Ok, this may be out of date info seeing as I haven’t been in Melbourne in 5 1/2 years. But
Blues - there was a pub called the Rainbow in Fitzroy that had blues. Can’t remember the street name but it was one of the smaller cross streets to Brunswick St or Smith St.
Or, you could contact the Melb Blues Society and ask them. mbas.org.au/
I just got reminded of something. A bloke I shared a house with would go riding in the “Victorian high country” in winter. Actually i have only a vague notion of where that is, but it always sounded like a very cool thing to do. Real Man from Snowy River stuff.
[quote]The Man From Snowy River, by A.B. (Banjo) Paterson [CP]
There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around
That the colt from old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses - he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.
There was Harrison, who made his pile when Pardon won the cup,
The old man with his hair as white as snow;
But few could ride beside him when his blood was fairly up -
He would go wherever horse and man could go.
And Clancy of the Overflow came down to lend a hand,
No better horseman ever held the reins;
For never horse could throw him while the saddle-girths would stand -
He learnt to ride while droving on the plains.
And one was there, a stripling on a small and weedy beast;
He was something like a racehorse undersized,
With a touch of Timor pony - three parts thoroughbred at least -
And such as are by mountain horsemen prized.
He was hard and tough and wiry - just the sort that won’t say die -
There was courage in his quick impatient tread;
And he bore the badge of gameness in his quick and fiery eye,
And the proud and lofty carriage of his head.
But still so slight and weedy, one would doubt his power to stay,
And the old man said, “That horse will never do
For a long and tiring gallop - lad, you’d better stop away,
These hills are far too rough for such as you.”
So he waited, sad and wistful - only Clancy stood his friend -
“I think we ought to let him come,” he said;
"I warrant he’ll be with us when he’s wanted at the end,
For both his horse and he are mountain bred.
“He hails from Snowy River, up by Kosciusko’s side,
Where the hills are twice as steep and twice as rough;
Where a horse’s hooves strike firelight from the flintstones every stride,
The man that holds his own is good enough.
And the Snowy river riders on the mountains make their home,
Where the river runs those giant hills between;
I have seen full many horsemen since I first commenced to roam,
But nowhere yet such horsemen have I seen.”
So he went: they found the horses by the big mimosa clump,
They raced away towards the mountain’s brow,
And the old man gave his orders, “Boys, go at them from the jump,
No use to try for fancy riding now.
And, Clancy, you must wheel them, try and wheel them to the right.
Ride boldly lad, and never fear the spills,
For never yet was rider that could keep the mob in sight,
If once they gain the shelter of those hills.”
So Clancy rode to wheel them - he was racing on the wing
Where the best and boldest riders take their place,
And he raced his stock-horse past them and he made the ranges ring
With the stockwhip, as he met them face to face.
Then they halted for a moment, while he swung the dreaded lash,
But they saw their well-loved mountain full in view,
And they charged beneath the stockwhip with a sharp and sudden dash,
And off into the mountain scrub they flew.
Then fast the horsemen followed, where the gorges deep and black,
Resounded to the thunder of their tread,
And the stockwhips woke the echoes, and they fiercely answered back
From cliffs and crags that beetled overhead.
And upward, ever upward, the wild horses held their way,
Where mountain ash and kurrajong grew wide;
And the old man muttered fiercely, “We may bid the mob good day,
NO man can hold them down the other side.”
When they reached the mountain’s summit, even Clancy took a pull -
It well might make the boldest hold their breath;
The wild hop scrub grew thickly, and the hidden ground was full
Of wombat holes, and any slip was death.
But the man from Snowy River let the pony have his head,
And he swung his stockwhip round and gave a cheer,
And he raced him down the mountain like a torrent down its bed,
While the others stood and watched in very fear.
He sent the flint-stones flying, but the pony kept his feet,
He cleared the fallen timber in his stride,
And the man from Snowy River never shifted in his seat -
It was grand to see that mountain horseman ride.
Through the stringybarks and saplings, on the rough and broken ground,
Down the hillside at a racing pace he went;
And he never drew the bridle till he landed safe and sound
At the bottom of that terrible descent.
