Ask Millie

October in Melbourne

Tell me the day you want.
I'll plan it around Melbourne.

I check the weather, the trams, what's on and what's still open, then give you one plan.

Messy thoughts are completely fine.
Still open? 29 places the map still gets wrong
Melbourne Cup · Tue 3 NovCup weekend is coming up.Take Mon 2 Nov off and you get 4 days in a row.Tables and stays for this weekend book out early.23 days to goPlan the long weekend
Save Cup weekend

Example plan

Saturday, sorted

A Saturday I’d give a friend who doesn’t want to drive. Three stops, all on foot.

  1. 9:00Queen Victoria Market · Melbourne CBDBreakfast at the market. It trades 6am to 3pm on Saturdays, and the specialty shops open from 9.
  2. 11:00Melbourne Museum · CarltonWalk across the top of the city. Open 9 to 5, ticketed, and the Bunjilaka First Peoples galleries are the reason to go.
  3. 1:30Carlton Gardens · CarltonFree, and right outside the museum: elm avenues, the 1880 lakes and the Hochgurtel Fountain.

The Royal Exhibition Building is only open inside for tours and events. Hours change, so check before you go.

Explore

What’s on, and where it is

Browse the next fortnight’s listings by neighbourhood, or look around the city in 3D and start a day from a landmark.

See what’s on Melbourne in 3D
Melbourne’s 3D city view over Flinders Street, the Yarra and the CBD.
A captured view of the Melbourne 3D city.

This week in Melbourne

Today's findsView weekly guideFull guide

The weekly guide comes out on Wednesday mornings. Today's finds are fresh every day.

See today's finds

Take a jumper anyway.

Four seasons a day, and the gardens are worth it.

October cannot decide what it is doing, which is exactly why the botanic gardens, the ranges and a drive out east are better now than they will be in January.

Day trips from Melbourne 

What kind of Melbourne day?

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An inner north street at golden hour with pavement tables
Inner northCulture, coffee and cool streets
Brighton bathing boxes at sunset
By the baySeaside air and open skies
A tram on a rain-slicked Melbourne street
Rainy MelbourneCosy eats for grey days
Friends at a rooftop table with the city lights behind
After darkNight outs worth it
A country road curving past vineyards at golden hour
Outside the cityDay trips worth the drive

Moments that matterYour Moments

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Save a birthday, a visit or a big game. I’ll send reminders and draft the plan.

Save your first MomentBirthdays, visitors, the footy.
See all your Moments

Leave for 2027

Next year’s public holidays, and the days off that turn them into long weekends.

Plan 2027’s leave

Field Notes

Short pieces on how the city actually works. Written by locals, not algorithms.

A narrow Melbourne laneway lit by café windows at nightThe cityWhy the laneways are the way they are3 min readA night market with the city skyline behindEatingHow to eat well here for under $253 min readA tram on a wet street at dusk with café lightsWeatherWhat the cool change means, and how to plan around it3 min read
Read all Field Notes

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