Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - What is there to see/do in Melbourne?

We are going to Sydney, Cairns/Great Barrier Reef, Brisbane (Gold Coast), and Canberra during 2.5 weeks in late June/early July.

Should we go to Melbourne? - we were not ivery mpressed with the city when we visited it 20 years ago. We might have 2 days that we can spare from the 9 days we are staying in Sydney - obviously driving each way would take all day? - so it would require flying?

Within easy driving disatance there are super nice wineries.

Looking at your itinerary and the fact that you only have 2 days available for a run down to MEL I would say it's not worth the trouble.

Plus if Canberra is too cold for you then you certainly wont want to head further south at that time of year.

It really depends on what you want from a city. If you didn't like it 20 years ago you may well not like it now.

MEL has fine dining, a redeveloped river precinct, new docklands precinct, great shopping, a 'small bar' and laneway culture in the CBD and a great sporting tradition (and venues).

It certainly does not have Sydney's 'in-your-face' scenery with the harbour, the bridge, the opera house etc.

Would have to fly if you wanted to visit. Melbourne is not as cold as Canberra! And in every way (weather, perhaps, aside) Melbourne is better than Gold Coast.

All in all, I don't think 2 days would be enough time to appreciate Melbourne...

We are going to Sydney, Cairns/Great Barrier Reef, Brisbane (Gold Coast), and Canberra during 2.5 weeks in late June/early July.

Should we go to Melbourne? - we were not ivery mpressed with the city when we visited it 20 years ago. We might have 2 days that we can spare from the 9 days we are staying in Sydney - obviously driving each way would take all day? - so it would require flying?

The following threads I found when I searched for "Melbourne" may be of assistance:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/934809-one-day-melbourne.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/935049-mel-3-day-visit.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/934844-around-melbourne-perth.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/871123-sydney-melbourne-great-dining.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/859976-sydney-melbourne-both.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/843140-melbourne-canberra-worth-visiting.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/805542-st-kilda-melbourne.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/803719-going-melbourne-adelaide-help.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/australia-new-zealand-south-pacific/299779-penguins-melbourne.html

Melbourne is one of the great cities in the world now. I say that as someone who has been to most of them (maybe all). However it is not an easy city for the tourist. There are some standard tourist attractions (aquarium, art gallery, etc.) and some fine public spaces like Federation Square. MEL has come a long way from 20 years ago, when Southbank was just starting to be built. Completely different city that was very backwards and has caught up with the rest of the world and surpassed it. Shopping is much better in Melbourne (sufficiently so that my friends in SYD fly here to shop). But you really can't see much in 2 days, probably not worth the bother. However Canberra is far worse for a tourist unless you have some specific interests. And in June it is a LOT colder than Melbourne! But the climate is overdone, MEL winters are like San Francisco except there is a drought on, so the chronic rain has become chronic sun. So if you think 60s and sunny is miserable weather, then MEL is not for you.