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is the in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3.8 million (2007 estimate).[1] Located at the mouth of the and on the northern and eastern shorelines of Port Phillip, is the state capital of Victoria. ’s demonym is Melburnian.[3]

is a major centre of commerce, industry and cultural activity. The city is referred to as Australia’s ’sporting and cultural capital’[4] 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 city by the group’s 1999 inventory.[5] is notable for its mix of Victorian and contemporary architecture, its extensive and Victorian parks and gardens, as well as its diverse, multicultural society.[6] has hosted multiple and events, including the 1956 Summer Olympics and the . Politically, it was the location of the 1981 of Meeting and the 2006 G20 summit.

was founded by free settlers in 1835, 47 years after the first European settlement of Australia, as a pastoral settlement situated around the .[7] Transformed rapidly into a major metropolis by the in the 1850s, ‘Marvellous ’ became Australia’s largest and most important city by 1865 the second largest in the ,[8] and the tenth largest in the for a brief moment at the turn of the 20th century. Such rapid growth from nothing was unprecedented at the time. However, ’s growth slowed after 1900 and it was overtaken by Sydney as the during the early 20th century.[9]

served as the federal seat of from the time of the new nation’s federation in 1901, until Federal Parliament moved to the purpose-built capital, Canberra, in 1927.[10]

Lithograph of the original plans for Parliament House, .
Lithograph of the original plans for Parliament House, .
Lithograph of the Royal Exhibition Building (now a Heritage site) built to host the ’s Fair of 1880.
Lithograph of the Royal Exhibition Building (now a Heritage site) built to host the ’s Fair of 1880.
The Federal Coffee Palace, a temperance hotel was the largest and tallest building in - one of many built in 1888.
The Federal Coffee Palace, a temperance hotel was the largest and tallest building in - one of many built in 1888.
Landing, 1840; watercolour by W. Liardet (1840).
Landing, 1840; watercolour by W. Liardet (1840).
Flinders Street Station, intersection of Swanston and Flinders Streets in 1927 when it was the ’s busiest passenger station.
Flinders Street Station, intersection of Swanston and Flinders Streets in 1927 when it was the ’s busiest passenger station.
and the Yarra in 1928.
and the Yarra in 1928.
ICI House, commenced in 1955, was a powerful symbol of the Olympic city’s modern aspirations.
ICI House, commenced in 1955, was a powerful symbol of the Olympic city’s modern aspirations.
, present day
, present day

[edit] Foundation and early history

The area of the and Port Phillip that is now was originally inhabited by the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. It is believed that the area was occupied by indigenous Australians for at least 40,000 years.[7] The first British penal colony in the Port Phillip district was established in 1803 on Sullivan Bay, but this settlement was abandoned after a few months.[11]

In May and June 1835, the area that is now central and northern was explored by John Batman, a leading member of the Port Phillip Association, who negotiated a transaction for 600,000 acres (2,400 km2/940 sq mi) of land from eight Wurundjeri chiefs.[7] He selected a site on the northern bank of the , declaring that “this will be the place for a village”, and returned to Launceston in Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen’s Land). However, by the time a settlement party from the Association arrived to establish the new village, a separate group led by John Pascoe Fawkner had already arrived aboard the Enterprize and established a settlement at the same location, on 30 August 1835. The two groups ultimately agreed to share the settlement. Batman’s Treaty with the Aborigines was annulled by the New South Wales (then governing all of eastern mainland Australia), which compensated the Association.[7] Although this meant the settlers were now trespassing on Crown land, the reluctantly accepted the settlers’ fait accompli and allowed the town (known at first by various names, including ‘Bearbrass’[7]) to remain.

In 1836, Governor Bourke declared the city the administrative capital of the Port Phillip District of New South Wales, and commissioned the first plan for the Hoddle Grid in 1837.[12] Later that year, the settlement was named after the British Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount , who resided in the village of in Derbyshire. was declared a city by letters patent of Queen Victoria, issued on 25 June 1847.[13]

[edit]

The state of Victoria was established as a separate colony in 1851 with as its capital. The discovery of gold in Victoria in the 1850s led to the , and the rapid growth of the city, which provided most of service industries and served as the major port for the region. During the optimistic 1850s and 1860s, the construction of many of ’s institutional buildings began, including Parliament House, Treasury Buildings, State Library, Supreme Court, University, General Post Office, House as well as St Paul’s and St Patrick’s cathedrals. The city’s inner were planned, linked by boulevards and gardens. had become a major finance centre, home to several banks and to Australia’s first stock exchange in 1861.[14]

By the 1880s, ’s boom escalated. The city had become one of the largest in the , and reputedly the richest in the .[15] During this prosperous decade, hosted five international exhibitions in the large purpose built Exhibition Building. English journalist George Augustus Henry Sala coined the phrase “Marvellous ” during an 1885 visit, which stuck long into the twentieth century. Growing building activity culminated in the “Land Boom” which in 1888 reached a peak of speculative development fuelled by optimism and escalating property prices. As a result of the boom, high-rise offices, commercial buildings, coffee palaces, terrace housing and palatial mansions proliferated in the city.[16] Subsequent development has seen most of the taller buildings (assisted by council fire regulations) and larger mansions from this era demolished, however Victorian architecture still abounds in . This period also saw the expansion of a major radial rail based transport network.[17]

