Author: Grant and Barbara

1846 Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria

1858 Melbourne Anglican Grammer School

1861 National Gallery of Victoria, Australia’s oldest and most visited art museum.

Seems like a period of development and the colonial establishment getting their priorities in order.

The Art Gallery is split over two sites as we were informed by a helpful fitter ( we weren’t where we wanted to be, as it was mainly British and European old art). The main sight has great modern Aboriginal Art, especially that of Reko Rennie.

The gardens are a well frequented and tranquil place, and like the art gallery, free.

The school is fee paying so we didn’t go in.

Fine city, only scratched a thin layer.

Easy to get around on a marvelous tram system, even if you go in the wrong direction. Makes you wonder why it is so difficult to build new tram systems. This one, the largest in the world with 47 miles of tracks dates from 1855. Rails and an overhead cable: what’s so complicated?

Melbourne started developing from 1850. The discovery of gold, a month after Queen Victoria had adjudicated in favour of the new state (“independent” of New South Wales) and hence the State’s name, gave it a boost.

Institutions followed, such as the magnificent State Library. Arcades. Universities. Greeks (the largest population outside Greece and some 3.5% of the population). St Paul’s Cathedral: he must have a hard time getting round them all); dates from 1883 finished 50 yrs later. Today cranes and skyscrapers continue the development.

Many other claims to fame, such as the 8hr working day: “On 21 April 1856 stonemasons in Melbourne downed tools and walked off the job in protest over their employers’ refusal to accept their demands for reduced working hours. This brought the employers to the negotiating table and led to an agreement whereby stonemasons worked no more than an eight-hour day.”

Who am I to quibble? In 1594, Philip II of Spain established an eight-hour work day for the construction workers in the American Viceroyalties by a royal edict. 19th century, Robert Owen in New Lanark in 1817 had formulated the goal of the eight-hour day and coined the slogan: “Eight hours’ labour, Eight hours’ recreation, Eight hours’ rest”.

Melbourne has a history of protest with strong Union and Student movements. Suffragettes; the messy story (hero or villain?) of Ned Kelly whose armour is on display in the Library (founded by the Judge in Kelly’s trial).

Today finds the police taking what industrial action they are allowed to in a pay dispute. Slogans on their vehicles.

A bustling friendly place, more to see…..

Good seasickness tablets, slept through all the turbulence and it dulled the pain of closing a door with my finger in it.

That we’ve left Tasmania is immediately apparent from departing the port. Busier highways, denser housing, people. The route took us out along a Vietnam Veterans avenue which commenerates the 600 Australians who died. I never realised Australia was involved, who knows what political favours were being sought.

Flat, flat, flat. Soon we can see the high-rise of Melbourne 30 miles away. New housing spreading out that far too. After a while we joined excellent bike paths for miles. Skeleton creek (lined with look at me housing), then Hobson’s Bay Coastal trail.

Creek is used often here, as is rivulet. With it being so flat on a coastal plain it mighty be flooding is an issue, never mind global warming and sea levels rising. The controlled burying we saw was to help native grasses germinate and re-establish themselves.

So from a State of 600000 to a city of 5 million. Industry, docks, beaches, trams. A bay protected by 1867 vintage artillery guns from Sir William Armstrong’s factory in the UK.

A two day stop here to stick a toe into Victoria’s state capital. Established in 1837 and named after the UK’s then Prime Minister. Thankfully this tradition has stopped and Johnson already exists: Truss, Sunak and Starmer will never get off the ground. A town called Truss?