A Teacher in
Melbourne
July 2014
July 2014
It was time for a break after a busy term teaching so
on the first day of the two week July holidays my wife Robyn and I were on our
way to Melbourne and 12 days in that beautiful city.
“So where are we staying while in Melbourne?” I asked
having just arrived on a flight from Auckland at 1.15 on the Sunday morning. At
such an unsociable time I was hoping for lavish accommodation to rest our weary
heads to await the first dawn in Australia for 2014.
And I wasn’t disappointed, waking in our inner city
hotel room to this view from our window.We were in the beating heart of Bourke
Street, the fashion centre of Melbourne, with its coffee shops, street buskers,
hidden lanes, alley art, and tram links to the suburbs.
Who cannot forget learning the lines of William Blake’s poem ‘Tiger, Tiger’ as a high school student for a pass in School Certificate English, or singing the anthem ‘Jerusalem’ in a draughty school hall. Yet this exhibition provided a rare insight into this Englishman’s wide ranging talents other than several original poems. There was a display of over fifty spectacular water colours expressing William Blake’s visionary ideas in the early 1800’s to illustrate texts written by Dante and Milton.
His stunning original art work was alive, bright and full of movement, expressing his own visionary universe. Some of it was scary and grotesque, what was going on in his mind?
Free Walking
Tour of Melbourne
Nothing is more appealing than receiving high quality service for nothing. Matthew was a local guide who made a living walking the streets of Melbourne sharing his stories on a three hour walking tour. With 26 clients, we started at the grand State Library, and began viewing the buildings and hearing of the people involved in building Melbourne on a wealth of gold discovered in the 1860’s.
Nothing is more appealing than receiving high quality service for nothing. Matthew was a local guide who made a living walking the streets of Melbourne sharing his stories on a three hour walking tour. With 26 clients, we started at the grand State Library, and began viewing the buildings and hearing of the people involved in building Melbourne on a wealth of gold discovered in the 1860’s.
Being a young and enthusiastic tour guide we were also
shown where his favourite drinking houses were, where to eat cheap student
meals, how to negotiate for free coffees, and when to purchase half price cakes
from the Block Arcade teahouse. Ahh, to
be young again.
At the end of the tour, Matthew concluded his
presentation with a reminder that his walk was free but he would appreciate
donations to make a living. Along with my $20 his total takings for the evening
was $230.
World Cup
Soccer in Brazil
There is something decadent, but delicious, about sitting up in a Australian hotel bedroom at 8.30 in the mornings, sipping cups of tea and watching the World Cup football matches. I enjoyed watching the Netherlands beating Costa Rica, Belgium beaten by Argentina, and the unexpected defeat of Brazil with a 7-1 capitulation to the organised, disciplined and rampant Germans.
Later in the week , to enjoy a more suitable atmosphere for the World Cup final, I set the alarm for 5am and snuck out to watch Germany versus Argentina in one of the many coffee bars open in St Kilda. The crowd was loud and boisterous, mainly Argentinians, and I sat rather quietly, as I had put a bet on Germany to win. It was in extra time, seven minutes away from a penalty shootout, when the German player Gotze received a cross, chested the ball down and finished with a sublime left-foot volley. Even the Argentinian supporters grudgingly joined me in a cheer for a wonderfully executed goal and Germany’s fourth World Cup win.
There is something decadent, but delicious, about sitting up in a Australian hotel bedroom at 8.30 in the mornings, sipping cups of tea and watching the World Cup football matches. I enjoyed watching the Netherlands beating Costa Rica, Belgium beaten by Argentina, and the unexpected defeat of Brazil with a 7-1 capitulation to the organised, disciplined and rampant Germans.
Later in the week , to enjoy a more suitable atmosphere for the World Cup final, I set the alarm for 5am and snuck out to watch Germany versus Argentina in one of the many coffee bars open in St Kilda. The crowd was loud and boisterous, mainly Argentinians, and I sat rather quietly, as I had put a bet on Germany to win. It was in extra time, seven minutes away from a penalty shootout, when the German player Gotze received a cross, chested the ball down and finished with a sublime left-foot volley. Even the Argentinian supporters grudgingly joined me in a cheer for a wonderfully executed goal and Germany’s fourth World Cup win.
City Circle
Tram
Again we were treated to another free service,
travelling the City Circle Tram around Melbourne’s inner city for tourists,
taking one hour to complete the circuit in a rapidly moving tram and listening
to a commentary as well. The service is regularly used by locals, often
burdened with grocery shopping or young children.
One incident I observed was a mother ushering her two
small children aboard, then turning to pick up the groceries. The doors closed,
the tram took off by an impatient driver keeping to schedule and she was left
on the platform. Fortunately the tram stopped 100 metres up the line at a red
light and she was able to scamper beside the line and board the tram.
