Why Melbourne Is The Most Liveable City In The World

There are many reasons why Melbourne has won the coveted title of Most Liveable City in the World for the past 3 years. But here are my top reasons why I love Melbourne and why she totally deserves the title.

1. Balance
2. Sporting Capital of Australia
3. A Vibrant CBD

To read more, please visit my latest blog post at the Melbourne Ahoy website - Why Melbourne Is The Most Liveable City In The World

Federal Budget 2014 and Australian Visa Categories

The ramifications of the recently released Federal Budget has been widespread and there has been some impact on the Australian Visa categories as well.

Despite the perceived harshness of the Budget savings measures and the majority of Australians expressing disapproval (and even downright anger!), PM Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey has remained steadfast in their support of the Budget.

There hasn’t been much details released so far but from the information I have gathered, the 2 main points are: 

• No reduction in Australian visa numbers
• Change in focus for the Family Stream visa

To find out more details, please read my latest blog article at the Melbourne Ahoy website - Federal Budget 2014 and Australian Visa Categories

Bollywood comes to Melbourne !

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2014

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is back in town! The IFFM is a Victorian Government initiative that aims to strengthen ties between the Indian film industry and Victoria.

This year, the festival will be establishing an international competition with the presentation of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Awards at the historic Princess Theatre on Spring Street. The festival is the southern hemisphere’s greatest annual celebration of Indian cinema and takes place from Thursday 1 to Friday 11 May.

The inaugural Indian Film Festival Awards (IFFM Awards) will honour films in five categories: Best Film, Best Performance, Best Director, Best Independent Film and the People’s Choice Award. This will be the first Indian cinema awards of its kind in Australia.

The Guests

Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan

No doubt the star attraction this year is Bollywood Megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Attending the festival as a special guest, he opened the 11 day festival on Thursday – along with the brand ambassador Vidya Balan – with the Australian premiere of the recently remastered Sholay 3D.

 The 71-year-old will be honoured as the IFFM International Screen Icon for 2014. He will also be giving away a scholarship, created after him by the La Trobe University, to a student there.

The other notable guests at the festival includes:

• Malaika Arora Khan


• Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra


• Konkona Sen Sharma


• Vijay Krishna Acharya


• Simi Garewal


• And many more!

What’s Happening

The 11-day festival presents a world-class program overflowing with gala events, master classes with India’s leading film figures, and over 45 films screenings across four Melbourne venues.

Don’t miss the Bollywood Dance Competition that will be held this Sunday at Federation Square. The beautiful Malaika Arora Khan leads the judging panel with dancers from all over the country doing battle in solo and group categories. It’s an interactive event and everyone at Fed Square gets a chance to vote.

For more details, visit the official IFFM website.

 

Ed: This post was originally posted at the Melbourne Ahoy website - Bollywood comes to Melbourne !

Moving To Melbourne Tip: How To Choose A Suburb To Live In

Being a city spanning a very large land area, Melbourne consists of many suburbs of differing traits and character. Comparing all the various areas can be mind-boggling for anyone, let alone an immigrant moving to Melbourne.

So how do you choose a suburb to live in Melbourne that is suitable for you?

Here are 3 areas of considerations that I reckon will be help to narrow down your shortlist to just a few suburbs making your choice a whole lot easier!

Distance

A good starting strategy would be to draw a 10 km radius around either the Melbourne CBD or your place of work, and see which suburbs fit into your budget.

Since you’re only just moving to Melbourne, I would recommend you start off renting first so as not to commit to a big mortgage on a house until you are more familiar with the lay of the land and eventually find the suburb of your dreams.

Education

If you have children, a key driving factor might be the location of a specific school.

Many public schools (especially the popular ones) are “zoned”. What this means is that you must live within the defined neighborhood boundary in order for your child to be eligible to study there.

Lifestyle

If you like a specific lifestyle then that may influence your decision. For example,

• If you like beaches, places like St Kilda and Altona might appeal to you


• If you like rivers, you can’t go past the scenic locations around the Yarra or Maribyrnong rivers


• If you enjoy shopping and a poshier lifestyle, South Yarra or Prahran might appeal to you


• If you like the artsy and hippie crowd, then places like Fitzroy would be your pick


• And many more!

