Australia might stop for the Melbourne Cup, but for the rest of the Spring Racing Carnival no-one in Melbourne sits still. This whirlwind of horse racing, fashion and fun starts in September and doesn’t end until mid-November. Flemington Racecourse is the stage for big-name race days such as Derby Day, the Melbourne Cup, Oaks Day but all tracks across the state are part of the action. You don’t have to know racing to love this vibrant social tradition, which heralds the return of sunshine and spring warmth to Melbourne. Plan your attendance at a trackside soiree or just explore the city against a backdrop of barely-contained carnival excitement.

Melbournians love to dress up and flaunt their stylish fashions and never more so than at the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival in November. Watch the furious hooves from a big screen around the city. Or dust off a fabulous hat for one of the race days at Flemington Racecourse. Derby Day opens the party with racing for purists and off-field fashions in traditional black and white.

On the first Tuesday in November, it’s the biggest event of the carnival, the show-stopping Melbourne Cup. This is a public holiday for Melbournians, who flock for the fun atmosphere as much as the nation-stopping race at 3.00pm. Observe traditional car-boot breakfast parties or wave your ticket for live music, champagne and canapés at one of the elegant soirees. During the race you can suspend your decorum and join the rest of Australia in cheering and punching the air.  

There’s only a two-day reprieve before Oaks Day, or ladies' day, where the big focus is on racetrack fashion. The following Saturday, children can even flaunt their style at Stakes Day, the unofficial family day that closes the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Of course, this is just a small segment of the spring racing action, which takes fascinators and fascination with horses across Melbourne and beyond. Wherever you are, locals will be eager to proffer their tips for the Melbourne Cup, a race now part of Australian legend. After all, multiple winning horses such as Makybe Diva, Kingston Town and Phar Lap are national heroes. The Australian slang phrase ‘has the heart of Phar Lap' is a reference to Phar Lap’s heart, which is almost twice the weight of a normal horse’s heart.  The term is used to describe a particularly Aussie brand of fortitude.

You can see Phar Lap’s huge heart and inert muscular glory at the Melbourne Museum, just one of the city’s bevy of cultural attractions. While in Melbourne, browse the Southern Hemisphere’s best collection of international art at the National Gallery of Victoria. Or lose a day to the many cutting-edge exhibitions of Southbank’s Federation Square.

Your stay wouldn’t be complete without diving fork-first into Melbourne’s thriving food and wine scene. Sip good coffee in the city’s gothic laneways, head to St Kilda for a seaside lunch or try Fitzroy for cafes with character and ethnic cuisine. During the spring carnival many cafes and restaurants get into the spirit with live race broadcasts and race-themed events.

For sartorial splendor to match the city during this time, look no further than Melbourne’s well heeled shopping precincts. Make your mark with a dress from a Brunswick Street boutique or dazzle with designer labels from Prahran’s Chapel Street.  Find high-end fashion in Flinders Lane, and more obscure labels in the city’s other alleys and wrought-iron arcades.

For springtime in Melbourne you’ll need all your stamina. This exuberant 50-day carnival will sweep you along until the very end.