Sydney: Day Seventy-Six (3 January)

Our last day in Sydney :-(. I love this city and didn’t want to leave.

After we’d posted more parcels home, there wasn’t time to take a ferry to Manly (as we’d planned) so we caught one to Circular Quay instead and went back to the beautiful Botanic Gardens.

We walked as far as The Domain, where they hold open air concerts throughout January leading up to Australia Day on the twenty-sixth, and then wrote postcards looking at our favourite views.

Eventually we tore ourselves away and walked back to Darling Harbour for a take away dinner and to pack.

Barnaby

Blue Mountains: Day Seventy-Five: Part Two (2 January)

From the wildlife park, we went to the best known photo stop in the Blue Mountains – Echo Point which overlooks the Three Sisters rock formation.

Then we rode the world’s steepest railway which ends abruptly over the tree canopy of Jamison Gorge. It was a bit alarming but the walk through the forest and ride back up on the Skyway was very impressive.

After lunch in the Skyway restaurant, we drove along Cliff Drive to Govetts Lookout and called at a local fruit farm, where we bought some cherries.

Our last stop was at the Olympic Stadium where we caught a ferry back to Circular Quay. Sydney Harbour can certainly claim to be one of the most beautiful in the world.

Barnaby

Blue Mountains: Day Seventy-Five - Part One (2 January)

Another early start as we were going on a tour to the Blue Mountains. They are inland from Sydney, where wealthy people used to go to escape the heat of the city, and are called blue because of the haze from the many eucalyptus trees.

Our first stop was Featherdale Wildlife Park where we saw some more koalas and wombats but couldn’t spot the elusive bilby.

Barnaby

Sydney: Day Seventy-Four - Afternoon (1 January)

Once we were back in Sydney we caught a ferry to Watson’s Bay, from which you can see the entrance to Port Jackson (Sydney’s Harbour). The local cliff is known as “The Gap” and the peninsulas on either side of the harbour mouth are called North and South Head respectively.

Watson’s Bay has a famous restaurant called Doyles where we hoped to have fish and chips but there wasn’t time before we had to catch the last ferry. So we had dinner in Circular Quay instead and then got the ferry from there to Darling Harbour, as it was included in the price of our Dayrover Ticket.

I can’t think of many better ways to start a New Year :-).

Barnaby

Sydney: Day Seventy-Four - Morning (1 January)

Happy New Year!

I didn't get up very early as we didn't get to bed until it was 2.30am.

We bought a Daytripper's ticket - which meant we could ride on any bus, train or ferry all day - and caught a bus to Palm Beach, where they film Home & Away :-).



It is ever so pretty but the beach was closed because the waves were too rough. I had my picture taken with the lifeguards and their mascot though.

They weren't filming either - they break for a long time in the summer - but we had lunch in Alf Stewart's surf club.

Barnaby

Sydney: Day Seventy-Three - Afternoon (31 December)

After buying a sandwich for later we caught a train to Milson's Point, which is just the other side of the harbour bridge with a fabulous view of the Opera House. We found a good spot on Stanton Lookout and sat down to wait.

There was a lovely atmosphere and the time passed very quickly. It wasn't cold at all.

A special timer on the bridge counted down to midnight and then fireworks went off across its whole span. They were reflected in the harbour and on the Opera House and there were lasers between the high rises in the Central Business District. It was brilliant :-). So good they even showed it on British telly.

Afterwards we walked home across the bridge where the fireworks had just been. Magical!

Barnaby

Sydney: Day Seventy-Three - Morning (31 December)

New Year's Eve in Sydney is one of the world's must see events and we arranged our trip specially to be here on this date.

We had quite a lot of time to fill before midnight so we posted some parcels back to England and then went to Sydney Aquarium. A moving walkway takes you through the underwater exhibits which is just as well because it was packed with people. We liked the seals best.

Barnaby

Sydney: Day Seventy-Two (30 December)

This morning we went to the service at St Andrews Cathedral and sat behind a family from Kent who had emigrated two years previously.

Afterwards we caught the train to Bondi Junction and visited Build-A-Bear for Australian souvenirs. I was hoping for a surfboard but all we got was a hat and some Australian flags. I suppose they will fit in the suitcase more easily.

Bondi Junction is where Miss Robb's sister lived when she was in Australia so we found her old house and then walked to the famous Bondi Beach. It still seems odd to see people sunbathing in December :-).

We got the bus back to Bondi Junction (the beach is at the bottom of a steep hill) and returned to Darling Harbour for dinner.

Barnaby

Sydney: Day Seventy-One (29 December)

My birthday so we had chocolate for breakfast :-).

We had arranged to meet another friend from England today, although she is actually Australian. She lives in Cremorne Point, right on Sydney Harbour, so we caught a ferry there from Circular Quay.

After a quick drink, we drove to Sirius Cove to join a beautiful harbourside pathway. We walked past Taronga Zoo and round to Clifton Gardens, where we had lunch in a little cafe.

We returned to our friend's flat for drinks on her balcony with its wonderful views before catching the ferry back to Circular Quay.

Barnaby

Melbourne: Day Seventy (28 December)

Our last day in Melbourne.

It was another lovely, sunny day so we went for a walk in Carlton Gardens before catching our lift to the airport.

The flight was fine and we had a smooth journey into the centre of Sydney. We are staying in an apartment this time but still near Darling Harbour so we had dinner at the Great Aussie Pie Place.

