Yackandandah is a beautiful little town just over the New South wales in Victoria. It is an original town that hasn’t changed a lot since it was a gold mining town. Because of this, the centre of the town is classified by the National Trust.
When we visited we spent about an 1 1/2 hours talking to staff in the Tourist Information Centre, gaining invaluable knowledge of the town and local region. This is something we love to do when we visit a new town. Doing so, often reveals hidden gems you don’t find on the internet.
One of the big tips we were given was the Gum Tree Pies. As we hadn’t eaten even though it was 1400, we decided to sample their wares. Wow, we were very pleased we did. I chose the pepper pie and I would have to say it was and still is the best I have ever eaten. The other surprise was how busy the small store was, despite it being past the lunch time rush.
In 2003, the iconic Australian movie, Strange Bedfellows was filmed in Yackandandah. The film showcased the main street in all its glory. As we drove through the town we were excited to remember the film and pick out the individual film locations.
Universal City Walk Osaka is the all-American style shopping mall outside of Universal Studios. I loved this area. It was filled with shops and restaurants that we didn’t have in Australia. Choosing a place for lunch was a challenge. We eventually decided on TGI Fridays and we were not disappointed. After lunch we enjoyed exploring Hard Rock Cafe and taking a trip down memory lane.
The entrance to Universal Studios made us wish we had an extra day in Osaka. So when we return, we have promised ourselves that we will go through the gates.
When we lived in Sydney I loved spending the day exploring Sydney Harbour by the ferries. We would get on at Sydney Olympic Park Ferry Wharf on the Parramatta River and travel into Circular Quay. This trip is about 50 minutes and takes you under Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge.
We would have something to eat at one of the amazing restaurants or cafes around the Rocks. Then, we would go back to the Circular Quay Ferry wharf. We would then decide where our next ferry trip would take us. Our favourite trip being across Sydney Harbour to Manly. To finish off the perfect day, we would catch ferries all the way back home away, often into the setting sun.
Sydney Harbour is the world’s deepest natural harbour. It is a beautiful busy harbour the holds over 500 gigalitres of water. 1 gigalitre is 1,000,000,000 or 1 billion litres. As Sydney Harbour contains 240 kilometres of shoreline, it is easy to see why there is always something new to see, notice and admire.
We took a tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) last December. It was something that I was looking forward to as every year it hosts the AFL (Australian Football League) grand final. My team the GWS Giants had played in their first grand final 2 months before.
The MCG was built at it’s current location in 1853 after it was forced to move from its prior home as Australia’s first steam train was to go through its oval.
Touring the MCG the history is palpable. Many of the guides have been members of the MCG for decades and are very knowledgeable.
As well as the home of the AFL grand final, the MCG is the birthplace of Test and One Day Cricket, It was also the main stadium for the 1956 Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Up until recently the MCG was the world’s largest cricket stadium with seating capacity of 100,024. It now takes second place to Motera Stadium in India.
Australia’s National Sports Museum housed in the MCG is full of history and memorabilia for many sports. It also includes the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
The artwork throughout the MCG captures many amazing moments in our sporting history.
During our tour we were taken to the spot just outside the MCG where the first game of AFL was played. The game was between Scott’s College and Melbourne Grammar School in 1858. Apparently initially the cricketers didn’t think much of the new game being played outside, however as the crowds gathered weekly the MCG saw a need. So they found away to reverse their grandstands to support cricket in summer and AFL in winter. Overtime, as AFL grew in popularity they moved into the MCG.
Walking around the MCG is just as fascinating as the inside tour. It is lined with a ring of statues dedicated to famous athletes important to the MCG’s history.
On 30th June, 1867, during our winter, 3 young boys left their homes to go on an adventure. Brothers William Graham (6 1/2) and Thomas Graham (4) along with their friend Alfred Burman (5) went to look for wild goats.
When they didn’t return home for lunch the alarm was sounded. Over the coming days, 100 men on horseback and a further 600 people on foot did what they could to find them. Aboriginal trackers and dogs were also involved and the boys town of Daylesford was so concerned it shutdown the shops so everyone could help.
Unfortunately the night of the boys disappearance saw the coldest night in the area in 20 years. Despite a few sightings of the boys during their travels during the day there was no further sign of them and nearly a month later the largest search in Australia’s young history was called off.
The following Spring on the 13th September a local dog brought a child’s boot complete with his foot home to his master. The next day, the boys remains were found at Musk Creek in Wombat Forest. The two younger boys were found huddled together in the hallow of a large tree and the elder boy was found next to the tree, where he was believed to be on lookout for a rescue party. It is believed that the boys most probably didn’t make it through the night due to the extreme conditions and lack of food and water.
Over a 1000 people attended the boys funeral. It was a chance for the community to grieve and say goodbye to the three young boys who had changed their lives.
To mark 100 years since this tragedy The Lost Children’s Memorial was built in the approximate area that the boys were found. When my husband and I found the sign indicating The Lost Children’s Memorial was down a side road on our way to explore Daylesford, we had no idea what it meant. We turned off to investigate and were rewarded with a very significant part of our Australian history that we knew nothing about. Spending time at the monument and reading the love left behind by fellow travels to the spot over the last 50+ years was heartwarming.
