The Complete Guide to a Kosher Trip to Melbourne

Melbourne is home to one of the most vibrant and densely concentrated Orthodox Jewish communities anywhere outside Israel and the US - with at least five active Chabad houses within walking distance of one another around St Kilda and Caulfield, kosher butchers and restaurants on nearly every block, and Australia's best-known city beach right in the neighborhood. Here's a short guide to planning your visit.

Chabad House of Caulfield — one of five

Chabad House of Caulfield on Inkerman Street, led by the Gutnick family, is Melbourne's flagship Chabad house - but just one of at least five Chabad houses operating across the St Kilda-Caulfield-Glen Eira-CBD area. That concentration, together with dozens of additional synagogues within the same radius, makes Melbourne one of the most densely packed cities in the world for Orthodox Jewish institutions per square kilometer.

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St Kilda Beach — the promenade with the penguins

St Kilda Beach, Melbourne's most famous beach, sits right in the heart of the Orthodox Jewish quarter - a short walk from most of the Chabad houses and kosher restaurants. Practical tip: head to the pier at dusk, when a colony of little penguins comes ashore every evening - one of Melbourne's most surprising, and free, experiences.

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Luna Park — the world's oldest wooden roller coaster

Luna Park, a historic amusement park from 1912 on the St Kilda seafront, is within walking distance of Chabad House of Caulfield. Practical tip: the park's 'Scenic Railway' has run continuously since 1912 and is the oldest of its kind in the world - worth the line even when it's long.

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Federation Square — the city's cultural heart

Federation Square, opposite Flinders Street Station in central Melbourne, is the city's central cultural square - galleries, big screens, and year-round events. Practical tip: easily reached by train from Caulfield or St Kilda stations, about a 20-minute ride from the Jewish quarter.

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Between the five Chabad houses around St Kilda and Caulfield, the famous beach, Luna Park, and Federation Square, Melbourne offers a rare combination of a vibrant, densely concentrated Orthodox Jewish community alongside a vibrant Australian city in its own right.