WELCOME TO MELBOURNE

Major events

From colourful racing carnivals and Grand Slam tennis to performances of Tony®, Grammy®, Olivier and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Hamilton, there’s always something exciting happening in Victoria.

Time your stay to catch outstanding food and wine events, jazz performances and comedy shows, surfing tournaments, and flower and garden displays – Victoria celebrates with major festivals and special events throughout the year.

Dine in

Eat and drink your way through Victoria, from the renowned wineries of the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley to Melbourne’s pop-up restaurants and the Murray’s scenic riverside eateries. Tantalise the senses at inner city pubs, laneway restaurants, hatted dining rooms and homely country hotels.

Stake out the city to find everything from Mexicana, Spanish tapas and Chinatown delights to coffee dens, rooftop bars and modern Indian cuisine. 

Aboriginal Victoria

Journey through Aboriginal Victoria for a traditional and contemporary experience of this ancient land. Learn more about the spiritual beliefs and unique traditions of South-eastern Australia’s first people, culturally significant sites, renowned art and original crafts, and a living history which reaches back more than 60,000 years.

Visit cultural centres, national parks, wetlands and wildlife reserves, public and private art galleries. Head to a cultural and community event like ‘Dreamtime at the G’ in Melbourne. Take a tour with a traditional owner, or dine out at restaurants cooking with native Australian ingredients.

See what's happening in Melbourne

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Plan your visit to MCEC

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is superbly located on the banks of Melbourne’s Yarra River, close to the heart of the CBD and just 30 minutes from Melbourne’s International Airport. The new Convention Centre opened in June 2009 and was part of a $1.4 billion development in South Wharf that includes a Hilton Hotel, lifestyle retail precinct and shopping space.

The venue is an easy walking distance from a range of accommodation options, which will be available to delegates to book at the time of registering for the Congress.

MCEC Green

MCEC was the first centre in the world to be awarded a 6-Star Green Star environment rating by the Green Building Council of Australia for the Convention Centre’s innovative environmental design and operational features. They also achieved their Gold EarthCheck Certification in 2016, following five years of continuous Silver accreditation. EarthCheck benchmarks their sustainability initiatives against other convention centres in Australia and by awarding them gold, has placed MCEC as a leader in a unique worldwide group of sustainable tourism operators.

Some of MCEC’s sustainable design features include:

  • maximum natural light with an 18-metre tall glass façade
  • energy efficient lighting
  • solar hot water
  • displacement ventilation with fresh air being released at lower levels
  • radiant slab heating and cooling
  • low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) to enhance indoor air quality
  • sustainable use of building materials.

Organised Tours

We have organised several non-scientific program events which you and your partner can book as part of the online registration system for your main Congress registration – see details below.

Please note: organised activities will be subject to final minimum numbers in order for the tours to proceed. If minimum numbers are not met, registrants will receive a full refund on the ticket price.

View Organised Tour Options

Self-Guided Tours

We have also curated a hand-picked list of recommendations and suggestions for additional activities you might like to try while you are in Melbourne, outside of the formal Congress proceedings or guided tours.  As an extra taster of Melbourne, peruse the activities below of over 30 Melbourne and regional activities / venues to visit. Why not get a group together or go independently to enjoy a morning or day excursion.

If you have any questions or would like further details on any of the below, a member of the Organising Team would be happy to assist – please email: asansc@arinex.com.au.

