Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of 3.8 million in the Melbourne metropolitan area (June 2004) and 69,670 in the City of Melbourne (which covers only the central city area). The city's name is pronounced as either {{IPA|/?mel.b?n/}} or {{IPA|/?mæl.b?n/}}. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "we gather strength as we go". Melbourne was the capital city of Australia from 1901 until 1927.

Culture and sport

While having a large and vibrant arts and cultural life (notably including the yearly Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival), Melbourne is perhaps best known as one of the most sports-obsessed cities in the world. Melbourne is home to ten of the sixteen teams in the Australian Football League, whose five Melbourne games per week attract an average 35,000 people per game. Melbourne is where Australian Football originated and it still the most popular sport in Victoria. The grand final (one of the biggest sporting events in Australia) is played on the last weekend in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (a massive arena that can hold up to 100,000 spectators). Melbourne hosts the Australian Open tennis tournament, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments; the Melbourne Cup ? the most prestigious handicap horse race in the world; the hugely popular 'Boxing Day' cricket test match held each year from 26-30 December at the Melbourne Cricket Ground; and the Australian Grand Prix Formula One championship.

Related Topics:
Arts - Cultural - Melbourne International Comedy Festival - Melbourne International Film Festival - Sport - Australian Football League - Australian Football - Australia - Melbourne Cricket Ground - Australian Open - Grand Slam - Melbourne Cup - Horse race - Test match - Australian Grand Prix - Formula One

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Melbourne Storm, who play in the National Rugby League are based at Olympic Park. Olympic Park is also the home of Melbourne Victory, who play in the newly formed Australian soccer competition, the A-League.

Related Topics:
Melbourne Storm - National Rugby League - Olympic Park - Melbourne Victory - Soccer - A-League

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Melbourne also co-hosted the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup, including many pool matches as well as a quarter final ? all of which were played at the Telstra Dome. Melbourne has also broken new ground in the major events industry being the first city outside the United States to host the World Police and Fire Games 1995), and the President's Cup golf tournament (1999); and the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to host the World Cup Polo Championship (2001). The newest major sporting event to be brought to the city will be the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Related Topics:
2003 Rugby Union World Cup - Telstra Dome - United States - World Police and Fire Games - 1995 - President's Cup - 1999 - Southern Hemisphere - Polo - 2001 - 2006 Commonwealth Games

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In 2007, Melbourne will be the host of the FINA World Aquatics Championships.

Related Topics:
2007 - FINA World Aquatics Championships

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Melbourne is the home of The Australian Ballet, and the second home of Opera Australia. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is well-regarded. It was also (arguably) birthplace of Western art in Australia through the Heidelberg School; the National Gallery of Victoria has Australia's best collection of visual art, particularly early Australian western-tradition art. Several professional theatre companies operate in Melbourne, of which the Melbourne Theatre Company is the best institutionally-supported, and there is a wide range of smaller companies (though the scene is smaller than Sydney's).

Related Topics:
The Australian Ballet - Opera Australia - Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - Heidelberg School - National Gallery of Victoria - Melbourne Theatre Company

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Melbourne's rock and pop music scene is regarded (particularly by Melburnians) as the liveliest in the country, and has fostered many internationally renowned artists and musicians, with links to AC/DC, Nick Cave, Crowded House, John Farnham, Graeme Bell, Kylie Minogue, and Jet.

Related Topics:
AC/DC - Nick Cave - Crowded House - John Farnham - Kylie Minogue - Jet

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