Geography of Melbourne

Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria, Australia, is situated on the southeastern fringe of the Australian landmass and in the southern central part of the state.

Geologically, it is built on the conclusion of Quaternary lava flows to the west, Silurian mudstones to the east, and Holocene sand accumulation to the southeast along Port Phillip.

[6] The city reaches south-east through Dandenong to the growth corridor of Pakenham towards West Gippsland, and southward through the Dandenong Creek valley, the Mornington Peninsula and the city of Frankston taking in the peaks of Olivers Hill, Mount Martha and Arthurs Seat, extending along the shores of Port Phillip as a single conurbation to reach the exclusive suburb of Portsea and Point Nepean.

Melbourne's major bayside beaches are located in the south-eastern suburbs along the shores of Port Phillip Bay, in areas like Port Melbourne, Albert Park, St Kilda, Elwood, Brighton, Sandringham, Mentone and Frankston although there are beaches in the western suburbs of Altona and Williamstown.

The nearest surf beaches are located 85 kilometres (53 mi) south-west of the Melbourne CBD in the back-beaches of Rye, Sorrento and Portsea.

Satellite view of the Greater Melbourne area, showing Port Phillip Bay opening to the Bass Strait and surrounding plains of the city limits.
Greater Melbourne at night from the International Space Station
Aerial view of the city and inner-city surrounds, with the Yarra River traversing through the city centre (the cluster of buildings on the far right)
Map of the urban areas of Melbourne and Geelong and surrounding towns
Population density and low elevation coastal zones in Melbourne. Melbourne is especially vulnerable to sea level rise .
A very basic map of the Port Phillip Plains approximately 10-12 thousand years ago, prior to sea level rise that filled the area of land now known as Port Phillip, and the course of the Yarra River as it emptied into Bass Strait. More exact details regarding the course of the Yarra River in the port phillip plains are needed.