He was right among the horses as they climbed the farther hill,
And the watchers on the mountain, standing mute,
Saw him ply the stockwhip fiercely; he was right among them still,
As he raced across the clearing in pursuit.
Then they lost him for a moment, where two mountain gullies met
In the ranges - but a final glimpse reveals
On a dim and distant hillside the wild horses racing yet,
With the man from Snowy River at their heels.
And he ran them single-handed till their sides were white with foam;
He followed like a bloodhound on their track,
Till they halted, cowed and beaten; then he turned their heads for home,
And alone and unassisted brought them back.
But his hardy mountain pony he could scarcely raise a trot,
He was blood from hip to shoulder from the spur;
But his pluck was still undaunted, and his courage fiery hot,
For never yet was mountain horse a cur.
And down by Kosciusko, where the pine-clad ridges raise
Their torn and rugged battlements on high,
Where the air is clear as crystal, and the white stars fairly blaze
At midnight in the cold and frosty sky,
And where around the Overflow the reed-beds sweep and sway
To the breezes, and the rolling plains are wide,
The Man from Snowy River is a household word today,
And the stockmen tell the story of his ride.
At risk of disappointing some of you for my not having seen more of the sights, I’ll report on my trip to Melbourne.
Overall impression: An incredibly lovely city, built for the comfort of its denizens. Transport was convenient, parks were everywhere, buildings were well-designed, the food was excellent.
Negatives: Every fucking shop in the city is closed at 5pm. Unbelievable. Also, food, clothing and most everything else was shockingly expensive. NT$90 for a Coke. NT$3500 for a pair of jeans. Dinner at least NT$1000 per person. I have no idea how people who are not rich afford to live in Melbourne.
The plane flights were fairly uneventful. We took Cathay Pacific. The Hong Kong Airport needs to do a lot of work to become more user friendly. No information counters anywhere, just shopping aplenty. Crazy transfer security checkpoint system, with no clear signage and no personnel on hand to tell you what the hell is going on. There were confused passengers all over the place, looking futilely for help. Melbourne Airport was well-designed, but we had to stand in line for an hour to get through customs.
We ended up spending most of our time in Melbourne exploring the CBD, various parks and gardens, and eating with friends at their homes in the evenings. We spent two days at a beach house on the Great Ocean Road, near Lorne. Lovely.
I never got out to a pub, mainly because we were with friends in their homes every night, and on the one night we had free, I didn’t feel like going into the city.
I’d highly recommend Melbourne, as long as you have a very generous travel budget and are able to get to the coast for a day or two.
Wot? No mention of coffee or coffee shops?
HG
Alas, I wish that were true. Unfortunately, those prices are normal – its just that the NT$ is worth fuck-all.
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]Wot? No mention of coffee or coffee shops?
HG[/quote]
Yes, the coffee shops were ubiquitous and wonderful. The pastries were spectacular–I think I put on a few kilos from that alone.
And even if you go back a few months to where AUD$1=NT$25, things are still incredibly expensive. That doesn’t mean Melbourne isn’t lovely. I’d live there if I were a millionaire.
[quote=“Tomas”]The pastries were spectacular–I think I put on a few kilos from that alone.
Cornish pastries? Love 'em. I used to eat them all the time in Adelaide.
Tomas,
I chose to move to Melbourne about 18 months ago, having travelled and worked here off and on in the last six years. True food can be pricey, but rarely do you get a crap meal for your money. Honestly I’ve lived in London, Taipei and here, and Melbourne knocks the socks off the other cities simply for its quality of life. I’m lucky to be able to live a much more comfortable lifestyle that in both London or Taipei. I have time and money in my pocket, both off which were lacking in Taipei and London.
Wish i’d seen this thread earlier 'cause I would have been happy to show you around. Maybe next time!
L.
Of course, if you liked twee Melbourne, just imagine what you’d say about Sydney!
HG
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]Of course, if you liked twee Melbourne, just imagine what you’d say about Sydney!
HG[/quote]
It’s too big, expensive and noisy!
I was recently thrown out of a cab in Sydney. I was up there on business visiting my branch for the first time. I was supposed to go to No. 48 such-n-such road, when we got to 45 the cabbie turned around and said. “45, get out”. I was sick, had my bags with me, and tried to explain that I couldn’t see the office, but he just said “Get out.” So I did. I then had to make the embarrassing phone call to the office that I was lost, and then drag my bags another 500m to the office.
