There's a great deal of friendly competition between two major cities in Australia -
Sydney and Melbourne
I compare them as an outsider, who's been fortunate enough to live a few months in Sydney and in Melbourne. I think they are each uniquely dazzling and delightful.
Still, what makes a city great?
Let's consider a few things that place a city on the map and keep it there: city planning/budget, pro sports, celebs/culture, and of course, food.
The final decision is yours.
Here are some quick stats on each:
MELBOURNE
17 pro sports teams Including the Melbourne Football Club, the
oldest continuously existing sports club in the world.
Great city planning with current budget in the black, publicly available at City Hall.
Hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics and aims at 2024 or 2028.
Home of the only
Little Penguins existing in the world.
Healesville Sanctuary - platypus display is superior to any in Sydney.
Known as the 'Fashion Capital of Australia'.
Flemington Races.
Royal Botanic Gardens.
Observatory
RBGSpring Discovery Walk.
Melbourne Museum and other great affordable museums.
Famous for city Tram Cars (one of which is in use in San Fracisco as a trolley car).
Active Tram Car Diner.
Free guided boat tours of the Port of Melbourne.
Horse and carriage rides.
Known for charming old arcades.
Hometown of Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers) - which alone makes Melbourne the most beautiful city.
The Arts Centre.
Known for supper clubs and elegant high tea.
Best known as a cafe city with excellent coffee and chocolates.
SYDNEY
27 professional sports teams.
Hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Voted by Lonely Planet as the 9th most kid friendly city in the world.
Kid friendly Christmas Sydney
Very famous for the Opera House.
Darling Harbour.
Parramatta River ferries and dinner cruises.
Madame Tussauds Sydney Wax Museum
World's Largest IMAX theatre screen.
Sydney Aquarium.
Oldest government building in Australia.
Experiment Farm and Old Government House.
Elizabeth Farm and other cultural gems.
Koala Park Sanctuary - best hands-on zoo experience in either city.
Finding Nemo by Pixar Studios.
Hillsong music/ TV.
Known for sumac, coffee, and chocolates. See the
Foodie's Guide to Sydney
Both cities have great Aboriginal art and culture, beautiful beaches and exceptional wildlife. They both have platypi, but the ones in Sydney are not the same size as the ones in Melbourne. They are also both filled with friendly and exceptionally fit people, and are profound evidence of the beautiful soul of this great country called Australia.
So which city is the coolest - Sydney or Melbourne?