The brash boosterism which typified during this time came to a halt in 1891 when the start of a severe depression hit the city’s economy, sending the local finance and property industries into chaos[16][18] during which 16 small banks and building societies collapsed and 133 limited companies went into liquidation. The financial crisis helped trigger the economic depression of 1890s and the banking crisis of 1893. The effects of the depression on the city were profound, although it did continue to grow slowly during the early twentieth century.[19][20]

[edit] Federation of Australia

At the time of Australia’s Federation on 1 January 1901, was specified as the temporary seat of . The first Federal parliament was convened on 9 May 1901 in the Royal Exhibition Building. In 1927, Federal parliament was moved to the planned city of Canberra, however the Governor-General of Australia remained at House until 1930 and many major national institutions remained in well into the 20th Century.[21]

was the Allied Pacific Headquarters from 1942 to 1944 as General Douglas MacArthur established Australia as a launch base for Pacific operations. During War II, industries thrived on wartime production and the city became Australia’s leading centre.

[edit] Post-war period

After the war, expanded rapidly, with its growth boosted by an influx of immigrants and the prestige of hosting the Olympic Games in 1956. During the subsequent decades, major freeway development and a significant increase in private car use helped the city to sprawl outwards and urban renewal projects in the inner city significantly modernised the city. Australia’s finance and mining booms between 1969 and 1970 proved beneficial to , with the headquarters of many of the major companies (BHP and Rio Tinto, among others and the Reserve Bank of Australia) based in the city. Nauru’s booming mineral economy fuelled several ambitious investments in such as Nauru House. remained Australia’s business and finance capital until the late 1970s, when it began to lose this primacy to Sydney.[22]

As the centre of Australia’s “rust belt”, experienced the worst of Victoria’s economic slump between 1989 to 1992, following the collapse of several of its financial institutions. In 1992 the newly elected Kennett Coalition began a campaign to revive the economy with an aggressive development campaign of public works centred on and the promotion of the city as a tourist destination with a focus on major events and sports , attracting the Grand Prix to the city. Major projects included the Museum, Federation Square, the Exhibition and Convention Centre, Crown Casino and CityLink tollway. Other strategies included the privatisation of some of ’s services including power and public transport, but also a reduction in funding to public services such as health and education.[23]

[edit] Present day

Since 1997 has maintained significant population and employment growth. There has been substantial international investment in the city’s industries and property market, and 2006 figures from the Bureau of Statistics show that since 2000 has sustained the highest population increase and economic growth rate of any capital city.[24]

[edit] Geography

[edit] Topography
Map of greater
Map of greater
The view of the across Hobsons Bay from Williamstown
The view of the across Hobsons Bay from Williamstown
seen from with Flinders Street Station in the foreground.
seen from with Flinders Street Station in the foreground.

is located in the south-eastern part of mainland Australia, within the state of Victoria[25][26]. Geologically, it is built on the confluence of Quaternary lava flows to the west, Silurian mudstones to the east,[27] and Holocene sand accumulation to the southeast along Port Phillip.

extends along the Yarra through the Yarra Valley[28] toward the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Ranges to the east. It extends northward through the undulating bushland valleys of the Yarra’s tributaries - Moonee Ponds Creek (toward Tullamarine Airport), Merri Creek and Plenty River to the outer suburban growth corridors of Craigieburn and Whittlesea. The city sprawls south-east through Dandenong to the growth corridor of Pakenham, Victoria towards West Gippsland. The sprawl southward through the Patterson River, Mornington Peninsula and the city of Frankston taking in the peaks of Olivers Hill, Mount Martha and Arthurs Seat, extending along the shores of Port Phillip[29][30] as a single conurbation to reach the exclusive suburb of Portsea and Point Nepean. In the west, it extends along the Maribyrnong River and its tributaries north towards the foothills of the Macedon Ranges, and along the flat volcanic plain country towards Melton in the west, Werribee at the foothills of the You Yangs volcanic peaks and Geelong as part of the greater metropolitan area to the south-west.

’s major bayside beaches are mostly located along the shores of Port Phillip Bay along south eastern of the city, in areas like Port , Albert Park, St Kilda, Elwood, Brighton, Sandringham, Mentone and Frankston although there are beaches at Altona and Williamstown in the west. The nearest metropolitan surf beaches are located 85 kilometres (53 mi) away from the in the back-beaches of Rye, Sorrento and Portsea.[31][32]

