Geelong & Queenscliff

The following day we packed everything up and checked out of the Sovereign Park Motor Inn. Having really enjoyed her stay, my mother vowed to write a positive review about the Inn on TripAdvisor. It was time to return to Melbourne but we decided to take a detour, one that would last the entire day. Driving south along the A300 highway, my brother drove my parents and myself to the port city of Geelong.

Geelong is located on Corio Bay, 75 kilometres southwest of Melbourne. Before the arrival of the Europeans in 1802, the area was occupied by the Wathaurong Tribe. A European settlement was later established in 1836. Geelong’s population jumped to 23,000 during the 1805s Gold Rush, but since it wasn’t growing as fast as Ballarat & Bendigo, the town was dubbed ‘Sleepy Hollow’. Geelong officially became a city on December 8th, 1910, gaining several essential services such as electricity from a newly built power station and sewage system. In 1936, the city’s population finally surpassed that of Ballarat. After the Second World War, the city continued to grow thanks to the manufacturing industry and the population reached 100,000 by the 1960s. Today, the city’s population is about 161,000 and the economy relies heavily on industrial manufacturing & processing as well as tourism.

On Google Earth you can see that Geelong & Melbourne are only about 25 kilometres apart. Maybe in about a century, that separation will be no more and Geelong will be a part of the Melbourne metropolis.

Even though it was a Thursday, downtown Geelong was filled with people, wanting to get out into the bright hot sun. After parking the car near the Westfield Shopping Centre, my brother led my parents & I to an ice cream parlour called Lic, short for Lollies, Ice Cream & Coffee. He wanted us to try the ice cream because he argued that it was the best in Australia. If you have a sweet tooth, then this is the place to get your sugar & caffeine fix. There are 24 flavours of ice cream to choose from, and you can order a single, double, and even a triple scoop! Lic’s also makes single & multi flavoured ice cream cakes for many occasions. And to top it all off, there are bins of various candies (lollies) for you to fill a plastic bag. Just be ready to pay. My parents and I ordered a single scoop of ice cream on a cone whereas my brother ordered a triple. Surprisingly, he didn’t get a brain freeze.

After finishing our ice cream cones, we walked down to the waterfront to explore the area. The waterfront is lined with cafes, two marinas, and the Cunningham Pier. There are also several green spaces for people to play sports and/or to barbecue themselves (tanning). Geelong Helicopters operates from the waterfront, offering scenic flights of the waterfront and other landmarks. As a compromise, we convinced the pilot on duty to take a family picture.

We continued walking along the waterfront, passing a tall group of wooden Redcoat soldiers getting ready to play a march, and a building housing a vintage merry-go-round. Our main destination was the Cunnigham Pier, also known as the Pier Geelong. At the time of our visit, the building at the end of the pier was undergoing renovation. The Dock Café was still open but their lunch prices were too high for us. The Pier Geelong is a function venue designed to host up to 1000 guests for big parties, celebrations, and business meetings. Now that the renovation is complete, there’s also the fine dining restaurant Baveras and the City Quarter Boutique Bar to enjoy.

We headed back the way we came and stopped into a bar/café for some beer and chips. The drinks were great but our chips were delayed because of the large number of customers. To keep us from leaving annoyed, we were given each a free glass of beer. Can’t argue with service like that! The fries did arrive in the end and they tasted quite good. If I return to Geelong someday, I’ll give this café another try. But what was it called?

From Geelong, we continued our detour by heading out to the town of Queenscliff, just 30 kilometres to the southeast. The town is located on the Bellarine Peninsula and sits next to the entrance to Port Philip. All sea vessels must sail through this entrance to get to Melbourne because it’s the only one. The drive took about an hour and we stopped at a lighthouse lookout point to see the port entrance. There were tourists walking along the beach and some were swimming among the shallow rocks. To me, Queenscliff is a getaway town, designed for people wanting to take a break from the real world. There’s not much to do except sit back, relax, and watch the world go by. Just wear plenty of sunscreen.

From here we had to drive back to Melbourne to check into our hotel or else we would lose the reservation. The journey took about 90 minutes and it rained a little but we made it to the Quality Hotel on time. Since we would be leaving Melbourne in two days, we chose to stay at a hotel that was close to the airport. Our room was surprisingly big with three beds (you could fit three more), and a washroom with 2 sinks (the key to a successful marriage).

