Iramalama Down Under

Melbourne, Victoria
February, 2001

Melbourne has been ranked at or near the top of the world's most livable cities, and this is a well-deserved reputation. When I first moved here, I worried about how I would afford buying a car. I quickly learned that I didn't need one at all. The LRT train network is quite good and expansive (traveling more than an hour out of the city in nearly 10 different directions). And the tram network fills in the gaps that the trains miss. The CBD (downtown) is teeming with activity almost 24 hours (especially on weekends). An ever-growing Chinatown is also an interesting spot to visit. Southbank has some nice clubs, high-end restaurants and shopping, and a pretty good casino complex. Known as the Garden City, Melbourne is dotted with parks, many of which are quite large, offering a great place to sit and people watch. The only downside of living (or traveling) here is the weather. The summer can be dry and sweltering, while all the other months are frigid and overly windy.

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St. Kilda, Victoria
March, 2001

St. Kilda is only a 15-20 minute tram ride from Melbourne's CBD and is one of the most interesting inner suburbs the city has. Sure tourists can find a lot to enjoy here, but Melbournians are the main group of people that hang out here. Fitzroy Street offers a range of long-established pubs, restaurants, and shops, and many new ones each time you go there. At the end of the road, it bends to the left and becomes the Esplanade along the beach. There are some up-market bars here now, but the sands and boardwalk still pack in the crowds as if it were an outdoor market. In fact, there is a footpath market further down the road with some unusual items for sale. And speaking of unusual (really, the segues are accidental), further down the road at the tram interchange is Acland Street, where the cafes and quirky shops are filled with equally quirky people and quirky-people watchers. St. Kilda's pier occasionally hosts penguins, though I have never been there at the right time. The town also boasts two landmarks along the waterfront: the wide-mouthed, picturesque Luna Park, and the historic Palais Theatre. This is definitely a not-to-miss side of Melbourne.

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Geelong, Victoria
August, 2001

Geelong is an interesting small city. Although it is second in size only to Melbourne in the state of Victoria, there is quite a big difference in size and activities available. That said, Geelong actually has quite a lot of things to do and see. The city center sits right on the waterfront, making it very easy to spend part of the day shopping and the rest of it walking on the beach. The botanical gardens are worth a stroll around as are the old but modified houses on top of the hill along the coast. The city is growing fairly quickly and modernizing as well since more and more Melbournians choose to set up house here and commute the 50-minutes into the capital. There are a number of shopping centers (including 2 in the CBD), arcades, and shops lining the streets. Pako Street is a nice place to hang out and even hosts its own annual multicultural festival.

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Perth, Western Australia
April, 2002

The most isolated state capital city in the world, Perth is truly in the middle of nowhere. Sure there are small towns surrounding it, but it is really far from the next biggest city (think days drive). Situated on the Swan River, Perth is big enough to feel like you are in a medium-sized city, yet small enough to feel cozy. There are some interesting nooks and crannies to be found too. For example, there is this one small lane in between two major roads that intersect the CBD that has been turned into an old European village environment. The shopping in Perth, however, is not quite as good as other cities in my opinion. It is an interesting place to people watch though.

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Fremantle, Western Australia
April, 2002

Fremantle is a really quaint town at the end of one of Perth's LRT lines. It also sits at the mouth of the river that runs through Perth, offering two good ways to get between the two places. Fremantle has an interesting history but seems to live in the present, offering a range of restaurants along the water, shops in the central business district, and entertainment along the streets and in the market. The buskers are a must see while here. I also enjoyed climbing to the top of the old look-out fort to...well, look out over the town and the water. Each time I've come to Perth, I make it a point to stop by Fremantle as well.

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Cockatoo, Victoria
April, 2002

High up in Victoria's not-so-high Dandenong Mountains, the little village of Cockatoo is a nice place to visit if you are in the area. There isn't a whole lot of things to do or see here; it is just more of an ambiance that I find attractive. There is a small strip of shops and cafes and a park. But the natural feel to the place is comforting. Even the winding drive to get up here is worth the trip...unless you get road sickness!

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Nhill, Victoria
March, 2003

I can't help but to say it like this: there is nil in Nhill. The town sits in the middle of nowhere, but conveniently on one of the main roads between Melbourne and Adelaide, meaning that even though there is nothing here of interest to tourists, tourists will regularly stop here. And I did just that with a group of friends on our way to WomAd. We got a counter meal at one of the local pubs. The town does have a war memorial and is tidy, but I am quite happy that I don't live here! Still, it gives a nice peek into rural Australia living for those who stop here on their way between (most likely) Melbourne and Adelaide.