[edit] Environment

Like many urban environments, faces some significant environmental issues. has one of the highest urban footprints in the due to its low density housing, suburban sprawl, and car dependence due to minimal public transport outside of the inner city.[33] Much of the vegetation within the city are non-native species, most of European origin, and in many cases plays host to invasive species and noxious weeds.[34] Significant introduced urban pests include the Common Myna,[35] Rock Pigeon,[36] Common Starling, Brown Rat, European Wasp,[37] and Red Fox. Many outlying , particularly those in the Yarra Valley and the hills to the north-east and east, have gone for extended periods without regenerative fires leading to a lack of saplings and undergrowth in urbanised native bushland, the Department of Sustainability and Environment partially addresses this problem by regularly burning off.[38][39] National parks nearby to the urban area include the Mornington Peninsula National Park, Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park and Point Nepean National Park in the south east, Organ Pipes National Park to the north and Dandenong Ranges National Park to the east. There are also a number of significant state parks just outside .[40]

Responsibility for regulating pollution falls under the jurisdiction of the EPA Victoria and several local councils. Air pollution, by standards, is classified as being good, however summer and autumn are the worst times of year for atmospheric haze in the urban area.[41][42]

The biggest current environmental issue facing is the Victorian project to deepen the channel to Ports by dredging Port Phillip Bay. It is subject to controversy and strict regulations among fears that beaches and marine wildlife could be affected by the disturbance of heavy metals and other industrial sediments.[43][32] Other major pollution problems in include levels of bacteria including E-coli in the and its tributaries caused by septic systems,[44] as well as up to 350,000 cigarette butts entering the storm water runoff every day.[45] Several programs are being implemented to minimise beach and river pollution.[46][32]

has a moderate oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb).[48] and is notorious for its changeable weather conditions. This is due in part to the city’s flat topography, its situation on Port Phillip Bay, and the presence of the Dandenong Ranges to the east, a combination that creates weather systems that often circle the bay.[49] The phrase “four seasons in one day” is part of popular culture and observed by many visitors to the city.[50]

is colder than other mainland capital cities in the winter. The lowest maximum on record is 4.4 °C (39.9 °F), on 4 July 1901.[51] However, snowfalls are extremely rare: the most recent occurrence of sleet in the was on 25 July 1986 and the most recent snowfalls in the outer eastern and Mount Dandenong were on 10 August 2005,[52] 15 November 2006, 25 December 2006[53] and 10 August 2008.[54] More commonly, experiences frosts and fog in winter.

During the spring, commonly enjoys extended periods of mild weather and clear skies. is also known to have extremely hot, and dry summers, with maximum temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F).[49]

In recorded history, has experienced a number of highly unusual weather events and extremes of climate as well as the rare natural disaster.[55] In 1891, the great flood caused the Yarra to swell to 305 metres (1,000 ft) in width. In 1897, a great fire destroyed an entire city block between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane, Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street as well as gutting a 43-metre (140 ft) office building which was the city’s tallest building of the time. In 1908, a heatwave struck . On 2 February 1918, the Brighton tornado, an F3 class and the most intense tornado to hit a major city struck the bayside suburb of Brighton. In 1934, storms caused widespread damage. On 13 January 1939 had its hottest temperature on record, 45.6 °C (114.1 °F), during a four-day nationwide heat wave[56] in which the Black Friday bushfires destroyed townships that are now . In 1951 it snowed in both the and with moderate cover recorded.[51] In February 1972, the was flooded as the natural watercourse of Elizabeth Street became a raging torrent.[57] On 8 February 1983, the city was enveloped by a massive dust storm, which turned day to night. On 16 February in 1983, was encircled by an arc of fire as the Ash Wednesday fires encroached on the city. In 1997, was hit by a heatwave with a minimum temperature over a 24 hour period of 28.8. Freak storms struck in December 2003, January 2004 and February 2005. On 9 December 2006 some of the thickest bushfire smoke in recorded history blanketed the city sky.[58] A heatwave struck in 2008 and bushfires threatened the .[59][49]
Other daily elements       Jan     Feb     Mar     Apr     May     Jun     Jul     Aug     Sep     Oct     Nov     Dec     Yearly
Mean number of rain days     8.3     7.4     9.3     11.5     14.0     14.2     15.1     15.6     14.8     14.3     11.8     10.5     146.7
Mean number of clear days     6.3     6.3     5.7     4.4     3.0     2.5     2.7     2.9     3.4     3.6     3.5     4.4     48.5
Mean number of cloudy days     11.2     9.7     13.4     14.9     18.0     16.8     17.2     16.8     15.7     16.4     15.1     14.2     179.5
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

[edit] Urban structure

See also: List of heritage listed buildings in and Parks and gardens of

Victorian terrace style housing is common in ’s inner and has been the subject of gentrification
Victorian terrace style housing is common in ’s inner and has been the subject of gentrification
The South Town Hall, one among many surviving civic buildings from the Victorian era
The South Town Hall, one among many surviving civic buildings from the Victorian era