Leaving our luggage and rental car behind, we searched for a nearby restaurant to have dinner. After checking out several questionable establishments we ended up in the DiCaprio Family Restaurant, specializing in Italian, French, Asian and Middle Eastern food. Keeping it simple, we ordered salad and two Italian styled pizzas. The food was good but the speed of service was average. I think it was because they were understaffed that day. Anyway, I would eat at the DiCaprio’s in the Tullamarine neighbourhood again. There are two other DiCaprio’s restaurants located at Taylors Lakes and Hoppers Crossing.

Bendigo

On December 1st, my family and I ventured north to the city of Bendigo, a 2 hour journey by car. The area was settled by Europeans in 1840, establishing vast sheep runs. The settlement didn’t take off until 1851 when two women struck gold in ‘The Rocks’ area. Many Chinese people were attracted to Bendigo goldfields and as such established a large Chinatown. During the 1870s, the small mining town evolved into a wealthy city, it’s population reaching 34,089 by 1891. Today, the population is around 90,000 and over 22 million ounces of gold has been extracted from the gold mines.

As we drove north along the A300 highway under overcast clouds, the countryside was once again a collection of green hills, grasslands, and dense forests. It rained several times but the sun finally decided to come out when we reached the town of Castlemaine, the halfway town between Ballarat & Bendigo. Here we took a break from the road and visited the Buda Historic Home and Garden.

The home is an authentic house and garden surviving from the Gold Rush era. The house was built in 1861 and was occupied by silversmith Ernest Leviny and his family for a period of 118 years (1863-1981). Ernest & his wife had 10 children, 4 sons & 6 daughters, between 1865 & 1883. Two of their sons died before turning five, and another served in the Boer War before settling in South Africa. Only one of the daughters, Ilma, married and lived in a separate residence in Castlemaine. The other five daughters spent most of their lives at Buda house, becoming experts in a form of art or craft, such as, embroidering, smocking, woodcarving, photography, and metal & enamel work. Many of their works are displayed throughout the large residence.

At the time of our arrival, the main entrance of the house was being repaired because of a car accident, meaning we had to enter through one of the side doors. After paying $10 each, we were given a brochure about the residence and blue slippers to put over our shoes. You’re not allowed to touch the original furniture nor the art works and I can see why; they’re over a century old! Because of the age of the house, the floor squeaks with every step you take.

Buda house also boats one of the largest private Victorian styled gardens in the area. There are plenty of paths to walk down on, and plants to see. The garden is large enough to host private events such as weddings, family reunions, anniversaries, and seminars.

We continued our journey to Bendigo after spending around 90 minutes at Buda House. The sun receded behind the clouds and again we were greeted by grey overcast clouds as we drove into the city centre. By this time, our stomachs were rumbling with hunger so my brother parked our rental car across from the modern looking Bendigo Bank building and we set off on foot, looking for a place to eat. The restaurant we chose was Nando’s which specialized in Portuguese Peri-Peri Chicken. I recommended the restaurant because I had tried it when I was in Melbourne and I was impressed by the quality of food. The franchise is a cross between fast food and a please-wait-to-be-seated restaurant.

We secured a table for four and I helped my mother in placing our order. We ordered a full chicken with fries. My father & I had beer whereas my brother had coke and my mom had mineral water. Plates, cups, utensils, and condiments are the customer’s responsibility to get. Because my mother had mentioned to the manager that this was her first time at Nando’s, he decided to give us an extra half chicken for free. Judging from the faces of my parents and brother, they really enjoyed the meal and thanked me for making the recommendation.

With our stomachs satisfied, we walked towards the centre of town, stopping by a military surplus store to look at the merchandise. Well, actually I was the only one looking at the merchandise. After 10 minutes of looking around, I decided to buy a green army t-shirt with the words Boot Camp on the front. We continued walking along the McInvor Highway photographing: the statues of Queen Elizabeth & George Lansell; the Soldiers Memorial Institute, the Post Office, and a hotel built with Victorian styled architecture.

