ak-extra/travel: Australia

Australia 1991

Melbourne

Day 18 until day 25
Wednesday 20th March to Wednesday 27th March 1991

This day was devoted to the rest of our journey towards Melbourne. We took our time for the 600 kilometres trip. Driving all the way it turned out quite nice that we did not get the prebooked compact car but a large station wagon which - to our luck - had to be transferred from Sydney to Melbourne.

The route lead us right across the State of Victoria. Statistically it is the most densely populated state of Australia. To us it still looked quite empty. But the closer we got to Melbourne the more towns we found.

The last Flag-Inn Hotel on our trip is called Ramada Inn located on one of the main entrance roads of Melbourne. But you can already recognise the flair of the city, because also this road is lined with old trees separating the street from the Victorian houses with their iron lace work. So we finished this day with a walk through the roads of this area. The Ramada Inn proves the well known fact that for the same price you get less comfort in major cities. At least there was a big parking on the hotel ground. That was also of good value.

Our car (for a while)

Melbourne - Ramada Inn

The Ramada Inn

Also in Melbourne there is an Explorer Bus system. After we got an overview by using it, we made a leisurely cruise through the inner city roads. Flinders Street Station, Bourke Street, Collins Street and the Houses of Parliaments, to mention a few of them. The inner city is quite easily to walk. Once you are tired you can just hop onto one of the famous old trams. Melbournes transport services "The Met" doesn't only offer the bargain Met Pass but in addition to it a small city guide with all the sights being close to the tram lines. And don't miss the Yarra banks.

After all the spectacular places we have seen before the quietness of Melbourne suits very well. It is very surprising how unhectically a metropolis can be. While Sydney stands for an America oriented lifestyle Melbourne is devoted to the leisure's of the Mediterranean cities of southern Europe just without their overwhelming traffic in all too narrow roads.

Contasting the prisoners colony Sydney, the pioneers who arrived the Yarra in 1835, have always been respectable and free settlers. In 1851 far London declared the state of Victoria independent from New South Wales. Since then Sydney and Melbourne are in unbroken rivalry. Without any doubt there are not as many and as famous sights as in Sydney but the city of Melbourne is easily capable to compete: A lot of parks, one of the worlds last large tram networks and not finally the reputation to be Australia's fashion city are just some of the things Melbourne can be proud of.

One of those beautiful parks are the Royal Botanical Gardens. They were lay out by the German botanist Baron Ferdinand von Müller in 1852 and are said to be one of the most beautiful parks of the world.

Yarra northern bank

Melbourne - Collins Street

Collins Street

Melbourne - Royal botanical gardens

Royal Botanical Gardens

An evenly beautiful ground is the Melbourne Zoo. In there you can walk right trough the lions cage. Behind bars of course. In 1986 the butterfly sanctuary opened where you can observe about 20 different specimens in their natural surrounding.

Approximately 50 km east of the city centre you can find the hilly Dandenong Ranges which is said to be one of the most beautiful areas of the state. Volcanic soil and above average rainfalls have created a habitat with a rich flora and fauna including domestic and exotic plants. There also is a bird park where the usually very hardly to see Lyre birds are visible. Especially impressive are beside the exotic trees the tropic rain forest with its high ferns.

Dangedongs

There is another highlight Melbourne can offer. The penguin parade on Phillip Island. Every night penguins waddle carefree out of the sea back to their nests. They do not care about the numerous tourists observing them. A lot of precautions are taken in order not to disturb the animals. Therefore taking photos with a flash is prohibited. Not all of the visitors however are able to understand this rule. The pictures aside are therefore not my work. To take pictures and to get further information you should refer to the visitors centre.

To be honest I have to mention that the whole thing is not only cute but also uncomfortable. The clear full moons night was ice cold and windy. But any discomfort was forgotten when the penguins came back from their fish hunt. First there is a single one bashfully climbing out of the water, barely to see in the pale moonlight. But either he does not seem to like what he sees or he is shocked by his own braveness. He returns into the sea. This little game takes place a few times but finally the little fellows seem to become real men and pour out of the water directly heading towards their nest between the grasses. Right between the footbridges built up for those strange two footed man. Now in masses they act without inhibition and allow us to participate in their privatsphere dimly illuminated by lanterns. After a while the last lights are switched off urging the visitors discretely to leave the animals alone. What a pity but for those who do yet not have enough, the little penguins of Phillip Island have their own homepage.

Penguins on Phillip Island

Melbourne - Penguin on Phillip Island

With only 33cm the "Little penguin"
is the smallest of all penguins.

Conclusion: You can't say too many words about Melbourne. The city speaks for itself. Just beautiful.

So much also about my journey to Australia. I don't want to say anymore. I just want to repeat my introduction: It is going happen again - Sometime.

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