Why Melbourne is the New York of Australia (by a native New Yorker)
There are reasons why Melbourne feels like the New York of Australia, then there are many more reasons why the Big Apple feels half a world away. A native New Yorker takes a look at the similarities between two great cities.
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If you haven’t been to the city so good they named it twice (aka New York), definitely go, but before you get your passport stamped, consider exploring your own backyard — the similarities may startle you.
Here are the ways Melbourne is similar to the Big Apple, from the perspective of a native New Yorker, and the things that make it feel half a world away.
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Parks
New York has the world-famous Central Park and Melbourne has the world heritage-listed Carlton Gardens. Though the spaces may be different in design, the point is both cities love a good public space.
Melbourne is also often referred to as Australia’s “garden city”, and for good reason.
Just like New York has thousands of parks and playgrounds, Melbourne has over 480 hectares of recreation space in the form of parks, gardens and open public spaces.
So grab your blankets, books and buddies and head out to a park in either city.
Multiculturalism
New York is hands-down one of the most diverse cities in the world, with the borough of Queens proudly holding the world title for most languages spoken in an area (currently at 800+).
But Melbourne is no slouch either.
It is the most ethnically-diverse city in Australia with 49.1 per cent (around 2,910,631) of the population having been born overseas or born in Australia to at least one foreign-parent, a figure the Victorian Multicultural Commission has found to be increasing.
So whichever city you’re in, you won’t have any trouble enjoying different cultures coming together.
Street art
New York is viewed by many as the epicentre of modern-day graffiti, but even New Yorkers can’t ignore all of the amazing street-art around the globe. Melbourne, in particular, is world-renowned for its graffiti-covered laneways.
To be honest, the artsy vibes you get here might even be greater than New York’s.
This similarity between Melbourne and New York is one of the biggest differences between Melbourne and other Australian cities, which is probably why so many Aussie creatives move here.
Like New York, Melbourne isn’t regarded as “naturally beautiful” (when compared to Sydney or Brisbane at least), but both have cultivated their own type of urban charm.
Wine-and-dine to die for
Melbourne may not have as many restaurants as New York (honestly, who does), but it still has great food scene. The similarity here though is not found in the quantity, but the quality of food.
In both cities you are going to find a wide variety of cuisines, both domestic and international, from Asian to Middle Eastern to Mediterranean, to South American. That is because both cities have a ton of foreign-born residents who love to cook (thank you immigration).
And although the reasons for wanting caffeine may differ (Melburnians appreciate good coffee; New Yorkers need it to function), the fact remains that a place to get coffee exists on every corner in both cities.
The nightlife
One of the biggest similarities between Melbourne and New York is the going-out culture.
Both cities love a good cocktail (espresso martinis in Melbourne, old fashioneds in New York). You can find a bar quite literally everywhere you go in Melbourne, same goes for New York. And while both cities may feel expensive in terms of going out, reasonable happy hours do exist.
St Kilda and Coney Island
And here’s an honorary similarity: both cities have an area with bars and restaurants, a kind of crappy beach and a theme park that literally shares the same name (Luna Park). That’s right, St Kilda is the Coney Island of Melbourne.
Both are super fun, sometimes dirty, eclectic beaches to visit in the summertime with family and friends for boardwalk strolls, food, and amusement park rides.
But of course, there is only one New York and only one Melbourne, so here are five ways they are totally different:
Trams v Subway
The public transit options in these cities are completely different.
Melbourne’s main form of transportation is the tramway network. New York has the MTA, also known as the subway. The tramway is above-ground, the subway is (mostly) underground.
From my experience, the trams tend to be on-time, the MTA not so much. Additionally, trams don’t possess rats or cockroaches the size of your fist (not so glamorous now, huh). I think Melbourne takes this one.
Crowds
New Yorkers grow up with the mentality that shoving people out of the way is socially acceptable — that’s how crowded it gets.
Melbourne is not nearly as packed and generally moves at a slower (aka normal) pace in comparison. The city you prefer depends on whether you can endure having your morning coffee spilt all over your top during the commute.
Street Food
Here’s one for team New York: street food.
This is something I have grown up with and adore. No matter what you’re doing in the city, from a night out to shopping to wandering in between class breaks, you can quickly get delicious street-cart food (think halal shish kebabs, gyros, or a slice of pizza) to satisfy your stomach.
Melbourne doesn’t have the same array of food trucks or street carts. They do have a ton of cafes everywhere but not as many super quick yet substantial on-the-go option.
Liveability
For seven years in a row, Melbourne was named most-liveable city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). It recently lost its spot to Vienna, but second place isn’t bad compared to New York’s 45th.
So while New York is a great place to visit, apparently it is not that great to live in when factoring in things like safety, the environment, educational opportunities, infrastructure and health care.
Recent stats show that more people are moving out of New York City every year. This is in stark contrast with the high volume of people who move to Melbourne.
All in all, the two cities do share their similarities, but it’s their great differences that contribute to their unique character and charm.