‘Marvellous’ Melbourne *

(\*the nickmame during its turn of the century heyday)

Travelling down we had a glorious view of NSW as we drove across the state on Thursday (no koalas yet, despite many warning signs on the highway), the landscape reminded both of us of the Scottish lowlands.

We left Wagga Wagga disappearing under water again, and could see just how high the rivers were in the middle flood plains, as I type the west of the town is back under water. Luckily the old fashioned and very quaint motel we stayed in was in the East, and had been (so far) untouched by the wide spread floods here.

The Melbourne skyline rose out of the countryside in stark contrast, as did the traffic piling into it from all sides…thank god for our up to date gps, she’s been a godsend.

Being a Grand Prix weekend, the town is heaving, but luckily we booked so long ago we have a city centre spot, as our car was valeted off at vast cost to an underground car park somewhere  we went to admire the city skyline view from our 8^th floor window.

A relaxing spa /swim unstiffening our aching bones (5 hours in the car each day has taken its toll, we are getting old…) and as we left to wander around , a massive thunderstorm Thursday evening cleared the air (and the streets). So we walked around the city in our Macs, being British and undaunted by rain, watching lightening and getting our bearings…there is Grand Prix stalls and paraphernalia everywhere!

Friday:

Left Paul to wander around the Grand Prix stalls etc and I set off for the Queen Victoria Markets. Great fun, like an Oz version of Covent Garden/Borough Market but with the wholesale and local markets attached, its massive, hundreds of diverse stalls from the eclectic, retail, veg, pets, you name it you can buy it here.

I only bought a kilo of peaches for 50 cents, ate 4 and threw the rest away as too heavy to carry (see Sat!).

I’m a great fan of Oz fruit, so plentiful, varied and very cheap everywhere-Paul has already eaten his normal annual quota.

The state library has a superb exhibition of ‘Love and Devotion from Persia and beyond’ a collection including earliest illuminated manuscripts from the Bodleian library in Oxford. It took me hours to peer a the intricate detail of the manuscripts and the heritage-there was Chaucer, Shakespeare et al repeating the classic tales passed down from Persia, fascinating (even Eric Clapton’s Layla stems from here). The complex ink/paint/embellishments from centuries ago on fragile materials were so tiny the library provided hand held magnifiers. It was brilliant, I loved it.

I had an emotive session at St Francis Church, the oldest Catholic Church in Victoria-this country has some stunning churches of every type/shape/age (Paul and I both adored the modern new build in Parametta, arising out of the flames of the historic building in a contemporary silver and gold metal design, much unexpected). I found myself in the Lady Chapel in time for rosary and drawn to join in –legacy of a religious childhood.

Later Paul and I wandered around the Botanical Gardens, Paul taking in the difference-ness of trees and plant life of Australia, past the tomb of the shrine of Remembrance, and then along the city river bank-the Yarra through Melbourne echoes the Thames through London, even down to the revived paths and harbours.

As night fell we found the ‘Lanes’, a bizarre, eclectic mix of old and new alleyways and arcades which intersect the main streets of this tree lined city. The classical Block and Royal Arcades, built for Edwardian ladies to parade along, with their glass domed ceilings. Tiled arches and mosaic floors are the most famous, but I loved the café lined alleyways and the urban lanes and thirties arcades. There is much urban art everywhere here superb sculptures line the streets and squares.

Saturday

We began today by admiring the Royal Exhibition Buildings, Crystal Palace by any other name, and through the city parks to Q Vic markets for massive shopping forage-we now have enough fruit to start a grocers shop!

Post delicious picnic, we set off in the beautiful sunshine to see the city in the sun, as the clouds have cleared and it’s a gorgeous day. The architecture here is fascinating, glass skyscrapers between colonial buildings, much twenties and thirties buildings, and spectacular and colourful contemporary architecture such as Federation Square.

Paul ‘had’ to stay in the city’s designed ‘Grand Prix’ square to watch the qualifying on the massive screen there! This evening we walked around China Town staring at the miles of oriental food stalls/restaurants/shops/etc crowded among and underneath the historical colonial buildings –very odd-look up, its old western skyline, look straight and you’re in the East…

Sunday

Mothering Sunday in the UK, so lovely to have cards to open here as I’d completely forgotten, and was very touched-thanks folks!!