The original city (known today as the or ) is laid out in the Hoddle Grid (dimensions of 1 by 0.5 miles (1.6 km × 0.80 km)), its southern edge fronting onto the Yarra. The city centre is well known for its historic and attractive lanes and arcades (the most notable of which are Block Place and Royal Arcade) which contain a variety of shops and cafes.[60] The and surrounds contain many historic buildings such as the Royal Exhibition Building, the Town Hall and Parliament House.[61][62] Although the area is described as the centre, it is not actually the demographic centre of at all, due to an urban sprawl to the south east, the demographic centre being located at Bourne St, Glen Iris.[63] Rather, the recognition dates back to the 1930s when many larger buildings were constructed in the outlying border area, several with a characteristically “art deco” crown—a short tower of cantilevered awnings which serve only a graphical purpose—forming the apex.[64]

is typical of capital cities in that after the turn of the 20th century, it expanded with the underlying notion of a ‘quarter acre home and garden’ for every family, often referred to locally as the Dream. Much of metropolitan is accordingly characterised by low density sprawl. The provision of an extensive railway and tram service in the earlier years of development encouraged this low density development, mostly in radial lines along the transport corridors.

is often referred to as Australia’s garden city, and the state of Victoria was once known as the garden state.[65][42][66] There is an abundance of parks and gardens in ,[67] many close to the with a variety of common and rare plant species amid landscaped vistas, pedestrian pathways and tree-lined avenues. There are also many parks in the surrounding of , such as in the municipalities of Stonnington, Boroondara and Port Phillip, south east of the .

The extensive area covered by urban is formally divided into hundreds of (for addressing and postal purposes), and administered as local areas.[68]

The contains five of the six tallest buildings in Australia, the tallest being the Eureka Tower.[69]

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of

The Federation Square cultural
The Federation Square cultural
The Shrine of Remembrance is an important cultural landmark
The Shrine of Remembrance is an important cultural landmark

is widely known as the cultural and sport capital.[70][71] It has thrice shared top position[72] in a survey by The Economist of the ’s Most Livable Cities on the basis of its cultural attributes, climate, cost of living, and social conditions such as crime rates and health care, in 2002,[73] 2004 and 2005.[74] In recent years rising property prices have led to being named the 36th least affordable city in the and the second least affordable in Australia.[75]

The city celebrates a wide variety of annual cultural events, performing arts and architecture. is also considered to be Australia’s live music capital with a large proportion of successful artists emerging from the live music scene. has become popular for its street art (see street art) with the Lonely Planet guides listing it as a major attraction. The city is also admired as one of the great cities of the Victorian Age (1837-1901) and a vigorous city life intersects with an impressive range of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century buildings.[76]

[edit] Sport
The Cricket is the home of cricket and rules football
The Cricket is the home of cricket and rules football

is a notable sporting location as the host city for the 1956 Summer Olympics games,[77] along with the .[78][79]

In recent years, the city has claimed the SportsBusiness title “’s Ultimate Sports City”.[80] The city is home to the National Sports Museum, which until 2006 was located outside the members pavilion at the Cricket and reopened in 2008 in the Great Northern Stand.[81]

rules football and cricket are the most popular sports in and also the spiritual home of these two sports in Australia and both are mostly played in the same stadia in the city and its . The first ever official cricket match in Australia was played at the Cricket in March 1877 and the Cricket is the largest cricket in the . The first rules football matches were played in in 1858 and the Football is headquartered at the Telstra Dome. Nine of its teams are based in the metropolitan area and the five AFL matches per attract an average 40,000 people per game.[82] Additionally, the city annually hosts the AFL Grand Final.

The city is also home to several professional franchises in national competitions including the Storm (rugby ),[83] who play in the NRL competition, Victory (Association football) who play in the A-, netball Vixens who play in the trans-Tasman trophy ANZ Championship and Tigers who play in the National .

is home to the three major annual international annual sporting events in the Open (tennis),[84] Cup (horse racing),[85] and the Grand Prix (formula 1).[86]

[edit] Economy
Darker green indicate areas of higher household incomes. immediately east of the centre tend to be more affluent
Darker green indicate areas of higher household incomes. immediately east of the centre tend to be more affluent
The Hoddle Grid, ’s original
The Hoddle Grid, ’s original
. One of the adjacent urban renewal where the expansion of ’s has recently overflowed.
. One of the adjacent urban renewal where the expansion of ’s has recently overflowed.

is home to Australia’s busiest seaport and much of Australia’s automotive industry, which include Ford and Toyota facilities, and the engine facility of Holden. It is home to many other industries, along with being a major business and financial centre.[87] In 1981, the city hosted the of Meeting[88] and in mid-November 2006, the city was host to the G20 summit,[89] amid violent protests. International freight is an important industry. The city’s port, Australia’s largest, handles more than $75 billion in trade every year and 39% of the nation’s container trade.[90][91][66]

is also a major technology hub, with an ICT industry that employs over 60,000 people (one third of Australia’s ICT workforce), has a turnover of $19.8 billion and export revenues of $615 million.

retains a significant presence of being a financial centre for Asia-Pacific. Two of the big four banks, NAB and ANZ, are headquartered in . The city has carved out a niche as Australia’s leading centre for superannuation (pension) funds, with 40% of the total, and 65% of industry super-funds. is also home to the $40 billion-dollar Federal Future Fund, and could potentially be home to the ’s largest company should the proposed merger between BHP and Rio Tinto Group be carried out.[92]

plays an important role in ’s economy, with approximately 7.6 million domestic visitors and 1.88 million international visitors in 2004.[93] In 2008, overtook Sydney as the nation’s leading destination.[94]

The city is headquarters for many of Australia’s largest corporations, including five of the ten largest in the country (based on revenue)[95] (ANZ, BHP , the National Australia Bank, Rio Tinto and Telstra); as well as such representative bodies and thinktanks as the Business Council of Australia and the Council of Trade Unions.

rated 34th within the top 50 financial cities as surveyed by the Mastercard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index (2007),[96] between Barcelona and , and second only to Sydney (14th) in Australia.

