Ricciardo revved up for F1 Melbourne

Ricciardo revved up for F1 Melbourne

Australian superstar Daniel Ricciardo was in Melbourne today to launch the 2015 Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix, as the event prepares to celebrate a milestone of two decades in Melbourne on 12-15 March.

Ricciardo took to the steps of the iconic Flinders Street Station, posing for photos alongside a Formula One car in an Australian Flag design, as excitement builds ahead of the event.

The spectacular Albert Park street circuit will again play host to the season opener of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship™ – with the V8 Supercars  once again part of the line-up – and Ricciardo believes the opening weekend in Melbourne is easily the most anticipated of the year.

"The Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix is pretty much the best way to start the season for me. It's one of my favourite events, not just because it's on home soil but because it's the first race, the first time you really get to put everything on the table and see where you stack up," Ricciardo said.

"The last year has been an incredible year for me, I couldn't have wished for a better start to my career with Infiniti Red Bull Racing. The fans and the support we get at the Australian GP is incredible and last year I definitely felt it on track. I'm looking forward to getting out there already – I'm excited!"

The Minister for Tourism & Major events, the Hon. John Eren MP, was also in attendance – he said the event is a proud part of Victoria's major events calendar.

"As the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix prepares to stage its 20th consecutive race since it came to Melbourne in 1996; there is no question that the event holds huge value to the State. This significant milestone is a timely reminder of how truly entrenched this event is in the social, cultural and sporting fabric of the city,” Minister Eren said.

"We are delighted the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix has been secured until 2020, the benefits to the tourism industry and the economy are indisputable. The global broadcast of the race is the perfect platform to showcase Melbourne to the world, with images of our stunning city skyline and parklands shown to millions across the globe.”

Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman, Mr Ronald J Walker AC CBE, said with the most promising local driver in decades set to line up on the grid; anticipation for the 2015 event is particularly high.

"We have an exceptional talent in Daniel Ricciardo; his fighting spirit and infectious smile have captured the imagination of all Australians. He has built on the strong foundations of Mark Webber, and we are incredibly fortunate to have the privilege of seeing him challenge the world's very best on home soil this March,” Mr Walker said.

Sunday General Admission tickets purchased before 1 March, 2015 are available at the early bird price of just $79. For more information, visit www.grandprix.com.au

Shows Australia: 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) Australia Show Tour

Hot on the heels of selling out two shows at London's iconic Wembley Arena, the chart-topping Sydney boys are heading out on the road to play their first-ever headline Australian arena shows, touring in support of their recently released self-titled #1 smash hit debut album - not bad for four teenagers from the Western suburbs of Sydney. 

5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) – Luke, Calum, Michael and Ashton, started the month with an incredible five songs in the top 50 of the ARIA single chart: double platinum debut and worldwide iTunes #1 She Looks So Perfect, UK #2 Don't Stop, Amnesia, Kiss Me Kiss Me and Everything I Didn't Say. The lyric video for their upcoming single, Amnesia, has already had more than 5.7 million views.

5SOS are a worldwide success with more than 92 million views on YouTube, more than five million fans on Facebook, a combined 15-million-plus Twitter followers and more than 1.75 million followers on Instagram.

Australia Tour Dates:

Allphones Arena, Sydney NSW  Sat 20 Jun
Brisbane Entertainment Centre, QLD  Tue 23 Jun
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne VIC  Thu 25 Jun
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, SA  Sat 27 Jun
Perth Arena, WA   Mon 29 Jun

Ideal Show Accommodation | Metro Hotels

About 5SOS (5 Seconds of Summer)

Formed in Sydney in 2011, the band consists of Luke Hemmings (lead vocals, guitar), Michael Clifford (guitar, vocals), Calum Hood (bass guitar, vocals) and Ashton Irwin (drums, vocals). The group were originally YouTube celebrities, posting videos of themselves covering songs from various artists in 2011. 

From there, they gained a small following in 2012 after posting a series of cover versions of popular songs ontoYouTube, then rose to international fame when One Direction invited them on their Take Me Home Tour.

- See more at: http://showsaustralia.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/5-seconds-of-summer-5sos-australia-show.html#sthash.G9aVAyFg.dpuf

Summer Sporting Extravaganza to Boost Australian Economy

In Australia, summer is all about sport. This season the addition of two major international events to the calendar is a big bonus, not just for sports lovers but for the economy as well.

