What: Part 1: Melbourne
Where: New South Wales
Itinerary: Melbourne - Great Ocean Road -Skenes Creek - Apollo Bay - 12 Apostles
Part 1: Melbourne Saturday 29th - January 3rd 2013
We landed at 9am following 24hours of flights and Hotel Royce certainly helped ease the Jet Lag...
The Royce Hotel is recognised as one of Melbourne’s finest designer five star boutique hotels. With its 100 stylish rooms and suites, award winning dish restaurant and chic bar, the amberoom, the Royce offers a unique experience for the discerning traveller.
Ideally located on Australia’s most famous boulevard, St Kilda Road, the Royce is within walking distance to the fashionable shopping and restaurant precincts of Toorak Road and Chapel Street, Melbourne CBD, Royal Botanic Gardens, Shrine of Remembrance and Albert Park Lake. http://www.roycehotels.com.au/
Headed out to St Kilda and checked out the creatives at the Boulevard market, great stalls with a broad selection of products following an essential sun hat purchase (see below) we enjoyed wandering along the market admiring all manner of ceramics, jewellery and fashion accessories, my favourite products included jewellery made from cutlery -spoons et al! St Kilda is definitely worth checking out for its kitsch retro feel.
The Royal Botanical Gardens were stunning and the heat and sunshine certainly helped with the jet lag too. Wandering among the trees and flowers was so relaxing. The picture below shows nature versus modern and old architecture on a beautiful summers day with the perfect refreshing breeze.
My favourite Melbourne district was definitely Fitzroy and Brunswick street. A whole road of funky little shops and bars. A really inspiring area and I certainly picked up a few ideas for my future retail adventure. The perfect location for a little bit of shopping and coffee or two. Melbourne city also has lots of graffiti decorated allies like the photo below. Very cool!
Dinner was enjoyed at Longrain a fabulous Thai restaurant before heading to the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine, possibly the best place name ever.
A resident of one of the world’s most vibrant bar capitals, Longrain Melbourne’s bar was voted one of Australia’s best bars in the Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine’s prestigious ‘Best of The Best’ edition. A central point of the restaurant’s space, the bar is dramatically set at centre stage cleverly dividing the cocktail lounge and the restaurant’s main dining area. The bar opens early each evening until late, making it a great pre and post-theatre spot.
We headed off down The Great Ocean Road on day 4 and were overwhelmed by the views. Australia really is an incredible country! 1 nights sleep in a lovely campsite in Skenes Creek was magical. Star gazing at night on the beach is an Ocean Road must!
and on the way there we met a few cute Koala's!
A Bakers Dozen of Melbourne and the surrounding area essentials:
1. St Kilda for the fabulous boulevarde market. www.stkildamarket.com
2. Fitsroy & Brunswick St -Shopping heaven.
3. Long walks along Yarra River into and out of the city.
4. The Royal Botantical Gardens for some peace and meditative quiet.
5. Roaming the lanes in the city and stopping for coffee.
6. Federation Square and the ICMA and The National Gallery. www.fedsquare.com
7. Soaking up the views and enjoying coffee and delicious Lemon tarts at the Splitpoint lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. www.splitpointlighthouse.com.au
8. Koala watching along the road to Cape Otway Lighthouse. www.lightstation.com
9. A fishy dinner at Vista in Apollo Bay. www.thevistaseafoodrestaurant.com
10. Great Ocean Road views and beaches.
11. Drinking gorgeous Australian wine on the beach whilst star gazing at night.
12. The 12 Apostles seen by helicopter www.12apostleshelicopters.com.au
13. Spending time with special friends, multiple thanks to Jeni & Tom for welcoming us and being such fabulous hosts. Cheers!
next up Cairns, Port Douglas and The Great Barrier Reef...
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