Melbourne, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I have traveled across the US, Canada and the Bahamas, and yet I find Melbourne to be the best. In 1981 I was born in Port Macquarie, a city on the central coast of New South Wales. I lived there until I was four, and we have since moved to Victoria. I grew up in Kew, a suburb of Melbourne, not far from the city proper. Most of my family lived there, and that was the main reason for the move. I went to school and made many friends. Almost every night my friends and I would get together and go to the local parking lot and skate for a few hours before heading out at 7-11 for a Slurpee. I think back to those days and see what Melbourne was like in the 80s. and the early 1990s. Old buildings and great, friendly people. However, Melbourne has all of this, plus new developments, such as new multi-million dollar entertainment complexes. Over the last 5 years, Melbourne has brought us the brand new Exhibition Building and of course the Crown Casino. This was a great move for the Kennett government, as it proved successful with the unemployment problem. It didn't solve the problem, but it definitely helped. The casino complex is not just for gambling, it is also a great place for teenagers to go to the movies or even the special area for arcade games, a kind of side show alley. Crown also contains 2 nightclubs and hosts many international bands. In 1997 the decision was made to begin construction of the much larger Docklands football and cricket stadium than the MCG. Construction is underway and is expected to be completed in 2000. In addition to all this new construction, Melbourne is home to many famous events. The Ford Australian Tennis Open is one of the largest with thousands of international visitors every year. The biggest of all is definitely the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. Just a few years ago Melbourne hosted this wonderful event, held on the streets of Adelaide. It is now found along the shores of Albert Park Lake. Moomba is an event every Victorian looks forward to. It is an annual event, held at the same time as the Grand Prix, and has been the largest festival since the early years '60.