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Adelaide, South Australia
March, 2003

If you live in or are used to Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, or Brisbane, Adelaide doesn't seem to compare very well. It's CBD is small and compact, the excitement level of the city is comparatively pathetic, shark attacks in the coastal waters are frequent, red nothingness surrounds the city, and it is quite far from anything much of interest. That said, there can be some nice elements to Adelaide, first and foremost being its festivals. WomAd in particular is a blast, albeit increasingly expensive. The CBD is literally surrounded by a ring of parks and gardens, allowing for events to happen close to town and giving city dwellers some immediate green in their lives. Adelaide seems to sprawl more like an American city though.

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Ballarat, Victoria
April, 2003

For being in rural Victoria, Ballarat does alright. It's a little under an hour and a half drive from Melbourne, giving residents the opportunity to go to the capital easily. And train services are nice and regular. For a taste of rural Victoria in its boom days, check out the theme park here dedicated to the gold rush that blanketed this region of the state. The city's CBD also retains a lot of its old charm, with some great architectural examples still all over. It's easy enough to walk around too. And the revival of the tram in the city is a nice touch, even if it is primarily for tourism.

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Bendigo, Victoria
April, 2003

Coming to Bendigo was not exactly something that I had yearned for, but I was curious to see this rural city in a state that is dominated by a single city. I visited Bendigo on the same trip I took to see Ballarat, a fairly comparable city. That said, I'd have to choose Ballarat as a better place to be as it seemed to have more character than its sister city. Sure Bendigo had some nice buildings from its olden days, but I didn't find it to be that attractive overall. Plus, it is a bit further away from Melbourne than Ballarat is, making it just that much more of a less preferable place to visit.

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Dromana, Victoria
May, 2003

Driving from Melbourne down the Mornington Peninsula can be fairly nice if you do so at a time where there is not so much traffic. Once in the middle of the peninsula, though, there are a number of neat places to hang out. None of them are overly spectacular, but Dromana, I think, offers one of the best. From the coast, you head up the mountains, winding your way to the top from where you can get some fabulous views (and photos) of the peninsula, Port Philip Bay, and even Melbourne and Geelong on clearer days. There are some really interesting mazes in the area too, which offer a light way to have some fun outdoors in gorgeous garden settings.

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Anglesea, Victoria
January, 2009

Anglesea, in my opinion, is the real start of Victoria's Great Ocean Road. About 20 minutes south of Geelong, this small seaside town offers some very impressive views of the ocean. It is also one of the first places where the aptly-named ocean road actually runs right along the coast, as opposed to running near the coast while being surrounded by trees (no ocean view). The town has got two beach sections. One is overcrowded with people (even on non-beach days), while the other is more remote, but not exactly attractive. It is interesting though, as the cliff just above the beach threatens to fall down (look for all the ropes and netting).

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Torquay, Victoria
January, 2009

Torquay is a busy, but small, beachside town that oddly enough is the birthplace of Quiksilver surf and clothing company. It is a very popular place for domestic tourists, mainly from Melbourne and the surrounds, as it is only a short fifteen minute drive south of Geelong. The beaches here are clean and wide, but are often packed with people. The town offers a range of amenities for beachgoers and is priced slightly higher than normal. The water and view out into the ocean is not as nice as it is further down the Great Ocean Road though, so I usually would give Torquay a miss when I want to go to the beach or just go for a nice view.

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Bells Beach, Victoria
February, 2009

Bells Beach is legendary in Australia. It ranks as one of the most holy places for surfers. The waves are good and the sheer numbers of surfers make it a not-so-desirable beach to go swimming. Although, it is a good place for people watching or to hang out if you enjoy watching surfing. I don't...so Bells Beach is not exactly anything special unless you are into the art of riding the waves.

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Lorne, Victoria
February, 2009

For Melbournians, Lorne presents itself as a good option for those who want to get out of the city, go to the beach, and forget about life for a little while...and not have to travel too far to get that feeling. The town center consists of a range of condos and vacation accommodation, one restaurant of each major cooking variety, and even some trendy (and pricey) nighttime venues. The beach is right across the street from the town center and is fairly decent. One of the roads at the edge of the town center goes up through a residential area and eventually passes by Erskine Falls. Every single time I've come up this road, I always see wallabies. The falls can also be quite attractive if it is not too dry...definitely a worthy detour off the Great Ocean Road.
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Portarlington, Victoria
February, 2009

In 2009 there was an advertising campaign to encourage people to move to Portarlington. It makes perfect sense that the state government wants to spread out the population, while keeping it accessible to the capital. And Portarlington, sitting at the northeast tip of the Bellerine Peninsula, is in a gorgeous location. I came here with an open mind, even considering a possible move out here. But there is almost nothing here! A few fish and chip shops, a café or two, and a few other businesses round out the commercial activity in this town. Many of the houses were standard fare (albeit more expensive than most other Australian houses because of its coastal location), but a few were interesting, modern creations. Unfortunately, those modern houses were among the most interesting things to see in town.

