Serving as Melbourne’s only international airport until 1970, Essendon Airport has a deep-rooted history. The airport has seen a plethora of famous visitors arrive from all over the world, including the Beatles, Cliff Richard, Roy Orbison and even Her Majesty The Queen. Today, Essendon Airport provides premier regional and corporate jet services.
After experiencing the exclusive, high-end travel or convenient corporate charters, take a Hertz hire car from the airport so you can hit the road and start exploring Melbourne and all it has to offer.
Exploring Melbourne’s north-west on arrival
The north and north-western suburbs of Melbourne are a hipster’s dream, and often regarded by locals as the “true Melbourne”, with plenty of trendy boutique shops, laid-back café’s, live music and beer gardens to explore at your own pace.
If you’re looking to do a spot of shopping on your stay, then conveniently located right at Essendon Airport’s doors is the Direct Factory Outlet (DFO), a shopping centre filled with large discount retail stores and famous designer brands selling merchandise at a fraction of the cost of what they sell in their main stores.
Heading further towards the city in the heart of Essendon you’ll find Punt Road, a vibrant shopping strip with a casual atmosphere. A must-visit for any wine lover in the area is Strangeloves Wine Bar, a cosy lamplit wine bar offering tastings of premium regional and international wines. Once you’ve found your perfect blend, pair your glass of choice with one of their seasonal cheese platters in the garden courtyard outside.
Heading into the CBD
Situated just 10km north-west from the Melbourne CBD, Essendon is only a short drive from the abundance of cafes, shops, attractions and restaurants that Melbourne is renowned for. Soak up the culture, people and coffee while exploring Melbourne on your own terms. For a laid-back itinerary featuring all of the above, head straight to Degraves Street, a bustling graffiti-decorated laneway renowned for its back-to-back line-up of quirky garage-sized cafés offering great-tasting coffee and people watching.
After you’ve had your fill of premium coffee and smashed avocados (always a great breakfast choice in Melbourne) take a walk down Flinders Street towards the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and its neighbour The Ian Potter Centre for your fill of historic and modern art and insight into the history of film in Australia.
Finish the day off and soak up the sunshine at Federation Square, where there is almost always something interesting happening in the square, or something on display on the large outdoor projector screen. There is an endless array of options when it comes to bars and restaurants around the area – so take your pick!
If you’re looking to escape the big smoke, a quintessential activity would be driving along the Great Ocean Road and discovering the abundance of beaches, cliff rocks and of course the Twelve Apostles.
Whether you’re in Melbourne for a short time or for a longer-term stay, a hire car provides convenience and freedom to travel on your own schedule.
