Proudly ranked Australia’s best student city and #4 globally*, Melbourne is home to Charles Sturt University’s second metro campus. Located within the bustling Bourke Street Mall in the heart of the CBD, Charles Sturt Melbourne places you at the centre of everything the city has to offer.
*QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2024
About Melbourne
Explore one of the world’s most liveable cities^
Based on the city’s quality of education, infrastructure, healthcare, culture and stability, Melbourne is globally recognised as being a safe, welcoming location to live, work and study.
Hosting more than 180,000 international students per year†, Melbourne’s diverse multicultural population is a large part of its charming personality. From its art-covered laneways and lively music scene, to its wide array of cuisine options and endless sites to explore, Melbourne delivers an enriching student experience unlike any other.
Some of the top attractions in Melbourne and surrounding areas include:
- Federation Square
- Australian Sports Museum
- Melbourne Museum
- Scienceworks
- Melbourne Skydeck
- St Kilda
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
- Melbourne Zoo
- Puffing Billy Railway
- Phillip Island Penguin Parade
^ Economist Intelligence Unit Global Liveability Index 2023
† Study Melbourne (State Government of Victoria) 2024
Getting around
Take advantage of the city’s comprehensive public transport network
Melbourne is renowned for having a well-developed, user-friendly public transport system, allowing passengers to travel in and around the city by train, tram or bus with ease.
Melbourne is home to the largest tram network in the world, offering plenty of routes and tram stops within the CBD. The City Circle tram is a popular travel line that provides a free service around the perimeter of the city, including a stop within a 3-minute walk of our Bourke Street campus.
To access other tram routes and additional public transport options, you’ll need to purchase a Myki smartcard – a reusable, prepaid card that allows for flexible travel on Melbourne’s trains, trams and buses. You can purchase and manage your Myki card online via Public Transport Victoria.
Dining
Melbourne: A foodie’s paradise
Locals are spoilt for choice when it comes to Melbourne’s food and coffee scene. With countless cafes, multicultural restaurants, delicious bakeries and funky laneway eateries, you’ll be sure to find a cuisine to suit every palate.
Beyond the CBD, Melbourne’s surrounding regions have just as much to offer. Rustic distilleries, historic country pubs and quaint cafes showcasing local produce can be found scattered across regional Victoria, making for a fun foodie day trip out of the city.
Wherever you go, an elite cup of coffee won’t be hard to find. Melbourne loves its caffeine, and its residents pride themselves on their world-renowned brews. From hole-in-the-wall cafes to powerhouse roasteries, you’ll find your local go-to in no time.
Arts and culture
Enjoy Melbourne’s buzzing creative community
Largely known as the cultural capital of Australia, Melburnians are proud to celebrate their city’s innovative arts and culture scene.
From the vast number of museums and art galleries waiting to be explored, to the abundance of theatre performances, comedy shows and live music on offer, Melbourne ensures you’ll never run out of new experiences to try.
The city’s event calendar is also jam-packed, with Melbourne’s Fashion Festival, Food and Wine Festival, Comedy Festival, RISING Art Festival, and the city’s largest free event, the Moomba Festival, all taking place within the first half of the year.
Multicultural celebrations including the Sri Lankan Festival, Korea Festival and Kaleidoscope are spread throughout the calendar year-round, providing plenty of opportunities to learn more about Melbourne’s diverse population in any given week.
Sports and recreation
Melbourne welcomes all sports with open arms, including a few favourites that stand out from the crowd
Each summer, Melbourne transforms into the cricket capital of the country, featuring the Boxing Day Test match held at the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), as well as men’s and women’s tests, and the Big Bash League.
The city also hosts the annual Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park each January, providing locals and tourists alike with seats to a Grand Slam atmosphere.
When winter rolls around, you won’t have to look far to see that Victoria is a proud Australian Rules Football (AFL) state. Attending a nail-biting game at Marvel Stadium surrounded by passionate footy fans is a uniquely Melbourne experience that won’t soon be forgotten.
Outside of the city, the slopes are the place to be when the weather cools down. Within 2-3 hours’ drive from the CBD, a winter wonderland awaits; perfect for skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing.
Whatever the season, Melbourne’s abundance of outdoor spaces provides respite from the action of the city centre. Scenic walks, challenging hikes, exhilarating rock climbing and tranquil bike rides are just a handful of the outdoor recreation activities available in Melbourne.
Climate
Make the most of Melbourne with warm summers and crisp winters
Melbourne has four seasons – summer (December to February), autumn (March to May), winter (June to August) and spring (September to November).
Average temperatures range from 7°C (44°F) in winter to 26°C (79°F) in summer, creating a mild environment that allows for outdoor activities year-round. October brings the highest rainfall, with an average of 66mm throughout the month.