National
Sports Museum
There is always a magic moment in sport, in the minds of those who competed, who were there, or who passed their stories on for the next generation, that can make a nation.
For Australia I felt what shaped their collective view of themselves and recognised their responsibility as a unified nation of all races including their ill- treated indigenous peoples was the winning of the 400m sprint by that lithe aboriginal woman Kathy Freeman in the Sydney Olympics 2000.
For a New Zealander, what became a blueprint of how we value Australian sport was the underarm bowled by Trevor Chappel to our New Zealand tail end batsman Brian McKechnie in 1981. It happened at the MCG, was in a one day match and was ordered by the Australian captain Greg Chappel. McKechnie required 6 off this final delivery to tie the match so the Australians weren’t at risk of losing it. But it was the furore the came after this incident.
There is always a magic moment in sport, in the minds of those who competed, who were there, or who passed their stories on for the next generation, that can make a nation.
For Australia I felt what shaped their collective view of themselves and recognised their responsibility as a unified nation of all races including their ill- treated indigenous peoples was the winning of the 400m sprint by that lithe aboriginal woman Kathy Freeman in the Sydney Olympics 2000.
For a New Zealander, what became a blueprint of how we value Australian sport was the underarm bowled by Trevor Chappel to our New Zealand tail end batsman Brian McKechnie in 1981. It happened at the MCG, was in a one day match and was ordered by the Australian captain Greg Chappel. McKechnie required 6 off this final delivery to tie the match so the Australians weren’t at risk of losing it. But it was the furore the came after this incident.
New Zealand Prime Minister
Robert Muldoon described it as "the
most disgusting incident I can recall in the history of cricket" and said:
"It was an act of true cowardice and I consider it appropriate that the
Australian team were wearing yellow."
In the National Sports Museum there
was a detailed account, including video clips, hooded uniform, actual shoes
worn, and medal ceremony of Kathy Freeman’s stunning accomplishment. Not a
mention of the underarm bowl.
Putting all this aside the Sports
Museum under the stands of the MCG is well worth a visit, hosting a number of
galleries that captured Australian sporting glory. From the Olympic displays of
Australian participants at all the venues starting in Athens 1905, to the
evolution of cricket and the foundation of the Ashes, the NRL heroes of days
gone past, and the thoroughbred racing gallery celebrating stories and
excitement of horse racing in Australia.
My magic moment was talking to Eric,
an attendant at the National Sports Museum after my three hour stroll. Resting
my aching feet we chatted about the impact of sport on the national well-being
of a country. Not once did I mention the underarm bowling incident.
Hidden Lanes and Alleyways
We discovered the eclectic, quirky maze of laneways in
Melbournes city centre. It is mainly the locals who appear to relish the hidden
boutiques and outlets selling everything from homemade local artifacts to
International retail wares.
The alleyways and lanes, once delivery precincts for main street shops were developed with local council encouragement from the 1990’s onwards.
Matthew, our guide, quoted, “The outer doughnut (referring to the main outer streets circuiting the Inner City) has been filled with sugar and spice.”
The council also fosters a great creative energy with painted displays on the sides of buildings hidden in the laneways. It is urban street art best seen in Hosiery Lane with its vibrant patterns and swirling colours, in which we came across a wedding ceremony.
The alleyways and lanes, once delivery precincts for main street shops were developed with local council encouragement from the 1990’s onwards.
Matthew, our guide, quoted, “The outer doughnut (referring to the main outer streets circuiting the Inner City) has been filled with sugar and spice.”
The council also fosters a great creative energy with painted displays on the sides of buildings hidden in the laneways. It is urban street art best seen in Hosiery Lane with its vibrant patterns and swirling colours, in which we came across a wedding ceremony.
Beachside
Brighton
The bay side beach of Brighton, just 15 minutes south of the city, provided a graceful cluster of colourful bathing huts in Dendy Street. These are protected heritage Bathing Boxes, all nestled against an overgrown bank of unkempt weeds and bushes, overlooking the Port Phillip Bay from the beach.
The bay side beach of Brighton, just 15 minutes south of the city, provided a graceful cluster of colourful bathing huts in Dendy Street. These are protected heritage Bathing Boxes, all nestled against an overgrown bank of unkempt weeds and bushes, overlooking the Port Phillip Bay from the beach.
These Bathing Boxes in Brighton are known to have existed
as far back as 1862, although the earliest ones were at the water's edge at the
end of Bay Street rather than
their present location on Dendy Street Beach just south of Middle Brighton. In 1906, the completion of a tram line from St
Kilda to Brighton led to an increase in applications for
bathing box permits and significant construction between 1908 and 1911; final
numbers are uncertain, but between 100 and 200 bathing box sites may have been
allocated prior to the Great
Depression. As
part of capital works programs during the Depression to help relieve unemployment, the City
of Brighton, backed by State Government funding,
relocated all bathing boxes to the high-water
mark on Dendy Street Beach, or removed them completely. The
boxes were relocated again in 1934 to their present position at the rear of
this beach, a total of 81 of them when I counted them.
