Melbourne

From Metapedia

Melbourne) is the more common name for the geographic region and statistical division of the Greater Melbourne^[1] metropolitan area. It is the second most populous city in Australia, with a population of approximately 3.8 million (2007 estimate) and serves as the state capital of Victoria.^[1] Melbourne is located on the lower reaches of the Yarra River and on the northern and eastern shorelines of Port Phillip and their hinterland.

A tiny pastoral town established by settlers from Van Diemen's Land around the estuary of the Yarra (47 years after the first European settlement of Australia)^[1] was rapidly transformed into a wealthy metropolis by the Victorian gold rush and immigration. By 1865, Melbourne had become Australia's largest and most important city, and by the 1880s one of the largest and richest in the world.^[1][1][1]

Many international and national conferences and events have been held in Melbourne, including the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the 1981 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting^[1] the World Economic Forum in 2000, and the 2006 G20 summit.^[1]

The city is a major centre of commerce, education, tourism, the arts and cultural activities, and also industry. It is consistently ranked one of the most liveable cities in the world.^[1][1][1] The city is recognised as Australia's 'sporting and cultural capital'^[1] and it is home to many of the nation's most significant cultural and sporting events and institutions. It has been recognised as a gamma world city by the Loughborough University group's 1999 inventory.^[1] Melbourne is notable for its mix of Victorian and contemporary architecture, its extensive tram network and Victorian parks and gardens, as well as its diverse, multicultural society.^[1]