Aboriginal People The number of people living in Victoria before arrival of Europeans was thought to be about 12,000, but recent research suggests there could have been 50,000 or more. They lived in 38 district groups, and their first contact with Europeans was with the sealers and whalers who visited the coast line in the early 1800s. By 1835 the first permanent European settlers has arrived in Victoria, and in the land grab that followed the Aborigines were all but wiped out - by smallpox epidemics, guns and poison. Despite fiercely resisting the European invasion, their spears and clubs were no match for the settlers' weapons, and by 1860 there were only about 2000 Aborigines in Victoria. Under the Protectorate System, surviving Aborigines were gathered up and placed in reserves run by Christian missionaries. By 1863 there were six such reserves. In 1886, the Aborigines Protection Act was passed. The act stipulated the only full-blooded Aboriginal people could remain in the reserves. Other Children were taken from their parents and 'relocated', while the rest remained on the reserves until most eventually died out. Because Victorian aborigines' traditional way of life and political/social organisation was destroyed so early it is difficult for the survivors to reclaim their land under the Land Right legislation. It's hard to prove 'continuous occupation' when your ancestors were massacred or forced into missions. However, the Yorta Yorta people of the Barmah region have gathered enough evidence to claim the Barmah State Park and despite opposition from Victorian government are fighting the claim through the courts. Today about 20,000 Koories(as Aborigines from south-eastern Australia are known) live in Victoria.

Climate Statistically, the weather in Victoria and Melbourne is not too bad; average temperatures in summer or winter are only a few degrees less than Sydney's and Melbourne is certainly far less humid than Sydney or Brisbane. The annual rainfall is also less than either of those damp cities. The trouble with Melbourne's climate is that it's totally unpredictable (especially in spring); hence the old joke that if you don't like the weather, just wait a minute. Expect the unexpected. Although the weather is basically somewhat cooler in Melbourne than elsewhere in continental Australia, you'll rarely need more than a light overcoat or jacket, even during winter. Inland however, in places like Ballarat or in the Alps, it can get really cold. North of the Great Dividing Range winter nights can be frosty but the days are often clear and warm. In summer the whole state can heat up and January and February heat waves in Victoria can mean temperatures in the 40 degrees. Melbourne has higher summer maximum temperatures than Sydney and Brisbane, but a run of hot days is broken by temperatures cooler than either of those cities. Basically, Victoria is worth visiting at any time of the year, but to miss the really gloomy weather, avoid the south of the state June, July and August.

Geography Victoria's geography is very diverse, containing much the same elements as New South Wales and Queensland bur in a much smaller area. It includes a long coastline, the final stretch of the Great Dividing Rnage and associated outcrops plus flatter country to the west. The Victorian coast is particularly varied. On the eastern side in the mountain- backed Gippsland region, with a large system of lakes, while the west is spectacular coastline running to South Australia. The Great Dividing Range reaches its greatest altitude across the Victoria-New South Wales border. The north-west of the state, beyond the Great Dividing Range, is flat plains. Much of the plains were created over the aeons by the floods and meanderings of the mighty Murray River. It is especially dry and empty in the extreme north-west of the state, where you'll find the eerie semidesert of the Sunset Country.

St. Kilda Seaside St. Kilda is Melbourne's most cosmopolitan suburb - it's an exuberant blend of stylich and seedy, alternative and arty, hip and hypnotic. Fitzroy St and Acland St are the main streets - both are a constant hive of activity, especially on weekends and late at night, and both are lined with interesting bars, cafes and restaurants. St. Kilda foreshore area have been impressively redeveloped, with several restaurants perfectly positioned along the beachfront.. It's also very pleasant to stroll out along the St. Kilda Pier - there's a café at the end, and you can hire boats and bikes or take a ferry ride across the bay to Williamstown. There's also a small penguin colony, tours of which operate from the pier. Every Sunday the Esplanade Sunday Market features a huge range of art and craft stalls. With its famous 'laughing face' entry gates, the Luna Park amusement park is a local icon. Held each February, the St. Kilda Festival features local performing artist, bands and writers, with street stalls and parades, concerts and readings, and fireworks display over the beach as a finale. Once notorious as Melbourne's sin centre (a pale imitation of Sydney's Kings Cross), St. Kilda's image has been given a major facelift in recent years, although it can still be somewhat perilous to wander the streets late at night, particularly for women.

Other Suburbs South of the centre are other inner suburbs with many restored old homes, particularly the bayside suburbs of South Melbourne, Middle Park and Albert Park, Emerald Hill in South Melbourne is a whole section of 1880s Melblourne, still in relatively authentic shape. The parklands around Albert Park Lake, which stretch from Albert Park to St. Kilda, were controversially redeveloped and are the venue for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix car race. Port Melbourne is a traditional working class suburb that has also been a target for gentrification. Station Pier is a departure point for ferries to Tasmania. Sandwiched between the city and Richmond is the compact area of East Melbourne; like Parkville it's one of the most concentrated areas of old Victorian buildings around the city with numerous outstanding examples of early architecture. Wealthier inner suburbs to the east, which also contain some interesting shopping centres, include Armadale, Malvern, Hawthorn and Camberwell.

