One of the things that makes Melbourne so uniquely charming is its abundance of laneways and arcades. Back in the day, workers used these lanes to get around instead of the main pathways. Today they’re full of colorful street art, chic cafes and boutiques, hidden bars, and trendy eateries. Because things are always changing, these laneways are great for those who like to wander and see what they’ll stumble upon. If you do need a little more guidance, join a Hidden Secrets Tours. Co-Founder Fiona Sweetman showed me around while telling me more about the city’s gold rush history.

Nestled away in one of these laneways is one of Mörk Chocolate’s locations. Specifically, it’s located in a converted elevator shaft! Co-founder Kiril Shaginov took inspiration from Melbourne’s world famous coffee culture and brought it to the hot chocolate scene. Like a high quality coffee brand would do, they look at traceability, quality, and origin of ingredients – going beyond the “fair trade” label, which they believe isn’t regulated enough and is cost prohibitive to many small farmers.

Sport culture runs deep in Melbourne. Generations of families attend games week after week forming a lifelong community of fans. One of those sports? The Australian Football League. And despite Australia’s British origins, the AFL shares more in common with American football than British football (or soccer). And unlike the NFL, the AFL has a thriving women’s league, the AFLW, which began in 2017. I caught a game with Essendon Bombers American player, Danielle Marshall, where she took me through the rules and helped me keep up!

Melbourne is a foodie city but when you think of Australian cuisine – what exactly comes to mind? What are dishes that are truly Aussie through and through? Hard to really picture it, right? Chef Nornie Berro, who grew on Mer Island in the Torres Strait, is determined to fix this conundrum with her restaurant, Big Esso. Chef Berro is so passionate about creating truly Australian dishes that she even has tattoos dedicated to unique ingredients like wattleseed. I joined her for a meal where I learned how she’s putting indigenous cuisine on the map.

Less than ninety minutes from Melbourne sits Yarra Valley, one of the world’s best wine regions. Even more exciting than wine, though, is an animal sanctuary dedicated to some of Australia’s most beloved animals. Yup – I’m talking about kangaroos, koala bears, and more! Healesville Sanctuary is a zoo-based conservation organization that aims to fight against and educate visitors on Australian wildlife. Not only do they offer immersive experiences for visitors, thus strengthening our bond with nature, they have whole recovery programs for different animals. With four full time vets and a number of nurses and casual vets, they’re able to help over 2,000 patients in addition to their sanctuary residents.

Yarra Valley may be known for its wine but in the middle of all its wineries sits a gin paradise – specifically a carbon neutral gin paradise. Back in 2013 three friends bought a custom-built copper still and only six years later Four Pillars Gin was named the world’s leading gin producer. I met with co-founder Cameron Mackenzie to learn exactly what it means for them to be carbon neutral and nearly zero waste. Whether it’s utilizing copper pipes, which act as natural radiators, or turning the botanicals they use in gin into chocolates and salts, the team here truly does their best to reuse, reduce, and recycle.

What better place to meet my old New York City roommate after fifteen years apart than Queen Victoria Market? This market, which has been in operation since the late 1800s, sits at the heart of Melbourne’s food scene and has always been a way for immigrant businesses both old and new to get their start. For visitors, it’s the perfect place to visit if you want to try different vendors or are with a group of people who all want something different. From deli sandwiches to oysters, I managed to put together quite the spread for lunch!

For more of Australia, check out our earlier Season 7 episode “Darwin & the Northern Territory”