Our final destination of the day was the Golden Dragon Museum, devoted to presenting Bendigo’s Chinese heritage, starting from the days of the gold rush. With its walls, the museum’s collection includes: Chinese arts & crafts, photographs, paintings, mannequins, furniture, and Sun Loong, the longest imperial dragon in the world (100 metres). Guided tours are offered and I have to say they’re quite detailed considering my mother got a personal tour of the museum by the owner/manager who just loved to talk.

Beside the museum one can also explore the Yi Yuan Gardens, Kuan Yi Temple, and the Pagoda. The Yi Yuan Gardens is an enclosed space, filled with decorative pavilions, elaborate art murals, ponds with hundreds of fish, plants, and fountains. The Kuan Yi Temple is devoted to the Kuan Yi, the Goddess of Mercy, the most popular goddess associated with Buddhism. Since we were the only ones visiting the gardens and the temple, the atmosphere was quite tranquil.

After the museum closed, we stopped by a café because my parents wanted to drink cappuccinos to stay awake for the ride back to Ballarat. While my brother drove along the A300 in the opposite direction, the overcast clouds began to break apart, letting rays of sunlight touch the ground below.

Sovereign Hill - Part 2

After the Redcoats fired their loud muskets into the air, they gave the crowd an opportunity to photograph themselves with a Redcoat soldier. My family & I instead chose to find a place to eat. In the end we chose the New York Bakery, a café-style restaurant with a traditional appearance. We were seated by a waitress dressed in a 19th century dress. I was surprised to see 21st century food & drinks on the menu. Or maybe Coca-Cola was available in Ballarat during the 1850s gold rush? I doubt it because the product wasn’t introduced until 1886. My lunch was two BLT wraps with French Fries which tasted very good.

With our stomachs full, we split up and continued exploring Sovereign Hill. My father & I decided to go see the Gold Pour demonstration at the Gold Smelting Works building. Surrounded by a full crowd, an older gentleman explained the smelting process and then demonstrated it by pouring an $80,000 pure gold ingot into a container. The gold was extremely hot, being able to instantly light a wooden stick on fire just by touching it. The older gentleman cooled the bar in water which steamed for a minute, then let the young children touch it. Adults were forbidden for obvious reasons (it was worth $80,000!).

The whole family met up at the entrance of the museum and decided to hop over to the Gold Museum next door. As stated in my previous post, the Gold Museum collections include: gold nuggets of various sizes, gold mining tools, Chinese & Aboriginal art, and of course, a gift shop. There’s also the Goldasauras exhibit which displays a 4.4 kilogram gold nugget found by a Tasmanian prospector in the Golden Triangle, an area between the towns of Ballarat & Bendigo. Goldasauras is worth $250,000AUD! Unfortunately, the museum does not allow cameras so I’ll just say that the collections are interesting to see and the gift shop is stocked with expensive items if that’s what you’re looking for. Looking at the all the gold nuggets made me think that I should have been a gold prospector instead of a teacher.

We returned to Sovereign Hill that night to see ‘Blood on the Southern Cross,’ “a multi-million dollar sound-and-light show” that retells the story of the Eureka Rebellion of 1854. And they do mean sound & light because there is no live action until the very end (a triumphant one man monologue). The performance would have been much better if there was live action but that probably costs too much. The show happens nightly, is expensive ($50 per adult), but worth it. There’s also the choice of having dinner at Sovereign Hill before the show but we chose to forgo that option.

The Eureka Rebellion was an organized rebellion by Ballarat gold miners who were protesting heavily priced mining terms, the expense of a Miner’s Licence, taxation without representation, and the oppressive actions of the police and military. The miners rallied around a blue Eureka flag bearing the Southern Cross and erected a stockade around their encampment. The flag was designed by a Canadian miner named Henry Ross. On December 3rd, 1854, the stockade was attacked by government forces in which 28 people died (including 6 soldiers). The battle lasted 10 minutes and 120 diggers were arrested. Only 13 were brought to trial and all of them were acquitted thanks to wide public support. Today, the rebellion is seen as the birth of Australian democracy.

The show begins in the Orientation Centre where you watch an introductory video on a big screen. You’re then led outside to the Gold Panning Area which looks like a movie set thanks to bright stage lights that are hidden in wooden shacks during the day. After watching and listening about the harsh life the miners endured, you’re then bussed to a secluded section of the museum that’s not accessible during the day. Once everyone is seated in a building, the wall in front of you opens and reveals a landscape occupied by 19th century buildings. It is here where the entire story is told. I must say that it’s quite an impressive set up. While sitting in the ‘audience’ building, you get the impression that the landscape in front of you is a huge soundstage.