Sydney cabbies, what a helpful bunch of wankers. Wouldn’t happen in Melbourne cobber. 
Just to add some background. There’s been rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney for eons. It was so bad that they couldn’t decide which one was going to be the nation’s capital, so they settled it by plonking Canberra on a sheep farm almost half way between the two. It used to be that if you wandered into a Melbourne pub and asked for a schooner (a Sydney beer measure for a 15 fl oz glass) rather than the Melbourne custom of asking for a pot (10 fl oz glass), the barmaids would glare at you and the other patrons fall stonily quiet.
I have a distinct Sydney bias, but do have something of a soft spot for Melbourne. In my experience it’s usually the Melbourne folks that bitch most about Sydney, and Sydneysiders tend to just shrug. However, the best retort from A Sydney perspective on Melbourne is ths one: Why do you get 100s of thousands to a Melbourne footy grand final and only 10s of thousands to a rugby final in Sydney? There’s nothing else to do in Melbounre on a Saturday.
As for taxi drivers, you just have to learn how to manipulate them. A trick that always worked for me when I was in a hurry in Sydney was to tell the driver I’d just moved up from Melbourne and although I’d heard Sydney taxi drivers drove like racing car drivers I’d never seen any evidence of it. They always floored it after that. Not for the faint of heart, obviously.
HG
Just back from six weeks off the Rock. Bloody marvelous but, bugger, it made me feel poor! I knew salaries here have been pretty stagnant and that the NT is very weak but I was not prepared for the full extent of my slide into poverty. I felt like a pauper. I will have to reassess some of my plans. In other words, I’m too fucking poor to live back home or in Oz for the time being. I do like Taiwan but it would be nice to have options.
Anyway, back on topic. Melbourne is a lovely city and well worth a visit. It has great public transport and the women are pretty hot (there was a heat wave on when I was plenty of shelia flesh on display).
I’ll post some more stuff later. I’m a bit punch drunk after being on the road for 24 hours.
Cheers.
The (hundreds of) photos of Melbourne I’ve seen speak to me in a way that no other city in the world does. I’ve always felt that I might have lived there in another life. As a Commonwealth metropolis it’s not unreminiscent of Toronto, save for the much warmer weather and the beaches. And the kangaroos and spiders and sharks. Still, Toronto and Melbourne are veritably two of the most simpatico cities on this earth, I reckon.
Though I’ve never actually been there. And, coincidentally enough, just yesterday my long infatuation with Melbourne was tempered somewhat by what the nice woman who cuts my hair told me (here in this small Ontario city where I currently live, in Canada). She went for two months to visit her brother, a Canadian who had met a woman from Melbourne on his travels years ago and ended up settling down in Melbourne to raise a family. While on the whole the trip was wonderful, she did mention that just about every day she had Ozzies demanding of her why she hadn’t “fallen in love” with Australia. The passive-aggressive act apparently went something like this: “Oh, you’re from Canada? Do you like Australia? Yeah? Would you like to move here? No? Why not?” Her protestations that she had children and grandchildren in Canada and that she (gasp) even liked Canada well enough that she wouldn’t want to emigrate were met with incredulity and even outright hostility. Eventually she just played along and told the punters what they wanted to hear.
All of which sounds a bit sad. Is this excessive pride of place mixed with prickly insecurity at how outsiders perceive them a product of Australians’ geographical isolation from the rest of the Western world? And before the Canada-bashing begins, yes, Canuckleheads in Taiwan can be prickly about perceived slights against their Canuckleness, I know, though I don’t think it goes to quite the extreme that was portrayed by my hairdresser (i.e. “What? I simply cannot believe you haven’t absolutely fallen in luuurve with Moose Jaw! Why wouldn’t you want to live here?”).
To dos while in Melbourne would include:
National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) (two sites - one International and other is called the Ian Potter Centre (= the Australian stuff). Both are good.
Circle Line tram - good way to get your bearings of the city - and it’s free and runs every 10 minutes or so. Melbourne has excellent public transport.
Lunch/stroll on Southbank - soaking up the sunshine and the acitivity along the Yarra River.