Paul had a brilliant day at the grand prix!!

And I had a fantastic day at the Art Galleries-the Ian Potter Contemporary, the Museum of Moving Image for the history of Oz TV, the absorbing collection at the NG of V, and the Shrine of Remembrance-where I watched the flypast for the Grand Prix and could look down over the track, albeit in the distance…

I’m getting used to the shape and form of tribal art now, the story patterns and traditions are making sense, I recognise consistent themes, tropes and motifs; it’s transformed the canvases from what seem vibrant and complex colourful ‘mosaics’ into myths and legends, told not through recognisable images/word but through shape and form, it’s a very different art taken from emotional awareness rather than cognitive senses complex and fascinating.

I ended by walking the Fitzroy/Treasury parks, past Cooks Cottage, an ancient Scarred Tree dating from aboriginal times, (so called as its criss crossed deep scars date from its use for sharpening spears, etc) and then down Colllins Street, Flinders Lane and other key historic streets of the brilliant city, watching the sun setting over the river, the view a weird mixture of glow through the skyscrapers and shadows over the verandas, urban art sculptures contrasting with leafy avenues and blooming gardens.

The Great Ocean Road: St Kilda to Lorne

Monday

Monday and down to St Kilda and the beaches first, before setting out on the road. This is the part of Melbourne we had yet to see, and the weather today is 27 and gorgeous, the perfect beach day.

Walked along the south Melbourne beaches first and then along to St Kilda pier, with its spectacular view of the city skyline…today the water was clear, calm and full of fish sparkling in the warm shallows.

St Kilda pier and Luna Park look just what they are, relics of the Edwardian glory days of this now touristy but still fun suburb-the beach, albeit tiny and not as integral to the city as Sydney beaches, still ‘rounded’ our sense of the Melbourne marvel.

Off to Lorne, our first stop of The Great Ocean Road, and, once past the ghastly hour of motorway around Port Philip, wonderful beaches dotted with small towns and hills with sudden winding bends through valleys and peaks-to me, suddenly transported back to Tasmania!

Lorne is fun-our motel room here is right on the front, but in the quiet, older part of the small town, and has a balcony overlooking the beach and the pier, a lovely treat on arrival, to sit in the warm sunshine and here the surf (luckily Paul has gone upmarket with the accom choices, not over the top but definitely not hostel territory, I like it!!)

Walked down the rocky outcrops to the historic pier and watched the sun go down over the hills, and then back in the increasing dark along the sandy beach bay, as the night sky filled with stars.

Tuesday at Lorne.

Drew the curtains to find the sun streaming through the windows and glinting off a bright blue sea, white surf waves breaking on the sands…fantastic way to start the day, sat eating our brekkie admiring the sunshine coast.

Wandered along in the sun and sand down the beach, taking in the weird rock formations, bizarre, strange shapes, planes of flat rocks lying between sandy stretches interspersed with protruding stones and (sharp) edges.

Through a tiny path under the ocean road –it really does tuck into the cliff face, and was suddenly right above us here-and up to Stony Creek, now dried and full of lilies in the rocky waterholes.

Back for lunch to enjoy our balcony, and people watching on the beaches below. The town suddenly full of travellers enjoying ice cream and picnics and dodging the cockatoos which swipe any food they can-they were swooping over our balcony, chasing off the colourful, but alas smaller, parrots.

Spoilt for choice with bush walks inland, in the national park, we went up to Erskine Falls, surprisingly as spectacular as falls in the Blue Mountains, and then off to find the trek to Cora Lynn Cascades. Again an unexpected delight, the ‘path’ curved down through tall eucalyptus and fern tunnels,  opening out through the cascades, this time flowing over exposed ledges and gullies framed by luxuriant ferns and mosses.

Then round the lookouts for a view from the cliff tops, watching the cars negotiate the steep bends on the road below and the sea breaking on the bays. Sat on the balcony with our coffee and biscuits taking in the peace of the now empty beach and breaking waves.  The sunset walk along to the pier was so peaceful, no one around but us and a few fishermen watching purple skies and birds swooping over the sea.