After watching buildings light up, a hotel & carriage on fire, simulated rain, and loud gunshots, you’re bussed back to Main Street where a male actor gives one last monologue from the balcony of the Victoria Theatre, praising the miners for fighting for equal rights. I think there was one part in his speech where he paused for an applause but all he got was silence. And finally, if you liked the show so much you can purchase the ‘Blood on the Southern Cross’ DVD in the gift shop.

Overall, I give the sound-and-light show a B+. Sovereign Hill as a whole gets an A from me. Should you find yourself in Ballarat one day, visit this place and enjoy.

End of Sovereign Hill mini-Series.

Sovereign Hill - Part 1

On August 21, 1854, John Dunlop and James Regan struck a few ounces of gold at Poverty Point, just outside the small village of Ballarat. Almost immediately after the announcement was made, the area was swarmed by prospectors. The village grew quickly into a town, filled with people looking for ‘the answers to all our problems’. Although the days of the Victorian Gold Rush are long gone, there still is a way to journey back in time to see what life was like during the 1850s.

The Golden Point suburb of Ballarat is the location of Sovereign Hill, an outdoor museum that explores ‘Australia’s gold rush history’. Spread across 25 acres, the museum is a 19th century town built on a former gold mining site. The museum first opened in 1970 and now receives around 450,000 visitors a year. It employs adults and children to play the parts of 19th century townsfolk. I have to admit that the clothing looks really authentic and the acting is pretty good. Across the street from Sovereign Hill is the Gold Museum with collections that display: gold nuggets of various sizes, gold mining tools, Chinese & Aboriginal art, and of course, a gift shop.

My family & I arrived at Sovereign Hill in the morning and paid $41AUD each to have access to the outdoor museum and the Gold Museum next door. Because of the size of the museum, I suggest devoting an entire day to enjoy the sites and activities. You start off the adventure in the Orientation Centre where there are mannequin displays, maps displaying gold fields, and a short video about what to expect. When you exit the centre, you’re greeted to a large open road that leads to the Chinese Camp and Gold Panning Area. When the gold rush began, thousands of Chinese immigrants came to Ballarat searching for gold. While I was photographing the Chinese Camp, several children in costume were panning for gold in the Gold Panning area. An adult dressed in a teacher’s outfit called out to them, saying it was time for school. The Gold Panning Area is built around a small stream, with fully functioning aqueducts, and white tents.

After walking through the Gold Panning Area, I stopped at a stable to pet a tall brown horse. His companion decided to stay back under the shade. I remembered how a horse’s odour annoyed me greatly when I was child. Continuing through a short alley, I found myself on the main street, lined with solid wooden buildings, and many people in character. The main street is where all the action is: there are grocery stores, hotels, newspapers, restaurants, candy shops, bank, theatre, jeweller, and bakeries. I stopped into the sweet shop to buy some lollipops for $1 as a large horse carriage drove by.

I walked up the main street and photographed the United States Hotel before venturing in to look at the old fashioned bar. As I was trying to image myself in 19th century clothing and have a drink, I heard some commotion outside. A crowd had assembled next to the hotel, listening to a gentleman announcing the grand reopening of the Victoria Theatre that will feature a dance by the ‘worldly renowned’ Lola Montez. Long story short, the stage act was about Lola Montez being angry & confronting the owner of the newspaper who had slandered her in the papers.

Moving along, I walked up a staircase to look at the residential houses on Speedwell Street. The atmosphere was quieter than Main Street. The only sound that could be heard was a large singing bull behind an enclosed wooden fence. The houses themselves were modest with plenty of rooms filled with old expensive furniture. I guessed these houses for upper class people. I spotted a brown female peahen in the front yard of a house and after a minute I found her male companion or husband. Unfortunately, he was in no mood to show me his colourful tail opened and just stared at me with a frown until I took a picture.

