Melbourne's cool streets
From the bohemian chic of Brunswick Street in Fitzroy to the exotic sights, sounds and smells of Victoria Street in Richmond, Melbourne's thoroughfares seem limitless in their allure, colour and atmosphere.
Chapel Street, South Yarra (above)
Like an issue of Vogue or GQ, Chapel Street is all about image. The beautiful people have to shop somewhere and, because it has a greater concentration of salons, solariums and fashion boutiques for every square metre than anywhere else in Melbourne, this is their strip. Women strut their stuff as they peruse designer clothes shops such as Saba, Collette Dinnigan, Scanlan & Theodore and Kookai. Men hiding behind Gucci sunglasses cruise by in open-topped sports cars and drink lattes at sidewalk cafes. This is the street in which to see and be seen.
Victoria Street, Richmond
Victoria Street epitomises the cultural diversity synonymous with Melbourne. The city's growing Vietnamese community has transformed what was once a nondescript traffic route into what could pass for a backstreet in Hanoi. The smell of steamed Peking duck and incense lies heavily in the air, hanging over a bewildering jumble of Asian supermarkets, family-run grocery shops, fishmongers, fruit stalls and Chinese herbalist shops. Vietnamese restaurants such as Tran Tran, Victoria and Vao-Doi make this one of the city's best areas for dining. One of the best eateries is the bring-your-own Thy, where you can stuff yourself silly for less than A$20 (HK$113).
Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
Almost anything goes on Brunswick, a former blue-collar zone in the city's northern shadow. It is home to some of Melbourne's most freethinking inhabitants, including hippies, animal activists, yuppies, beggars, fiddle-playing punks and blue-haired feral types sporting an array of body piercings. Take a stroll through this microcosm of society, with its bohemian cafes and alternative bookstores; shop, perhaps, for bold, brazen but utterly feminine underwear at Venus Envy, a lingerie shop noted for its unique fabrics and prints. Need some new rave gear? The Ministry of Style is the place to go. You might even like to drop in on a yoga or meditation class.