While it's taken some time, Melburnians have finally come to embrace Federation Square, accepting it as the congregation place it was meant to be – somewhere to celebrate, protest, watch major sporting events or hang out on its deckchairs. Occupying a prominent city block, 'Fed Square’ is far from square: its undulating and patterned forecourt is paved with 460,000 hand-laid cobblestones from the Kimberley region, with sight-lines to Melbourne's iconic landmarks; its buildings are clad in a fractal-patterned reptilian skin.
Within are cultural heavyweights such as the Ian Potter Centre and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), as well as restaurants and bars. At the square’s street junction is the subterranean Melbourne Visitor Centre. Highly recommended free tours of Fed Square depart Monday to Saturday at 11am; spaces are limited, so get here 10 to 15 minutes early. The square has free wi-fi, and there are always free public events going on here, particularly on weekends – as well as free daily tai chi from 7.30am and meditation at 12.30pm on Tuesday.
