Tourism also plays an important role in Melbourne's economy, with approximately 7.6 million domestic visitors and 1.88 million international visitors in 2004. In 2008, Melbourne overtook Sydney with the amount of money that domestic tourists spent in the city.

Melbourne has also been attracting an increasing share of domestic and international conference markets. Construction began in February 2006 of a $1 billion 5000-seat international convention centre, Hilton Hotel and commercial precinct adjacent to the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre to link development along the Yarra River with the Southbank precinct and multi-billion dollar Docklands redevelopment.

Melbourne is a city that can show you everything from penguins to koalas.  Here are a few things that you won't want to miss and tips that you'll want to take with you on your Melbourne trip.

1.  Check out the Philip Island nature reserve.  This is especially incredible if you go at night because that's when the nightly parade of penguins happens (they return ashore and head for their sand dune homes at sunset after a day of fishing).  Depending on the time of year, you can see several hundred to several thousand penguins heading home from a tiring day of fishing.  It's a real sight to behold.  But, if you want an insider tip, the best time to visit is in December, the height of summer in Australia.  That's when there are the greatest number of penguins.  So, it's absolutely amazing to see.  And, make sure to dress warmly since there's usually a nice cool breeze during the sunset hours.

2.  Think you're trendy and hip? You need to take a walk around St. Kilda.  This beachside district is an oasis of calm in a busy city.  This is also where you'll find some of the most amazing bars, clubs, and nightlife in the entire city.  If you get there during the day, make sure to take the time to stroll around and enjoy some coffee and home made cake at one of the many cafes in the area.  You'll be glad you stopped by.

3.  Love to go shopping? Well, Melbourne has plenty to offer.  Check out the department stores.  They are a shopper's paradise.  Central Melbourne offers up some of the best shopping with two huge department stores Myer and David Jones, both located within walking distance of one another.  But, there are also shopping malls in th surrounding areas too.  

Myer 314-336 Bourke Street, Melbourne
David Jones 310 Bourke Street, Melbourne

4.  Love animals? Well, take a trip over to the Melbourne Zoo.  Yes, I said it... the zoo.  Here, you'll see over 350 species of animals many of which are indigenous to Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.  This is a great place to visit with family and to see all those creatures you expected to see on your trip: wombats, koalas, kangaroos, platypus, quokka, wallaby, etc.  There are also plenty of exotic birds, reptiles, and insects to keep you busy for quite some time.  But, don't forget to visit the Butterfly House which features over 800 butterflies at any one time.  I guarantee you you'll see some species that you've never seen before.

5.  Browse for stuff at the Queen Victoria Market and try to go there earlier.  This Melbourne institution is a huge market that sells you just about anything and everything you could desire.  That includes bargain basement clothing, accessories, fresh produce, and much more.  You can even browse around the pet section for a new pet... although you may have a hard time trying to take the pet home with you.  Definitely try to go earlier in the day because it gets fairly crowded.  You can definitely take a guided tour of the market, but I'd suggest you take the time to walk around yourself and see the place for yourself.

6.  Like museums, one I'd recommend is the Jewish museum located in the Jewish area of St. Kilda.  This museum provides you with an in-depth look at Jewish life in Australia through a range of permanent and changing exhibitions.  Expect to see all sorts of history and culture in the form of newspaper cuttings, photographs, art, and memorabilia.  There are also interactive displays that are aimed at the younger visitors and a pretty decent gift shop for you to buy a few goodies for the folks at home.  If you want, the museum also offers you a tour of the nearby St. Kilda synagogue and another shil, Temple Beth Israel.   

Melbourne has a moderate oceanic climate and is well known for its changeable weather conditions. This is mainly due to Melbourne's location situated on the boundary of the very hot inland areas and the cold southern ocean. This temperature differential is most pronounced in the Spring and Summer months and can cause very strong cold fronts to form. These cold fronts can be responsible for all sorts of severe weather from gales to severe thunderstorms and hail, large temperature drops and heavy rain.

Port Phillip is often warmer than the surrounding oceans and/or the land mass particularly in spring and autumn and this can set up a kind of 'bay effect' similar to the 'lake effect' seen in the United States where showers are intensified leeward of the bay. Relatively narrow streams of heavy showers can often affect the same places for an extended period of time, usually the eastern suburbs whilst the rest of Melbourne and surrounds stays dry.

Melbourne is also prone to isolated convective showers forming when a cold pool crosses the state, especially if there is considerable daytime heating. These showers are often heavy and can contain hail and squalls and significant drops in temperature but pass through very quickly at times with a rapid clearing trend to sunny and relatively calm weather and the temperature rises back to what it was before the shower, this occurs often in the space of minutes and can be repeated many times in a day. This has a lot to do with why Melbourne has a reputation for 'four seasons in one day'.  The phrase "four seasons in one day" is part of popular culture and observed by many visitors to the city.

During the spring, Melbourne commonly enjoys extended periods of mild weather and clear skies. Melbourne and Sydney's average January and February daily highs are similar.  However, Melbourne's summers are notable for days of extreme heat, with Melbourne holding the Australian capital city extreme temperature record of 46.4°C, set on 7 February 2009.

How do you celebrate New Years Eve?  Do you like to go out and find a party? 

Do you create your own gatherings or find a nice place to watch the fireworks?  People celebrate New Years eve in a variety of different ways.  For most people, New Years Eve is a great time to find that amazing New Years Eve bash to ring in the New Year in style.  New Years Eve parties come in all shapes and sizes and you can probably find a pretty good one near you relatively easily.  Many cultures also use fireworks and other forms of noise-makers in order to create a more festive atmosphere for New Years Eve.

Each major city around Australia holds New Year’s Eve celebrations, usually accompanied by a fireworks display amongst other events. Gloucester Park, a racecourse in central Perth, is the largest and most recognised display in Perth. In Brisbane 50,000 people annually gather at sites around the Brisbane River in the city to watch a fireworks display while events are held in the city and at Southbank.

The two largest New Year's Eve celebrations in Australia are held in its two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne. The celebrations in Sydney are usually accompanied by a theme which is displayed in light shows and a large symbol in the middle of theSydney Harbour Bridge. Over 1.5 million people gathered around Port Jackson (Sydney attendance of 2 million people). The fireworks display last from 15 to 25 minutes and is followed by music shows set on several stages throughout the beach.

As one of the first major New Year's celebrations each year (due to time zones), Sydney's fireworks display is often broadcast throughout the world during the day of 31 December.

Even if you’re unable to travel to Melbourne, Australia this year to celebrate New Year’s Eve, there are plenty of great New Year’s Eve events and New Year’s Eve Parties that are themed around the idea of having a passport around the world.  Find a party near you and have a Happy New Year!