Marysville, Victoria…

72 hours in Marysville. Here are the hightlights:

1) Buxton mountain bike park. We nailed the beginner’s track in less than 5 minutes then attempted the ‘blue’ run. We had 1 mountain bike between 7 of us (5 city bikes, one child seat). It was a little like the wacky races with mud, bush bashing, bruised fruit, and children stacking it, but lots of fun.

2) Marysville caravan park. Sites 23 and 24 are the perfect spots, 10 metres from the creek, with our own firepit.

3) Steavenson falls. Together with the 4km bike track back into town.

Lowlights: forgetting to pack any shorts or long pants for the kids other than the ones they arrived in, which, together with some footless tights from the local op-shop, kept them going for 3 days!

I acknowledge the traditional owners of Taungurung Country and respect and celebrate the past, present, and future culture of the Taungurung people.

Daylesford, Victoria, Australia

Ah 2020. In a covid-free alternative universe we’d be traveling along the East Coast of Queensland this week, in a campervan, from Cairns down to Brisbane. C’est La Vie.

Instead we’re making the most of some of Melbourne’s winter sun, by taking a long weekend road trip to Daylesford. Here are the highlights:

1) The Daylesford Hot Chocolate Company. It’s impossible for anywhere this cute not to be delicious.

2) Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve. The kids loved shouting into the tunnels to hear the echos. We enjoyed pretending not to know them whilst sipping on the fizzy bubble water. You can help yourself and your own fill bottles from the old fashioned pump.

3) The Sunday Railway Markets

4) Trentham Falls

5) Hanging Rock, Mount Macedon. Technically not in Daylesford, but our trip was designed to visit it on the way.

A note on this…

I recently read Joan Lindsay’s novel Picnic at Hanging Rock. I liked the re-booted tv series. I was half tempted to shout ‘Miraaaaaannnndaaa’ when I arrived here today. The book is about 4 ficticious private school girls that mysteriously disappeared on Valentine’s Day 1900. This is the inspiration for thousands of visitors a year. I repeat: ficticious.‎‎
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But also, ‎

The rock’s aborigional name is believed to be ‘Ngannelong.’ It was an important ceremonial meeting place, and a significant landmark for business, song, dance, storytelling and rituals. Europeans invaded the region after 1770, massacred huge numbers of the aborigional population, and forcibly removed any survivors from their land. This is non-fiction.‎
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There’s a whole #mirandamustgo campaign which makes vital points about the whitewashing of history. I’m not sure if I agree that we should to erase either story, but I am re-learning to value both more equally, and re-learning how to separate convenient fiction and uncomfortable facts.

Pic of the week: Redwood Forest Warburton

Farewell St Kilda. Hello Eltham.

In two years I’ve moved from the the bright city lights of Singapore, to beach-side boho St Kilda, and now to a new family home in leafy suburb of Eltham, Victoria. Change is good! Here are 5 things I’m looking forward to in our new Australia neighborhood;

1) Having an open log fire

2) Being barefoot in the grass in our own garden

3) St Andrew’s bohemian local hippy market

4) Living across the road from Edendale community farm

5) Starting a veggie patch.

 

 

 

 

A long weekend in Launceston….

Since Launceston is home to our daughter’s Grandma, it was the perfect location for an Anzac weekend family trip. As i’ve blogged before, Launceston is a great fix for any faint homesickness, since, as one of the first settlements, it’s architecture reminds me so much of England. It’s also one of the rare cities in Australia where the distances are nice enough to walk, as long as you can brave a few San Francisco-esq steep hills.

Fresh off the 50 min Saturday morning flight from Melbourne, we headed straight to Harvest Community Farmer’s Market in the centre of town, where we stock up on Kombucha, organic sourdough and quite possible the best salted caramel brownies in the world. This was followed by Evendale Sunday market. Here I picked up classic 80’s toys in mint condition for under $5 and a Nepalese yak bell, whose sound will forever fondly remind me of my Everest Base Camp adventures.

Amazingly (for parents of a 13 month old) we managed to time our weekend (and our baby’s afternoon nap) to coincide with the Fresh Hop Beer Festival. The rest of the time was spent visiting the fantastic Launceston Aquatic Centre, with it’s awesome toddler pool and water slides. Finally, a must do for anyone visiting Launy with kids; the macaque monkey enclosure at City Park. Again, coincidentally, next to the lovely Victoria Cafe where we sampled Tasmanian white wines and lounged on comfy beanbags in the Autumn sunshine.