The Australian City That Actually Feels Like Home (Yes, I mean the weather too)
Of all the Australian cities Melbourne is the one that tends to get under your skin. Sydney gets the attention and the iconic landmarks but Melbourne has the personality.
The coffee culture alone is worth the trip. Melbourne takes its coffee seriously in a way that will ruin you for anywhere else. Flat whites here bear no resemblance to what you get in a British chain coffee shop. Find a specialty coffee shop in Fitzroy or Collingwood and just sit with it for a moment.
The laneway culture is what makes the city centre interesting. Hosier Lane is the famous graffiti one that every tourist visits and it is worth seeing. But the better laneways are the ones around it full of tiny bars, cheap lunch spots and independent shops. Get off your phone and just wander.
For anyone on a working holiday visa Melbourne is one of the best cities in Australia to base yourself. The job market is strong across hospitality, retail and office work. The public transport network is extensive and a Myki card gets you everywhere you need to go. Neighborhoods like Fitzroy, Brunswick and St Kilda each have their own character and finding a share house in any of them is straightforward through Facebook groups.
The Great Ocean Road is the obvious day trip and it delivers. Do it as an overnight if you can rather than cramming it into one day. The Twelve Apostles at sunset with nobody else around is considerably better than the Twelve Apostles at 2pm surrounded by tour buses.
One genuinely useful tip for new arrivals. Set up your Australian bank account before you leave the UK if possible. Commonwealth Bank and ANZ both allow overseas applications. Having a local account sorted before you land makes the first week considerably less stressful.