Despite its reputation as being Australia’s ‘cultural capital’, Melbourne also knows how to kick back in front of the TV, don the face paint and scream its lungs out for whatever sport happens to be in season.

The city has a long and proud history as the home of many of Australia’s most significant sporting events. In 1956, Melbourne was the first city in the southern hemisphere to host an Olympic Games, and in 2006 the Commonwealth Games came to Melbourne. Every year the city hosts three major international sporting events: the year’s first Grand Slam tennis tournament, the Australian Open; the Melbourne Cup horse race, which the city deems important enough to give the entire state a day’s holiday to watch; and the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

The two most popular sports in Melbourne are cricket and Australian Football League football (AFL). The very first Aussie rules football matches were played in Melbourne in the 1850s, and the sport has grown in popularity ever since. Today, AFL football is a multi-million dollar industry, with an average of 40,000 fans attending the five weekly matches during the season. Capacity crowds of close to 100,000 spectators attend the game’s biggest matches, including the ANZAC Day clash (25 April) and, of course, the finals at the end of the season.

The first ever Test cricket match was played in 1877 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (‘the MCG’) – a sporting venue of such cultural value that it has been added to the Australian National Heritage List. The Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct, located in the central city suburbs of Melbourne and Jolimont, is home to the MCG as well as Rod Laver Arena, AAMI Park and Hisense Arena. Etihad Stadium in the Docklands is another major sporting venue, mainly hosting AFL matches. Melbourne is also home to the National Sporting Museum, which can be found at the MCG.

Of course, the city hosts countless other sporting clubs, including professional teams such as the Melbourne Victory (soccer), Melbourne Storm (rugby league), the Melbourne Vixens (netball) and the Melbourne Tigers (National Basketball League).

If you’re sports mad, you’ll feel right at home in Melbourne.

Most Italian students here in Australia will tell you that if you see pineapple on a pizza, then you’re not looking at a pizza. Welcome to Australia.

We as Australians proudly embrace multiculturalism, and it isn’t hard to find authentic food from every corner of the globe in each of Australia’s capital cities. However, what may be less known to locals and clear to international students, is that Aussies are notorious for adapting (or ruining..?) traditional cuisine.

Here are just some of the foods that Aussies have tried to “improve”.

Pizza - Have you ever had a Thai Green Curry Pizza (rare), or a BBQ Chicken pizza (common)? For many locals, chicken, pineapple and bacon on pizza is standard. And to be fair, BBQ Chicken is damn tasty. However in Italy, it’s like diving in a crucial game of the World Cup, wrong!! Some Italian students also told me they never eat garlic bread in Italy. I think they missed out there because Garlic Bread is awesome.

Sushi - The California Roll is very common in Australia and the US, but not so much in Japan. It was made famous when Japanese chefs were trying to start businesses in the US. They realised that Westerners needed to be eased in eating raw fish. It worked, and now California Rolls are all over the place, even in Japan!

Pastries and breads - Anyone who has been to France and asked for a Pain au Chocolat (chocolate croissant) at a Patisserie (bakery) will know what a true pastry is. They are delicious, chocolate filled crumbling pastries that melt in your mouth. That is if you buy them in France. If you buy them in Australia, more often than not you will be greeted with a floppy, rubbery piece of bread with what looks like a Cadbury Flake sticking through the middle. 

Mexican Food – Head to Texas in the US, and you will find a totally different style of Mexican food than you would find over the border in Mexico.  I’m talking massive Burritos, hard shell Tacos and generally nothing too spicy for Western tastebuds. Australia has adopted this form of Mexican inspired cuisine, and yes, we call it traditional Mexican food. Students from Mexico may find this bizzare.

Want to know some other things that Aussies do to food which you may find weird?

- Many Aussies add milk to tea, which could be considered disgusting to some Chinese students.

- Grown men drink 600ml milk drinks, like Farmers Union Iced Coffee in South Australia which outsells Coca Cola, and Chocolate Milk in other cities.

- Many Aussies add tomato sauce to a lot of foods. In fact, I know a guy that adds tomato sauce to Spaghetti Bolognese. Disgusting! What a loser.

- Ever had a Brown Cow? It’s a mixture of coke and milk. Don’t try it. It’s disgusting.

- A local saw a pre-made Yiros in the supermarket. He took a picture of it and sent it through. Check this out! That’s gross.

