We have just about four days on "mainland" Australia. We arrived late at night on Monday 2nd - it was about 11pm at night Australia-time, but because we flew west from New Zealand our clocks had to go back two hours from New Zealand time so it felt like about 1am - uggghhh!
A late start on Tuesday morning, and we went to have a look at downtown Melbourne. It was busy and vibrant, with people, cars and trams, in a way that Christchurch must have been pre-earthquake. Forgot to take any photos!!
On Tuesday afternoon we drove out of Melbourne, south down the coast to the surf-central town of .....Torquay. Yes, it was named after the Torquay in England. It has a lovely beach and good surf, but Thomas and Kitty declared the sea "too salty". There you go.
Here's Thomas surfing like a pro!
...and Mike doing the man thing with a barbecue and some MEAT...
Followed by a little stroll along the sea front to see the surfers who were still out at dusk.
Today is Wednesday, 4th March. Our main destination was the gold mining museum at Ballarat, but before we got there we called in at an Aboriginal culture centre - lots of really lovely Aboriginal art on posts and stones around the site - we may or may not have purchased a boomerang (you'll have to search the luggage when we get back).
This place also had emus, and baby emus, which were as tall as Kitty! These birds look so close to dinosaurs - bit spooky! Surely the dinosaurs must have had feathers. And, check out those dinosaur-like feet?
So far there are no sightings of koalas or kangaroos to report, although we have seen road signs warning about them. Eyes peeled!
Reached Ballarat around lunchtime, where Mike went off to chat to the site director about museumy-type stuff and visitor numbers, and Vicky, Thomas and Kitty had a look around the site, which is huge and very well presented.
This evening we watched their sound and light show "Blood on the Southern Cross", which is the story of a dramatic battle between gold miners and (British) Government forces at Ballarat on 3 December, 1854. There are no actors involved, just very very good sound and light, and a lot of pyrotechnics, in an open-air theatre. It was like nothing we've ever seen before, an amazing production.
Tonight we're staying in the museum accommodation, which is 19th century mining style houses like this one!
So we've still having fun! Vicky, Mike, Thomas and Kitty xxxx
PS leave us a comment if you've read this far, so we know you're still there!
I'm here :) hope you got my text too - sent at great expense. all ok here except we could do with a bit of your weather - it's freezing still. I'm checking the blog most days and reporting where you are to Father.
ReplyDeleteBallarat mine could be picked up and placed just about anywhere here in Cornwall and it would look as if it belonged. find anymore Boases?
ReplyDeleteHave just read your entire adventure to date in one go and I'm very jealous. Apologies for only logging on today for the first time but got distracted by parent problems. Is the museum accommodation 19th century in all aspects? Tin bath in front of the range etc? Kathy (not John!)
ReplyDeleteWe are still here doing the usual everyday things unlike yourselves. Looks like you are having a brilliant time xxx
ReplyDeleteWe are still reading and enjoying it here. I am copying and pasting to email for mum and dad as they don't seem to be able to get it working. Would like to point out that everyone who does a big trip blog calls it "the big trip!!" so it's not easy to search for. AND, there seem to be tons of Boases on the tinternet. Looking forward to the next installment - and bigger surf for thomas?! H xxx
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