Conclusion

Moving to Melbourne is a big change in anyone’s life and filled with many decisions to make. I hope this article about how to choose a suburb to live in will help to make things a bit easier.

Whichever suburb you have shortlisted, have a leisurely walk around the town centre, sit down for a coffee and soak up the area’s ambience. Also do drive around the neighbourhood, visit the schools, chat with the locals, pay a visit both day and night, etc .. then decide.

As usual, local knowledge helps a lot so feel free to post questions on specific suburbs here and I will do my best to answer them.

 

Ed: This post was originally posted at the Melbourne Ahoy website - Moving To Melbourne Tip: How To Choose A Suburb To Live In

ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day is tomorrow and it marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during World War I. (ANZAC stands for Australia and New Zealand Corps)

Starting in 1916, Anzac Day became established as a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians who had died during WWI. As the years passed and more wars too place, the focus broadend to include all the military operations in which Australia has been involved.

Hence these days in Australia, ANZAC Day is an occasion to reflect on the cost of war and commemorates all Australians who served and died in military conflict. (There are also commerative ceremonies held in New Zealand)

In Melbourne, it is celebrated by a dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance. This is followed by various ceremonies including the traditional ANZAC Day march from the CBD down to the Shrine. An emotionally moving experience, the ANZAC Day march involves past and present servicemen and families representing those who have been lost.

Lest We Forget.

 

Ed: This post was originally posted at the Melbourne Ahoy website - ANZAC Day

Good Friday Appeal 2014

It’s the Good Friday / Easter long weekend again !

It is also time when Melbournians open their hearts (and wallets) and show the world what a beautiful caring society we have here in Melbourne.

The Good Friday Appeal is a proud Melbourne tradition and is held every year to raise much needed funds for equipment, research and education to support the work of The Royal Children’s Hospital.

The strength of the Good Friday Appeal lies with the thousands of people who volunteer their time, expertise and creativity to organise fundraising activities throughout the year. This includes many individuals, small business and large corporates all running their small activities in order to raise funds in the days leading up to the appeal. Together they have raised more than $258 million for the benefit of the hospital since the Good Friday Appeal began in 1931. Last year in 2013, the appeal managed to raise over $16m.

The Good Friday Appeal comprises of many events such as:

• The main event which is the telethon which is broadcast live on TV from 9am till midnight. Throughout the day, Australia’s most popular celebrities, athletes, etc will make appearances and performances to raise money. Many of them will actually man the donation hotlines. So dial in and donate ! You never know who you might get on the other line.


• Kid’s Day Out – The Melbourne Exhibition Centre will be transformed into a wonderland for kids, with Australia’s biggest roller-skating rink, Laser Strike, the popular Teddy Bear Hospital, art and play zones, kids cooking classes, music and dancing and so much more.


• The Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt & Family Picnic at Werribee Park on Good Friday which is the LARGEST Easter egg hunt in Australia.


• Run For The Kids – This is a run event held on the Sunday before Good Friday. This year it attracted over 35,000 participants and raised $1.9m.

If you want to donate, please go to this page. I’m sure they will accept international donations as well.

From Melbourne Ahoy, May your world be a beautiful place today and always. Have a blessed Good Friday !


Ed: This post was originally posted at the Melbourne Ahoy website - Good Friday Appeal 2014

Top 5 Things To Do In Melbourne On A Rainy Day

With all the gloomy wet weather recently in Melbourne, I thought the perfect blog topic would be – Top 5 Things To Do In Melbourne On A Rainy Day !!

The rain has been forecast to last a whole week and with the school holidays in full swing, the kids must be bored out of their mind too !

So here is a list of interesting things to do in Melbourne and hopefully stay dry in the process ! There’s a bit of something for everyone and not just the little ones.

Without further ado and in no particular order …

1. Attend an exhibition or show event

Melbourne is The Event Capital of Australia so there is ALWAYS something on throughout the whole year !