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Queenscliff, Victoria
February, 2009

This town at the southeastern tip of Victoria's Bellerine Peninsula has a long and interesting history (for Australia). At the mouth of Port Philip Bay, the town gets passed by ships from all over the world daily. But the town is worth a stop as it retains much of its old charm, from historic railroads to hidden garden cafes. The town center, which can be toured by horse-drawn carriage, is lined with restaurants and artist studios. The beach, which is only a few blocks away, is not the prettiest in the area, but it is good enough if you live here. There is, of course, an historic lighthouse as well.

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Barwon Heads, Victoria
February, 2009

Right next to Ocean Grove, this small town sits at the mouth of the Barwon River. Although technically not part of the Great Ocean Road, the views from the bluffs here along the west side of the river offer some great views over the ocean...especially during sunset. That said, it is usually very windy here, making watching a nice sunset a frigid experience. There are some popular hangout places in the town center near the river, and some of the residential areas are pretty fancy. But when I come here, it is exclusively for the bluffs lookout.

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Sorrento, Victoria
April, 2009

Sorrento is a long way down the Mornington Peninsula from Melbourne. From the looks of it, only the wealthy can afford to live down here too. Many of the houses are gorgeous, but the area lacks excitement. Probably most people who come down here know it for the passenger and car ferry service that links it with the Queenscliff on the opposing Bellerine Peninsula. The forty minute ride costs an arm and a leg but saves what would otherwise be a two and a half hour drive (without traffic). That makes it worth it!

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Port Campbell, Victoria
April, 2009

Port Campbell is about a four hour drive from Melbourne on some very windy roads. But it is definitely worth it to pay a visit out here. Mostly, I am referring to the Twelve Apostles at the Port Campbell National Park. But the town itself is well-stocked for the amount of tourists that pass through it each year. There are some well-placed restos and cafes along the coast too. But the famous sea stacks, which won't be around forever, provide the best photo ops and, at least every time I have come, draw a fairly large crowd. Even if you don't like it, the drive out here can be worth the trip alone!

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Cape Otway, Victoria
April, 2009

Cape Otway is one of those places that you may or may not stop at as you pass by on your way to something more exciting. But I'm happy each time I have stopped here. Particularly after all the Great Ocean Road driving, this makes for a nice break. This section of the road cuts through the Otway National Forest and goes inland, so there is no ocean. But 13km from the road is a lighthouse which claims to be the oldest lighthouse in the country (since 1848). There are some nice views and photo ops at the light house. BUT what I think is more interesting is a small side road on the left side just before arriving at the lighthouse which points to Blanket Bay. There is camping in the area, but non-campers would do themselves a favor by strolling by here just to take a look at the numerous koalas that hang out in the trees along this dirt road.

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Apollo Bay, Victoria
April, 2009

Many tourists travel down the Great Ocean Road in Victoria with Apollo Bay as their principle stop. For that reason, or perhaps because of that, the town offers a wide range of facilities for vacationers and sightseers and even rivals nearby Lorne (albeit not quite as fancy). The beach at Apollo Bay is nice and clean, and the coastal area here is steeped in regional history. Campers at the nearby Cape Otway also take advantage of the town's facilities, offering a good mix of transients to the town. It's also famous for the Apollo Bay Music Festival, which draws some big names locally and usually a large crowd.

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Colac, Victoria
April, 2009

Colac is an inland city less than an hour's drive west of Geelong on the Princes Highway. It's got an interesting history and a number of appropriate-looking buildings to support it. Most people don't bother to stop here, opting instead to use it as an inland short cut to get to places further along the Great Ocean Road. Indeed this saves much time. But Colac is worth short stop. Its botanical gardens are pretty, and Lake Colac, the largest fresh water lake in Victoria, offers a prime spot for a relaxing picnic. Sadly, with Australia's severe drought, this lake was not much more than a few puddles. Rains later in the year helped replenish it some, but I'd suggest checking it out before the drought takes it out for good.

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Rockdale, New South Wales
April, 2009

On my first trip to Sydney, I stayed with a few friends who recently moved to Rockdale. The town is one of many that have been incorporated into the Sydney sprawl, but it still manages to keep some character to it. The main shopping precinct is nothing fancy but efforts have been made to give it a better-than-average appearance. There are many yuppies that live in the area and the cost of housing here is reflected in that. That said, it is an older town, so the few newer developments tend to stick out. It is not too far from the beach, has its own LRT train stop, and is not too far of a drive to get into Sydney CBD.

