The next day, I left the YHA hostel armed with a digital camera, my Melbourne tourist book, and my backpack in case I bought anything. I was rested and ready to explore and photograph the city and the sites . . . under grey overcast clouds. Previously, I had only seen the Melbourne airport. With no destination in mind, I picked a random direction and began walking. What I immediately noticed were the electric trams that travelled along the main streets, ferrying passengers from Point A to Point B. The trams reminded me of the TTC trams I rode in Toronto, Canada.
I headed east along Flinders Street until I reached the central railway station named Flinders Street Station. Recently refurbished, the station is always bustling with activity with waves of people coming & going, filling and emptying the 1500 metro trains that arrive & depart every day. The current Victorian style structure was built in 1882 and is a cultural icon to the city.
Sitting next to Flinders Street Station is Federation Square, a large modern looking civic centre that opened in 2002. Spread across several structures, one can find a visitor centre, amphitheatre, cafes, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. At the centre of the structure is a large open air square where public events can be staged.
Crossing the Yarra River via the Princes Bridge, I photographed the Melbourne skyline and the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the distance. To me, it appeared that the many towers that make the downtown core do not adhere to one but many types of architecture. I passed between the State Theatre and the National Gallery of Victoria, proceeding west towards the Southbank neighbourhood. The State Theatre, with a tall white metallic antenna on the outside, is able to seat a crowd of almost 2,100, and boasts “an amazing ceiling, which is decorated with 75,000 tiny brass domes.” If had bought tickets to one of the productions, I would have snuck a photograph.
The centerpiece of Southbank (and pretty much all of Melbourne) is the 984 foot tall Eureka Tower, a residential tower that opened in 2006. It was named after the Eureka Stockade Rebellion. A large crowd of high school students had prevented me from visiting the SkyDeck on the 88th floor but I would come back the next day. I decided to stop for lunch at the Southgate Shopping Complex, just north of the Eureka Tower. The complex is the main attraction along the Southbank Promenade that’s located between Princes & Queens Bridges. It is here where many Melbournians & tourists flock to grab a bite to eat, shop for the latest fashions, and gaze at the downtown skyline.
My $10AUD lunch consisted of a delicious chicken wrap and a coke. I was able to get it with ease because the food court was nearly empty. Upon leaving the mall, I was greeted by drizzling rain, prompting me to go back inside to buy a small umbrella.
Ignoring the gloomy looking clouds and falling droplets of water, I left Southgate and proceeded south towards the M1 highway. By the time I reached the highway, the tops of the Eureka tower and other buildings were hidden by low hovering clouds. Passing the highway, I came across the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, a low level burgundy red building with an architectural design similar to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Having no desire to look at overpriced ‘art’ works, I continued south for several more blocks before turning east again, walking through a quiet residential neighbourhood. By this time, the rain had stopped falling.
I emerged onto St Kilda Road, being greeted by rushing cars and a line of trees from across the street. Not bothering to look at my tourist book, I assumed I had arrived at the edge of the Botanic Gardens. In actuality, I had arrived at the edge of the Shrine of Remembrance but I couldn’t see it because of the trees. Walking up north to find an intersection to cross, I came across the Victoria Barracks. Originally constructed to house British Imperial troops, the Barracks was the main headquarters of the Department of Defence from 1901 to 1958. During the Second World War, the Barracks was used by the War Cabinet to manage Australia’s wartime operations.
Across the street from the Barracks, occupying the space between Government House Drive and Anzac Ave is The Marquis of Linlithgow Statue, dedicated to the first Governor General of Australia, John Hope (1901-1903). With a break in vehicle traffic, I crossed the street and photographed it before turning my attention to the Shrine of Remembrance.
To Be Continued . . .
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