Australians who don't enjoy sport turn off the television and head for the beach at this time of year.

For everyone else, there's a smorgasbord of Test and one-day cricket, PGA golf, an internationally famous yacht race, a grand slam tennis event, cycling and Formula One races.

The country is set to enjoy an unprecedented quantity of world sport worth an estimated A$320m ($267m; £172m) to the economy thanks to the addition of two major events.

The Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup - being held across five cities in January - and the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup, which will be played in Australia and New Zealand in February and March, eclipse other events in size and dollar value.

The Asian Cup is the biggest sporting event in Asia and the cricket World Cup is the third biggest sporting event in the world after the summer Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

Australia's summer of sport

• December 9 - January 10: Four cricket Test matches, Australia v India.
• December 11-14: Australian PGA golf Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast.
• December 26-30: Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
• January 9 - January 31, 2015: Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup.
• January 16 - February 1: Cricket one-day international tri series, Australia, India and England.
• January 17-25: Tour Down Under cycling classic, Adelaide and South Australia.
• January 19 - February 1: Australian Open grand slam tennis, Melbourne.
• February 14 - March 29: ICC World Cup.
• March 12-15: Australian Grand Prix Formula One, Melbourne.

Every year, between 1 December and 1 April, there are five million tickets on sale for sport and entertainment events across New South Wales, according to state government body Destination NSW. For the same period in 2014-2015, there are eight million tickets on sale.

"That's what happens when you add an Asian Cup and a World Cup to the calendar," says Asian Cup chief executive officer Michael Brown. "There's going to be a lot more people spending a lot more dollars."

Test Cricket

Australia's golden summer begins with the first of four Test cricket matches between Australia and India on 9 December. The fixtures were rescheduled to start later in the month because of the sudden death in late November of 25-year old Australian Test player Phillip Hughes.

Golf

The first Test now clashes with the Australian PGA golf event, while the Sydney to Hobart yacht race - which organisers claim is the largest spectator sporting event in the world - competes with the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

An estimated one million spectators will watch the start of the yacht race - about 300,000 of them from the water and another 700,000 lining Sydney's harbour and coastline, says chief executive officer of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Mark Woolf.

Economic Ipmact

The economic impact, however, is incalculable, says Mr Woolf, because it is a free spectator event.

"The metrics that come out of this race are enormous," he says. "It's not a stadium event. We don't have a captive audience. But there are tentacles everywhere.

"There's the investment of transporting and accommodating 118 boats and crew for the start. The crews bring their friends and families. Then there's provisioning and fuelling and self-catering for spectator picnics.

"Even the NSW town of Eden gets an economic lift. It's the last safe harbour for boats to refuel and restock before crossing Bass Strait. Once they reach Hobart the boats and crews have to get back to Sydney.

"Then there's the impact of those TV pictures of a perfect Sydney harbour beaming into Europe and America in the middle of winter on their Christmas night. It's hard to quantify the publicity and future tourism impact."

Asia Cup Soccer

As the Test cricket ends the Asian Cup kicks off on 9 January, with 16 teams playing 32 matches in Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

According to Mr Brown, PricewaterhouseCoopers has said the event will pump A$225m into the economy. Asian Cup organisers target ticket sales of 500,000, with 50,000 international visitors expected to attend.

Three of Australia's top ten trading partners - China, Japan and South Korea - have qualified, which means hosting the Asia Cup is a unique tourism, trade and investment opportunity for the country and the region, he says.

"The Asian Cup is Asia's biggest sporting event and football is the biggest team sport and the most popular sport in Asia," Mr Brown says. "In Asia, football outstrips cricket as a sport."

Tourism Tsunami

But the Asian Cup will also have to compete for spectators and TV audiences with the Tour Down Under cycling classic in South Australia and the Australian Open grand slam tennis tournament in Melbourne.

ICC World Cup Cricket

Then, the biggest sporting event of the summer begins on 14 February. More than one million people are expected to attend 49 one-day matches featuring 14 teams playing in the ICC World Cup at venues in Australia and New Zealand.

ICC World Cup chief executive officer John Harnden says 500,000 tickets have already been sold and tens of thousands of international spectators are expected to attend, creating a tourism tsunami between the two countries.

"There will be a lot of travel between Australia and New Zealand, and then India, the UK and the US are the three primary points of origin (for spectators)," says Mr Harnden.