I headed towards the southern part of the town, first checking out the large gold mining foundry building. In short, a lot of spinning gears and flowing water. The water flows along long trays to wash away all the dirt and hopefully leave gold dust. Next up was the Candle Shop that had hundreds of white candles hanging from the ceiling. Unfortunately, I missed the candle making demonstration but I’ve already made candles as a child. I’ve always wondered if it’s possible to make a candle out of ear wax? And if it would smell when you light it?

At the southern tip of the park is the Empire Bowling Saloon with the longest bowling lanes and widest gutter alleys I have ever seen. Getting a strike must have been a real challenge and rare occurrence.

At around 1pm, I met up with my older brother & father and we headed to the Wheelwright and Coachbuilder building for a demonstration. Along the way, I photographed a large but very old turkey. With the aid of a microphone headset, a woman explained to us and a class of schoolchildren how the wheels of horse-drawn carriages were built. The loud machinery contains many spinning gears but are surprisingly ‘automated’ thanks to the Industrial Revolution. Thankfully, the demonstration was only 20 minutes because at 1:30 there were going to be Redcoat Soldiers marching down Main Street.

At 1:30pm, practically everyone visiting the museum lined Main Street and waited for the arrival of the Redcoats (British soldiers). They were a few minutes late but they made a grand entrance, marching along Main Street to the beat of an old snare drum. Children happily ran alongside, trying to imitate their marching. The Redcoats halted at a large British flag, giving the crowd of onlookers a minute to assemble. The commander began his speech by announcing thecapture of Sevastopol by the British in the Crimean Peninsula. (The British Empire was at war with the Russians during the 1850s, a conflict known as the Crimean War). To celebrate the occasion, the Redcoats fired 3 loud musket rounds in the air. The commander made sure that everyone, including the children, had their fingers in their ears.

To Be Continued . . .

On To Ballarat

On the morning of November 29th, my family and I checked out of The Nunnery, packed up all of our suitcases into our rented car and drove off towards the city of Ballarat, 105 kilometres to the north-west of Melbourne. Overall, The Nunnery hostel is an okay facility although the outer structure could use a good facelift. I think it would also be wise if the staff moved the 3 Internet computers to a different room because they’re in a cramped space under the main wooden staircase.

To get to Ballarat from Melbourne, my older brother drove my parents and I along the M8 Western Freeway, a 4 lane highway that snakes its way through roving green hills and farmlands. The vast landscape reminded me of the Canadian Prairies without the yellow wheat fields. The road trip lasted about 2 hours and we arrived at our accommodation, the Sovereign Park Motor Inn, in the early afternoon. Our room came fully equipped with 3 beds, tv, washroom, and a small kitchen. The small kitchen fridge was stocked with complimentary juice, milk, bread, and various jam spreads.

Before the arrival of Scottish settlers in 1837, the Ballarat region was populated by the Indigenous Wathaurong people. The settlement didn’t ‘take off’ until the 1850s when gold was discovered at Poverty Point. The Gold Rush attracted 10,000 migrants to the area, transforming the tent town into a major settlement. It was around this time that Australia experienced its first & only civil uprising, the Eureka Rebellion of 1854 (to be explained further in a later post). Ballarat was proclaimed a city in 1871 and slowly transformed into an industrial city in 1880s. Today, the city has a population of around 90,000 people.

Much of the Victorian architecture from the 19th century has been preserved, most notably in the city centre. If it wasn’t for modern vehicles & streetlights, you would have thought that you had travelled back in time. We walked around, snapping digital photos of town hall under renovation, the Mining Exchange, the Old Colonists Hall, the Fine Art Gallery, and a hotel. Once my mother had finished her shopping, we drove back to the Inn, to rest & relax.

When it was time for dinner, we decided to try the restaurant next to the Inn called Leo’s @ Red Lion. This is a classy a-la-carte restaurant with a strict dress code so wear semiformal clothing. Local produce is used and several of the wines on the wine list come from the Pyrenees district. All I can say is that our steaks tasted very good & the wine was good as well. Give this restaurant a try; it’s expensive but worth it. (For 4 people, our bill was over $120AU).

St. Kilda & the Old Prison

With the family now as one, it was time to explore more of Melbourne . . . as a family. The city was more accessible because of our rented car; we wouldn’t have to walk great distances.

