Melbourne, second largest city in Australia and Capital of the State of Victoria, stands on the northern shores of Port Phillip Bay in the south-east of the continent.
Melbourne's climate is temperate. The 'official' seasons are summer - December to February, autumn - March to May, winter - June to August, spring - September to November. In fact the weather is unpredictable. Melbourne is known for its changeable weather and can experience 'four seasons in one day'.
During summer the maximum daytime temperature may be anything between 20C and 40C Therefore, it is important to have warm clothes at all times of the year.
Autumn and spring may range between very warm and quite cool days. Winter can be cold and windy with maximum daytime temperatures of 10-15C and night temperatures of 4- 9C with occasional colder nights.
Melbourne does not have a specific wet season - it can rain at any time of the year.
Sports and other outdoor activities are possible at all times of the year.
The population is approximately 4 million. Melbourne is a sprawling city with suburbs extending up to 50km from the centre of the city.
The city centre is on the banks of the Yarra river, 5km from Port Phillip Bay. There are many large shopping and transport centres in the suburbs, and Box Hill is one of these.