Hidden highlights: Six of the best Melbourne insider tours

Dome Promenade

Royal Exhibition Building Dome: this lost aspect has been revived thanks to a tour.

Visitors to the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition enjoyed an aspect of the Royal Exhibition Building that was lost in later years – the Dome Promenade, an observation deck which granted sweeping views of the city. Now that vista is available once more, as part of the Dome Promenade Tour which starts at the adjacent Melbourne Museum and leads guests through the elaborately decorated interiors of the Royal Exhibition Building, with a guide explaining its history. It culminates in an ascent to the roof, where guests stroll around a series of decks encircling the magnificent dome, with views of both the immediate metropolis and distant countryside. See museumsvictoria.com.au

Pentridge Prison

Pentridge Prison: the H Division tour enters the zone reserved for the most hardened criminals, nicknamed ‘Hell Division’.

From 1851 to 1997 Pentridge Prison was Melbourne’s most feared penitentiary, with a history of violence and protest. Now, after significant renovation work, a set of tours explores the property’s grim past. The B Division tour examines inmate and warder history, including the remains of the Panopticon which kept prisoners isolated even while exercising. On the darker side, the H Division tour enters the zone reserved for the most hardened criminals, nicknamed ‘Hell Division’. The highlight of each is a series of audio and video recordings of former inmates and warders, explaining life behind bars. Night tours of H Division are also available. See pentridgeprisontours.com.au

Art deco

The Manchester Unity Building is a beautiful example of 1930s art deco, gothic style.Credit: iStock

The Victorian capital is known for its impressive buildings, particularly grand neoclassical structures erected in the prosperous ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ era of the late 19th century. Which is why it’s a pleasant surprise to discover that Melbourne is also a great repository of architecture in the streamlined art deco style which dominated the 1920s and ’30s. This tour weaves through the city centre, ranging from prominent deco examples including the Depression-busting Manchester Unity Building, to overlooked delights such as the residential Majorca Building. Once the guide points out motifs and patterns where you least expect then, your perception of Melbourne’s streetscapes will never be the same. See meltours.com.au/tours/artdeco

Aboriginal heritage

Aboriginal Heritage Walk: First Nations guides speak on the history of the site and how they used many of the native plants.Credit: Royal Botanic Gardens

Before European settlers showed up in 1835 and started reshaping the landscape, the site of the Royal Botanic Gardens was marshland lying alongside the Yarra River. The long-running Aboriginal Heritage Walk takes visitors back to that time, explaining its significance as a cultural site for the Kulin Nation. As the group strolls past the varied vegetation within the spacious gardens, First Nations guides identify significant native plants and their traditional uses, while discussing ancient customs and their people’s ongoing connection to the land. See rbg.vic.gov.au

Cafe culture

Hidden Secrets Tours: sample treats at tucked-away cafes and venues, like Le Belle Miette.

If there’s one thing Melbourne is famous for, it’s love of the coffee bean. Or, more precisely, the vibrant cafe culture which has grown up around it, blossoming into a tradition of character-packed cafes serving great food as well as hot beverages. Established operator Hidden Secrets Tours takes all that onboard in its Cafe Culture Tour, in which guests visit several CBD cafes in tucked-away locations, learning about the evolution of the city’s caffeine-based obsession while enjoying drinks, snacks, and lunch as part of the deal. See hiddensecretstours.com

Sports

A half-day tour could include a guided visit to Melbourne Cricket Ground and a craft beer tasting.

Though famous for its indoor attractions – bars, coffee, live music, shopping – Melbourne is also good at a major outdoor attraction: sport. The Melbourne Sports Lovers Tour takes members across the city to visit the Grand Prix circuit at Albert Park; Flemington Racecourse; Marvel Stadium; and the many and varied facilities within the sprawling sports precinct on the CBD’s southeast edge. The popular half-day tour includes a visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground Tour or Australian Sports Museum, and there are longer versions with more additions (including a craft beer tasting). See melbournesportstours.com.au

The writer was hosted by Museums Victoria and Pentridge Prison Tours.