Melbourne & St. Kilda

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Docklands

Like many older cities, Melbourne is making the most of it's old docks and warehouses.  It is very impressive, with marinas, condo's restaurants and art installations everywhere you looked.  On walls and freestanding, a joy for me.  It is easily reached via the Hop on Hop off Talking Tram 

     Cow Up A Tree - John Kelly                       

Blowholes - Duncan Stemler

                 Silence - Adrian Mauriks

There is an interesting tale behind this piece: take a WWII camouflage labourer making papier mache cows to leave on runways to confuse Japanese bombers, mix with a flood in Gippsland which left a cow dead in a tree, et voila, inspiration, 'Cow In A Tree'

Originally commissioned as 3 pieces of art for the Paris Millennium celebrations.  This cow is not made of paper but five tonnes of bronze and stands 8m. high

A 15 Metre high wind-powered sculpture.  As the wind blows through it, armature and cups interact to form patterns, colours and shadows.  Like an anemometer on our boat Meriah's mast.  'Blowholes' various parts spin in different directions, the resulting colours dictated by the whims of the prevailing winds

Anticipating it's attraction to children it was erected by the playground

Comprising 13 sculptures in fibreglass resin coated in white acrylic paint. The artist sees 'Silence' "arousing to the mind, appealing to memory, reminding you of clouds, a tree, a forest"

"The work has a quiet presence, suggesting gentleness and an alternative to the chaotic world outside. It draws the viewer to walk amongst them and touch".  When lit at night it becomes surreal
We returned to the docklands several times, on Australia Day it was to see the Volvo Round The World Yachts on a stop over

 Grant Warrington and the crew of Brunel were thankful to be in their home port,  they were not having a good race thus far

 

Tony was lucky enough to chat to the crew of Hugo Boss, who had crossed the start line 3000 miles ago - in full evening dress

The temperature was hovering around 40deg. and we spent an inordinate amount of time in the ABM pavilion.  We didn't know who ABM were but guessed they are a bank, who else could afford to sponsor two of these boat and host thousands of perspiring and exhausted visitors in their wonderfully ornate and air conditioned pavilion?  Before leaving for the day we sat one last time sipping ice cold tea and watching the documentary of the race for the 5th or 6th time
Dragon boats racing, seen from the deck of the hop on hop off harbour ferry
The finale to the Volvo stopover in Melbourne:  The Round the Harbour Race

The winner of the Harbour Race, ABN AMRO  was also the overall winner of the Volvo Ocean Race 2005/6

Pirates of the Caribbean flying her distinctive Spinnaker finished this race in 3rd place

 

  On the beach - a bride for me

 

And of course more boats for Tony

St Kilda                                                                                 

Take a 30minute tram ride from Melbourne CBD to St. Kilda                                       

 

The Great Scenic Railway

The Moorish Towers and Mr Moon have graced Luna Park entrance since 1912 when it was built.  Modeled on Coney Island New York, it's the oldest theme park in Australia and the only one in the world within the  bounds of it's roller coaster

Which is the oldest continually operated wooden roller coaster in the world and the only one of it's kind with a  brakeman standing in the middle of the carriages, controlling their speed

It has the added bonus of wonderful views over Port  Phillip Bay
  Art Deco Fountain

The Esplanade and St. Kilda Lighthouse
Sea Baths & Restaurant

With the waters of the Yarra River becoming polluted it became acceptable to bathe in the sea, protected from the predatory marine life by a large wooden structure.   In 1860 the first sea baths were open.  Women were protected from predatory males bathing naked by using their own separate section

St Kilda Twilight Market - Thursdays from November to February

On offer are artworks, hand designed, exotic and vintage clothing, jewellery, produce and foods from around the world

The Holy Cow Chai Shop!

Is it my imagination or does this place have a 'hippie" vibe?
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