Karen-re the Chinese restaurant in Bendigo -its probably still serving the "Chinese " food we had in Australia pre the 70"s which was "Australianized" . Very different dishes to what most of us expect and get today. These early places catered to the Aussie tates of those days and some really only a few haven't changed. .

Split Rock lighthouse at Aireys-we were staying next door to that when I broke my ankle in February . -
There was an article in the Age newspaper about trouble at The Kennet River area-visitors throwing stones at kolas to get good photos , frightening the birds and other wiildlife. So disappointing.

Love the Bendigo Gallery -it would be the most visited regional gallery in Victoria -evry year it has a major exhibition In 2024 its \Fried Kahlo with works from her own Mexican Museo

again great photos

Happy to come cross your report Karen, and so pleased you enjoyed visiting my country. Your photos are beautiful and I especially appreciate the food descriptions 🙏

Tripplanner001, I am happy to know that you are interested in visiting Bendigo, and that my TR is helpful to you. I know you have visited Australia several times so you know more than I do. Are you visiting other places in addition to Sydney when you come in January?

Northie, that's so funny what you said about Chinese food pre 70's. I felt the same way about Chinese food in the US pre 70's. It was "Americanized"! What a coincidence about Split Rock! I remember you telling me that you broke your ankle while staying in Aireys Inlet. And that's just awful about the visitors throwing stones at the koalas!

sartoric, thank you so much for your compliments! I really appreciate it, and we loved visiting Australia!

October 20: From Bendigo to Bright

We enjoyed our breakfast so much yesterday at Whitby’s that we decided to have breakfast there again this morning. The temperatures were comfortable so we dined outside on their deck overlooking the beautiful lake. I had 2 poached eggs with sourdough toast and a side order of smashed avocado with my usual flat white. Ed had scrambled eggs, toast and more delicious bacon with his cappuccino. The wait staff here are very friendly, warm, and attentive. We just love this restaurant, no complaints at all!

On our way out of Bendigo, we stopped at the Joss House Temple, a small Chinese temple that has 3 buildings. This is a very unique design, and the Bendigo Temple is one of the very few of its kind remaining in Australia. It was built in 1871 to serve the Chinese working in the gold mines and still operates as a temple.

We stopped in the very pretty town of Violet Town to stretch our legs and have some coffee and pastry along the way to Bright. It’s a 3-hour drive but we noticed that the drives feel longer in Australia and New Zealand. We drive frequently from our house in Massachusetts to our daughter’s house in Vermont, and the 2.5 hour drive there just seems much faster on our highways. We noticed the roads in Australia are narrower, including the highways.

Our accommodations tonight are at the Bright Colonial Motel, another gem of a place. The motel is very attractive and the best motel so far on our trip. Our room is modern and clean, and we have our own private courtyard. There is also a pool, BBQ area, and laundry services.

Here was our first and only sighting of kangaroos! We saw quite a few of them, about 6 or 8, at the Bright Cemetery around 8PM. It was their dinner time! 😊

We ended our day with delicious salad and pizza at Don Mungos in downtown Bright!

The Bendigo Joss House Temple

The 3 attached buildings make this temple unique.

Joss House Temple Entrance Chamber - there are always 2 lions at the entrance

One of several altars

Red denotes happiness, strength and vitality.

offerings




Our first and only sightings of kangaroos are at the Bright Cemetery

Apparently kangaroos are frequently seen in cemeteries eating the grass! This was around 8PM.



While sitting outdoors at the cafe in Violet Town. . . .

I was feasting my eyes on this handsome fellow!



Our private courtyard at the Bright Colonial Motel

Our delicious pizza at Don Mungos

I reckon your handsome fellow is Shane Warne. A talented cricketer, but flawed human.
My sister lives in Prahran, she haunts that market, which is indeed fabulous.
Your joy shines through your writing 🌸 thanks 🙏

Thank you, sartoric! I don't know anything about cricket so I have no idea who he is. I looked him up. So sad. He died at the young age of 52.

October 21: Beautiful Bright and searching for two camps

We start our morning with breakfast at Gum Tree Pies. Ed has a delicious and filling steak pie, and I opt for a huge sausage roll-up! Very tasty and very delicious.

We love Bright! It’s such a pretty little town, and is a great base for exploring Mount Buffalo National Park and Alpine National Park. I wish we had more time for hiking and viewing the many waterfalls, but we were here for a different purpose.

Ed had gone to summer camp in Wandiligong (the village next door) when he was going to school in Box Hill, and he was hoping to find the camp. It was the first and only time he ever went to summer camp, and he has very fond memories of his experience there. He also recently read about a Chinese miners camp in Wandiligong. There was a very large Chinese presence here in the 1850’s. The miners had a very difficult life, and many of them died of starvation and disease.

