My whirlwind trip to Melbourne is winding down. (I’m actually home now, but whatever…!) What a fabulous time I’ve had.
Melbourne, Victoria – it always feels like home when I come here. Feels like putting on my favourite pair of knickers. For those of you who are less crass than I – you know – your favourite jumper or most comfy pair of shoes, maybe your dressing gown or jarmies?? I love this place. I feel like I can relax, breath, chill and be comfortable.
Melbourne CBD has grown up around itself and made the most of the historical architecture that was part of the formation of the city. Gentrification has transformed the multitude of laneways, some only wide enough to walk single file down and previously used for deliveries and removal of ‘waste’ and conducting of business previously seen as unfit for the general populous. The quintessentially Melbourne laneways filled with art of all kinds, abstract, pop art, political, environmental, social depictions and representations of an evolving city, the most liveable of cities. The laneways are now full of businesses, bustling with life, laughter, and a diverse range of eclectic people, perfect fodder for the average ‘people watcher’, like me. These laneways are full of a fascinating history and tours are conducted of various parts of the city. Next visit I’m going to try and get on one – because as much as I love sitting in one of the gazillion amazing laneway cafe’s, watching the world pass me by while sipping on my mocha, I love the history, the stories of debauchery, murders, crime and general living that is part of Melbourne.
I walked the streets of Melbourne, about 8Km in total in the afternoon and another 4km in the evening. I ventured toward Southbank at night, found a nice little Mexican place serving up gorgeous tostada and chilli con queso. Sadly though, no photos – I didn’t take my phone or wallet with me, so no camera. Totally worth leaving the phone and camera behind – what I didn’t get in pictures, I got in memories and enjoyed the beautiful balmy night, the sights, the titillating company and conversation. Accompanied by beer and sangria, of course.
Semi-Country Victoria
After an amazing night in the city, I was up at 0500 and ventured to the ‘semi-rural’ Yarra Valley, for the function I came here to attend. Victoria’s public transport is pretty bloody awesome. After almost no hiccups, yummy coffee and hurried good-bye’s, I boarded at iconic Flinders St and headed to the Valley. As the train ambled through the city, I took a few pictures of the scenery and as we passed through Richmond, saw a pub or two that bought back memories of the recent past. Poignant and sweet, life goes on.
I arrived in the Valley and had my breath taken away by the beauty. The quaint little cottages, the tree lined streets, drenched in the spring sunshine and the most historically Aussie letterbox, all for my pleasurable viewing. It would have been totally romantic, if I wasn’t in this part of the country alone! Healsville’s Avenue of Honour, even with the occasional vehicle darting along, is a thing of peace, tranquility and beauty. I stopped, gazed, remembered, gave thanks and strolled on through, soaking up the beauty, thinking it may wash out some of my inner bogan. Or not. This place, like so many of the little towns in rural/semi-rural Victoria also feel like comfy knickers. I’m thinking there is something happening here?
Flinders Street Station. Anyone who visits or has visited Melbourne knows of this place. Its old. Really old (by Australian Standards!) and it is a thriving metropolis in its own rights. Saw my first ‘jumper’ at this place and kissed my first sailor here also. view 
Yes, it is a letterbox. Healesville, Victoria.
Back to the comfy knickers
I reversed the journey and made my way back to Melbourne, for my return to Brisbane. Having a bit of time after arriving at Flinders Street I headed for the Bourke Street Mall and came across this gem, busking. I sat and soaked up the perfect weather Melbourne turned on, just for me, closed my eyes and felt the music. Then some silly onion sat next to me, opened his phone and started playing ‘Highway to Hell’, loudly. My AC/DC fandom goes way back, so whilst I applaud his taste in Aussie Rock, really? Now? Said ‘old mate’ succumbed to the multitude of ‘stink eye’s’ cast in his direction by a number of folk doing the same as me, and moved his ass elsewhere. Thankfully.
I couldn’t resist a few pics of the Block Arcade and the famous Hopetoun Tea Rooms. One day I will be organised enough to book a high tea here for Jecca and I and wonder if we are sitting in the same spot as my Mum and Nana used to sit, all those years ago when they went there. Check out the cakes in the window and the tiles of the floor. Block Arcade, you touch my soul.
How about those laneways?
Ok, so maybe I have a fixation? An addiction? An obsession, or just a fascination? I’m not sure, but I do love the laneways. I walk through them, look at the ground, the walls, the art, dirt, rubbish, cafe’s and people. I find myself wondering about the people who walked these laneways long before me and I want to know their stories. I reach out and touch the bricks and see if I can make some kind of ethereal connection with the person who laid that brick wall. I want to know what the story of that bricklayer was – how did they end up a bricklayer? Were they married? Kids? What did they do on their days off? How much were they paid? What were the conditions like?
The cafe’s. Making choices hard! I quite like a good coffee, its not really an obsession though…..and the laneways offer up dozens of places for good coffee – with ambiance thrown in, free. I walked through the laneways which were filled to the brim with quirky, cutesy cafe’s but didn’t stop there for coffee. I sought out the alternative. I found a few laneways that didn’t have people brimming out in the street, but instead had a little sign with the cafe name, posted above an obscure doorway. I found gold. Do this! Check out the laneways that look vacant, find yourself a gem. Venture through those obscure doorway’s. Its fun. There are a gazillion of them to be enjoyed.
I even got photobombed!! Check this out! I thanked him, he and his mates laughed and wished me a good morning.
Melbourne and the homeless….
For all of the kitsch that Melbourne CBD offers up, the homeless situation in the city is not like anything I have seen in any other capital. I didn’t take photos of these people who are living rough and I understand that sometimes people just cant do the ‘four walls, roof and a picket fence’ deal, for any number of reasons. Some fall on hard times, fall into a rut and cant get out. Some suffer mental illness rendering them incapable of addressing the situation or managing their mental health, some are there because its where they want to be, and I’m sure they all have a story – general society doesn’t want to know these stories though – and is it any wonder when the premier refers to it as a ‘homeless problem‘. Its an issue, mate, it needs to be managed….and ‘active policing’ is not the best way to address it. It really isn’t.
So I was walking along a gorgeous little laneway, and I took two photos of the same lane – showing the nexus and juxtaposition between the cafe crowd and the homeless, how they co-exist, how they survive.
Melbourne. The city I love. My comfy pair of knickers. I love you, Melbourne. I will be back…..
The Story of Anni 