Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and home to more than 5 million people. It was founded on the Yarra River in 1835 and gained independence from New South Wales in 1850.

Melbourne boomed in the 1850s as a result of the gold rush in the region, which sparked the development of housing, schools, churches and fine homes. At that time, Melbourne was larger than most European capitals, and after hosting the International Exhibition in 1880, earned the title of Marvellous Melbourne.

Later on, Melbourne was the financial capital of Australia until about the 1970s and the headquarters of many of the country's largest companies.

In people terms, it is the third largest Greek city in the world and the largest Italian city outside Italy. In common with Sydney, it has a large Chinese community dating from the 1850s gold rush and has long been a bastion of the Jewish community in Australia.

Melbourne was founded almost 50 years after Sydney, as a colony of free settlers, on the Yarra River near Port Phillip Bay. The friendly rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne, over which is the more beautiful, the more important and the better, has done both cities good, and each suits different tastes.

After Federation in 1901, Melbourne was the unofficial capital of Australia until 1927, when Canberra was built. In 1956 it drew the world's attention as the host of the Olympic Games, and today it holds its own in business, culture, social life and sport. The University of Melbourne (1853), the oldest in the city, is one of the top three in Australia. Every year the city hosts major international sporting events, including the Australian Open tennis tournament and the Formula One Grand Prix, and in this century it has repeatedly won the title of the world's most liveable city.

Millions of visitors come each year to discover the 'marvellous' city, to travel along the Great Ocean Road and to Phillip Island with its little penguins, and to visit the historic goldfields of Ballarat, the Yarra Valley wine region, the foothills of the Dandenongs and the mineral springs.