Barnaby

Ballarat: Day Sixty-Nine (27 December)

Ballarat was the site of the Australian Gold Rush in the nineteenth century and, after a quick look round the town as it is today, we went to Sovereign Hill, an open air museum recreating what it would have been like to live in those days.

It was a bit like the Wild West then and soldiers were needed to make sure people didn't behave too badly. Australia was still a British colony so we saw Redcoats marching down the Main Street.

The Sovereign Hill school wasn't open because it is the Australian school summer holidays but during term time children from today can find out what it would have been like to be taught in the Victorian era. It was much more strict and they used the cane so I wasn't too sad to miss that.

Instead we went on the Red Hill Mine Tour and saw how wheels are made at the Wheelwrights. We also had a coach ride and tried our hand at gold panning but we didn't find any.

Here I am in my prospector's hat.

Barnaby

Melbourne: Day Sixty-Eight (26 December)

Boxing Day morning was so lovely we had breakfast on our apartment balcony.

We explored the Southbank of the Yarra River and then caught the free tourist bus to the Botanic Gardens.

Then we walked along Flinders Street to Fitzroy Gardens, where there was the most beautiful conservatory full of gorgeous flowers.

We also saw Captain Cook's Cottage, the model Tudor Village and the Fairies Tree.

Barnaby

Phillip Island: Day Sixty-Seven - Afternoon (25 December)

The main reason for visiting Phillip Island was to see the Penquin Parade.

The island is one of several places where the world's smallest penquin - the Fairy Penquin - breeds. Special boardwalks have been built near the site so people can watch the birds come ashore without disturbing them.

It was a magical sight: a perfect special memory of my Christmas Down Under.

Barnaby

Phillip Island: Day Sixty-Seven - Morning (25 December)

We had our turkey dinner last night but we celebrated Christmas Day with a special breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and gave each other chocolate as presents.

At 12.45pm we were picked up for our tour. This Christmas Day is definitely going to be different from usual :-). First stop was Warrock Homestead where we had afternoon tea - with mince pies - and then we drove over the bridge to Phillip Island and the Koala Conservation Centre. We were lucky to spot several koalas including a baby.

Barnaby

Melbourne: Day Sixty-Six - Afternoon (24 December)

We caught a train from Melbourne's famous Flinders Street station to the suburb of Williamstown. This is where another Australian friend lives (her English daughter-in-law used to be our hairdresser) and she had kindly invited us for Christmas dinner.

We enjoyed a fabulous three course meal, including roast turkey with all the works, before going to their local Midnight Eucharist service.

Barnaby

Melbourne: Day Sixty-Six - Morning (24 December)

Christmas Eve and we went on the Neighbours' tour!

As well as visiting the studios- we couldn't see the inside sets because they were closed for the holidays - we visited the location of Erinsborough High and then Ramsay Street itself.

Afterwards we went to St Kilda to meet Nell Feaney who used to play Janelle. She was ever so nice and answered all our questions as well as signing our commemorative postcards.

Barnaby

Melbourne: Day Sixty-Five (23 December)

Today we met up with relatives of friends from England. Alan and Lynda emigrated to Geelong many years ago.

We had a coffee in Lygon Street and then drove out towards the Dandedongs for lunch. It was still chilly and misty so we didn't stay long at Mount Dandenong Sky Lookout.

Back in Melbourne we went to the evening service at St Paul's Cathedral and then had dinner in Chinatown.

Barnaby

Melbourne: Day Sixty-Four (22 December)

It was still overcast and rainy today so we explored Melbourne on the City Tram and Tourist Shuttle (both free). The shuttle is hop on, hop off but we chose to stay on all the way round so we could see the whole city.

Afterwards we explored St Paul’s Cathedral and booked some tours. As you might know from Neighbours, there are lots of Italians in Melbourne. They have their own precinct - like the Greeks - so we went there for dinner this evening and then opted to watch ‘Carols in The Domain’ on television rather than being out in the cold. I still can’t believe Christmas is only three days away!

Barnaby

Great Ocean Road: Day Sixty-Three – Afternoon (21 December)

This afternoon we visited one of Australia’s best known surfing beaches: Bell’s Beach, where the world’s longest running surfing competition is held.

We also got to see more wildlife – at Anglesea Golf Club of all places. Australian golfers are used to being watched by kangaroos but we saw so many we thought they must be getting together for Christmas.

Our last stop was Geelong before we crossed the West Gate Bridge into Melbourne and were dropped at our lovely apartment overlooking Carlton Gardens. We had dinner in Melbourne’s Greek precinct.

Barnaby

Great Ocean Road: Day Sixty-Three - Morning (21 December)

Our route today took us through the Great Otway National Park. First stop was Maits Rest where we followed the Rainforest Boardwalk. The rainforest in Victoria is cool and temperate, quite different from the tropical rainforest we visited above Cairns.

Further along the Great Ocean Road we stopped at Kennett River, hoping to see koalas in the wild. Even though the weather was murky we were really lucky and managed to see thirteen! They looked quite ethereal in the gloom.

Our last stop before lunch was Erskine Falls at the other end of the park. It stayed misty all day so we weren’t able to see the view from Teddy’s Lookout in Lorne. We did have a photo stop at the Great Ocean Road Arch though and learned how the road was built as a memorial to Australian soldiers killed in World War One.

Barnaby