Melbourne City Guide

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With Melbourne set to host the 2006 Commonwealth Games in March, it is certain to attract a fair amount of interest over the coming weeks and months. As a Melbourne native, this seemed a timely opportunity to review some of my favourite haunts, restaurants and the like… I feel compelled to begin with Brighton, as I lived there for years & years, and as my parents are still based there it's generally where I stay when visiting from ...
...a tourist destination outside of Melbourne itself, but it is one of the loveliest parts of the city and well worth a visit.


HISTORY: An early British settler, Henry Dendy, who purchased an area of some 5,000 acres in 1841, is generally regarded as Brighton's original founder. By the time of the 'Gold rush', from the 1850's onwards, the area's beaches and natural attractions lead to its emergence as a popular destination for ... more

Brighton, a picturesque seaside suburb in the city of Melbourne, first rose to prominence as a destination for day-tripping Victorians in the 1860's. Since Melbourne's spread over the past century into a massive metropolis, it has principally evolved into a residential, inner suburb, but it still remains an excellent destination for a daytrip out of the city centre for any visitor to Melbourne.

With Melbourne set to host the 2006 Commonwealth Games in March, it is certain to attract a fair amount of interest over the coming weeks and months. As a Melbourne native, this seemed a timely opportunity to review some of my favourite haunts, restaurants and the like… I feel compelled to begin with Brighton, as I lived there for years & years, and as my parents are still based there it's generally where I stay when visiting from the UK. It isn't a particularly big place, nor is it well known as a tourist destination outside of Melbourne itself, but it is one of the loveliest parts of the city and well worth a visit.

HISTORY: An early British settler, Henry Dendy, who purchased an area of some 5,000 acres in 1841, is generally regarded as Brighton's original founder. By the time of the 'Gold rush', from the 1850's onwards, the area's beaches and natural attractions lead to its emergence as a popular destination for holidaymakers and day-trippers. A number of Melbourne's wealthier citizens built houses as either summer or permanent residences along Brighton's coastline. Today, Brighton is regarded as one of Melbourne's most attractive and desirable suburbs.

FACTS: Brighton is located about 10km south of Melbourne's Central Business District, or a twenty-minute train journey from the centre of the city. It is bordered on one side by a stretch of coastline with sandy beaches, and on the others by North Road, South Road and the Nepean Highway. It is a leafy and affluent suburb with large homes, private schools, golf courses, large parks and attractive shopping areas. The suburb is generally demarcated into four distinct parts; Middle Brighton, North Brighton, South Brighton and East Brighton. There is no West Brighton for the very sensible reason that the area to the west is occupied by Port Phillip Bay, and thus underwater. Various subtle nuances exist between Brighton's four parts, the intricacies of which are generally only of interest to snobs or Real estate agents, but Brighton's most expensive area is undoubtedly that which extends along the so-called 'Golden Mile' beside the beach.

THE BAY: Although named after Brighton in England, and, like its better-known namesake, situated beside the sea, any resemblance between the two places really does begin and end there. Brighton's beaches are sandy rather than pebbled, and its old wooden pier culminates in a yacht club, rather than an amusement arcade. There aren't any B&B's along the seafront, or shops selling postcards, umbrellas or inflatable beach balls… the beaches are extremely clean and almost sedate in atmosphere, although they can become very busy on the hottest summer days, when day-trippers from Melbourne's outer suburbs descend in their droves. Undoubtedly the best-known feature of Brighton's Beach is its line of brightly coloured wooden beach boxes, now protected by heritage laws. These come up for sale only very rarely, and tend to attract extortionate sums when they do.

BATHS: The historic Brighton Sea Baths, located near the end of Grosvenor Street in Middle Brighton, consists of a large, shark-proof enclosure that extends out over the sea. The baths were originally built in 1881, but wild storms in 1934 destroyed most of the original construction, and the baths were largely rebuilt shortly afterwards, with an attractive art-deco style gymnasium and changing rooms erected at its entrance. A more recent refurbishment, in 1996, added a café and licensed restaurant to the mix. I've never seen a shark from any of Melbourne's beaches, nor do I know of anyone who has, and shark-proof baths such as this one are becoming something of a rarity in this part of Australia. There is a seawater pool at the baths in nearby St.Kilda, but this is a sleek and modern affair, without the old-fashion charm of the baths in Brighton. It is also considerably more expensive.

I occasionally swam in the Brighton baths as a child, mainly attracted by a long slide that jutted out over the sea, and when my mother was young, her school's swimming sports event was held there. Today, that same school has an indoor, heated, state-of-the-art, Olympic length pool, and to most Melburnians the Baths now seem little more than a quaint and entertaining anachronism. Local teenagers have recently reclaimed the baths, however, and can be seen sunbathing along the decks, and darting off the boardwalk into the water like as many little penguins in a row. Finally, a resolute group of so-called 'ice-breakers', consisting mainly of foolhardy retirees in unflattering Speedos, can still be seen braving the waters at dawn every day, even in the winter. The refurbished brasserie and cafe have also inspired a renewed interest in the baths, and are proving very popular with yachties, dog-walkers and tourists alike. The location really is excellent, and it's a superb place to have a drink and watch the sun setting over Port Phillip Bay.