Most recent major infrastructure projects, such as the redevelopment of (formerly Station),[97] have been centred around the , which were held in the city from 15 March to 26 March 2006. The centrepiece of the Commonwealth Games projects was the redevelopment of the Cricket , the used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games. The project involved rebuilding the northern half of the and laying a temporary athletics track at a cost of $434 million.[98]

has also been attracting an increasing share of domestic and international conference markets. Construction began in February 2006 of a $1 billion 5000-seat international convention centre, Hilton Hotel and commercial adjacent to the Exhibition and Convention Centre to link development along the with the and multi-billion dollar Docklands redevelopment.[99]

[edit] Demographics
Demographic map of . Each dot indicates 100 persons born in Britain (dark blue), Greece (light blue), Mainland China (red), India (brown), Vietnam (yellow), Turkey (purple), Italy (light green) and (former states of) Yugoslavia (dark green). Based on 2006 Census data
Demographic map of . Each dot indicates 100 persons born in Britain (dark blue), Greece (light blue), Mainland China (red), India (brown), Vietnam (yellow), Turkey (purple), Italy (light green) and (former states of) Yugoslavia (dark green). Based on 2006 Census data
Significant overseas born populations[100]
Place of Birth     Population (2006)
    156,457
Italy     73,801
Vietnam     57,926
People’s Republic of China     54,726
    52,453
Greece     52,279
India     50,686
Sri Lanka     30,594
Malaysia     29,174
Philippines     24,568
    21,182
Malta     18,951
South Africa     17,317
Rep. Macedonia     17,287
    16,917
    16,439
Croatia     15,367
Lebanon     14,645
Netherlands     14,581
Turkey     14,124

is a diverse and multicultural city.[101] Almost a quarter of Victoria’s population was born overseas, and the city is home to residents from 233 countries, who speak over 180 languages and dialects and follow 116 religious faiths. has the second largest Asian population in Australia, which includes the largest Vietnamese, Indian and Sri Lankan communities in the country.[102][103][104]

The earliest inhabitants of the broad area that later became known as were Indigenous Australians — specifically, the Bunurong, Wurundjeri and Wathaurong peoples. is still a centre of Aboriginal life — consisting of local groups and indigenes from other parts of Australia — with the Aboriginal community in the city numbering over 20,000 persons (0.6% of the population).[105]

The first European settlers in were British and Irish. These two groups accounted for nearly all arrivals before the gold rush, and supplied the predominant number of immigrants to the city until the Second War. was transformed by the 1850s gold rush; within months of the discovery of gold in August 1852, the city’s population had increased by nearly three-quarters, from 25,000 to 40,000 inhabitants.[106] Thereafter, growth was exponential and by 1865, had overtaken Sydney as Australia’s most populous city.[8] Large numbers of Chinese, German and United States nationals were to be found on the goldfields and subsequently in . The various nationalities involved in the Eureka Stockade revolt nearby give some indication of the migration flows in the second half of the nineteenth century.[107]

[edit] Post war immigration
’s Chinatown, established in 1854, is the oldest in Australia and one of the oldest worldwide
’s Chinatown, established in 1854, is the oldest in Australia and one of the oldest worldwide

In the aftermath of the Second War, experienced unprecedented inflows from Mediterranean Europe, primarily Greece and Italy, but also Cyprus and Turkey. According to the 2001 Census, there were 151,785 ethnic Greeks in the metropolitan area.[108] 47% of all Greek Australians live in .[109] Ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese also maintain significant presences.

enjoys comparatively high levels of migrant integration to the other capital cities, however some ethnic groups are associated with the suburb in which they first settled – Italians (Carlton and Brunswick); Macedonians (Thomastown); Indians and Sri Lankans (south eastern such as Hampton Park and Narre Warren); Greeks (Oakleigh, Northcote and Hughesdale); Vietnamese (Richmond, Springvale and Footscray); Maltese (Sunshine); Bosnians, Serbs and Croats (St Albans); Turks (Coburg); Lebanese (Broadmeadows); Russians (Carnegie); Spaniards (Fitzroy); North Africans (Flemington); Sub-Saharan Africans (Noble Park). The cities of Dandenong, Monash, Casey and Whittlesea on ’s fringe are particular current migrant hotspots.[110]

exceeds the national average in terms of proportion of residents born overseas: 34.8% compared to a national average of 23.1%. In concordance with national data, Britain is the most commonly reported country of birth, with 4.7 %, followed by Italy (2.4%), Greece (1.9 %) and then China (1.3 %). also features substantial Vietnamese, Indian and Sri Lankan-born communities, in addition to recent South African and Sudanese influxes.

