Page 406 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

404  VIC T ORIA

The Yarra River

The Yarra River winds for 240 km (150 miles) from its source in Baw
Baw National Park to the coast, emptying in Port Phillip Bay. The
river has always been vital to the city, not just as its major natural
feature, but also in early settlement days as its gateway to the rest
of the world. Today, the Yarra is a symbol of the boundary between
north and south Melbourne and many citizens live their whole
lives on one side or the other. Since the 1980s, the rejuvenation Locator Map
See Melbourne Street Finder,
of the central section of the river has given the south bank an maps 1, 2
important focus. The river is also used for sport: rowers in training
are a daily sight and cycle trails run along much of the river.
Arts Centre
Melbourne holds
performances by
the Australian Ballet
and the Melbourne
Theatre Company.
Its 162-m (531-ft)
spire is a local land-
mark. There is also a
b . National Gallery spiegeltent at some
of Victoria points in the year.
The gallery houses one Eureka Tower
of the largest collections (see p407)
of international art
in Australia.

S O U T H B A N K B L V D S T U R T K A V A N A G H S T R E E T

Victorian College
of the Arts S T R E E T

Hamer
Hall S
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x Flinders Street Station
Melbourne’s main railway
terminus backs on to the Yarra Sandridge
River. A pedestrian walkway links Bridge
the north and south of the city. Federation
Square
Ian Potter Australian Centre for
Centre the Moving Image