In fact, just this weekend alone there are the following awesome events to choose from:

- Supanova

The Sci-Fi and Pop culture event of the year featuring Lucy Lawless (Xena) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) among many others. A must attend event for all fans of sci-fi, anime, comics, etc.

Supanova

- Dreamworks Animation exhibition

Produced directly by the people who brought you Shrek, Madagascar and the awesome Kung Fu Panda a world-first behind the scenes celebration of 20-years of DreamWorks Animation!

It features over 400 items including rare and never-before-seen concept drawings, models and original artworks, interviews and interactive displays from DreamWorks much-loved and favourite animated classics.

A bit more time to attend this one though as it will last until October.

- Melbourne Home Show

Building, renovating or making home improvements? Then visit Melbourne’s largest, most popular Home Show for all the latest products, services and innovations in home renovation and new home building.

- Australian Quilt Convention

Australian Quilt Convention

 The Australasian Quilt Convention is Australia’s largest event dedicated specifically to quilting and held at the Royal Exhibition Building. This annual gathering presents quilters with opportunities to be involved on a number of levels.

Not my cup of tea but apparently this event is wildly popular attracting visitors from all over Australia and even international. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, it is expected to be even more crowded this year.

2. Rock Wall Climbing

Situated conveniently in the CBD, the Hardrock wall climbing venue caters for climbers of all ages. Perfect fun for both singles and families alike.

Not for those who are  afraid of heights !

Hardrock Wall Climbing

3. Catch a movie at iMax Melbourne

IMAX Melbourne’s screen is the world’s third largest and combines with a set of revolutionary projection systems, customised theatre geometry and 15,000 watts of digital surround sound to deliver the ultimate movie going experience.

The last movie I watched there was the robot-monster fight fest “Pacific Rim” and it was amazing. It’s currently showing “Captain America : Winter Soldier”.

Imax Melbourne

4. Melbourne Aquarium

A favorite haunt of mine as there is just something peaceful and de-stressing about a visit to the Aquarium. I have been there numerous times and it’s definitely not just for tourist.

Home to over 10,000 aquatic animals, including one of the world’s largest crocodiles, SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium takes you on an interactive adventure from the depths of the ocean to icy Antarctica.

The King Penguins are always a crowd favorite!

Melbourne Aquarium

5. Spend a day at the Victoria State Library

A visit to the library may sound boring but not the Victoria State Library. This HUGE building is more than just a place to read books, magazines and newspaper. There’s classic architecture to admire, art galleries, historical books and maps museum, etc.

And to increase the fun factor, you can play high tech games on the  Playstation / Xbox / Nintendo Wii consoles, have an intellectual game of Chess room, and enjoy the large collection of films and music.

Victoria State Library

Top 5 Things To Do In Melbourne On A Rainy Day

H&M arrives in Melbourne !!

H&M opening day queue

 

H&M arrives in Melbourne !

The global superstore opened to much fanfare yesterday and was greeted by thousands of Melbournians eager to check out this new shopping experience.

A typical queue wait time – for most of the day – to get into the massive store was around 3 hours ! I do love shopping but personally, I think I shall wait for the buzz to settle down a bit and avoid the queues !

Located in the historic Melbourne GPO (General Post Office) building, this  iconic Swedish retailer is the latest in a growing list of new overseas stores to hit Aussie shores like Zara, Topshop, Muji and GAP just to name a few.

I have been to H&M during overseas holidays and I reckon it is a nice addition to the department store landscape in Melbourne. It will be very interesting to see how the other big boys like Myer and David Jones react.

Hopefully, it’ll just mean more BARGAINS for Melbourne shoppers !



This post was originally posted in the Melbourne Ahoy website at http://melbourneahoy.com.au/hm-arrives-melbourne/

Heston Blumenthal and The Fat Duck comes to Melbourne !

In news just in this morning, British celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has announced that he will be relocating the Fat Duck, his three-Michelin starred restaurant, to Melbourne for six months while the UK venue is undergoing renovations.