Our first destination as a family was the St. Kilda beach neighbourhood, just south of the city centre. According to my tourist book, St. Kilda has been Melbourne’s seaside playground since the 1860s. For tourists who have sweet tooths, the neighbourhood boasts many delicious cake shops, all conveniently located on Ackland Street. Retail stores are also located there, but judging from all the tourists we saw, it’s all about the cakes. Luckily, we were able to find a cake shop with available seating. We shared 4 different slices of cake while my parents drank cappuccinos. I’m glad I hadn’t eaten anything before because those slices were filling. Because of the popularity of the cake shops, St. Kilda is always bustling with activity, meaning finding a parking spot for your car is a challenge.

For parents with little kids, there’s Luna Park to keep them entertained. The theme park is quite small and could use a renovation or two. If the weather was a little better, I may have dared myself to go on one of the rides. Like any traditional theme park, there’s a merry-go-round, haunted ride, bumper cars, cotton candy, roller coasters, rides that swing from side to side, Ferris wheel, food stalls, washrooms, and rip-off booths. This Luna Park really is geared towards entertaining kids and giving parents a break.

Next to Luna Park is the Palais Theatre, a large art deco structure that opened in 1927. Throughout its history, the theatre has showcased some of the biggest international names in show business and continues to do so. When we were passing by, the theatre was going to be hosting a ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic concert. I bet it was awesome.

It was early afternoon when we headed back into town, wondering what to see next. After some discussion, we decided to visit the Old Melbourne Gaol, located on Russell Road, between Victoria Street and La Trobe Street. The Gaol (aka prison) was built in the 1800s and housed many criminals such as murderers, bushrangers, gangsters, and petty offenders. The Gaol was also the location where 135 people were hanged between 1842 & 1929. The prison briefly reopened as a detention barracks for the Australian Army. The most famous & controversial inmate to be housed and hanged (in 1880) at the gaol was bushranger Ned Kelly. His armour and death mask are on display. I find it somewhat amusing that the gaol is advertised as a venue to have functions & events. I suppose I could see a Halloween and/or ‘Who-dunnit? dinner but I’m not sure about a wedding reception.

The gaol is long, narrow, and three stories tall. The cells are small and without toilets leading me to guess that every prisoner had to use a chamber pot. Looking at the small cells and the cold stone floors made me think that life in the gaol was very tough for prisoners, especially those who were on death row. The gallows is located on the second floor at the far end of the building but blocked off to prevent tourists from accessing the rope. I can only imagine what prisoners were thinking when they were about to be dropped to their deaths.

Next to the gaol is the City Watch House where visitors can experience what it’s like to be arrested and locked up. The Watch House remained opened until the early 1990s. The 40 minute experience is humourous because your guide plays a no-nonsense police officer. Men & Women are separated into two lines and are given cards that explain who they are and what they did. I forget my name but I was arrested from DUI. We were placed into separate cells with the lights turned off for 2 minutes. It was pitch black & eerie. I broke the awkward silence by asking everyone, ‘So who’s going to be the first one to break?’ Once we were released, we were shown the cells for the mentally unstable, the open play area, the showers, and the eating area. To end it all, we could take our own mug shots for free. I couldn’t believe that I was almost 6 feet tall.

I was surprised when our tour guide said that nothing had been changed. For 1990s standards, the Watch House is unwelcoming but I guess that’s a requirement in order to prevent people from ending up in prison. There’s also the Old Magistrate’s Court where visitors can play the parts of judges, lawyers, jury, and even criminals. Unfortunately, the court was closed when we came by to visit. To remember my stay, I purchased a book from the gift shop titled, ‘Executions in the Colony and State of Victoria: 1842-1967’. The book is a detailed chronology of all the hangings that took place. It’s intriguing as well as shocking to read what kind of criminals were put on trial and executed. (Ned Kelly is included with great detail).

When the gaol closed for the day, we drove back to The Nunnery to rest for an hour. For dinner we decided to journey down to Chinatown and pick a restaurant at random. As mentioned in a previous post, Melbourne’s Chinatown is located on Little Bourke Street between Spring Street & Swanston Street. To ‘help you’ find the right restaurant, each establishment has people calling out to people to come in for a meal. After much searching, we settled on Da Hu Peking Duck Restaurant. We ordered soup, rice, sweet & sour chicken, lemon chicken, pork, and drinks. Overall, the food was good and worth the price. If you’re in the area, give this restaurant a try.