A Brief History
When you book plane tickets to Melbourne from Darwin, there is a fascinating history to discover. Before European settlers arrived in Australia, the Melbourne area was inhabited by the Kulin Indigenous Australians, who called the area home for close to 40,000 years. The area was first settled by Europeans in 1803 and had several names (including Batmania) before it officially became known as Melbourne in 1837. By 1861, Melbourne was the largest city in Australia after gold was discovered nearby in Ballarat. The city continued to thrive over the next several decades, and Melbourne hosted the first international exhibition in 1880. Melbourne then acted as the interim capital of Australia between 1901 and 1927 as Canberra was being built. Over time, the art scene in Melbourne flourished, leading to the city’s current reputation as one of the leading cultural hubs of Australia. When you book flights Darwin to Melbourne, you’ll find a variety of experiences to fully immerse yourself in the history and culture of the region.
Top Experiences for Visitors with Flights Darwin to Melbourne
Ride Puffing Billy through the Dandenongs
When you book cheap flights Darwin to Melbourne, taking a ride on the Puffing Billy railway is the perfect way to experience the beauty of the Dandenong Ranges. Located east of Melbourne, the Dandenongs is an area of mountains and lush forest that make a great day trip out. Puffing Billy is a steam railway that has been travelling the same route between Belgrave and Gembrook for almost 100 years. Visitors with Darwin to Melbourne flights can relax and enjoy the scenery as the train chugs along the track.
Melbourne Museum
Learn about the many aspects of Melbourne’s heritage after your flights Darwin to Melbourne by visiting the Melbourne Museum. The museum showcases a variety of artefacts related to many aspects of the region’s history. Exhibits you can explore after your Darwin to Melbourne flights include Dynamic Earth, the Dinosaur Walk, the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, and the Mind and Body Gallery. Tickets to visit the museum are $15 AUD ($15.80 NZD) for adults and free for children and students.
Stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens
Lovers of the outdoors can experience nature’s bounty without venturing too far from Melbourne’s CBD. The Royal Botanic Gardens were founded in 1846 and have become a major hub for biodiversity research. The gardens cover 36 hectares and feature about 8,500 species of plants. Visitors with cheap flights to Melbourne from Darwin can walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens to see 30 different plant collections, including an Australia Forest Walk, Fern Gully, Southern China Collection, and a Tropical Display.
See a match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
The famous Melbourne Cricket Ground is the tenth-largest cricket stadium in the world and the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. If you are a fan of sports, plan your Darwin to Melbourne return flights to coincide with a game at the MCG. The ground was built in 1853 and became internationally known when it was host to the 1956 Olympic Games. Various sporting events are held at the MCG, including cricket, AFL, rugby union, and rugby league.
Old Melbourne Gaol
The Old Melbourne Gaol operated between 1842 and 1929 and became infamous for housing some of Australia’s most notorious criminals. Some of its most notorious residents include Frederick Bailey Deeming (a man once suspected of being Jack the Ripper) and infamous bushranger Ned Kelly. Visitors with cheap flights to Melbourne from Darwin are able to tour the Old Melbourne Gaol to learn about this unique site. You could plan your visit to the Gaol during the day, or have an even more exciting experience by taking a haunted night tour.
The Best Time to Visit with Darwin to Melbourne Flights
In order to experience the best weather, plan your flights Darwin to Melbourne in the spring or autumn. During these seasons, temperatures average about 20°C during the day. Summer gets hot in Melbourne, with lots of sunshine and average daytime temperatures of about 26°C. However, summer also receives more rainfall than the other seasons. If you book cheap flights Darwin to Melbourne for travel during winter, you’ll need to prepare for chilly temperatures that can drop to about 7°C at night. Winter is the low season in Melbourne, so it’s the ideal time to plan your Darwin to Melbourne flights if you are looking for a bargain on accommodation and flights into Melbourne Airport (MEL) or Avalon Airport (AVV).