See more of Melbourne
  1. Melbourne Zoo – https://www.zoo.org.au/melbourne/
    – easy access by tram or train
  2. THE LUME – thelumemelbourne.com
  3. Yoga at the Lume
  4. Melbourne Botanical Garden and Garden tours
  5. Cranbourne Botanical Gardens
  6. Day trip to Geelong or Port Arlington
    – Can combine Port Arlington visit with winery tour or local mussel restaurant.
    – Can go by ferry at Docklands. Alternative for Geelong is to catch train.
  7. Ballarat Sovereign Hill and Gold Museum – transport by regional train.
  8. Bendigo – historical town with superb art gallery and old working mine.
    – Can catch a regional train.
  9. Yarra Valley Gin tasting and Gin Making at 4 Pillars. https://www.fourpillarsgin.com/
  10. Graffiti street art classes, West Melbourne melbournestreettours.com/street-artworkshops
  11. Phillip Island penguin parade tour.
  12. St Kilda Luna Park and continental bakeries.
    – Easily accessible by tram and light rail.
  13. Boat hire Yarra River.
    – Self drive. No licence required. Can have food hamper. melbourne.boathire.com.au
  14. Flemington Races Saturday 7 October “Turnbull Stakes Day.”
    – Flemington has a railway station opposite the course.
  15. Explore Melbourne by kayak kayakmelbourne.com.au
    – Various different tours offered.
  16. Williamstown ferry return.
    – Can visit Maritime Museum, gardens and lovely restaurants for lunch. e.g. San Sebastian.
    – Leaves from Southbank.
  17. Refugee lead cooking class freetofee.org.au
    – Venue is in Northcote – an inner suburb of Melbourne.
  18. Peninsula Hot Springs with winery lunch.
  19. Firetail Birdwatching tours at Werribee Treatment plant.
    – Need a car.
  20. Musicals and theatre in Melbourne and inner urban theatres.
  21. The Shrine, St Kilda Rd, Melbourne – https://www.shrine.org.au/
    – Just up from the Arts Centre is one of the top 10 Melbourne places to visit. Free admission.
  22. Queen Victoria Market tour – Qvm.com.au
    – 10am Fridays and Saturdays.
    – $99.00 per person.
    – Ultimate Foodie tour. 2 hours.
  23. Melbourne Foodie Discovery Walking Tour – walkmelbourne.com.au
    – 3 hours. Monday to Saturday.
    – Meet outside Bourke St Mall outside H and M store.
    – 30pm. $114.00 per person.
  24. National Gallery Victoria tour – Ngv.vic.gov.au
    – 11am, 12 midday and 1pm.
    – Check the website for various tours.
  25. MCG tour and Australian Sporting Museum tour – at MCG.
    – Combined tour is $40 pr person. Regular tours throughout the day.
    – Meet at Gate 3. Readily accessible by public transport (train or tram)
  26. Melbourne Sights Walking tour – Imfree.com.au
    – 10:30am. Duration 2 ½ to 3 hours.
    – Meeting point – The State Library.
  27. Melbourne Cultural Capital walking tour – Imfree.com.au
    – Duration 1 ½ hours.
    – Meeting point – The State Library.
  28. State Library Tours – Slv.vic.gov.au
    – Both free and paid. Check out the website to see current tours.
  29. ACMI – Arts Centre showcasing the moving image. Acmi.net.au
    – Is a museum of film, TV, videogames and art.
    – Free entry, select ticked events.
  30. Victorian Parliament tours – new.parliament.vic.gov.au
    – Friday 6th October – public tours and garden tour.
    – Bookings required for groups of more than 6 people.
    – Free entry.
  31. Melbourne Skydeck – melbourneskydeck.com.au
    – 7 Riverside Quay, Southbank.
    – General admission $28.00.
    – Views from 88th floor.
  32. Queen Victoria Market Queen St, Melbourne.
    – This is Melbourne’s iconic market and has been operating since 1878.
    – Includes a wide variety of fresh, quality produce and speciality shopping.
    – Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
  33. South Melbourne Market 322 – 326 Coventry St, Melbourne.
    – Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Catch the number 12 tram.
    – Walking distance from the conference centre.This is a lively indoor market for produce, meats, seafood and cafes serving global fare.
    – Home of the famous South Melbourne Dim Sim.
  34. Hot Air Sunrise Ballooning in Melbourne City. Globalballooning.com.au
ASA NSC