Dating opportunities in Melbourne, Australia - How to Meet Single Guys and Girls

Melbourne is the second most populous city in Australia and home to a young thriving population. Together with this, a vibrant cultural scene and a rapidly growing economy make Melbourne one of the most exciting places to live and love in Australia.

The history of Melbourne goes back to 1835 when the first settlement was founded here by Europeans arriving from Van Diemen’s Land. Two years later the place was named after the 2nd Viscount Melbourne, a British Whig statesman and mentor of Queen Victoria and after another ten years, it was officially declared a city by the same Queen. With the formation of the new colony of Victorian 1851, Melbourne was declared its capital city. However the city really came into its own during the Australian gold rush of the 1850s when Melbourne became one of the largest and wealthiest cities Down Under. From 1901 to 1927, Melbourne served as the capital city of the Federation of Australia until it was replaced by Canberra as the official capital of the country.

The metropolis of Melbourne is located on Port Philip, a large natural bay, while the city center is positioned at an estuary formed by the Yarra River. The topographical location of Melbourne thus  brings with it a wealth of natural beauty which in turn has been developed into numerous parks and gardens, all within walking distance of the Central Business District. Some of the best known of these in Melbourne are the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Kings Domain, the Flagstaff Gardens and the Carlton Gardens. The natural and man-made parks too contain an abundance of tree-lined avenues, common and rare plants as well as landscaped vistas all of which are ideal venues for nature lovers in Melbourne to congregate. Apart from families and office-goers enjoying the open space offered by these parks and gardens, couples find it relaxing to know and bond with each other in the beautiful settings.

Melbourne is also known as the cultural capital of Australia. The huge number of historic buildings, art galleries, museums and cultural institutions in the city means that culture aficionados are never at a loss for places to go. Melbourne in fact is home to such architectural masterpieces of the colonial era as the City Baths, the Royal Exhibition Building, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Shrine of Remembrance, the State Library of Victoria and several other Town Halls, cathedrals as well as private houses. Art lovers can browse through the hundred odd art galleries in Melbourne, the oldest and largest in the country being the National Gallery of Victoria. In fact, Melbourne is also the birthplace of the Australian impressionist art movement known as the Heidelberg school. Music and dance lovers can especially feel lucky to live in this city since Melbourne is home to the Australian Ballet, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as well as contemporary dance movements like the Australian Shuffle and New Vogue styles. Among the best known theaters in Melbourne are the Princess, Regent, Forum, Athenaeum and Palais while larger performance venues include the Center for Contemporary Arts, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the Federation Square and the Victorian Arts Center. Any of these places can be used to meet and know people with similar cultural interests while modern pubs, cafes and restaurants lining the CBD offer many exciting dating venues for two people get to know each other better.

Melbourne’s repute as Australia’s cultural hub is also borne out by the numerous festivals and events that fill up the city’s cultural calendar. Among the film festivals, the most famous are the Melbourne International Film Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In fact, the city is the birthplace of the Australian film and television industry. There is also a Melbourne Fringe Festival which serves an important opportunity of the gay and lesbian communities to interact among themselves as well as celebrate same sex love. Other than these, the Melbourne International Arts Festival, the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, the Melbourne International Air Show, Misumma, the Melbourne Jazz Festival, the Melbourne Food and Wine festival, the Big Day Out Music Festival, the Royal Melbourne Show and the Moomba Festival celebrating the Yarra River are all fun ways of knowing more about the city while mingling and interacting with its other residents.

Melbourne is home to diverse ethnic groups and this makes it a truly cosmopolitan city. Figures compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that as many as 180 languages and dialects are spoken in the city while its residents can trace their origins to around 233 countries. While the Irish, British, Germans, Americans and Chinese formed the bulk of arrivals during the Gold Rush, post World War II saw large number of people from southern Europe and West Asia coming to Melbourne. In recent years, people from India, Sri Lanka and China have constituted that majority of new arrivals. Various festivals like the Greek Antipodes Festival, the Indian Diwali, the Melbourne Italian Festival and the Chinese New Year are celebrated with a riot of colors and traditional cuisine. All these provide ample opportunities not only for singles of the community to meet each other but also for people to know about other cultures and ethnicities.

Sports is yet another major passion for Melbourne’s residents. The city has hosted several high profile sporting events like the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The Australian Open in international tennis tournaments, the Melbourne Cup in Horse Racing as well as Australian Grand Prix Formula One are the most anticipated international events in the city’s sporting calendar. Besides these, the city is also famous for influencing the Australian Rules football and cricket. All these events are great opportunities for sports freaks to meet and interact with each other. In fact, one can even plan dates around the many games, matches and tournaments that are played at famous venues like The Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Docklands Stadium.

Melbourne has been consistently judged as one of the best places to live on earth. In a survey carried out by The Economist of the Most Livable Cities of the World, Melbourne shared the top spot for three years in 2002, 2004 and 2005. Its oceanic climate, cultural attractions, great landscape and economic opportunities make Melbourne in Australia one of the best places to have an avid social life.