Concerts and/or sporting activities. I went to a John Williams concert at the Hamer Centre.
I highly recommend a day (or overnight) trip to Ballarat’s Sovereign Hill, a reconstructed mining town.
Drinking. Lots of local brews to sample.
Perving. (It’s okay. My doctor prescribed it.)
Good to see you back. almas, There were reports of a kiwi raped by a wombat and developing an Oz accent, and frankly I was concerned for you. Our male wooly critters aren’t quite as obliging as yours with their women flock, after all.
Not been to Southbank, will have to do that on my next trip. A real pity the Esplanade in St Kilda is no more. Mind you a doorman there once stopp Yothu Yingu lead singer, and then Australian of the year, from getting in because he was an abo.
Cheers.
HG
[quote=“almas john”]To dos while in Melbourne would include:
Perving. (It’s okay. My doctor prescribed it.)[/quote]
Why d’you think I moved here?
Aussie babes rock. Of course they’d never be as gorgeous as my missus 
The Capitalist Marsupial wrote: [quote]Good to see you back. almas, There were reports of a kiwi raped by a wombat and developing an Oz accent, and frankly I was concerned for you. Our [/quote]
No worries mate. Things did get a bit weird but it was all consensual.
Limey wrote: [quote]Aussie babes rock. Of course they’d never be as gorgeous as my missus [/quote]
Yep. Nice to see so many hot western women and find that I have not been too corrupted by all my years in Oriental opium dens.
The Literary Moose wrote: [quote]Is this excessive pride of place mixed with prickly insecurity at how outsiders perceive them a product of Australians’ geographical isolation from the rest of the Western world?[/quote]
Sounds a bit like New Zealand used to be (and still is to some extent).
I found the folks in Australia (the state of Victoria to be precise) great - friendly, and it was easy to strike up conversations and joke with strangers. In fact, for a city of nearly four million, Melbourne has small town feel to it.
hey guys,
i might be making a trip out to oz, probably hit melbourne to see a cousin and townsville to visit a cemetery. was thinking about checking out Northern Territory.
If this is my first trip and say, 1-2 weeks on a budget, what would you recommend? I’d like to see this “outback” thing and take some photos. Also, Sandman berated me for not rating Oz food well, so what should I try?
Jack, your itinerary sort of reminds me of two English lasses I sat next to on a flight from Singapore (they were on the way from Blighty) to Brisbane. They asked if they could “do the island in two or three days”. I figured they meant Frasier Island just near Brisbane, and said, “sure, nice to spend longer, but that should be fine.” Well, then they asked how long to drive from Brisbane to Perth and I twigged - the island they were talking about was the continent of Australia. “Oh, but it looked so tiny on the map.” - I’m really not making this up, those are real quotes.
Townsville is a long way from Melbourne, and its a surprisingly long way further again to the Territory. You’re budget will be eaten by the flights. Not been to the Territory myself, although I have been all around the north west of WA. I think it important to ensure you get to eat the good food, and not become it in that part of the world.
Cheers.
HG
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]Jack, your itinerary sort of reminds me of two English lasses I sat next to on a flight from Singapore (they were on the way from Blighty) to Brisbane. They asked if they could “do the island in two or three days”. I figured they meant Frasier Island just near Brisbane, and said, “sure, nice to spend longer, but that should be fine.” Well, then they asked how long to drive from Brisbane to Perth and I twigged - the island they were talking about was the continent of Australia. “Oh, but it looked so tiny on the map.” - I’m really not making this up, those are real quotes.
Townsville is a long way from Melbourne, and its a surprisingly long way further again to the Territory. You’re budget will be eaten by the flights. Not been to the Territory myself, although I have been all around the north west of WA. I think it important to ensure you get to eat the good food, and not become it in that part of the world.
Cheers.
HG[/quote]
I just figured it was pretty much like Canada - maybe the first time u hit Vancouver and Montreal, skip the Maritimes or the Rockies for when you really got a month to kick around. and yes, Canada is pretty big too.
Unfortunately, I’d like to see the NT, but I cannot get out of going to Townsville and Melbourne. Was thinking of trains… 2 weeks: 1-3 days in each of T-ville and Melb and 1 week in the NT?