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Naseema Sparks

The first thing you notice about Melbourne when you come from another city - any city smaller or larger – is the roads.  The roads are so wide and so quiet.  You wonder for a moment whether you have forgotten that it is a public holiday.

The next thing you notice is the colour – for the most part Melbourne is a beautiful green.  The parks and gardens, the trees along the boulevards lend their hue to the entire city.

Whilst I call Melbourne home, I have been away from it a lot.  Five years in London, three back in Melbourne and then seven years in Sydney.

On returning from London in 1995, the wide quiet roads, the Melbourne I knew in the 80s appeared for the most part unchanged.  The city was down at heel, Southbank had just emerged, the Gas & Fuel site was a dead heart.  The docklands to the West were a big, barren freight container parking lot.

But the Continental Café in Greville Street was still there.  Eccentrically popular.  I went there for coffee every morning.  Greville Street was it for stylish grunge.

On returning from Sydney in 2005 my Melbourne had transformed itself.

Federation Square breathed life into the dead heart, Southbank had extended westward into Freshwater Place then into Docklands which had more residential towers than I thought possible.  The beautiful Eureka Tower now nearing completion adds flair to the skyline.

The city was no longer seedy, the lanes were opened up.  Cafes, bars, restaurants and shops appeared in every nook and cranny.  I learned that the harder it was to find, the trendier the place.  Now Melbourne prides itself on its maze of lanes.  It has transformed its buildings and basements into some of the world’s best shops. 

What’s more there were people everywhere.  On the river bank, at Federation Square, in the cafes, hanging out at the bars, the music clubs, the theatres, the markets. 

Events had changed also – the Melbourne International Arts Festival had pushed the boundaries of contemporary art in the city.  The Comedy Festival had become a world level laugh.  The Spring Racing Carnival blew me away – the glamour, the parties, the lavishness.  I learned that some people take the entire week off so they don’t miss a minute.

I don’t want to make comparisons between Melbourne and other cities because every one does it.  Melburnians themselves do it in order to establish the benchmarks of their city as there is still a shadow remnant of concern that Melbourne doesn’t compare.

Untrue.

It is stylish, sophisticated, hip and cool at the same time.  Melbourne does not need to boast.  Nor does it need to run faster to keep up.  It is wonderful as it is.