One of the top chefs in the world, Heston Bluementhal made his name with his food creations popularly tagged as “molecular gastronomy”. He openly hates the term though and very much prefers to call it a less extravagant “modernist cuisine”.

Voted Best restaurant in the world in 2005 and omnipresent among the top 10 list, the Fat Duck is a HUGE coup for the Melbourne dining scene and the big boost for Melbourne’s already glowing international reputation. Just another reason why Melbourne is the world’s most liveable city !

In a huge bonus, Heston has  announced that he would bring his entire British staff and even parts of the Fat Duck restaurant to Melbourne ! That’s right – same quality of food, same staff / service and even a similar environment !

The new restaurant will open in the Crown Casino entertainment complex with Crown chairman James Packer saying this move will be a fantastic win for the resort and the Victorian tourism industry.

“To attract an internationally renowned chef and innovator of Heston’s calibre is a reflection on Melbourne’s culinary reputation,” Mr Packer said.

“The relocation of the coveted restaurant will be a big boost for local tourism, attracting interstate and international guests to Melbourne so they can experience a once in a lifetime dining opportunity.”

Melbourne triumphed for many reasons but not surprisingly with Heston a frequent visitor to Melbourne and with a good relationship with Crown over the years.

Heston Blumenthal said he would bring the Fat Duck’s tasting menu to Melbourne. ”It’s somewhere between 12 and 18 courses, it’s four hours of eating and it’s pure, total theatre – like falling down a rabbit hole into a wonderland.”

After six months, The Fat Duck will return to Britain and the Melbourne site will permanently become a branch of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal – two-Michelin-starred London restaurant that specialises in British food - at the Melbourne site.

Bookings for the Fat Duck Melbourne will open in September. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I can get a booking !

BON APPETIT !

 

Heston Blumenthal and The Fat Duck comes to Melbourne !

What property you get for $1m in Melbourne CBD

Ever wondered what kind of property you can get in the Melbourne CBD for a cool $1 million ? Being a very built up area, houses are practically non-existent but there are many luxurious apartments to choose from.

Here are some examples of million dollar apartments ..

1. This 3 bedroom property on St Kilda Road is listed at $995,000.



2. You can still get a three bedroom penthouse property with skyline views in Melbourne for just over a $1 million.



3. This inner city three bedroom Melbourne penthouse is on the market for $995,000 and is around the same size as what you can buy in Darwin.



If you are living overseas or interstate and interested in buying or renting a particular property in Melbourne, Melbourne Ahoy can help ! We can conduct a property site visit and produce a detailed customised Property Profile report to set your mind at ease. To find out more, visit our services page here.

Moomba Festival 2014 ...

Events galore !! White Night the week before and RAAF Centenary Airshow just last weekend. Now this week ... It's Moomba Festival time !

Head down to Birramung Marr by the Yarra river and join in the festivities. There's lots of rides, food, art displays, performances, etc. And not forgetting the famous Birdman Rally where competitors launch themselves off the bridge in hilarious costumes & ridiculous contraptions in a bid to see who can fly the furthest. Most result in spectacular crashes into the river!

Reads more about Moomba at my main website here ... http://bit.ly/1mSfZOH

And don't forget there's the Australian F1 Grand Prix being held next week from Thurs-Sun too.

There's always something happening in beautiful Melbourne !! Feel the buzz. 

It's White Night time in Melbourne again !

State Library

After holding the White Night event for the first time last year in 2013, White Night Melbourne is back this weekend on Saturday !!!

Last year, more than 300,000 people attended ! And I am betting this year will be even better especially with the pleasant weather predicted for this weekend.

If you don't now what White Night is, it is a special event starting at 7 pm where "Melbourne’s city streets, laneways, landmarks and cultural institutions will once again be transformed into a cultural playground from dusk-till-dawn". Originally held in St Petersburg Russia but made famous by the Nuit Blance festival in Paris, it has now spread to many cities around the world. And Melbourne is the only Australian city to host this amazing event !

But my favorite part is where they light up all the buildings in a psychedelic explosion of colour and creativity. Simply breathtaking. Here are some pictures to give you a taste but it doesn't even come close to conveying the wondrous sight and buzz of the atmosphere.

