#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 :