest, they specialize in traditional croissants and other associated viennoiserie. Buttery, flaky, crisp; there's nothing more you want from a croissant.

  • Bakemono Bakery: Japanese/Asian baked goods; I recommend getting their shio pan and a matcha!

  • Stalactites: outstanding Greek food; While their prices might be a little steep, their souvlakis are a messy experience, jam-packed with juiciest chicken (or lamb).

  • Khao Man Gai: Thai food specializing in fried and/or poached chicken and rice. The chicken is perfectly cooked and the rice is surprisingly flavorful and fragrant.

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