Over two-thirds of people in speak only English at home (68.8 %). Italian is the second most common home language (4.0 %), with Greek third and Chinese fourth, each with over 100,000 speakers.[111]

[edit] Religion
St Patrick’s Cathedral, (the foundation stone was laid in 1858)
St Patrick’s Cathedral, (the foundation stone was laid in 1858)

The 2006 Census records show some 28.3% (1,018,113) of residents list their religious affiliation as Catholic.[112] The next highest response was No Religion (20.0%, 717,717), Anglican (12.1%, 433,546), Eastern Orthodox (5.9%, 212,887) and the Uniting Church (4.0%, 143,552).[112] Buddhists, Muslims, Jews and Hindus collectively account for 7.5% of the population.

[edit] Judaism

Four out of ten Jews call home. The city is also residence to the largest number of Holocaust survivors of any city,[113] indeed the highest per capita concentration outside Israel itself.[114] To service the needs of the vibrant Jewish community, ’s Jewry have established multiple synagogues, which today number over 30,[115] along with a local Jewish newspaper.[116] ’s largest university - Monash University is named after prominent Jewish general and statesman, John Monash.[117]

[edit] Christianity

64% of Melburnians consider themselves Christians. The city has two large cathedrals - St Patrick’s (Roman Catholic),[118] and St Paul’s (Anglican).[119] Both were built in the Victorian era and are of considerable heritage significance as major landmarks of the city.[120]

[edit] Islam

The 300,000 Muslims that call home, are noted for their diversity — from more than 60 countries with wildly disparate cultures.[121] However, ’s relationship with the Muslim community is somewhat apprehensive, due to the perceived extremism of the wider Islamic community, foiled Melburnian terrorist rings[122] and controversy surrounding a number of high ranking Muftis.[123][124] Since the trade center attacks and the Bali bombings, Islams place in and indeed, society has been the subject of much public debate.[125][126] The role of Islam and Muslims in terrorism and extremism are discussed in the media. A number of forums and meetings have been held about the problem of extremist groups or ideology within the Islamic community.[127][128]

[edit] Hinduism

The majority of Hindus live along the Eastern Coast of Australia and are mainly located in and Sydney. As a community Hindus live relatively peacefully and in harmony with the local populations. They have established a number of temples and other religious meeting places and celebrate most Hindu festivals.[129]

[edit] Buddhism

In 1848, the first large group of Buddhists to come to Australia, came as part of gold rush - most of whom stayed briefly for prospecting purposes rather than mass migration. In 1856, a temple was established in South by the secular Sze Yap group. The first specific Buddhist group, the Buddhist Study Group , was formed in in 1938, however it collapsed during the Second War.[130]

[edit] Irreligion

and indeed Australia are highly secularised, with the proportion of people identifying themselves as Christian declining from 96% in 1901 to 64% in 2006 and those who did not state their religion or declared no religion rising from 2% to over 30% over the same period.[131]

[edit] Population density and growth

population by year
1836     177
1854     123,000     (gold rush)
1880     280,000     (property boom)
1956     1,500,000
1981     2,806,000
1991     3,156,700     (economic slump)
2001     3,366,542
2006     3,744,373
2011     4,062,290[132]     (projected)
2021     4,712,456[132]     (projected)
2031     5,355,242[132]     (projected)

urban area density
(people/ha)
1951     23.4[133]
1961     21.4[134]
1971     18.1[135]
1981     15.9[136]
1986     16.05[137]
1991     16.8[138]
1996     17.9[139]
1999     17.05[140]
2001     15.9[141]

Although Victoria’s net interstate migration has fluctuated, the statistical division has grown by approximately 50,000 people a year since 2003. has now attracted the largest proportion of international overseas immigrants (48,000) finding it outpacing Sydney’s international migrant intake, along with having strong interstate migration from Sydney and other capitals due to more affordable housing and cost of living, which have been two recent key factors driving ’s growth.[142][143] In recent years, Melton, Wyndham and Casey, part of the statistical division, have recorded the highest growth rate of all local areas in Australia. Despite a demographic study stating that could overtake Sydney in population by 2028,[144] the ABS has projected in two scenarios that Sydney will remain larger than beyond 2056, albeit by a margin of less than 3% compared to a margin of 12% today. However, the first scenario projects that ’s population overtakes Sydney in 2039, primarily due to larger levels of internal migration losses assumed for Sydney.[132]

’s population density declined following the Second War, with the private motor car and the lures of space and property ownership causing a suburban sprawl, mainly eastward. After much discussion both at general public and planning levels in the 1980s, the decline has reversed since the recession of the early 1990s. The city has seen increased density in the inner and western . Since the 1970s, Victorian planning blueprints, such as Postcode 3000 and 2030, have aimed to curtail the urban sprawl.[145] [146]

