Magical Melbourne

Urban Melbourne is a feast for all senses – a cultural heaven which raises you above the mediocre and into the stratosphere of inspiration. It is the Magic Faraway Tree of Australian cities – home to delights such as the Cookie Bar and Gingerboy and bars set with grass and garden furniture - which bring out the child in us all.
By Anna Warwick

I had so often heard about Melbourne’s secret little haunts and the culture oozing from its every tiny backstreet and laneway, but so far my impressions of the fair Southern City were compiled of tennis matches in the blazing heat and Neighbours episodes from the early 80’s. Until at last, thanks to some very inside insiders (my gorgeous hosts from Tourism Victoria), the riches of Melbourne were exposed to me… and I fell MADLY in love.


Image courtesy of Hidden Secrets ToursIts lovely flying in over the Dandenong ranges now that they’re green again, and I was surprised to find Melbourne was not so freezing and rainy after all – well, no more than Sydney or Adelaide or Canberra or Perth… in the middle of a record cold winter…

Our first stop was checking in at the Hotel Causeway – a chic little 45-room boutique hotel right in the middle of town. It’s the perfect vantage point from which to explore Melbourne – strolling distance from absolutely everywhere. You walk out the hotel door onto the high fashion stretch of Little Collins Street and all its lanes, filled with cute little wood featured cafe bars, boutiques and designer stores. Then you walk a few steps and there’s the main drag – Bourke Street – with its beautiful malls and trams and trendy types strolling up and down all day every day (doesn’t anyone work in this town?). The hotel itself is very nice – great big rooms, huge bathroom and lots of lovely Melbournian heating. It was too cold to check out the rooftop terrace, but I did have a go at the gym and steam rooms.


Our hostess Belinda Phillips at Enoteca.Next Belinda – our Tourism Vic guide – took us for lunch to Gertrude Street Enoteca in Fitzroy - a light and open wine bar/café serving simple meals. Enoteca is populated by intellectual types, many of whom dine alone and read, sipping wine on the bar stools or cosy benches. Of course we had to tuck into a glass of Victorian red from the extensive wine list, and some of owner-chef Brigette Hafner’s range of fresh, artisan foods. Her gourmet delights include soups, homemade tarts, panini, terrines and a range of cheeses – and some very tasty sweet treats. Enoteca is the perfect spot for a winter lunchtime meal, and very affordable.

We were met at Enoteca by Fiona Sweetman from Hidden Secrets Tours. Fiona whisked us out and explained the eccentric little galleries and shops along Gertude street.
Cute store - All Of The AboveThere were urban chic homewares stores with a fusion Asian flavour; upcoming artistes exhibiting sculptures and mutlimedia art; designers who grouped together to open a boutique of their sexy handmade leather and velvet corsets, as well as new streetwear labels, vintage stores and clothes made from original silk prints… everything was unique and Australian made and yeah – in the highish-end price range. Many of the shops offered two things – like a book store with toys or a jeweller who made the best coffee in town. This tour must be done…

Despite the rain I began to get a sense of the intimacy of Melbourne’s spaces… somehow these little shops feel like someone’s elegant living room or artist's loft – they are welcoming and filled with personal charm.


Ralph Eggleston, First day, Finding Nemo, Pastel, 4 x 6We then segued from the minute to the general… our little group headed to the new Pixar: 20 Years of Animation exhibition (28 June to 14 October) at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image at Federation Square. The ACMI is amazing – they constantly show the world’s greatest art films, and they put together festivals based on one great director or actress’ work, as well as different genres and eras. But the Pixar exhibition is just wild. We learned that an entire Pixar film (such as Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars and the yet to be released Ratatouille) is painted in beautiful, painstaking detail – the breathtaking artwork is all over the walls of this exhibition – before it’s rendered into digital form.


Early colourscript from the 2003 film Finding Nemo.But before they paint it they do thousands of sketches and build hundreds of clay models to get the characters, scenes and plotlines just right. We saw five versions of the blue monster (Sully) from Monster’s Inc, and they were so excellent – cute, funny, sad – they were adorable. The Pixar team of sculptors, painters and animators are already talented, but once hired they’re encouraged to add to cross train in other disciplines at the Pixar University. Can you imagine? What a job! Heaven. The highlight of this tour was a short film made from all the paintings and sketches and gently animated to form surreal dreamscapes and magical worlds. So relaxing. We all left with stars in our eyes.

Now as if we hadn’t been dazzled enough already, the highlight of the day was yet to come!