Hope you are in Melbourne to enjoy a night like no other.
:)

Melbourne heatwave continues ...

35-36-40-24 ..  that's the peak temperature for the next 4 days !

Buchan Caves

Frankly, I have had enough of this heatwave ! I can't wait for Summer to end and the cool of Autumn to come. Melbourne fall is my favorite season by far. I love the cool crisp weather and the lovely orange-red of the leaves. 

First, I have to get past this stinking hot weather. If you hate weather like this, one place to hide from the heat  would be the beautiful Buchan caves in eastern Victoria. It is very near the lovely beach town of Lakes Entrance - one of my favorite weekend escapes.

Stay cool my friends !

Melbourne property is fast growing yet affordable !

Great news if you have invested in Melbourne real estate ! Despite the naysayers, Melbourne real estate has continued to grow from strength to strength. 

According to an article from credit ratings agency Fitch, Australian house prices have grown faster than those in any other major economy and are forecast to outstrip even countries recovering from the GFC in 2014. Australian house prices have more than tripled since 1997, accelerating past other countries as the crisis bit in 2009.


As a long term property investor myself, I personally feel that there is much more growth to be appreciated as the real estate market evolves to a higher density environment. It definitely is not too late to grab your slice of the pie. 


Are you an overseas or interstate investor looking to buy property in Melbourne ? What do you think about the prospects of the Melbourne real estate market ?

Australian Open is back !

Maria Sharapova at the practice courts

When everyone starts dusting off their old tennis racquet for a hit, or you start seeing more people on the streets decked out in tennis gear, you know its that time of the year again ... Australian Open is back !

And what a great time it is to be in Melbourne. You can just feel the buzz and atmosphere. There's a big influx of tourists, the restaurants and pubs are packed and the weather this time of year is gorgeous.

And if you are lucky, you might even spot a tennis star or two !

Here's an exclusive Melbourne Ahoy tip if you enjoy "star gazing".  Most of the tennis stars are sponsored by major retail brands and they always make an appearance at the main store. For example, my favourite player Maria Sharapova never fails to attend the Tag Heuer store function in the Melbourne CBD.

Melbourne property prices rise in 2013

Surprise surprise, property prices haven risen again. According to the latest reports, Melbourne median property prices have risen 8.5%. 

Great news for existing homeowners but not so if you are in the market to buy one! The naysayers keep on predicting a CRASH in prices every year but it has not looked close to happening yet. 

So if you are in the market, go out and buy your property asap. You can't predict the future but based on almost 20 years worth of history, there is a higher chance that prices will continue to rise than it crashing. 

If you are waiting out for a price plunge before buying a home, my advice is don't hold your breath !

Farewell 2013 ... and on to a great NEW 2014 !

Farewell 2013 ! What a great year it has been for Melbourne Ahoy. The site visits are going strong and I am getting about 20-50 a day. Not bad for a part-time blogging hobby if I do say so myself. :)

Well, those who follow my Facebook site - which by the way has a lot of micro-posts that are not found here - will know that I had a small win on Melbourne Cup day ! Nothing big but enough to fund a dedicated Melbourne Ahoy website (which I promised to setup if I won).

So true to my word, I am in the process of setting up a brand spanking new standalone website ... Melbourne Ahoy !

I am currently working on my site design so any feedback or suggestions from you would be much appreciated. For example, article suggestions, sections you would like to see, etc.

Just post a comment on my Facebook page (link is on the sidebar) or pop a comment here.

Thanks again for all your support in 2013 ! I hope you stick around and help me to usher in 2014 with a big Melbourne Ahoy BANG !!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!!!

Moving to Melbourne temporary stay tip: Get some pre-loved wheels!

Moving to Melbourne but not permanently? My #1 transport tip is to get a used car!

With Melbourne public transport being not quite up-to-scratch by international standards (please read my old-but-still-very-valid article “Get Around, Get Around .. I Get Around ..”) and the city being so spread out, having your own car is essential.