[edit] Media

is served by two daily newspapers, the Herald Sun (a tabloid),[147] The Age (broadsheet)[148] and The (national).[149] The free mX is also distributed every weekday afternoon at railway stations and on the streets of central .[150]

has a 6 television stations: HSV-7, which broadcasts from the Docklands ; GTV-9, which broadcasts from their Richmond studios; and ATV-10, which broadcasts from the Como Complex in South Yarra. National stations that broadcast into include the Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), which has two studios, one at Ripponlea and another at ; and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), which broadcasts from their studios at Federation Square in central . C31 is the only local community television station in , and its broadcast range also branches out to Geelong

A number of radio stations service the areas of and beyond on the AM and FM band. Popular stations on the FM band include Nova 100 and Mix 101.1, both in Richmond, and Austereo channels Fox FM and Triple M, which share studios on St Kilda Road. Stations that are popular on the AM band include 3AW, a prominently talkback radio station, and its affiliate, Magic 1278, which plays a selection of music from the 1930s-60s.[151]

[edit] Governance
John So, current Lord Mayor of
John So, current Lord Mayor of

The City Council governs the City of , which takes in the and a few adjoining inner . However the head of the City Council, the Lord Mayor of , is frequently treated as a representative of greater (the entire metropolitan area),[152] particularly when interstate or overseas. The Lord Mayor is John So, who was crowned the 2006 Mayor.[153]

The rest of the metropolitan area is divided into 30 local areas. All these are designated as Cities, except for five on the city’s outer fringes which have the title of Shire. The local authorities have elected councils and are responsible for a range of functions (delegated to them from the State of Victoria under the Local Act of 1989[154]), such as urban planning and waste management.

Most city-wide activities are controlled by the Victorian state , which governs from Parliament House in Spring Street. These include public transport, main roads, traffic control, policing, education above preschool level, and planning of major infrastructure projects. Because three quarters of Victoria’s population lives in , state governments have traditionally been reluctant to allow the development of citywide governmental bodies, which would tend to rival the state . The semi-autonomous and Metropolitan Board of Works was abolished in 1992 for this reason.[155] This is not dissimilar to other states where State Governments have similar powers in greater metropolitan areas.

[edit] Education

Main article: Education in Victoria

State Library of Victoria, ’s largest public library. (La Trobe Reading Room - 5th floor view)
State Library of Victoria, ’s largest public library. (La Trobe Reading Room - 5th floor view)

Education is overseen statewide by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), whose role is to ‘provide policy and planning advice for the delivery of education’.[156] It acts as advisor to two state ministers, that for Education and for Children and Early Childhood Development.

[edit] Preschool, primary and secondary

Primary and secondary assessment, curriculum development and educational research initiatives throughout and Victoria is undertaken by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA),[157] which offers the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) and Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM) certificates from years Prep through Year 10, and the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) as part of senior secondary programs (Years 11 to 12).

Many high schools in are called ‘Secondary Colleges’, a legacy of the Kirner Labor . There are two selective public schools in (mentioned above), but all public schools may restrict entry to students living in their regional ‘zone’.[158][159]

Although non-tertiary public education is free, 35% of students attend a private primary or secondary school.[160] The most numerous private schools are Catholic, and the rest are independent (see Public and Private Education in Australia).

[edit] Tertiary and vocational
Ormond College (1879), University of
Ormond College (1879), University of

’s two largest universities are the University of (also called University) and Monash University, the largest university in Australia. Both are members of the Group of Eight. University ranked second among universities in the 2006 THES international rankings.[161] While The Times Higher Education Supplement ranked the University of as the 22nd best university in the , Monash University was ranked the 38th best university in the . was ranked the ’s fourth top university city in 2008 after London, Boston and Tokyo.[162]

is home to some of the nation’s oldest educational institutions, including the oldest Law (1857), Engineering (1860), Medical (1862), Dental (1897) and Music (1891) schools, all at the University of . The University of is also the oldest university in Victoria and the second oldest university in Australia.

Other universities located in include La Trobe University, RMIT University, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria University and the St Patrick’s campus of the Catholic University. Deakin University maintains two major campuses in and Geelong, and is the third largest university in Victoria. In recent years, the number of international students at ’s universities has risen rapidly, a result of an increasing number of places being made available to full fee paying students.[163]

Further information: List of schools in Victoria

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] Health

The of Victoria’s Department of Human Services oversees approximately 30 public hospitals in the metropolitan region, and 13 health services organisations.[164] The major public hospitals are the Royal Hospital, The Alfred Hospital, Monash Medical Centre, Austin Hospital, St Vincent’s and the Royal Children’s Hospital, while major private hospitals include Epworth Hospital, St Francis Xavier Cabrini Private Hospital and St Vincent’s Private. The city is also home to major medical and biotechnology research centres such as St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, the Burnet Institute, Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Baker Heart Institute and the Synchrotron.[165]

