Highlights of the shopping center include a terrace boasting sweeping river views and restaurants that serve everything from sandwiches to sushi. Visit Southgate Melbounre as part of a sightseeing tour; cover more sights in less time on a bike tour—which typically tick off Melbourne Gaol, the UNESCO-listed Royal Exhibition Building, and Federations Square, and include coffee stops—or admire the complex from the water during a boat cruise on the Yarra River.
Melbourne Southgate is in the free tram zone, which circles the CBD. You can take tram 75, 57, or 86, and disembark at Flinders St. Station stop, from which the complex is a 5-minute walk. Alternatively, reach the complex via a scenic riverside walk from Docklands, which takes around 30 minutes.
Melbourne Southgate opens from the early morning until late in the evening; different shops and restaurants operate different opening hours, so its worth checking individual hours if its a particular store you’re looking to visit.
There’s much more to Melbourne’s Southbank than shopping. After visiting Melbourne Southgate, head to Crown Melbourne, the largest casino complex the Southern Hemisphere; ascend to the dizzying heights of Eureka Skydeck; sip a cocktail at the floating bar-restaurant of Pony Fish Island; or admire modern artworks at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Australia’s flagship contemporary art space.