Aussies love the great outdoors, and that’s probably evident with the hoards of people you see running early in the morning or late afternoon.  With a climate like ours, it just doesn’t make sense to enter a building and run in one spot for 20 minutes or pedal on a bike which is fixed to the ground. So if you were contemplating joining a gym, maybe rethink that and discover the outdoor activities which are going on in your town.

If group exercise is your thing, then keep an eye out for team sports in your area. More often than not, there’ll be a soccer club or tennis association which welcomes individual members. Not only will you get your dose of exercise, but you’ll have fun and meet like-minded people in the process. Why not learn a new skill and embark on slightly more bizarre team activities such as rollerblading, ultimate frisbee or lawn bowls?

The best way to start is to find your closest YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association). Although it sounds quite exclusive to men and Christians, it isn’t. They just happen to run the best community centres where you can join sporting teams.

Click here for more info.

If you struggle with working as part of a team, then perhaps consider Tai Chi (you often find these people up and about early in the morning, moving in slow motion somewhere picturesque) or another martial art.

You can find Tai Chi instructors in your city by clicking here (sorry for the hard to read website!)

Perhaps take up cycling – not only is it a good form of exercise, but is also a speedy way to get about town. Check out if there are any bicycle hire shops in your town if you wish to try before you buy.

Click here for more information on how to get involved with cycling in Australia.

Alternatively, if you prefer the comfort of indoors, then there’s indoor swimming, table tennis and the often ridiculed sport of chess. Either way, there are tonnes of options to keep you fit and healthy in Australia.

Remember to ask your student union for more information on joining a sporting club. They will be able to help!

If you really want to experience Winter in Australia, the Victorian Ski Fields are the ultimate student getaway.

Luckily, Insider Guides and Tourism Victoria have joined up to make it super cheap for international students to head out there.

There are plenty of deals to choose from, so pick your ski resort and explore them for yourself!

- Falls Creek - Victoria’s largest alpine resort boasting the country’s only true ski-in, ski-out village. We got 2 specials for you; an Ultimate Adventure Package and a Ski/Snowboard Adventure Package.

- Mt Baw Baw  - Melbourne’s closest downhill ski resort only 2.5hrs drive from Melbourne.  Safe, sheltered ski runs, enthusiastic instructors and great value lesson make Mt Baw Baw a great place to learn to ski. We got awesome backpacker rates for you if you come as a group.

- Mt Hotham - Hotham is Victoria’s highest alpine resort, perched on a ridgeline 1hr up the hill from Bright. It has a range of accommodation to suit all group sizes and budgets, With new discounts on multiday lift tickets, skiing and snowboarding has become more affordable in 2012. We got awesome deals if you come alone, in a group or with your family!

- Mt Buller - Mt Buller has a range of activities to try both on and off the slopes. Learn to ski, make a snowman, go tobogganing, head out on a snowshoe walk, visit the museum, visit the day spa – the choice is yours! We have day trips and overnight stay options for you!

Listening to the news or reading the newspaper, you’re sure to come across the term ‘the Anzac legend’ or ‘spirit of the Anzacs’. So what does that actually mean?  What’s an Anzac? And what do they have to do with Anzac Biscuits?

The Anzacs were the Australian and New Zealand Army corps who fought in World War One – all the way back in 1914 for those who aren’t too good with history.

On April 25 1915, the Anzacs landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in what used to be Constantinople, but now better known as Istanbul in Turkey. Why? The main objective was to capture Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire who was an ally of Germany.

But at the end of 1915, the Gallipoli campaign was deemed a military failure. Each side had seen heavy causalities – over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed in the eight months they were there.

To commemorate the Australian lives lost in World War One and all conflicts since, Anzac Day starts with a dawn service, with many people visiting a local war memorial.

The dawn service has its roots in military routine, where soldiers would wake before dawn to be fresh and alert. During battle, the half-light of dawn was said to be one of the most popular times to launch an attack, so soldiers would wake and take their defensive positions. Nowadays, the service sees readings and the infamous bugle call taking place.

Even though the military operation was deemed a failure, the Anzac spirit lives on and forms a huge part of the Australian national identity.

But what is this ‘spirit’? The idea is that the Anzacs encompassed a number of qualities: endurance, courage, mateship and good humour – everything the British soldiers weren’t.

As for those delicious Anzac biscuits, the theory is that their wives back in Australia sent soldiers tins of them. The ingredients (oats, golden syrup, coconut) didn’t spoil easily, making them excellent for being sent by ship like they did in the olden days.

To get a real understanding of what went on all those years ago and commemorate those Aussie soldiers, we suggest checking out the fantastic Australian film Gallipoli with a handful of Anzac Biscuits.

