Melbourne, day one

Getting into Melbourne was quite straightforward, buy a travel card, top it up with money, catch a train from Macedon and get off at one of the three central stations in Melbourne. The journey was only one hour. Getting around was not so straightforward, buses, trams, taxis and walking. It took us a bit of time to gauge the scale of the tourist map we were given, but got about successfully.

Eureka Skydeck 88 is the highest observation platform in the Southern Hemisphere. 88 refers to the floor number, there are 92 floors. It’s about 285m above ground, the lift takes 38 seconds. Part of the deck is an overhang of the building and has a glass floor. The floor has 360 degree view around Melbourne and the surrounding area. Each year there is a challenge to run up the 1642 steps, the record is currently just 7 minutes.

After the Skydeck we walked along the river on to the Botanic Gardens and then past the (shut) Shrine of Remembrance. The river was busy with many teams out skulling I. For sand eights. The gardens were beautiful, made more so by the first day of sunshine and warmth that we had for over a week. There were many people sitting out in the late afternoon sunshine.

We walked back to the train station along the “south bank” where there are bars and restaurants, this was far more how we expect a city to be, busy, vibrant and exciting.Read more