The last one sold was in February 2014 for a princely sum of $172,000, rather a large amount as they remain as they did over one hundred years ago; licensed bathing boxes with no service amenities such as electricity or water.
The last one sold was in February 2014 for a princely sum of $172,000, rather a large amount as they remain as they did over one hundred years ago; licensed bathing boxes with no service amenities such as electricity or water.
Luna Park at St Kilda
The gaping mouth of a face, flanked by towers dominated the entrance into the suburban shopping area of St Kilda. Here was Luna Park, Australia’s oldest pleasure park which celebrated 100 years of fun in 2012. It is as much loved now when we visited as it was when it first opened its doors way back in 1912 when over 22,000 people attended the opening night.
Apparently over 800,000 are welcomed every year, all enjoying the quaint clattering of the timber built roller coaster, travelling at a rather sedate pace, snaking its way around the park’s perimeter, rising up and down, to afford views of the nearby shops, coastal beach and far off cityscape.
The gaping mouth of a face, flanked by towers dominated the entrance into the suburban shopping area of St Kilda. Here was Luna Park, Australia’s oldest pleasure park which celebrated 100 years of fun in 2012. It is as much loved now when we visited as it was when it first opened its doors way back in 1912 when over 22,000 people attended the opening night.
Apparently over 800,000 are welcomed every year, all enjoying the quaint clattering of the timber built roller coaster, travelling at a rather sedate pace, snaking its way around the park’s perimeter, rising up and down, to afford views of the nearby shops, coastal beach and far off cityscape.
Market Day Blues
Sometimes a special moment is encountered when least expected. This was when visiting the Pahran Market in upper Chapel Street.
A quartet was playing in the open air plaza, a middle aged lady with a gravelly voice, a grey haired gentleman on a brass saxophone, a well girthed 50-something on lead guitar and a bespectacled whiskered man with back to front cap on double bass. An unlikely mix.
But what a sound. We sat for an hour with the music rippling over us enjoying a latte, I think maybe it was three each we had, enjoying the last of the evening sun and foot tapping to the music.
The CD I purchased from the singer as they were packing up was called ‘Yolanda and Music for Lovers’. Mmmmmmm.
Sometimes a special moment is encountered when least expected. This was when visiting the Pahran Market in upper Chapel Street.
A quartet was playing in the open air plaza, a middle aged lady with a gravelly voice, a grey haired gentleman on a brass saxophone, a well girthed 50-something on lead guitar and a bespectacled whiskered man with back to front cap on double bass. An unlikely mix.
But what a sound. We sat for an hour with the music rippling over us enjoying a latte, I think maybe it was three each we had, enjoying the last of the evening sun and foot tapping to the music.
The CD I purchased from the singer as they were packing up was called ‘Yolanda and Music for Lovers’. Mmmmmmm.
Geelong Bollards
They stood like upright sentinels along the curving shore of Geelong township, painted bollards representing a narrative of the people and events associated with the towns history.
The painted figures included explorers, opera singers, fishermen, and lifesavers, made from pier pylons of hardwood, shaped by some subtle, minimalistic carving, painted in the technique of trompe l’oeil (three dimensional illusion) with added fixings and adornments often made of industrial components.
All the figures stood higher than us, over two metre tall and all appeared quite tactile and interactive. We spotted several rabbits painted on many of the figures, remembering that mistake made in 1859 where all of Australia’s wild rabbits are descended from ten pairs imported by Thomas Austin in the nearby bay.
We found out later, having strolled by some of the 111 sculptures on display, the inspiration of this came Australian artist Jan Mitchel, who began making them in 1990, having spent a year researching and gathering local information.
They stood like upright sentinels along the curving shore of Geelong township, painted bollards representing a narrative of the people and events associated with the towns history.
The painted figures included explorers, opera singers, fishermen, and lifesavers, made from pier pylons of hardwood, shaped by some subtle, minimalistic carving, painted in the technique of trompe l’oeil (three dimensional illusion) with added fixings and adornments often made of industrial components.
All the figures stood higher than us, over two metre tall and all appeared quite tactile and interactive. We spotted several rabbits painted on many of the figures, remembering that mistake made in 1859 where all of Australia’s wild rabbits are descended from ten pairs imported by Thomas Austin in the nearby bay.
We found out later, having strolled by some of the 111 sculptures on display, the inspiration of this came Australian artist Jan Mitchel, who began making them in 1990, having spent a year researching and gathering local information.
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