Central Business District - Part I

Sunday was our first day venturing outside of our neighborhood and we started with the Central Business District (CBD).  Melbourne was founded in 1835 by settler John Batman when he decided a point on the Yarra River would be "the place for a village".  Two years later, Robert Hoddie designed Melbourne's central grid pattern which has since become the Central Business District.  Today, it is a hub for corporate businesses, restaurants, bars, and public transportation.  

We started our morning at The Shrine of Remembrance, the region's largest war memorial.  The Shrine is a tribute to the country's fallen soldiers and other servicemen who sacrificed their lives during the First and Second World Wars.  

We then crossed the street to the Royal Botanic Gardens.  The Gardens were founded in the mid-1800's and encompass 94 acres of greenery.  Although we did not visit on the sunniest of days, the park was very pretty and we enjoyed walking around.

Our final stop in the CBD was the National Gallery of Victoria.  The gallery was opened in 1861 and is the oldest and most visited art gallery in Australia.  

After visiting the museum, we made our way to Welcome to Thornbury, an ex-car-factory-now-600-seat beer garden.  It was a nice way to round out the afternoon and we enjoyed grabbing a beer and food from the local food trucks parked outside.  

We are headed back to the Central Business District today as we have a few additional sights to check off our list.  Part II will be coming soon!