| Melbourne
(pronounced either /'mel.b?n/ or /'mæl.b?n/[1])
is the state capital and largest city in the Australian
state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia,
with a population of approximately 3.7 million (2006 estimate).
Melbourne is the southernmost city in the world to have
a population of over one million people.
Melbourne is home to Australia's three
largest corporations, Telstra,
BHP Billiton and the National
Australia Bank. It is also home to the Business Council
of Australia, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and
the majority of companies listed on the Australian Stock
Exchange.
Melbourne, often referred to as the
sporting capital of Australia, hosts many major Australian
sporting events including: the Melbourne Spring Racing
Carnival (including the 'race that stops the nation',
the Melbourne Cup), the Australian Formula One Grand Prix,
the Australian Tennis Open and the AFL Grand Final. Melbourne
hosted the first Olympic Games in the southern hemisphere
in 1956, as well as the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Melbourne has undergone a major urban
'revival', such that it is sometimes classed as being
in a second tier of "world cities"; the GaWC
study group in the UK ranks Melbourne, on the basis of
relative availability of specialised "advanced services,"
as a minor (or Gamma) "world city" comparable
with cities such as Montreal, Osaka, and Prague. Melbourne
has one of the highest numbers of international students
studying in its universities, after London, New York City,
and Paris.
A person from Melbourne is referred
to as a Melburnian
Melbourne
is a large commercial and industrial centre. Many of Australia's
largest companies have their headquarters there, and many
multinational corporations (approximately one-third of
the 100 largest multinationals operating in Australia
as of 2002), have their main Australian office there.
The peak body representing workers in Australia, the Australian
Council of Trade Unions, is also headquartered in Melbourne.
Melbourne is home to Australia's largest seaport and much
of Australia's automotive industry (including the engine
manufacturing facility of Holden and the Ford and Toyota
manufacturing facilities), in addition to many other manufacturing
industries.
Most major infrastructure projects are
generally centred on the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which
were held in the city from 15 March - 26 March 2006. Such
projects include the AUD$700 million Southern Cross Station
redevelopment (formerly Spencer Street Station), including
a $350 million world-class transport interchange facility
with $350 million also set aside for office accommodation,
residential towers and hotel and also a retail plaza.
The project was set for completion in early 2006, before
the start of the Games. At the centrepiece of the Commonwealth
Games projects was the redevelopment project for the Melbourne
Cricket Ground, the stadium set for the opening and closing
ceremonies of the Games, rebuilding the northern half
of the stadium and laying a temporary athletics track
at a cost of $434 million. In November 2006, Melbourne
will play host to the summit of G20 finance ministers.
In February 2006 a AUD$1 billion
project was announced to build a 5000 seat international
convention centre, Hilton Hotel and commercial precinct
adjacent to the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre
with construction to commence in May 2006 and complete
in February 2009. This will provide a final linkage of
development along the Yarra River, linking the Crown Casino
to the multi-billion dollar Docklands
redevelopment.
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