(Yes, it’s from the 1980s, but don’t let the electronic synths fool you! This is a great film)

Despite what seems to be perpetuated around the world, Australia does have more to offer musically than just ‘Land Down Under’ and Kylie Minogue. In fact, Australia has one of the richest up and coming music scenes in the world, with each state housing their own unique sounds and producing some top quality tunes. Thanks to the nationwide Australian Youth radio programs Triple J and Triple J Unearthed, it’s now easier than ever to find the next big thing that tickles your fancy.

If you’re a self-proclaimed hipster, we know you’re probably feeling doubtful about Australia’s ability to live up to your high expectations. Fear not though, with almost every genre under the sun, the calibre of Australian music is definitely on par with the rest of the world.

In fact, one of the most internationally acclaimed Australian artists started off as just a regular garage band before they were discovered and played almost excessively on radio. Tame Impala are three guys from Perth who seem to have stuck pretty closely to their parents record collection. With an eclectic mix of 60s psychedelic guitars, hazy electronic synths and a John Lennon-esque vocalist, Tame Impala are a trip back in time.

Their breakout single ‘Half Full Glass of Wine’ was incredibly successful, as was their debut album Innerspeaker, released in 2010. ‘Solitude is Bliss’ is a pretty good representation of what these guys do.

The kids from Perth have also started on a side project called Pond, releasing their debut album Beard, Wives, Denim earlier this month. With a harder feel and less electronic flailing, this is one album we tip to be pretty big this year.

Their latest single ‘Moth Wings’ has been getting a pretty decent rotation on the JJJs, and we reckon if you have a hankering for that old school rock sound, you’re going to love it.

When you were back home ready to come to Australia, if you met somebody who had visited Australia and found out you were going too, there’s a good chance they asked you this:

“Can you pick me up some Tim Tams?”

Chances are your reaction was “No!, I mean, wait, what IS a Tim Tam?”.

A Tim Tam is a famous Australian chocolate biscuit that has gained celebrity status around the globe. It is often in the carry-on luggage of departing expats and tourists.

It’s more famous than Crocodile Dundee in some parts of the world and it’s a freaken biscuit!

Arnotts make the biscuit, and until 1992 it was one of Australia’s favourite companies. At that point it was bought out by a massive American company which was a big deal at the time.

Nonetheless, Tim Tams are still classed as an Aussie institution.

One thing foreigners often don’t know about a Tim Tam is that there is a special way to eat it. It’s called a Tim Tam Slam and it is awesome. Here’s how you do it:

1. Make yourself a glass of hot Milo or milk.

2. Bite a little bit off one corner of the Tim Tam.

3. Now bite a little bit off the diagonally opposite corner of the Tim Tam.

4. Lean down towards the glass and put your mouth over one corner of the Tim Tam, like a straw.

5. Dip the other corner into the glass so it is slightly submerged.

6. Suck the liquid through the Tim Tam.

7. As soon as you taste the liquid, put the whole Tim Tam in your mouth.

What happens then is a true miracle in the chocolate sense of the word. If you have a hot drink (which is the preferred method), then the Tim Tam melts completely in your mouth. It is amazing.

If you need to see a visual, check out this video of Natalie Imbruglia teaching Graham Norton on a UK talk show - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHzMfZ1FaqA

As mentioned, this is a bit of a local secret that has been passed on since the dawn of the Tim Tam. Now, when your parents come to visit, you can make them try it.

Once you have mastered the Tim Tam Slam, spread the word!

Tired of forking out your hard-earned cash on a Sunday morning breakfast? Then perhaps read this simple guide to poaching the perfect eggs so you can relish in the ultimate Sunday breakfast, in your pyjamas.

Eggs are a staple for breakfast, and what’s even better is that they are cheap and super easy to cook (whether you decide to scramble, fry, omelette or poach them). Here is a simple recipe for well-formed, gooey poached eggs.

1. Bring 8cm of water to a gentle boil. Add a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar.

2. Gently crack the egg with the back of a knife and place yolk and egg white in a cup.

3. Create a whirlpool in the boiling water and drop the egg into the centre (this ensures the egg white remains intact and close to the yolk). Allow the egg to cook for between 2-3 minutes (if you want a hard-poached egg, then leave for about 5 minutes).

4. Gently remove the egg with a slotted spoon, dry on a paper towel and place on top of lightly toasted bread.

Now all you need to do is determine what additional extras you want with your perfect egg. I would highly recommend bacon, grilled tomatoes and avocado, but of course this is up to your own discretion.