But don’t let the fact that you won’t be here permanently stop you from buying your own set of wheels. This hot tip will work just as well whether you are here on a 6-month work contract or a few years as a student.

Go buy an old used car – around at least 8 to 10 years old. When you are ready to leave, give yourself a little bit of time (a month or so will do) and sell your car through the classifieds, Gumtree or Ebay. As an older car, most of the depreciation would already have occurred and with a little bit of smart bargaining, you will find that the loss is minimal.

For example, a friend of mine bought an old 1999 Suzuki Jimny a couple of years back and sold it just recently after finishing her studies. The difference in price? Just around $600!

This works out way better than hiring a car. And it will provide you with heaps more flexibility and (trust me) a lot less headache dealing with Melbourne’s public transport.

Hope you find this tip useful! :)

Melbourne Cup Carnival and "The Race that Stops the Nation"

Starting tomorrow, the week-long Melbourne Cup Carnival starts bringing horse racing fever to Melbourne! 

An event rich in tradition and history spanning over 150 years, the Melbourne Cup carnival is a truly unique Melbourne experience not to be missed!

For many, it is an excuse to dress up to the nines, go to races, have the once-in-a-year horse race bet and generally have a good time with friends. In fact, a great tradition is to go to the track car park and have a picnic (with lots of champagne of course!). Many don’t even watch a single race!

  

The major race days during the Carnival week are:

• Victoria Derby (1^st Sat) – The most exciting day for serious punters with the many top level races taking place.
• Melbourne Cup Parade (Mon) – Not a race day but an event not to be missed! Come and watch the jockeys and horses taking part in the Melbourne Cup parade down the streets of Melbourne CBD. The streets will be packed with tens of thousands of people so arrive early to get the best vantage points.
• Melbourne Cup (Tues) – The Race That Stops The Nation! The pinnacle of the carnival is undoubtedly the Melbourne Cup race day. It is held on the first Tuesday of every November at 3 pm and is also a public holiday! I’m not sure what other places in the world have a public holiday for a horse race but there can’t be too many!
• Oaks Day (Thurs) – This day is centred on the Ladies! Fashion parades, best dressed contests, etc. Not surprisingly, the highlight race of the day is for female horses only!
• Stakes Day (2^nd Sat) – A relaxed family oriented day to close off the carnival. Kids are encouraged to come with lots of activities and entertainment for children. There is even a Children’s Fashion contest to select the best dressed kid!

So put on your best suit or frock - not forgetting the fancy hats ladies - and see you at the races ! 

P.S. Many people take the Monday off work, have an extended 4-day weekend and a short holiday break. So book your accommodation early to avoid disappointment if you are planning to visit the popular holiday spots during this time!

The Winner of X-Factor Australia 2013 is .... DAMI IM !!!!!!

My heartest felt congratulations to Dami Im on winning X-Factor 2013 tonight !

No one deserves it more than you, Dami. You are just the most humble,  hardworking, beautiful, honest, open, etc contestant to grace these sort of talent reality TV show. I have never seen anyone connect with the audience - young and old - like you have.

Boy, will I miss looking forward to the next Dami Im performance on Sunday nights ... :(

Apologies to those who have come to this blog expecting a guide to moving to Melbourne and finding a mini Dami Im site instead ! But as with most of Australia, I have been swept up and recruited into the Dami Army ! LOL !

I guess its back to "regular programming" though Dami is a shining inspiration to anyone moving to Australia. Born in South Korea, Dami moved to Australia at the age of 9. A talented pianist, she took up singing to help make friends at school since she didn't speak much English. Obviously, she has since followed her dream and achieved it. Personally, I feel it is wonderful how Australia has embraced her and voted the first Asian-Australian to win a talent show of this kind. I hope this debunks the myth once and for all that Australians are racist !

All the best for the future Dami and I will be supporting you all the way ! Starting with buying your winner's single "Alive" on iTunes. :)

But as one last salute to the Dami Im X-Factor journey, I would like to take everyone to the moment when it all started - her audtion - when the Australia discovered the beautiful talent that is Dami Im. It truly shows how far she has come than since then.