"It is a great opportunity to showcase ourselves to the world and benefit from that great word of mouth from all those tens of thousands of tourists saying what a great time they had. If the Australian and New Zealand teams do well, that will be an even bigger bonus."

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20 free things to do in Melbourne

© Alan Lam/CC BY ND 2.0 Photographers love arcades like Block Court in Collins Street.

Melbourne is consistently voted the world’s most liveable city and Melburnians are quick to tell visitors what makes this city such a great place to live from their favourite restaurants (’400 Gradi makes the world’s best margarita, you know!’) to the laneway bars and cafes (‘better than Sydney’). But what makes a city really liveable is the stuff you can enjoy without opening your wallet.

Here is our guide to the best free stuff to do in the world’s most liveable city.

1. Go gallery hopping
The National Gallery of Victoria boasts an impressive collection with big names like Drysdale, Rodin and Constable among the many permanent works that can be seen for free in its international collections. Its premier gallery on St Kilda Road is itself a work of art, worth a tour in its own right, with a lofty stained-glass atrium that could make art aficionados skip with joy. At the Ian Potter Centre, just up the road in Federation Square, is the Australian collection which includes a stunning ground floor gallery of Aboriginal works.

While you’re at Federation Square, pop into the city’s celebrated ACMI (the Australian Centre for the Moving Image) for an interactive history of film and TV, including a good old dose of Neighbours nostalgia (Melbourne is the home of Neighbours, after all). Next up is the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art on Southbank – another architectural gem with a revolving exhibition calendar. Still not sated? There are a number of private galleries in the Flinders Lane precinct with smaller exhibitions of local and international artists.

© Terrazzo/CC BY-SA 2.0 Melbourne's free City Circle tram.

2. Tour the arty alleyways
Over the past decade Melbourne’s laneways have gone from shortcut passages in the main city grid to proud canvasses for some of the world’s best street art. You won’t find Banksy’s work here (it was reportedly painted over in error by a council worker), but what you will find is a dizzying mash-up of colourful murals by well-known local artists (names you will become more familiar with such as Be Free and Ha-Ha) as well as contributions from visiting artists. Start at Hosier Lane (opposite Federation Square) and follow the maze of laneways heading north from there. Part of the laneways experience is getting lost, but our street art walking tour map in the guide will help make sure you don’t miss any of the best bits.

3. Cycle the city back streets
Melbourne City government launched its public bicycle scheme (melbournebikeshare.com.au) in 2010 (you’ll see the blue bike kiosks dotted around the city) which makes exploring this cycle-friendly city even easier for visitors. OK, so there’s a holding deposit to get your mitts on one of these bikes, but the first 30 minutes’ hire is free. That’s just enough time to cycle from one end of the CBD to the other. Or break your day into a series of short hops, picking up and dropping off bikes at different kiosks all over town. For the prettiest Yarra River views, start your day at Freshwater Place on Southbank and whizz over Sandridge Bridge, checking out the Traveller installations en route to iconic Flinders Street Station on the fringe of the CBD.

4. Get high with rooftop views
You’re not going to be popular with the publicans of these bars and pubs if you don’t bust out a note and buy a drink, but technically you can get a lot of great views of Melbourne without forking out on the Sky Deck at the Eureka Tower. Roof tops bars dot the city from Swanston Street’s Rooftop Bar & Cinema (rooftopcinema.com.au) to Madame Brussels (madamebrussels.com) at the other end of Bourke Street. You can pretty much bar crawl your way around the CBD, soaking up Melbourne’s New-Yorkesque skyline as you go.

5. Meander Melbourne's many markets
Melburnians love a good market, and the city is stuffed to the gills with them. In almost any neighbourhood you can find markets selling fresh local produce, handmade crafts, secondhand treasures or gourmet hawker dishes at some point in the week. Browsing is free of course, and there are usually plenty of food samples to taste if you’re tempted. Besides the obvious big hitter, Queen Victoria Market in the city, there are plenty of less touristy markets to check out across town depending on where you’re staying. Try Camberwell Market (sundaymarket.com.au) for a Parisienne flea market vibe; the Rose Street Artists Market (rosestmarket.com.au) in Fitzroy to soak up some Melbourne creativity;  the summer-time-only Night Market at Victoria Market (qvm.com.au/night-market)  for hawker-style food and live music; and the Farmers Market at Abbotsford Convent or the Collingwood Children’s Farm (slowfoodmelbourne.com.au) for a bit of rural idyll in the city.

