Tour Victoria e-Newsletter WINTER 2007

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Dear Industry Friends,

This winter, Melbourne welcomes you with wonderful entertainment and no slowing down of events! The Phantom of the Opera makes a return performance this July for those who love Broadway musicals. For the sports enthusiast, join the thousands of fans at the AFL finals and soak up the excitement! Food lovers, check out the many unique and interesting restaurants all over Melbourne or join in the cafe culture and snuggle up with a cup of good coffee or hot chocolate. This winter, let Melbourne warm up your heart and soul!

Best Regards

Celia Ho
Regional Manager, South Asia

Email: celia.ho@tourismvictoria.sg
Website: http://www.visitmelbourne.com

The Phantom of the Opera

Acclaimed as the most popular musical of all time, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera makes a triumphant return to Australia having played to more than 80 million people in 124 cities around the world.

When:
From 19 July for a limited season.
Where:
Princess Theatre, 163 Spring Street, Melbourne.

The Phantom of the Opera

Pixar: 20 Years of Animation
(28 Jun – 14 Oct 2007)

Everyone’s favourite Pixar characters including Flik (A Bug’s Life), Buzz Lightyear and Woody (Toy Story, Toy Story 2), and Nemo (Finding Nemo) will feature in the exhibition which reveals the often unseen, artistic and technical process that lies behind some of the world’s most popular films.

Pixar: 20 Years of Animation will feature over 500 paintings, concept art, sculptures, and an array of digital installations revealing the intricate, hands-on processes behind Pixar’s computer-generated films popular around the world with both children and adults.

Guggenheim Collection
30 Jun - 7 Oct 2007

The most important exhibition of post-war and contemporary art ever to be held in Australia is coming exclusively to Melbourne from the internationally renowned Guggenheim Museum, as the fourth exhibition in the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series.

Guggenheim Collection: 1940s to Now New York – Venice – Bilbao – Berlin will bring masterworks from the 20th and 21st centuries to the National Gallery of Victoria, revealing the evolution of art since the 1940s, with iconic works from every decade to the present.

Australian Football League
(7-29 September 2007)

Don’t miss the spectacular crescendo of 22 weeks of fantastic competition in the 2007 AFL Finals Series. From March to September Australian Rules Football (AFL) teams fight it out to make the top eight and qualify for the final series.

This titanic contest is between two teams with one emerging as the premier side for the year. Close to 95,000 fans pack the stands of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the grand final while millions watch it worldwide on cable, satellite and free to air television.

The final series offers sheer atmosphere and excitement and is a truly unique Australian experience.

Melbourne International Arts Festival
(11-27 October 2006)

Indulge in the cream of Australian and international cultural events.

Melbourne International Arts Festival has an outstanding reputation for presenting unique international and Australian attractions in the fields of dance, theatre, music, opera, visual arts, free and outdoor events.

In 2007, the event runs for 17 days from 11 – 27 October, with performances throughout Melbourne.

Melbourne International Arts Festival

Eureka Skydeck 88 - The Edge

Eureka Skydeck 88

One of the city’s most exciting new attractions, Eureka Skydeck 88, was officially opened on 15 May on level 88 of the Eureka Tower - a stunning new architectural icon on Melbourne’s skyline.

The highest public vantage point in the Southern Hemisphere, this high-tech observation deck offers unparalleled views of Melbourne stretching as far as the Dandenong Ranges and across Port Phillip Bay. Take the incredibly fast lifts to the 88th floor and step out to magnificent 360 degree views through floor to ceiling windows.

The lifts take visitors from the ground to Level 88 in only 40 seconds – or nine metres per second – making them the fastest lifts in the Southern Hemisphere.

Skydeck 88 is the only observation deck in the world that can thrill you with 'The Edge' - a glass cube which projects 3 metres out from the building - with you in it - suspended almost 300 metres above the ground.

For brave souls, step into the unique and challenging switchable glass room called “The Edge”, the new must-do “out of building” experience, as it slides out the side of the building almost 300 metres above sea level.

Eureka Skydeck 88 will be open from 10am to 10pm, 365 days a year.

Urban Penguins

Enjoy a 2 hour Penguin Express tour on a boat cruise to St Kilda’s foreshore to see groups of urban penguins at dusk.

Watch as the world’s smallest penguins return from sea each night to their burrows on an elevated habitat, enabling close and personal penguin watching from the 50 foot boat right in Melbourne!

Pick ups are from Boatman’s Landing, Waterfront City, Docklands.

High Country

Victoria’s Alpine Resort
It's never been easier to visit Victoria's alpine resorts. With short distances to travel from Melbourne,
a wide variety of accommodation options, and affordable package deals, a snow break in Victoria is a
your fingertips. The mountains provide a friendly, non-intimidating environment for new skiers and
families, and excellent ski conditions and cross-country trails also cater for the experienced skier.
With a winter wonderland right on your doorstep, Victoria's snow is waiting.