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Sydney, New South Wales
April, 2009

When most people talk about Australia, they are either referring to Sydney, the Outback, the Great Barrier Reef, or Steve Irwin. Sydney does get a lot of air time and, as the biggest city, deserves a good chunk of it. But I must say that I expected much more than what the city offers. For all its hype, I thought that Melbourne easily outranked it in the number of sites of interest and overall character. That said, Sydney was a nice variation from life in Melbourne. There is no denying that the Opera House and Harbour Bridge are iconic of the country and make for some great photos when they are staring you in the face (I got many pics of these places, conveniently close to each other). The Quay can be a bit full on with tourists though, something I don't really feel in Melbourne (despite being crowded in certain areas and during certain times of the day). But I'd have to say that Sydney has better weather than Melbourne...more shielded from the Antarctic winds at least.

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Brighton Le Sands, New South Wales
April, 2009

Brighton Le Sands is a dense little beach town along Botany Bay just south of Sydney's airport. There are a handful of restaurants along the beach road and even a 4 or 5 star hotel, albeit its age is showing. The water is a bit blah, but the beach is fairly decent. There are some netted swimming areas and usually a fairly good amount of activity along the shores...even on the colder days. Across the bay, however, is a seaport. And the airport is just to the left of that...so the views from the beach are unappealing overall.

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La Perouse, New South Wales
April, 2009

Named after the French explorer Le Compte de Laperouse, La Perouse sits just southeast of Sydney's airport on Botany Bay, the famous landing site of Captain Cook eighteen years before Le Compte de Laperouse came around. There are some sites of interest here and a handful of restaurants for the tourist or (more likely) local looking for a nice outdoor area to spend some time. The rock formations along the coast here are stunning and are the first, second, and third reasons why I would suggest that people come here to see La Perouse. Supposedly, there is some good diving in the Bay, but the waters look a little murky for my preference. Plus with all the shipping traffic in the area, I'm not sure why divers don't go elsewhere. Come here for the rocks!

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Wodonga, Victoria
June, 2009

Wodonga is one of those places that is not usually referred to often...and when it is, it's in conjunction with another locale. Wodonga sits on Victoria's northeast border with New South Wales and is mirrored by its larger sister city, Albury. Both towns are significant (due to being the largest combined metro area in the region) and uneventful at the same time. They have an industrial feel to them, which is probably the only reason they survive so isolated from any other population centers. But Wodonga has some nicer new residential growth. And it also boasts the largest rolling pin in the world. How about that?

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Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
June, 2009

Australia's planned-city capital of Canberra must have looked so good on paper for the government to build a new capital in the early 20th century while fighting two wars. Either that or the well-to-do and power hungry politicians in Sydney couldn't stand the thought of Melbourne being the capital. Well, Canberra was built, and it was built beautifully. The infrastructural planning is obvious, as are the wide open spaces, natural areas of the inner city, and circular interchanges around Parliament House. The CBD is also manageable on foot, as is the ANU campus. The botanical gardens are plentiful with wildlife and diverse vegetation. With so much beauty, you would think Canberra would be a lovely place to live. And it may be...but I found it, as with most everyone else, to be very boring. Shops close early, night time activities are limited (especially if you don't drink), and because of its isolated location, it gets passed over by events, tours, and even franchises that populate the rest of the country's cities. Kangaroos are road hazards coming in and out of the capital territory; it is sad seeing the sheer number of kangaroo road kill alongside the highways.

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Queanbeyan, New South Wales
June, 2009

Queanbeyan (try pronouncing that one) is a town in rural New South Wales that would otherwise be out in the middle of nowhere if it weren't for the fact that it hugs the eastern border of the Australian Capital Territory. However, it still retains its character as a rural town, despite being a satellite city to Canberra. The old town center is unimpressive, as is its new growth, including a sad mall. The good news for residents of Queanbeyan is that they are only a short 15 minute drive from Canberra's range of entertainment facilities. The bad news is that Canberra is lacking in this area too.

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Lakes Entrance, Victoria
June, 2009

I don't have a whole lot to say about Lakes Entrance other than that it is beautiful. I drove into town on the Princes Highway from the north, so when I got to town, the view of it along the water from atop the hill headed down to the coast was breathtaking. It was also a bit of a relief from the monotonous twisting and turning roads through the forests. The main road through town, the Esplanade, runs very close to the coast and is dotted with accommodation, restaurants, and shops. The area seems to be popular year round and maybe a bit upscale price wise. But its remote and would make a great place to chill out, go fishing, and just enjoy the environment.

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Lara, Victoria
July, 2009

Lara is a residential suburb in the extreme north of Geelong. Lara is being pushed by the local and state governments to grow and develop some more. The commuter V-line train station here has been turned into a premium station even. But at the moment, there is nothing too exciting to see in town. It is close to some nice natural stomping grounds for koalas. And some of the housing in town is quite impressive. But overall, a significant commercial district is lacking...and also quite artificially located for a rural Australian town. But as Melbourne growth pushes south and Geelong growth north, Lara is in a prime location to boom.