6. Soak up beachlife at St Kilda foreshore
When the city scene gets too much, head down to breezy St Kilda beach to witness a different kind of buzz. Wander along the sea front promenade and down St Kilda pier to take in the views, watch the fishermen or gawp at the gutsy windsurfers catching some waves. Acland Street is prime people-watching territory with pavement cafes galore; locals and tourists alike come here to window-shop and drool over the street’s old-school European cake shops. Snap the obligatory photo in front of Luna Park’s iconic grin before heading inside to check out its creaky amusement rides of yesteryear such as the carousel and scenic railway rollercoaster. Play the spectator because the rides will cost you. On Sundays a craft market sets up along the Esplanade. The back streets of St Kilda and neighbouring Elwood also deliver plenty for the architecture buff with some Victorian mansions, Edwardian houses, art-deco apartments and modernist units from the 1950s and 60s. Families should seek out the St Kilda Adventure Playground – a real treat for older kids.

© Alan Lam/CC BY ND 2.0 Historic carousel at Luna Park, St Kilda.

7. Appreciate Aboriginal history at the Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Centre
You may be wandering around Melbourne wondering what the place looked like before it was colonised by the British two centuries ago. For an introduction to the region from the traditional custodians, the Wurundjeri people, and to learn a few things about contemporary Koorie history and culture, head to the Koorie Heritage Trust’s Cultural Centre  in King Street (relocating to Federation Square mid-2015). A permanent social history exhibition is complemented by changing exhibitions by new and established Aboriginal artists. The Melbourne Museum also has excellent information on indigenous social and culture heritage but is only free for students and members.

8. Lap the centre in the City Circle Tram
This is your short-cut to seeing Melbourne city centre without breaking a sweat (although your ear drums may not thank you – the commentary is informative enough, but a little too loud for all but for the hard of hearing). The City Circle Tram trundles along a loop around the city and down to the waterfront precinct of Docklands. Heritage ‘W class’ trams run the circuit with wooden chairs, brass and leather hand straps like the originals from 1923.

9 Quiet reading at the State Library
The State Library of Victoria isn’t as stuffy as the name may suggest. This heritage building was established in 1854 and today, the collection numbers more than two million books. But you’re really here for the building. Its epicentre, the octagonal La Trobe Reading Room, was completed in 1913 when its dome was the largest of its kind in the world. Natural light illuminates the ornate plasterwork and the studious Melburnians who come here to pen their essays. Grab a map at the front desk and go for a self-guided tour of the Reading Room and the exhibition galleries. The library also plays host to a revolving door of exhibitions from literary to the fine arts, as well as free classes, workshops, talks and kids activities. Check out the events calendar on its website.

© Rexness/CC BY-SA 2.0 Federation Square, home to the NGV and ACMI

10. Pack a picnic in the Royal Botanic Gardens
Close to the hearts of all those who call Melbourne home the Royal Botanic Gardens is a top place to engage with local life. Dating from 1857, this 38-hectare swathe of hilly green space at the edge of the CBD is divided up into different themes with a lake at its centre. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a long afternoon picnicking and then stroll the myriad paths within the park. There is also a purpose-built Children’s Garden for families with a water fountain and man-made creek to splash in come summer. Night and day, but particularly early in the mornings, you’ll be sharing the perimeter with fitness fanatics running the 3.84km circuit of the garden known locally as ‘The Tan’.  Keen botanists should check the website for free guided tours.

11. Get reverential in Melbourne's churches
You don’t have to be religious to appreciate the construction of some of Melbourne’s grand churches. The gothic St Paul’s Cathedral (opposite Federation Square) is built on the same site where the first Christian service in Victoria was held in 1835. A few minutes away are St Michael’s Uniting Church and Scots Church: both also architecturally impressive and quiet oases in the city.

12. Instagram your pick of Melbourne's architectural gems
Speaking of architecture, Melbourne city centre is rife with heritage-protected buildings of various eras and styles. Get ready to fill your camera data card quickly as you wander the streets spotting the famous or quirky city buildings, old advertising paintings and far-out futuristic structures. Standouts include the Flinders Street Railway Station, Federation Square, Block Arcade, the Nicholas Building and ANZ’s gothic headquarters. And if you love to share there’s Instagtam as well as open Flickr groups to upload your best compositions. Every July, you can go one step further and get a free peep inside many of Melbourne’s off-limits architectural highlights at the city’s annual Open House event.

