Richard's 2007 Australian Trip

Melbourne and Puckapanyal
22 to 25 September 2007

The Victoria State ANZAC (Australian & New Zealand Army Corps) Memorial Shrine dominates the landscape in the commons and gardens along the Yarra River south of the main downtown core.
Mel Shrine
Mel Shrine
Mel Shrine Mel Shrine
The Shrine was originally build to remember those who died during The Great War in the Australian & New Zealand Army Corps from the State of Victoria, but now remembers all members of the armed forces who came from Victoria.

Below left is from inside the shrine looking up to the ceiling in the main chamber.


Mel Shrine		  Mel Shrine

In the basement of the shrine is the crypt.  The central sculpture is a father and son standing back-to-back wearing the uniforms The Great War, and World War II

Each door on the main entrance level bears the insignia of an element or branch of the armed forces.  This one represents the Navy.
Mel Shrine Mel Shrine
Mel Mem

Here is one of the lions guarding the memorial in honour of the Australians who fell in the South African (Boar) War 1899 - 1902.  The memorial was built in the 1920's and you can certainly see the art deco influence in the clean lines and stylized nature of this lion.



Mel Mem

This fountain was presented by Sir McPherson Robertson, Kt F.R.G.S. to the People of Victoria to honour their centenary in 1934.
Fountain
 Mel Fountain
Melbourne is a city of fantasitc architectural diversity.  Below is a sample of some of the architectural styles that can be seen in just a short walk around the city.

A dome used as a rest area atop a hill in the Royal Botanical Gardens


A view looking north into the city centre from the Shrine of Remembrance
Mel Gardins
 Melbourne

The back of the outdoor amphitheatre.

The main synagogue in the central part of the city.
Melbourne
 Melbourne
Melbourne Melbourne
Melbourne
 Melbourne
Melbourne



This is the old observatory, food court, and gift shop at the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Mel Garden
Melbourne Flower
 Melbourne Flower
Melbourne Flower





 

Even though it was still early spring there were lots of plants in bloom, or just spreading their foliage in the warm sun.  These are some pictures of the plants I was wandering around the Melbourne Royal Botanical Gardens.
Melbourne Flower Melbourne Flower
Melbourne Flower
 Melbourne Flower
Melbourne Flower Melbourne Flower
Melbourne Flower Melbroune Flower
Melbourne
 Melbourne Flower
Melbourne Flower
 Melbourne flower
Melbourne Flower
 Melbourne Flower
Melbourne Flower

Melbourne Flower
Melbourne Melbrouen
Melbourne




 

Spring was certainly in the air, and lots of people were taking advantage of the warm weather and the lovely surroundings to get out with the family.

Here were two black swans swimming along the bank of the Yarra River.

Melbourne Swan		 Melbourne Swan

It wasn't until I went north to Puckapanyal to visit the army base there that I finally saw my first live kangaroo.  This one was just outside the small grocery store on base.  It was late in the evening in the late dusk so the pictures were hard to get.  This after taking these pictures I went to dinner at the house of one of the local officers.  I had been told that we would have kangaroo steaks on the BBQ, but his wife didn't think the steaks looked good enough, so we had beefsteaks for dinner.  I did, however, get so kangaroo sausages so I could get a taste of the meat.

The next day we drove back to Melbourne where I stayed at the airport hotel so I could start the long trip back to Kingston the next morning.
Puckapanyal Kangaroo Puckapanyal Kangaroo