Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria, is picturesquely located along the coastline of Port Phillip Bay and along the Yarra River. Founded in 1835 by free settlers from the modern-day Tasmania, in the wake of the 1850s Victorian gold rush, Melbourne entered a lengthy boom period that, by the late 1880s, had transformed it into one of the world's largest and wealthiest metropolises. Today, Melbourne is home to many of Australia's best-known landmarks, such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the National Gallery of Victoria and the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building.