13. Pay your respect at the Shrine of Remembrance
The statuesque Shrine of Remembrance, off St Kilda Rd, was completed in 1934 as a dedication to the men and women who lost their lives in WWI. Historical exhibitions shed light on the sacrifices made and it’s the site of some of Melbourne’s most important military and remembrance ceremonies such as ANZAC day. Visible from the other end of town, planning regulations continue to restrict any building that would obstruct the view of the shrine from Swanston St as far back as Lonsdale St. A climb to the steps of the shrine will be rewarded with fine views across the city.

14. Gigs, gigs, free gigs
After coffee, street art and footy (Australian Rules football, that is) Melburnians love their live music. There is a host of free gigs on all over the city pretty much any day of the week. In the city Cherry Bar is infamous as a rock venue (appropriately on AC/DC Lane) and has a mix of free as well as paid-entry gigs. Also in town is Ding Dong, Toff in Town and the John Curtain Bandroom. If you prefer folk, blues, jazz, pop, or even Australian hip-hop (yep there is such a thing) check listings in the local street press like Beat,  which you can pick up at bars, pubs and cafes, or the indy radio-station RRR’s online gig guide (rrr.org.au). Beyond the CBD, suburbs such as Northcote (Northcote Social Club), Brunswick (The Retreat) and St Kilda (The Esplanade Hotel) all have plenty of live-music venues.

15. Become a literature buff at the Wheeler Centre
The founders of Lonely Planet funded the Wheeler Centre in 2010, the same year Melbourne was listed as a UNESCO City of Literature. Occupying a portion of the State Library Building, the Centre is a space for ‘Books, Writing and Ideas’. Regular events, including workshops and talks from artists, writers, architects and publishers are usually free to attend. Bookings can be made via the website.

© Daniel2177/CC BY 2.0 Melbourne Town Hall is a popular performance venue.

16. Wave to the masses from Melbourne's Town Hall
History and architecture aficionados will enjoy touring the Melbourne Town Hall. The building is made from a mix of bluestone and Tasmanian freestone and stands authoritatively on the main city thoroughfare of Swanston Street. It is still a well-used venue with concerts, comedy and public talks held in the main auditorium as well as the smaller chambers year round. Another big draw is the Grand Organ dating from 1929. To go behind the scenes and stand on the portico where The Beatles and Abba once waved to their adoring fans you can book a free Town Hall tour (weekdays only) by calling 03 9658 9658.

17. Play board games at the pub
Fancy sharing a pint with some Aussies at a local pub… while pouring over a nostalgia-inducing board game or getting stuck into a giant jenga competition? Get your geek on and make a beeline for the Royal Standard Hotel every second Wednesday at 6pm. There are other gaming groups that meet in different parts of the city. Check out a calendar of events on Meetup.

18. Delve into Melbourne's early urban history
To really get under Melbourne’s skin, ditch the CBD and explore some of the city’s urban history in the increasingly gentrified neighbourhoods of the inner north. Online walking tours of Collingwood, Abbotsford and Clifton Hill are available from the local council’s website and take you past industrial icons like the Skipping Girl Vinegar sign (best seen at dusk) as well as Abbotsford Convent and Dights Falls.

19. Point at the pollies in parliament
No, you can’t take popcorn with you for a session of Victorian parliament but watching Australian politicians debating the latest in government policy can be entertaining. Check the government’s Parliament website to find out when you can spectate on the Legislative of Assembly for free. If watching politicians trying to score cheap political points in the luxe leather-and-wood environment of this stately house isn’t your thing, you may get more out of the free public tour instead.

20. Plane spot at Melbourne Airport and the RAAF Museum
It may be a trek to get to the Royal Australian Air Force Museum in Point Cook, but the aircraft and aviation displays are fascinating and free (donations are appreciated). Call ahead to enquire about the guided tours, only on offer for groups of six or more, though you may be able to join another group. For more aviation enjoyment on a budget, you can join the plane-spotters watching aeroplanes taking off from Melbourne airport near the corner of Oaklands road and Sunbury Road.

Source: http://www.msn.com/en-au/travel/article/20-free-things-to-do-in-melbourne/ar-BBde2xl?ocid=mailsignout


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