#Melbourne

I have taken the opportunity to spend 3 nights in Melbourne as in effect a stopover on the way to the final leg of what is likely to be my one and only Australia visit - Hobart, Tasmania.

Melbourne - in population terms is Australia's second city - over 5 million people. I would say it is not as glamorous as Sydney - not on the tourist trail to the same extent - but it does have some huge draws including the iconic MCG - Melbourne Cricket Ground - the Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park and the Australian Open Tennis. The MCG also doubles as Australia's Wembley and it is where Australia's huge AFL finals are held - crowds of 100000. Melbourne staged the Olympics in 1956.

Visually Melbourne is pretty unique I would say. It doesn't have a easily discernible style. It has some impressive high rise but the dominant feature I think is that no two buildings are the same. That is not to say individual buildings aren't stylish but they are all fitted together in a pragmatic way. I am not criticising it - actually I rather like it. Certainly not sterile. Perhaps it is more human. But boy do the Australian's like their signs ! Everything has a sign on it. I also think Australia would give the UK a run for it's money on Health and Safety. Signs everywhere stating the obvious ! Another feature of down town Melbourne - they have buses, trams, overhead trains operating around each other.

But what I sense - what I feel and it is confirmed by the guide books is Melbourne is a melting pot. Apparently 42% of its citizens were born outside of Australia. It is a artsy liberal place. Lots of students. Coffee bars are everywhere. Every type of food is available. I think back to talking to the guys in the pub in Jindabyne. They were scathing about the State of Victoria and it's capital Melbourne. They said it should be cut out of Australia to be let drift to somewhere else. There are similar sentiments about London for similar reasons.

But I liked what I seen of Melbourne and actually in the short time I was there I saw a fair bit of it. I hired a bike at 9am and except for some shortish breaks and lots of view stops I did the 20k St Kilda and Albert Park ride which included Port Melbourne the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens and a stretch of the Yarra River plus a lot through downtown. Despite what appeared initially to be a bit hectic on a bike the bike lanes are there and people/drivers are considerate - so easy. Actually it felt great cycling around a famous city on the other side of the world under my own steam. The bay shore from Port Melbourne to St Kilda was particularly nice early in the morning. I thought I was looking out on the ocean but actually Melbourne is wrapped around the huge Port Philip Bay.

Part of the bike route was through the huge Albert Park. Initially much of it was laid up in all manner of sports pitches but as I got down further I started seeing huge ongoing constructions of grandstands that must have been using up half the worlds supply of scaffold poles. I wondered if it was something to do with the Melbourne Cup Horse Race which I knew was a massive event. However the penny quickly dropped. Albert Park is where the first F1 Grand Prix of each season is staged. March 2026. It must be such a colossal money spinner. It is a street circuit not a purpose built track. The work involved is staggering. I did a couple of bends on my town bike !

Next day I decided to take it easy. I made an enquiry about the MCG. There was a Sheffield Shield cricket match on - a 4 day interstate match between Victoria and Queensland. Tickets were 25 dollars. £12.50. I am no cricket fan but I decided to go and see the famous MCG first hand. It is an incredible stadium - no gaps with that massive oval pitch and seats right down to pitch side. For the match I watched only 20% of the stadium was used and probably only a couple of thousand people there. It seats a 100000. If full as it can be for test matches and AFL finals - the atmosphere must be incredible. It was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Melbourne apparently has its social problems but they weren't apparent to me. It is a vibrant city. Liberal, arty, maybe decadent according to the guide books. Also sports nuts. I am glad to have made the short visit. xx 

Melbourne scenes as per my blog above using my mob camera :

#GreatBarrierReef Daintree and Cairns

I have moved on for a stay in Cairns in north Queensland mainly because it is referred to as "the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef". The GBR is designated as one of the seven natural wonders of the world and ever since a child I thought it would be amazing experience to see it close up - but never thought I would. But I now have a chance and I have grabbed it and feel deeply appreciative.

First of all however a bit about Cairns. I have to say - a bit of an incongruous place. Why ? Well it is a resort town. The esplanade and a few streets back are quite commercial. Bars, fast food, restaurants and gift shops etc. (It is however well up together - neat and tidy.) Not what I expected - I expected a bit of wild frontier or a green outpost but no matter. Cairns is thriving as a city - a population of 150000. I have said this before about Darwin. I find it astonishing the population is so large because it just doesn't feel like it. I then realised Cairns is 32 km from north to south - so it is very spread out - low rise - large natural green areas - not densely populated. Cairns is the transport hub for the whole region including it's international airport.

The reason I came to Cairns and the reason most people come to Cairns is to see the Great Barrier Reef in some way and / or to spend time within the Daintree Tropical Rain Forest - the oldest - longest established in the world - older than the Amazon Rain Forest. Daintree is 135 million years old and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a short distance from Cairns.

I will start with the Great Barrier Reef. It is the largest coral reef system in the world. It is 2300km long and estimated to be made up of about 3000 coral reefs. It is located in the Coral Sea off the east coast of Queensland and roughly running parallel with the coast going north to south.

