Page 408 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

406  VIC T ORIA

Oceanarium, approached cFederation
through a viewing cylinder Square
and housing sharks and rays
as well as vibrantly coloured Cnr Flinders & Swanston sts.
fish. Melbourne Aquarium is Map 2 D3/4. Tel (03) 9655 1900.
the only place in Victoria v Swanston St and Flinders St
routes. 7 ∑ fedsquare.com.au
where you can see King and The Ian Potter Centre – NGV: Tel (03)
Gentoo penguins. 8662 1555. ACMI: Tel (03) 8663 2200.
One of Melbourne’s most visited
xFlinders Street public spaces, Federation
Station Square opened in October
2002 to commemorate the
Cnr Flinders & Swanston sts. Map 1 centenary of the federation
C4. Tel 13 16 38. v Swanston St
Polly Woodside barque moored on the and Flinders St routes. 7 of the Australian states.
Yarra River The square hosts up to
Flinders Street Station is the 2,000 events each year. Its
lPolly Woodside central metropolitan train architectural highlight is the
terminus of Melbourne and geometric design of the Atrium
21 S Wharf Promenade, Southbank.
Map 1 A5. Tel (03) 9656 9800. one of the city’s favourite building, a covered public
£ Southern Cross. v 12, 96, 109. meeting places. Generations space that is a hotspot for
g Grimes Street Bridge. Open of Melburnians have met exhibitions, festivals, book
10am–4pm Sat & Sun (daily during each other on the corner markets, wine showcases and
school holidays). & 7 except for steps of the station “under the public art installations. There
ship. 8 book in advance. Clocks”. Although the original are many outstanding attrac­
∑ pollywoodside.com.au clocks are now operated by tions. The Ian Potter Centre –
computer rather than by hand, NGV: Australia, an offshoot of
The Polly Woodside is an 1885 they remain in working order. the National Gallery of Victoria
barque built in Belfast. When The Flinders Street site has (see p407), is the world’s first
she was retired from service been part of the public trans­ major gallery dedicated
in the 1960s, she was the only port network since the city’s exclusively to the display of
deep­water commercial early days. The first steam Australian art, and well worth
ship still afloat in Australia. train in Australia left a visit. Nearby, the Australian
Even in 1885, she was Flinders Street Station, Centre for the Moving Image
rare, as only one in four then a small wooden (ACMI) celebrates images on
ships were then built building at the end multimedia and film. Across four
with sails. Most of of Elizabeth Street, floors of the Alfred Deakin
the last 40 years of in 1854. The present Building, the ACMI has two
her working life station building, multi­format cinemas and the
were spent as a completed in 1910, world’s largest screen gallery.
coal hulk. Donated to Polly Woodside is one of the grandest The square has two information
the National Trust in exhibit in the city. Built in points: the Melbourne Visitor
1968, she has since French Renaissance Centre (see p415) and the
been restored. Interactive style, it features bright­yellow Melbourne Mobility Centre at
displays explore life at sea and brickwork and an impressive the bottom of the Federation
working on Melbourne’s docks. bronze dome. Square car park.
zMelbourne
Aquarium
Cnr Flinders & King sts. Map 1 B4.
Tel (03) 9923 5925.
£ Southern Cross, Flinders St.
v 70. Open 9:30am–6pm daily.
& 7 - = ∑ melbourne
aquarium.com.au
Featuring species from
the Australian, southern
and tropical oceans, the
Melbourne Aquarium puts
humans close to some of the
exotic inhabitants of the deep.
Among the exhibits is the Modern architecture of the Atrium building at Federation Square
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp493–4 and pp526–9