A SUGGESTED TOUR: If visiting Brighton for the day from a base in central Melbourne, it's definitely worth travelling there on the train from Flinders Street, even if you have a car at your disposal. The trains are quick, clean and efficient and leave every 20 minutes or so. A daily travel pass, which can be used on trains, busses and trams costs $6.10 for adults (about £2.50). Take the Sandringham line to Middle Brighton station, which is located on Church Street. This is one of Melbourne's most beautiful suburban shopping strips with an exceptional selection of boutiques, delicatessens, cafes, gift shops, jewellers and restaurants.

Leaving the station, turn right and wander down Church St, exploring the shops, until you reach the church, St.Andrews. This a towering monolith constructed of dark bricks, with a massive copper steeple. The original church was a sedate affair built of bluestone in the early 1800's, but this was destroyed by fire in the 1960's, at which time the current church was built to replace it. A small part of the old church was spared, and is now annexed to the side of the new building, functioning as a chapel.

There is a fabulous café, The Pantry, right opposite St.Andrews on the corner of Church St. This is well worth a visit, if only to consider the beautiful natives as they flounce by, invariably blonde, immaculately styled and perfectly pleased with themselves… The Pantry serves some of the best coffee in Melbourne, and does a wonderful all day breakfast, with eggs, bacon & sausages, or eggs & smoked salmon served up in an array of scrumptious and imaginative ways. The Pantry's eponymous deli, next door, is also excellent.

Cross the street and walk back up along Church St in the opposite direction. There are a number of superb shops along Church Street, especially clothes shops, such as Country Road, French bakeries and patisseries such as Laurent, which is set in a grand old building that once housed Brighton's Post Office, as well as a number of breathtakingly lovely delicatessens. There is an excellent bookshop, Thesaurus, on the north side of the street. Continue along the street, eventually passing the train station and moving up the hill, where you will encounter a succession of stunning Victorian mansions. At the very top of the hill, you will reach Dendy Street. Turn right here, and follow Dendy Street down towards the beach, under the shade of old elm trees.

Most of Brighton's streets are wide and tree-lined, with a broad strip of lawn, referred to as a 'nature-strip' separating the footpath from the road. Dendy Street ends at the Esplanade, opposite Brighton Beach with its historic bathing boxes. There is an attractive walkway and bike path leading through the paperbarks along the shore towards the Brighton baths. In fact, this path leads all the way along the coast, from Sandringham, through St.Kilda and all the way to South Melbourne, near the city centre. A bike ride along the beach track from Brighton to South Melbourne will take approximately one hour, and both bikes and rollerblades can be hired from the surf shop opposite the pier.

The Brighton Pier is adjacent to the sea baths. This is an old wooden pier of some considerable length that leads out towards the Yacht Club. It attracts large numbers of fishermen at dawn and dusk, especially suntanned, elderly Italians, who travel from the other side of the city to fish for snapper and flathead. They set themselves up in a row, seated on little folding chairs, drinking Chianti and enjoying impromptu, Mediterranean picnics whilst they fish. The general atmosphere is rather reminiscent of Sorrento. The water beneath the pier is a clear and sparkling blue, and alive with colourful marine life, from huge, bulbous jellyfish, to tiny schools of sardines and neat starfish resting upon the sand at the bottom.

Cross the Esplanade and walk up along Normanby Street, which is lined with beautiful, sprawling Edwardian homes, most encircled by large and defiantly lush gardens, even in the driest of Australian summers. Normanby Street leads up to Church St, completing the circuit.

DINING: As mentioned previously, there are a number of excellent restaurants on Church St, but the best among them are probably 'Caffe Per Te' and the Florentine, both of which have an Italian bias. The Half Moon is a light and airy converted pub, opposite the train station, and serves absolutely divine Asian-fusion style meals and snacks. For almost impossibly cheap Pizzas with fresh toppings, try La Porchetta, behind the Dendy centre. Fujiyama, on Bay Street, is a top-notch Japansese restaurant, with an exquisite interior garden near its entrance, a comprehensive Teppanyaki bar, and an excellent selection of Sushi & Sashimi. Oh, and avoid the 'Dendy Deli' if you possibly can. This pretension-riddled, New York-style place rose to prominence in the mid 80's and has never really moved on since. They serve up some very ordinary food at absolutely ridiculous prices.

ACCOMODATION: The only real hotel in Brighton is the Savoy, opposite the beach. This is a very attractive and well-equipped hotel, but pretty costly. If looking to stay in the general area there are more options along the Bay towards Elwood and St.Kilda.

LIVEABILITY? If Melbourne is indeed the World's most 'Liveable City', as claimed by the London-based 'Economic Intelligence Unit' in its annual list, then Brighton, in turn, ought arguably to be Melbourne's most 'liveable' suburb. It is situated in a stunning, seaside location, with clean beaches, wide streets and beautiful public gardens. Such liveability, however, comes with a pretty hefty price tag, and the average home in Brighton costs well in excess of AU$ 1,000,000. Furthermore, Brighton isn't really the relaxed and charming suburb it once was, with unique, sprawling homes hidden down unpretentious side streets. Much of Brighton today is characterised by a homogenous, white bread sort of affluence, dotted with brand new, pale sandstone mansions and blondes in BMW's, and home to game show hosts and International cricketers. All the same, it's still a beautiful suburb with beautiful beaches, and set in a beautiful part of the world.

http://www.middlebrightonbaths.com.au/
http://www.brightonsavoy.com.au/
 

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