The reef is the home of an extraordinary variety of coral and fish and is ecologically very important. It is however fragile and under pressure because for the reef to survive is has quite specific requirements. It needs clean sea water and to be undisturbed. Sun light is crucial too. Parts of the reef have suffered regression because the sea has become too warm and caused bleaching - kills the reef. This is put down to global warming.

How and why did the reef get established where it is ? My rough understanding. Pre ice age Australia's continental shelf was forested. When sea levels rose after the ice the long shallow eastern Australian continental shelf was part flooded and the coast moved inland. By chance it created the perfect environment for coral - living organisms to grow and flourish. This was about 8000 years ago ie the sea was shallow, the sea warm, the coral got enough sunlight but not too much - the shelf was geologically stable - no earthquakes etc and nutrients came from previous vegetation. The result coral grew and died and new coral grew on top creating the reefs - the barrier.

I went out to two outer reef sites with a small group. There are lots of boats offering trips but from reading reviews etc you get what you pay for because boats are licensed and are restricted to specific locations. Despite being 30 miles out of Cairns the water was warm and shallow with the bluest areas representing the white sand around the reef. We are required to wear suits for protection - stings rather than bites. Box Jelly Fish are around the coast line - not the reef - but you cannot be certain. Their sting is literally lethal.

What followed for me and everyone else in our group was amazing. I was snorkeling over the GBR and seeing the coral formations and sea life for myself. An incredible natural aquarium. There was no rush. We had up to 6 hours in the water over 2 sites. A few had underwater cameras or mobs in waterproof cases but I decided just to enjoy it and that is what I did. It was bountiful. The most lovely coral formations from small to enormous. Tropical fish of so many different types and shapes - some of brilliant colours and from small to large were everywhere - some in big shoals - sometimes all around you. Me and my buddy followed a giant turtle from a careful distance so not to disturb it for probably 15 minutes as it foraged and nosed around. We saw rays on the sand and what I understand to be a reef shark moving away (thank goodness!). I cannot describe the reef properly to do it justice - so I will give up trying. I will just say it was an enormous privilege for which I am very thankful. 

The GBR has many pressures - both natural and man made. Hopefully it can survive and adapt. Certainly there are plenty of clever people doing their utmost to preserve it. Here's hoping they prevail.

The other World Heritage Site close to Cairns is as I mentioned above - the Daintree Tropical Rain Forest. I signed up for what I will admit appeared to be a rather touristy package but it was the only practical way for me to visit the area. As it turned out it was a thoughtfully put together full day and I learned a lot of interest from our guide.

Some Daintree stats.

As I have said the Daintree is the world's longest surviving tropical rain forest. 135 million years. Many of the plants have not changed much at all apparently.

Daintree is less than 0.1% of Australia yet it is home to 30% of Australia's frogs, reptiles and marsupial species and 65% of its bat and butterfly species. It is one of the most bio diverse places in the world.

It is the only place on earth where 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites touch.

It has been the home of the Kuku Yalanji people for tens of thousands of years. Daintree is about 460 square miles. Very few live north of the Daintree River (which we crossed) - estimated 700. There are a few small settlements overall estimated at about 2 to 2500 people. My home Island - the Isle of Wight is 380 square miles so Daintree is quite a lot bigger.

There is a down side. While Daintree is undoubtedly beautiful, historic and unspoilt it is a harsh environment. Tropical heat - tropical rain ( its annual rain fall is 150 and 250 inches per year. The Isle of Wight's is 28 to 30 inches.) What is funny is Daintree does have a dry season (relatively). Tropical downpours however threaten Daintree. Cylones hit and can be very destructive. For instance 15 inches of rain in a single day which cases widespread damage and flooding and that is without the wind and wave damage. (called hurricane's in America and typhoons in SE Asia).

Then there are the deadly or hurtful plants - brushing some can be enough - plus all the bugs, spiders and snakes with venom - huge sea crocs and deadly jelly fish making it impossible to swim in the sea or for that matter going anywhere close to water courses. Well it put me off wanting a holiday home in the Daintree !

But Daintree was exceptional. Truly beautiful. Truly different. Nature at its greatest. Darwinism in the extreme.

Just before I finish. You have probably seen an episode or two of Border Force Australia. You might feel the authorities are neurotic about bio diversity and the need to avoid it's damage from dubious imports. Google the "Cane Toad" story. They were inadvertently introduced and are decimating northern Australia and still spreading !

Some mob photos of my day snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. There are no underwater shots because I didn't have an underwater cameras 😃

Into the Daintree National Park. Starts with an Aboriginal smoke blessing to tell the gods we are there welcome guests and bring us no harm!

Daintree River. Crocs territory. No joking you wouldn't last very long.

A bad photo of a Cassowary. Even they are prone to attack you. Very territorial.

Tropical Rain Forest meets the Great Barrier Reef. Two WHO sites touching. But again it is sea crocodile and box jelly fish territory. Beautiful but deadly.

Some birds from a 20 minute walk along Cairns esplanade.