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The White Hat Guide to
20 Things To Do with visitors to Melbourne

Still, there still plenty of things to do on a Monday if you look in the right places (such as White Hat).

1. Take a trip to Mernda Market - Mernda Market is a short distance north of Melbourne and apart from offering the range of things you would expect at a large market, offers you the opportunity to observe a slice of life in country Victoria.
2. Visit the National Gallery of Victoria (International Collection) - The Australian branch of the gallery at Federation Square is closed on a Monday, but the International Collection in St Kilda Road is open. Entry is free and the gallery has a world class selection of paintings. More information at The White Hat Guide to NGV International.
3. Chloe
4. show, concert or band
5. Wander through a private garden - Most weekends in Melbourne you will find that some family has thrown open to the public their lovingly tended private garden for some good cause or other. You can find a listing of current private garden openings at The White Hat Guide to Private Gardens in Melbourne.
6. Have a lazy breakfast in Acland Street St Kilda and then browse the wares at the Esplanade Market. Nobody's in any hurry in St Kilda on a Sunday. More information at The White Hat Guide to St Kilda.
7. Take the ferry to Willy. Williamstown (or Willy as the locals call it) still has a village atmosphere and the boat trip across the bay helps put you in a suitable relaxed mood. There is a farmers' market on the 2nd Sunday of the month and craft markets on the 1st & 3rd Sundays. The Historical Society Museum is also open on Sundays. More details at The White Hat Guide to Williamstown.
8. Visit a historic house. Como, Rippon Lea, Black Rock House, La Trobe's Cottage and the Mansion at Werribee are open most Sundays. Villa Alba and the Portable Iron Houses in South Melbourne are open on the 1st Sunday of the month, Labassa is open on the 3rd Sunday of the month. More information at The White Hat Guide to Historic Houses in Melbourne.
9. Experience Yum Cha in Chinatown. There are plenty of venues and price ranges to choose from. Take some friends and enjoy this typical Sunday tradition.
10. Go bike riding. Melbourne has miles of wonderful bike paths and you can hire a bike or take your own. For short trips there are plenty of Melbourne Bike Share stations. For longer ones there are a number of places who will hire you a bike for a lengthier period. Why not take advantage of the cheap Sunday public fares where you can travel anywhere on the metropolitan public transport system all day for next to nothing. You are allowed to take your bicycle on the train for no extra cost so that gives you an opportunity to go for a ride on Melbourne's outskirts or even the country if you choose the appropriate train line. More information at The White Hat Guide to Cycling in Melbourne.
11. Have a backyard barbecue. If you are visiting Australia, mention in public that you have heard of the Aussie tradition of the BBQ. Chances are that a local will invite you to one at their place.
12. Roam around Docklands. On most Sundays there will be entertainment ranging from bands, markets and plenty of cafes, restaurants and pubs from which to drink in the relaxing view of boats, water and parks with barbecues and playgrounds. More information at The White Hat Guide to Docklands.
13. And finally, if it's raining then you could have a look at The White Hat Guide to 50 Things to do on a Rainy Day in Melbourne.
14. Visit the National Gallery of Victoria (International Collection) - The Australian branch of the gallery at Federation Square is closed on a Monday, but the International Collection in St Kilda Road is open. Entry is free and the gallery has a world class selection of paintings. More information at The White Hat Guide to NGV International.
15. White Hat recommends a visit to the Old Melbourne Gaol as one of the important things to see and do in Melbourne. The walls ooze suffering, violence and desperation. Then there  is of course the gallows from which Ned Kelly was hanged. More information at The White Hat Guide to Old Melbourne Gaol.

Take a leisurely stroll and maybe even a picnic at Melbourne's famous Royal Botanic Gardens. If organising a picnic is a bit daunting, there are several cafes and restaurants where your guests can experience some local fare and maybe an Australian wine or two. If you would like further background on these gardens in the grand European tradition there are free tours starting from the information centre at 11am and 2pm. You can find more information at The White Hat Guide to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Take a tour of Melbourne's wonderful Government House - the home of the Governor of Victoria. Tours require pre-booking and commence from the humble cottage of Victoria's first Governor, Charles La Trobe. You can find more information at The White Hat Guide to Government House Melbourne.

For anyone interested in classic cars, White Hat can recommend this collection as a 'must visit'. It is open on Tuesdays (Feb to Nov). More information at The White Hat Guide to the Fox Classic Carr Collection.

Take a leisurely stroll and maybe even a picnic at Melbourne's famous Royal Botanic Gardens. If you would like further background on these gardens in the grand European tradition there are free tours starting from the information centre at 11am and 2pm. You can find more information at The White Hat Guide to the Royal Botanic Gardens.