Roaming Around Melbourne

In June July this year I was in Melbourne for few mixed reasons. Visiting campuses of few colleges and universities was one reason as I have my profession related to them. But on the whole I spent my days as long vacations as I visited almost every known place around Melbourne. While landing at International Airport, I was curious to see what Melbourne would offer. I was received by my dearest one and in few minutes we were on roads in our car and I felt Melbourne one of the best place to be. A wonderful skyline greeted me.

I was staying with my friend in Ashburton on warrigal road but I always preferred Homes glen metro station while using Melbourne metro services because it was just on walking distance from my place. Having 16 every day train lines starting from Flinders street station, this metro service passing though 211 stations is like life lines of Melbourne. Flinders street station is the central railway station situated on the corner of Swanston and Queens Street. Yarra River is also passing near Flinders station.

‘I will meet you under the clock’ is famous idiom in Melbourne which refers to clocks fixed on main entrance of Flinders’ street station. Because of being in the central place of city, people use this place as a meeting point. I can assure, you will never get bored while roaming at Flinders street, Swanston, and Elizabeth, Collins or Queens’s street. I used to be there very frequently.

Another important place touching to Flinders’ station is Federation square. Its meeting place as well centre of various cultural and other activities. It is open 24 hours and 365 days of the year. Fed square Pty ltd, a company fully owned by state government of Victoria is committed to representing Melbourne's multiculturalism via the array of festivals throughout the year, as well as acknowledging the National Days of countries across the globe.

From the day first I planned visiting some important places. Melbourne’s Aquarium, Parliament House, Eureka sky deck and Crown Casino was on the top of my list of places. All these are located in the central city on walking distance from each other. Melbourne Aquarium is located on the Yarra River and is the world's only Southern Ocean aquarium, housing a Great Barrier Reef exhibit, Giant Southern Crabs, Japanese spider crabs, clown fish, jellyfish galore, sea turtles and Grey nurse sharks. Walk along the glass tunnel and watch the underwater world swim around you! Watching the sharks around you is really amazing experience. This is the best Aquarium I have seen. You feel like walking through Ocean, looking at sea life. It’s wonderful place to spend your afternoon. No wonder if I say that no trip to Melbourne is complete without visiting Melbourne Aquarium.

One of the best things to do in Melbourne is just being outside, with some fantastic weather, in June July, there are so many great places to go and enjoy it. Going city with or without any work, roaming in shopping malls, sitting on the banks of Yarra River, Tasting Chinese, Italian, Indonesian and Indian foods, walking on the sand and water of different beaches can be your regular activities as all these was with me. Williams’s town and St Kilda beaches were my favourite beaches, while my stay in Melbourne.

Regional escapes are full of more wonderful things than city life. If you wish to breathe more fresh air, you can plan a long trip to any destination like Mt Buller, Phillip Island, Great Ocean road, Dandenong Hill Ranges, Sovereign Hill gold mines at Ballarat, or Grampian National Park.

One day we planned to visit Ballarat and Sovereign Hills gold mines. Sovereign Hill is at 110 Km from north-west of Melbourne. We were five people including me. It was cloudy day with drizzling at short intervals. Way to Ballarat from Melbourne passes through beautiful landscapes and breathtaking sceneries. Wines yards and green hilly slopes create a soothing effect on you. At Ballarat, you will get re-created environment of 1850s gold mining. Gold was discovered in Ballarat in August, 1851. Even now you can try your luck and pan for gold in water and sand flowing there. We all tried but only Bhawana, my beautiful partner, got few particles of gold with the help of some one over there. You can wander through colonial buildings and feel the atmosphere of bygone era.

.......Continue in Roaming Around Melbourne Part II

This Article was written in 2010.