Luxury Australia travel has got to be one of the best ways to see one of the most fascinating travel destinations in the world. This huge continent which is split into 6 states and 2 territories covers an area of some 7,617,930 square kilometres or 2,941,299 square miles. The largest state alone, Western Australia, is approximately 5 times the size of Texas, USA!

Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia and one of the most popular destinations for travellers to the continent. So what are the best things to see and do?

Luxury Australia travel does not have to be expensive - lifestyle in Australia comes as a given - it's the way of life in this part of the world, so add a little luxury into your Australia travel with some of our suggestions.

Take a tour to Phillip Island, home to the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, an easy 90 minute drive from Melbourne itself and you will discover a world of contrasts.

Billed as Victoria's wildlife island, you will be surprised to find the Grand Prix circuit nestles close to the world famous Penguin parade, the Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island Heritage Farm and the Nobbies Centre, a marine attraction where you can uncover the secrets of the Southern Seas with interactive displays allowing you to intermingle with seals, sharks and dolphins that abound in these waters.

I did say that it was a world of contrasts, so don't forget the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory in your itinerary, where you can buy the delectable hand-made chocolates made on the Island.

Take a spectacular sunrise balloon ride over the Yarra Valley, one of Victoria's beautiful winery regions. Home to 90 vineyards, surrounded by mountains you fly for approximately an hour over the early morning vineyards before ending your experience with a sumptuous champagne breakfast.

Café culture abounds in St Kilda and you will want to browse this fashionable bayside suburb of Melbourne with its diverse range of shops and eating venues. Don't forget the Luna Park amusement park built in 1912, complete with its wooden roller coaster and other historic rides.

For the sports fans amongst you there is the very popular Sports Lovers Tour. Billed as city sightseeing with a difference you will explore the history and excitement of sporting Melbourne. Whichever sport is your particular favourite, be it tennis, cricket, rugby or football, find yourself sitting in the coaches' box, imagining filing that important media story in the media facilities or smelling the liniment in the changing rooms!

For dinner with a difference, the Colonial tram car dinner is perfect! 1920's splendour, but with modern day facilities so that not even a crystal glass quivers in your cosy, colonial period dining car. One way glass ensures privacy while traditional silver and white linen don the tables. This is one train ride you won't forget in a hurry and booking is a must with the restaurant selling out weeks in advance.

Hop on the City Circle Tram ride for a free central Melbourne tour. Steeped in old world charm, these 1920's brown and gold liveried tram cars are an appealing way to discover the city centre sights. The conductor on board provides valuable knowledge about the tourist attractions you might wish to see.

Spectacular Rhododendrons greet you as you head to The Dandenongs for the Spring flowering. Less than an hours drive from Melbourne, lies this rich hillside area which grows all manner of good things to eat, drink and appreciate, such as the display of Spring bulbs, Devonshire Cream teas and the Puffing Billy Steam Train that gently meanders its way through the beautiful landscape.

I think you will agree that luxury Australia travel is what you make of it. The luxury is in the doing!

I invite you to use these ideas to make the most of your luxury Australia travel and Melbourne.

By: Helen Palmer
The Exclusive Vacations Guide and Tailor Made Luxury Vacations
And With your permission, I'd like to offer you free access to my short report, "Sure-fire Australia Destination Travel Ideas That Will Guarantee You Have THE Luxury Australia Vacation You Desire" as a gift. You can download it by going to http://www.tailormadeaustraliatravel.com/landing.html.

Melbourne: A City of Character Melbourne is the capital city of the state of Victoria and while the confines of Melbourne are home to only 65,000 people, the surrounding metropolis is home to over 1million people. Situated at the head of Port Philip in the South East of Australia, Melbourne is a buzzing city with more than a little flavour of the multicultural.

The centre of the city itself was laid out by John Batman who is the only Australian born explorer to found a state Capital. Batman was so far ahead of his time that he even wanted to compensate the aboriginals for the use of their land. Among one of the prospective name for Melbourne was Batville or Batmania… Luckily they stuck with Melbourne. One thing that will stick with visitors to Melbourne is the trees as most streets are tree lined. It is a tribute to the design of Melbourne that today the streets are so rich with trees.

The centre of Melbourne is laid out in a grid formation, ten grids across by ten grids tall. It is a bustling city centre with pedestrian shopping streets and trams running ever two blocks. If you are driving through Melbourne City Centre, be forewarned about turning right when there are tram lines present. You cannot make a standard right turn as the nose of the car will be on the tram tracks. Rather you indicate right, but park in front of the traffic to your left which is queuing to go straight on. When your lights go red you complete your turn. My advise would be to watch this carefully from the footpath before trying it with a car.

The Queen Victoria Market is as much a market as a tourist attraction as a market. It is a vast complex offering everything from fruit and vegetables to clothes, fine coffees and local produce. The market is open every week from Tuesday to Sunday and is within easy reach by foot from the centre of Melbourne.

From this central area of Melbourne, the other sections of Melbourne radiate at angles. Among them is the fashionable area of Carlton. This is a fashionable area that is famous for its restaurant lined streets of typically Greek or Italian nature. This is a great place to walk in the evening as the restaurants vie for every piece of prospective business the passes by.

Among the other fashionable districts of Melbourne is St Kilda. It is easily reached by tram and offers not just scenic views over the bay, but also a mish mash of cafes, restaurants and luxury home made items. While St Kilda is now a fashionable area, it wasn’t always that way as it was associated with drug addicts and prostitutes. While this reputation it not justified, there are still prostitutes working in St Kilda today.

No visit to Melbourne should be undertaken without renting a car and heading out the great ocean road to see the 12 Apostles. The 12 Apostles is a rock formation which consists of 12 rock stacks which stand independently. The views are spectacular as the mist from the South Sea rises as it hits land. While making this trip there are a number of fashionable holiday towns that are worth stopping in for a night or simply for dinner.

By: Ronan Menton
Ronan Menton is the webmaster for a number of travel related websites and has been for some in Ireland, been associated with search engine optimisation in the Irish travel industry. Among the many sites he is currently working on are the following: hotels in Melboure and hotels in Sydney.