Traveling Australia: why the Melbourne Skydeck is a must-do on a trip to Victoria

James Watts of Melbourne Skydeck talks about city landmarks, virtual reality tours and the coolest bar in town

The observation deck is located on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower and is the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere. The view is amazing – you can see up to 75km in any direction on a clear day. The evening is my favorite when the lights flicker over the city.

From here you can see all kinds of sights including the Yarra River, the Arts Centre, Rod Laver Arena and the MCG, Mount Dandenong and Mount Macedon, and all the way to Port Phillip Bay.

Most people who visit Melbourne Skydeck have a pretty good idea of ​​what to expect, but if I do get a nervous guest I reassure them by letting them know that they are protected by over 110,000 tons of concrete and steel. The observation deck has plenty of floor space and other activities to keep people busy, and you can see the view from almost anywhere without having to walk close to the windows.

The Edge experience, a glass cube hanging 3 meters from the side of the tower at 285 meters high, probably isn’t ideal for nervous visitors unless they’re ready to face their fear.

There’s plenty here too, aside from the view. The new Voyager Theater has 24 virtual reality pod seats that will take you on a multi-sensory tour of Melbourne and Victoria, including scents! Even the high-speed elevator is an experience: it takes 38 seconds to get to the 88th floor. There’s also The Plank, a virtual reality experience that lets you “walk” out of the building and then “zipline” through the city.

One of the best moments I experienced on the Skydeck was between a father and his daughter after finishing the Voyager Theater experience. His daughter was traveling when the Covid lockdown hit, so she couldn’t return to Australia for about two years. At the end of the film, she stood up, looked at her father and burst into tears. She’d been homesick and really missed Melbourne. She reassured me that they were tears of joy.

The great thing about Melbourne is that it’s always changing. I like to wander along Degraves St and check out the hole-in-the-wall cafes. One of the coolest bars around is Beneath Driver Lane, a hidden blues bar in an old underground bank vault. For a meal I like Mamasita in Collins Place – the wait can be long but the food is worth it.

ArtVo in The District Docklands is fun, it has over 100 life size paintings that you can touch and use – great for selfies and Instagram.

For more, see melbourneskydeck.com.au and visitmelbourne.com