So there you have it; a delicious Sunday breakfast which won’t leave a gaping hole in your pocket.

Easter is one of those holidays throughout the year where Australians rejoice – mainly because they get a four day weekend. But there’s a lot more to this traditional holiday than just a few extra days off work.

For those who haven’t grown up with a Western influence, Easter is a traditional Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, persecuted for his beliefs and three days later, on Easter Sunday, he was resurrected.

Although Australia is not as religious as it once was, a large portion of it’s population is Christian, meaning the holiday is celebrated everywhere. It’s important to note that almost everywhere will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

But you may be asking yourself where the rest of the Easter customs come from? Easter eggs? Easter bunny? Hot Cross Buns?

Hot Cross Buns are an Australian Easter staple – delicious spiced buns filled with fruit and decorated with a cross. They’re fairly self-explanatory; the cross represents Jesus’ crucifixion. Traditionally, they’re meant to be eaten on Good Friday, but you can guarantee almost a week after Christmas they’ll start appearing in the supermarket. In recent years, there have been a few different flavours popping up like chocolate chip, mocha, apple and cranberry – so don’t worry if mixed fruit isn’t your thing. Heat one up, smother it in butter and there’s a traditional Aussie Hot Cross Bun.

You may have also noticed the huge number of chocolate eggs, bunnies and even chocolate footballs on display at your local supermarket. Easter eggs are what most kids (and let’s face it, adults) look forward to most at this time of the year. The eggs are supposed to symbolise new life – much like Jesus’ resurrection. The chocolate footballs are a gift for the avid football fan and are supposed to symbolise…chocolate? Sport? We’re still unsure about this one.

But what about this ‘bunny’ character? The Easter Bunny custom originated in Germany and is similar to Father Christmas – a character bringing gifts to the good children. Australia has tried to put their own twist on the traditional rabbit, introducing the Easter Bilby. In Australia, rabbits can sometimes be regarded as a pest to native wildlife which is why they probably decided to choose a native animal like the Bilby to represent Australian Easters.

So stock up on some Hot Cross Buns, indulge in too much chocolate and enjoy the four day long weekend!

1. Newtown – Sydney’s Inner-West is the best place to check out impressive mural work by local and internationally famed street artists. Walking down King Street, the first eye-catcher is the “Herald” mural – a re-creation of the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, with an hourglass that jumps out at you as you wait for the bus.

The most famous Newtown work is the “I Have A Dream” Mural on mid-King Street, created in 1991 by New Zealand-born Canadian artist Andrew Aiken and his colleague Juilee Prior. It’s huge, covering the entirety of a shop’s side, and remembers in vivid colour the struggle for human rights. Down the south end of the street you will find the “Great Wave” mural, painted by the Big City Freaks Crew, an elaborate 3D, Japanese-inspired image on the side of a house.

2. Yarn Bombing – One of the more recent street art trends, yarn bombing combines granny-cute with gangster as knitters ‘bomb’ everything from trees to signposts with specially-made socks that add a cozy feel to the concrete inner city. You can find yarn-bombed stuff everywhere from the CBD to Surry Hills and it’s sure to make you feel all warm and fuzzy.

3. Will Coles – Have you ever seen a gun sitting on the sidewalk and gasped, only to realize on closer inspection that it’s just a super-accurate concrete copy? How about a full-size concrete washing machine or abandoned balaclava? If you have, you’ve been pranked by Sydney street sculptor Will Coles, who has glued his life-like copies of surprising objects throughout the city, eliciting everything from smiles to shock from passers by (apparently, an older lady, possibly not wearing her glasses, called the police after seeing one of Will’s ‘guns’ sitting outside her door!). How does he do it? Coles says that there is nothing more powerful than dressing up as a council worker…

4. Beach-side Graffiti At Bondi – One of Sydney’s few council-sanctioned, legal graffiti areas, Bondi Beach’s huge concrete wall has been a graffiti site since the 1960s. To add to the wall nowadays, you’ve got to make an application via Waverly Council. If approved, you could add to some of the oldest examples of Aussie graffiti style.

5. Hidden Graffiti – some of the best graffiti in Sydney is hidden, only revealed if you look really close. I’ll let you in on one – check out what is happening under your feet on the escalators at Market City shopping centre in Haymarket – but you will have to find the rest for yourself!

‘I Have a Dream Photo’ – Courtesy of City of Sydney Archives, Patricia Baillie Collection