In 1889, in honour of the boys created the Graham Dux Award which has been given to a boy and a girl each year since. The children each recieve a medicllion and a certificate that states ” In Memory of the Lost Children.”
There is also a formal Three Lost Children’s Walk which takes visitors along the path that the boys traveled that fateful day. The walk is 15 kilometres in length and takes 6 hours one way with breaks to complete.
A 10 minute ferry ride from Hiroshima, in Hiroshima Bay is the special island of Itsukushima. It is seen as a scared island. Itsukushima means island of worship and from ancient times the whole island was worshiped as a god. For this reason we were told no-one is allowed to give birth or die on the island.
Visitors are welcomed to the island by the Floating Torii Gate. An ancient Shinto shrine that marks the entrance to Itsukushima Shrine. Both were deliberately built on piers to give the appearance and feel of walking on water. The true success of this look is because the Itsukushimi Shrine and Floating Torii Gate were built where the tides rise and fall. This is said to have been done to make it easier for the god. In 1996 this area was also added as a World Heritige Site. It is also listed as a Japanese National Treasure.
When we visited The Floating Torii Gate it was very low tide which meant that we could walk all the way out and fully investigate the Torii Gate. As I had never seen a Torii Gate before I found this fascinating. It was truly sensational standing beneath it and looking up at this enormous ancient structure. I noticed thousands of coins that had been in cracks in the pier for good luck over the years.
Unfortunately, our visit to Itsukushima was time limited so we were not able to explore inside the Itsukushima Shrine or climb the beautiful Mt Misen.
For me another fun thing about the island was the deer roaming freely about because they are deemed sacred. I had never seen so many deer up close in their natural surroundings. They were very curious and calming.
Taking a day trip to Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site was on my bucket list when we visited Japan. I wasn’t sure what to expect or how I would feel but I thought it was important to connect with this turning point in history.
When we got to the bomb site, I was surprised at how peaceful it was.
Hiroshima was bombed on the 6th August, 1945 during World War 2. This building is all that remains of that tragic day. Known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, it was originally a grand promotions hall until the atomic bomb exploded 600 metres above it and 160 metres away.
In 1996, the Atomic Bomb Dome was added to the UNESCO world heritage listing as a remember to the world of the dangers of atomic bombs and the importance of peace. The Atomic Bomb Dome is surrounded by an amazing peace park as a reminder to everyone to never let this happen again.
Last Christmas while holidaying in Melbourne, my husband and I got a very pleasant surprise. We were asked by the lady at the tourist information centre, if we had seen the gingerbread village yet?
“No,” I replied.
“Oh you must, it’s just around the corner” she said.
So off we went in search of the gingerbread village, not having any idea what to expect, but we had no real plans so we were happy to take a risk.
Wow! The Gingerbread Village by EPICURE, is an amazing fundraiser for Royal Melbourne’s Children’s Hospital. It is a village made of gingerbread, marzipan and royal icing designed to replicate the famous landmarks Melbourne has to offer. It was spectacular. We spent the next 1 1/2 hours absorbing the creativity and the intricate detail of the displays.
The Gingerbread Village 2019 was the biggest one yet and used 600 kilos of gingerbread, 460 kilos of royal icing and 200 kilos of marzipan.
Some of the landmarks in last years display were:
Grand Prix at Albert Park
Flemington Racecourse
Melbourne Zoo
Luna park
MCG – Melbourne Cricket Ground which we had toured that morning
Royal Children’s Hospital – completed with a meerkat enclosure and a giant aquarium both of which I am told in in the hospital for sick children to enjoy.
Osaka Castle – this one had special significance to us as we had visited it the evening Alex and Mizuki got married in Japan. Apparently Osaka and Melbourne as sister cities.
Here’s hoping that there is a Gingerbread Village 2020. If there is and you get the opportunity I agree with the lady at the tourist information centre.
I love standing in the middle of a forest. I don’t know why, but I find it so relaxing. This pine forest is in the Barrington Tops State Forest. It was down the rode from my friend Eric the echidna.
On my bucket list is camping in a forest for a few days. This area would be perfect as it is surrounded by many walking trails. As there is only one road in or out, the number of people around to spoil the solitude is also limited.
For me, forests are the perfect place to connect with nature and hug a tree.
Echidnas, also known as spiny ant eaters, live alone in the Australian bush. The only time they are with other echidnas is during mating seasons. Echidnas are egg laying mammals like a platypus and have a pouch like a kangaroo. Their bodies are covered in spines like porcupines, which are actually hairs. They also have no teeth but have a long sticky tongue. A puggle is a baby echidna.
We found this little cutie in his natural habitat at Barrington Tops Nation Park. He walked across the road in front of us so we decided to stop and chat to him. He didn’t seem to be phased by us at all and just waddled past. Slowly but very confidently.
Echidnas are always exciting to watch. This one I named Eric.
