While Melbourne was settled in the mid 1830's, the suburbs have since steadily grown outwards in all directions due to the lack of physical constraints surrounding the city. Growth has particularly occurred in the east and along the south-east coast, perhaps due to the more pleasurable environment. Like most cities however, generally the further from the CBD, the newer the suburbs. Driving in Melbourne is generally quite simple with a general grid-style layout across the city's east and north. Inner Melbourne suburbs can provide some tricky traffic negotiation with the city's fleet of trams sharing roadspace. Melbourne's suburban freeway network is exceptional. Not only does the new Citylink Tollway connect all the existing city-bound freeways to make through traffic flow, but the Western Ring Road provides a great loop to allow motorists to bypass much of the city at high speed. 

Standout areas in the suburbs include the cafe hotspots of Lygon Street (Carlton), Chapel Street (Prahran) & Fitzroy St (St Kilda); The Westgate Bridge, The Dandenong Ranges, The Mornington Peninsula, Williamstown, Heidelberg and the Yarra River parklands.

Population: 3,100,000
State: Victoria
Postcode: Various
Local Government: Various
Location: Capital city of Victoria, 870km south-west of Sydney, 730km south-east of Adelaide
Main Roads: Monash, Princes & Westgate Freeways , Calder Freeway , Western Freeway , Hume Freeway , Western Ring Road , Citylink , Maroondah Hwy  
Main Watercourses: Yarra River, Port Phillip Bay
Accommodation: Travel Victoria
Radio Stations (Music): Star FM (91.9), Bay FM (93.9), Sea FM (94.9), K-Rock (95.5), Nova FM (100.3), Mix 101 (101.1), Fox FM (101.9), 3BA-FM (102.3), Power FM (103.1) Gold 104 (104.3), Triple M (105.1), Triple J (107.5)

Photos from Melbourne (suburbs) - Click on thumbnail for full sized image:
 

	Banksia Street, heading east in Heidelberg (2000).
	Burgundy Street, looking east in Heidelberg (2000).
	Burwood Road, heading west into the Melbourne CBD, Hawthorn East (2001).
	Hoddle Street, heading south in Richmond (2001).
	Looking east along the Burwood Hwy at the intersection with Springvale Rd in Vermont South. The Dandenong Ranges can be clearly seen in the distance (2001).
	Looking east along Kent Rd, Surrey Hills. Many of Melbourne's eastern suburbs residential streets look like this (1999).
	Heading south down Burke Road, Camberwell (2001).
	Punt Road, looking south into Prahran (2001).
	Toorak Road, heading east, approaching the Monash Fwy interchange, Kooyong (2001).
	Springvale Road, heading north at the intersection with the Burwood Hwy, Vermont South (2001).
	View from the Westgate Bridge (Westgate Fwy) over Port Phillip Bay (2001).
	Heading west on the Westgate Fwy, approaching the Princes Fwy interchange, Altona North (2001).
	Distance sign, heading north on the Western Ring Road just after the Princes Fwy interchange (2001).
	Heading east along the Eastern Fwy, between Hoddle St and Chandler Hwy, Yarra Bend (1997).
	Plenty Road, heading south-west in Bundoora (1997).
	Estimated Travel Time sign on the Eastern Fwy just after entering from Springvale Rd (2001).