Victoria In 1851 the colony Victoria was formed. At about the same time gold was discovered, and the population doubled. Many diggers made or lost their fortunes and returned to their homelands, but many more stayed and established mew settlements and work the land. Victoria is Australia's smallest mainland state but features some of the country's most diverse landscapes and some of its most impressive national parks. Aboriginal People The number of people living in Victoria before arrival of Europeans was thought to be about 12,000, but.... Climate Statistically, the weather... Geography Victoria's geography is very diverse, containing... National & State Parks Victoria has 34 national parks, 40 state parks and a wide range of other protected areas, including coastal and marine reserves and historic areas. These parks are managed by Parks Victoria, which has offices in Melbourne and thoughout the state and also publishes leaflets about virtually every park in Victoria. Melbourne is Australia's second largest city and lays claim to being the fashion, food and cultural capital of Australia. Well, it's my favourite city of the country. For years it was also considered to be Australia's financial and business capital, bur now it shares that role with Sydney. At the Yarra River - the Southgate Complex In the City centre - Bourke St. pedestrian mall In the gold rush era the city was know as 'Marvellous Melbourne'. The period of great prosperity lasted until the end of 1880s, when the property marked collapsed and led to a severe depression. Melbourne today is a vibrant multicultural city which is passionate about the arts (mainstream and fringe; 'high' and 'low'), sports, food and wine, and the good life. It may lack the physical impact of its more flamboyant northern sister and take a little more time to get to know, but it has much to offer. Mark and Beate having a wine session I stayed a while at Marks place in Brighton. Mark - stayed in Denmark for a while - so he practices danish at every occasion...and he's music freak - plays the Bass. The city's birth and major period of development paralleled Queen Victoria's reign(1837-1901), and the city is in many ways a product of its formative era both architecturally and socially. It's traditionally conservative city of eleborate Victorian-era buildings, gracious parks and gardens, and tree-lined boulevards. Since WWII, the social fabric has been transformed by thousands of immigrants, and the city has been greatly enriched by the influence of people and cultures from around the world. Several building booms, most notably that the 1980s, have altered the city physically so that it is now a striking blend of past and present, with ornate 19th-century buildings sitting alongside towering skyscrapers. St. Paul's Cathedral at the corner of Flinders St. station and Swanson St., is a masterpiece of Gothic revivalist architecture. Melbourne By Night If Melbourne has a symbol then it's a movable one - trams. The real Melbourne tram - St. Kilda - Waiting for the Tram green and yellow, ancient looking and half the weight of an ocean liner - can still be seen, although most trams are now the less attractive (but more comfortable) modern way of transport. St. Kilda My favourite suburb... The people of Melbourne are very fond of rollerblades, and you see them everywhere - especially along the beach promenade Williamstown At the mouth of the Yarra, this is one of the oldest parts of Melbourne and it has many interesting old buildings and lots of waterside activity. Williamstown remained relatively isolated until the completion of the West Gate Bridge suddenly brought it to within a few minutes of the city centre. Other Suburbs South of the centre.... Elwood Beach - Dec. 1998 Beaches The bayside beaches are reasonably good considering their proximity to the city. The bay itself tends to look murky, but it's clean enough for swimming, and the beaches have broad strips of sand. Closest the city are the popular Albert Park and Middle Park beaches; farther around there's St. Kilda and Elwood, Brighton and Sandringham, which are all quite pleasant. Beyond Sandringham is the very good Half Moon Bay - well worth the half-hour drive from the city. If your're looking for surf and spectaciular ocean beaches, head for either the Mornington Peninsula or the Great Ocean Road (known as the 'east coast' and the 'west coast' respectively) - both are just over an hour's drive from the city centre. Around Melbourne The Great Ocean Road, which runs south-west from Geelong towards South Australia, has some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the world. To the south-east of the capital is Phillip Island with a nightly penguin parade. Farther south is Wilsons Promontory - the southernmost point on the Australian mainland and also one of the best loved national parks, with stunning scenery and bushwalks. Driving to the east you can experience beautiful coastline at the Mornington Peninsula. Continuing east towards the New South Wales border there's more great coast and superb rainforests in the wilderness national parks of East Gippsland. Victoria's tretch of the Great Dividing Range includes the Victorian Alps, which have some of the best ski fields in Australia and which are much closer to Melbourne than the New South Wales fields are to Sydney. In the summer the mountains offer camping, walking and a whole host of outdoor activities. You don't have to go all the way to the Alps to get into the hills; the ever-popular Dandenongs are less than an hour's drive east of Melbourne, and the spectacular Grampians are to the West