[edit] Transport

Main article: Transport in

The centre of public transport in the , Flinders Street Station
The centre of public transport in the , Flinders Street Station
The Bolte Bridge is part of the CityLink tollway system
The Bolte Bridge is part of the CityLink tollway system

has an integrated public transport system promoted under the Metlink brand. Originally laid out late in the 19th century when trains and trams were the primary methods of travelling to the , the 1950s saw an increase in private vehicles and freeway construction.[166] This trend has continued with successive governments despite relentless traffic congestion,[167] with a resulting drop in public transport modeshare from the 1940s level of around 25% to the current level of around 9%ref>Trial by public transport: why the system is failing article from The Age</ref> ’s public transport system was privatised in 1999.[168] Between 1999 and 2008, funding for road expansion was five times greater than public transport extension.[169]

’s is the largest in the .[170][171] ’s is Australia’s only to comprise more than a single line. Sections of the are on road, others are separated or light rail routes. The iconic trams are also recognized as a cultural asset and tourist attraction. Visitors are served by a free City Circle Tram, as well as fleet of restaurant trams.[172]

’s train network is a mostly electrified railway system which serves the metropolitan area with 19 lines, all of them radiating from the partially underground City Loop which circles the . Flinders Street Station is ’s busiest railway station, and was the ’s busiest passenger station in 1926. It remains a prominent landmark and meeting place.[173]

The city has rail connections with regional Victorian cities, as well as interstate rail services to Sydney and Adelaide, which depart from ’s other major rail terminus, in .

’s bus network consists of almost 300 routes which mainly service the outer fill the gaps in the network between rail and light rail services.[174][172]

has a high dependency on private cars for transport, with 7.1% of trips made by public transport.[175] However there has been a significant rise in patronage in the last two years mostly due to higher fuel prices,[176] since 2006, public transport patronage has grown by over 20%.[177] The largest number of cars are bought in the outer suburban area, while the inner with greater access to train and tram services enjoy higher public transport patronage. has a total of 3.6 million private vehicles using 22,320 km (13,870 mi) of road, and one of the highest lengths of road per capita.[175] Major highways feeding into the city include the Eastern Freeway, Monash Freeway and West Gate Freeway (which spans the large Westgate Bridge), whilst other freeways circumnavigate the city or lead to other major cities, including CityLink, Eastlink, the Western Ring Road, Calder Freeway, Tullamarine Freeway (main airport link) and the Hume Freeway which links and Sydney.[178]

The Port of is Australia’s largest container and general cargo port and also its busiest. In 2007, the port handled two million shipping containers in a 12 month period, making it one of the top five ports in the Southern Hemisphere.[90] Station Pier in Port Phillip Bay handles cruise ships and the Spirit of Tasmania ferries which cross Bass Strait to Tasmania.[179]

has four airports. Airport located at Tullamarine is the city’s main international and domestic gateway. The airport is home base for passenger airlines Jetstar and Tiger Airways Australia and cargo airlines air Express and Toll Priority and is a major hub for Qantas and Virgin Blue. Avalon Airport, located between and Geelong, is a secondary hub of Jetstar and may soon offer international flights to Kuala Lumpur on AirAsia X.[180] It is also used as a freight and maintenance facility. This makes the only city in Australia to have a second commercial airport. Moorabbin Airport is a significant general aviation airport in the city’s south east as well as handling a limited number of passenger flights. Essendon Airport, which was once the city’s main airport before the construction of the airport at Tullamarine, handles passenger flights, general aviation and some cargo flights.[181]

[edit] Utilities

See also: Energy in Victoria

Water storage and supply for is managed by Water, which is owned by the Victorian . The organisation is also responsible for management of sewerage and the major water catchments in the region. Water is mainly stored in the largest dam, the Thomson River Dam which is capable of holding around 60% of ’s water capacity,[182] while smaller dams such as the Upper Yarra Dam and the Cardinia Reservoir carry secondary supplies.

Water restrictions are in place and the state has considered water recycling schemes for the city. In June 2007, the Bracks announced a $4.9 billion water plan to secure the future of water supplies in , including the construction of a $3.1 billion desalination plant on Victoria’s south-east coast, capable of treating 150 billion litres of water per year.[183] Other projects included in this package is a 70 km (43 mi) pipeline from the Goulburn area in Victoria’s north to and a new water pipeline linking and Geelong. These projects will be run and managed by Water.[184]

Supply of town gas to was initially provided by private companies such as the Metropolitan Gas Company from the 1850s, with gasworks being scattered throughout the . The Gas and Fuel Corporation of Victoria was formed in 1951 to manage gas supply state wide, and to build a centralised gasworks at Morwell. The discovery of natural gas in Bass Strait in the 1960s saw gas supplies converted to the new fuel by the 1970s.[185] The Gas and Fuel Corporation was privatised in the late 1990s.[186]

The first electricity supplies to were also provided by private companies, with a number of small power stations such as those at and Richmond operating. These small operations were merged into the State Electricity Commission of Victoria that was formed in 1921,[187] the SECV also building the first of many brown coal fired power stations at Yallourn in the Latrobe Valley. The responsibilities of the SECV were privatised between 1995 and 1999. In the urban area, the largest powerstation is the Newport Power Station, located close to the mouth of the the stack of which dominates the skyline of the inner western .[188]

Numerous telecommunications companies operate in providing terrestrial and mobile telecommunications services.

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