Mt Buller

Magnificent views combine with clean air and a cool summer climate to provide the perfect setting to enjoy a wide range of mountain activities. From relaxing sunset picnics on the Summit to thrilling cross country mountain biking adventures, Mt Buller offers a unique way to enjoy the alpine environment.

Location
• Mt Buller Alpine Resort lies approximately 250 kilometres northeast of Melbourne.
• Mt Buller is located 772 kilometres (ten hours drive) from Sydney, 900 kilometres (ten hours drive) from Adelaide and a five hour flight/ drive from Brisbane.

Getting there
• Snowfields at Mt Buller are very accessible, within a pleasant three-hour drive from Melbourne by taking either the Hume Highway or the Melba Highway through the beautiful Yarra Valley.

• Mt Buller, the closest ski resort to an international airport, has the advantage of servicing interstate guests efficiently and at great value prices. Mt Buller Central Reservations can package airfare and coach transfer, delivering you to the resort in good time and comfort.

• Other travel alternatives include transfers from Melbourne via luxury limousine, helicopter and The Buller Bullet - a five star coach.

Mt Buller

Activities You Can Do In the Snow!!

Skiing

Skiing

Whether you're a beginner about to discover the magic of snow sports or an expert who can navigate the steepest slopes with ease, you'll get more out of your holiday if you ski the runs that are best suited to your level. Mt Buller has a variety of terrain to suit every ability.

Snowboarding

Snowboarding is a sport for all ages and attitudes. It is easy to learn and allows for a lot of expression making it very popular with the adventurous, relaxed and free-spirited. So, if you're looking for a new way to tackle the slopes grab a board and head for the slopes this winter.

Snow Shoeing

Snow Shoeing

Donning a pair of snow shoes is the perfect way to explore the winter wonderland in Mt Buller. Suitable for all ages, snow shoeing is as easy as walking. Whether you want to trek to the summit to watch a glorious sunset or explore the Mt Buller backcountry playground with deep snow among the trees, you’ll discover a side of the mountain you haven't seen before.

Snow Tubing

Snowtubing offers fun for the whole family and is a perfect way to spend the day! Sit or lie in an over-sized inflated rubber tube and feel the adrenaline rush as you spin you way down the channels of the snowtubing park!

Toboganing

Toboganing

Families with kids of all ages love the exhilarating experience of tobogganing!

Chairlift

You don’t have to be a skier or boarder to explore the mountain! Simply jump on either the Horse Hill or Blue Bullet 1 and 2 Chairlifts and enjoy a breathtaking ride across Mt Buller’s slopes, so don’t forget to pack your camera.Tickets are available from any ticket office or Buller Sports Outlet and include free snowtubing.

Mt Hotham

Known as the ‘powder capital’ of Australia, Mt Hotham Alpine Resort holds the record for the highest annual snowfall of any Victorian resort over the past decade.

Location
Mt Hotham lies approximately 357 kilometres north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres from Sydney, and 997 kilometres from Adelaide.

Getting there
• Reduce travel time by flying to Mt Hotham. QantasLink flies you direct to Mount Hotham Airport in comfort and style from Sydney and Melbourne with easy connections from all capital cities.

• The flight from Melbourne to Mt Hotham Airport takes just 50 minutes, and from Sydney it will take 85 minutes.

• Once at Mt Hotham Airport, it is only 20 kilometres to the alpine resort.

Falls Creek

Falls Creek

Falls Creek is Victoria's largest ski and boarding resort, with the best cross-country skiing terrain in Australia on the Bogong High Plains.

Renowned for its reliable snow falls and extensive snow making system, Falls Creek is also famous for its European style village boasting over 25 'on mountain' restaurants and a wide variety of accommodation.

With no cars in the village, escape from the everyday into the picturesque.

Location
Falls Creek Alpine Resort is 350 kilometres north east of Melbourne, 690 kilometres (7.5 hours drive) from Sydney, 958 kilometres (10.5 hours drive) from Adelaide and is a 4.5 hour flight from Brisbane.

Getting there
• Travelling to Falls Creek by car takes approximately 4 hours from the outer city suburbs of Melbourne. To get there, take the Hume Highway, turn off near Wangaratta and drive through Myrtleford and Mt. Beauty.

• Catch a Pyle's Coach from Melbourne (Southern Cross Station and Melbourne Airport), Albury or Mt. Beauty to Falls Creek.

• V-Line trains run daily from Southern Cross Station to Wangaratta. Connect at Wangaratta with the V-Line coach service to Mt Beauty and join Pyle's Coaches to the resort.

• Fly with QantasLink to Albury Airport and then drive or coach 1.5 hours to Falls Creek.

For more information, contact:
101 Thomson Road, #08-01 United Square
Singapore 307591
Tel: (65) 6255-6888
Fax: (65) 6255-2922
E-Mail: rowena.ho@tourismvictoria.sg
Web: visitmelbourne.com