We stopped at the Visitor Center and talked to a woman working there who was very helpful. She was able to give us an idea of where the summer camp was located. And she also told us to look for signs for The Diggings (the miners’ camp) and the Chinese Bridge, which coincidentally are close to where Ed’s summer camp was located.

We found The Diggings and the Chinese Bridge first. There is a network of walking tracks that traverse The Diggings, and we saw many locals walking their dogs. This is a very pretty and peaceful wooded area for a nice leisurely walk.

Before searching for Ed’s summer camp, we decided to stop in at the very small Wandiligong post office, and we talked to the very friendly postmaster who remembers the summer camp! He told us it closed in 2010, and that now there are rental homes located on the former campgrounds. He directed us to School Street; we immediately drove there, and Ed recognized the area where the camp was located on a hillside. So a very successful and memorable day!

The postmaster suggested visiting Nightingale Apple Orchard for drinks and snacks if we were hungry so that’s where we went afterwards. They have a large store with lots of goodies, and a lovely outdoor dining area. It was so refreshing and so relaxing sitting outside with drinks, gelato, and snacks surrounded by the apple orchard.

Dinner tonight was at Sir Loin’s Bar and Grill, which I know we enjoyed, but I didn’t write down what we ordered. I’m sure Ed had steak and I might have had fish.

Bright is such a lovely town! I want to thank whomever suggested we stay here; I think it was either Northie or Bokhara2. A great place to stay!


Bright street scene

Gum Tree Pies where we had breakfast our first morning

Bright street scene

Pretty flowers and a lovely house in Bright

We found our way to the Chinese miners' camp.

Dilapidated bridge in the Diggings.

The Chinese Bridge was constructed in modern times to honor the Chinese who worked in the goldfields and died here.

Another view of the Chinese Bridge

And another!

The Diggings!

This general store in Wandiligong closed in 1972 - time has stood still here! Except for the modern car

This is the site of where my husband's summer camp was located!

The apple orchard where we stopped for drinks and snacks.

Lovely to read about your trip Karen. I'm a bit late getting to it but enjoyed the photos as well. Is there more to come?

Yes! Melbourne is next, then the Blue Mountains, and then Sydney.

Sometime after Christmas I will start a new TR for New Zealand.

It's great you had a fair amount of time to see things and didn't try to see the whole country which some travellers start out wanting to do.

It's awesome that Ed is able to visit places that are so meaningful to him.

Just Sydney in January as we will only have 5 nights. Perhaps a day or two to some of the surrounding area such as the Blue Mountains, a perennial favorite.

October 22 – October 24: Sightseeing in Marvelous Melbourne!

After checking out of our motel, we had breakfast at a bakery and café that is next to Gum Tree Pies. We had meat pies again!!! Can’t resist them!

We then drove from Bright to Melbourne, about a 4-hour drive. We returned our rental car to the Sixt Rental Car office next to the Southern Cross train station. Our accommodation for the next 3 nights is the Savoy Hotel on Little Collins Street, across from the Southern Cross train station. It’s very posh! In an excellent location. We had a good-sized room.

We explored Chinatown, Federation Square, and strolled along the Yarra River. This area was especially busy and lively in the early evening. There is a “floating” bar/restaurant that was really hopping! Melbourne’s architecture is a mix of older style buildings and very modern skyscrapers.

SIGHTSEEING IN MELBOURNE:

Immigration Museum

We really enjoyed the Immigration Museum and learned a lot. I admit I don’t know a lot about Australia’s history so this is a very interesting museum to visit. Australia and the United States have a similar immigration history. We learned about the notorious Dictation Test that was given to non-Europeans. These non-Europeans were given tests in random European languages, and if they didn’t pass they were denied entry.

There was also an interesting and colorful art display on the second floor. This exhibition changes every so often. The current exhibit that we saw is called “Joy”. One installation that I found very interesting is a recreation of a 1990’s video store! The artist has fond memories of browsing through videos, as do I. It’s a very nostalgic exhibit.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Construction on this massive Gothic Revival Anglican cathedral began in 1880 and took 11 years to complete. The three spires were added in 1926. The cathedral features ornate stained-glass windows, Victorian-era tiling, and cream and grey stone. Cream and grey might sound boring, but the combination works. The colors are quite striking without being bold and colorful. There was a service going on when we were there so we didn’t stay for very long and we didn’t have a tour.

Hosier Lane

This is Melbourne’s most famous lane for street art and graffiti. We saw quite a few Instagrammers posing in front of the art.

Queen Victoria Market

We love visiting markets wherever we travel. And Ed has memories of visiting this market as a young teen-ager, so this was a walk down memory lane for him as well. According to my guidebook, this market is the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere. The market has been here for 130 years, and before that it used to be a cemetery. Supposedly there are 9000 bodies still buried underneath.

We purchased some raw oysters at the market and tried different ones. And the winner is: Oysters from Tasmania!

The food court has recently been remodeled. It’s spacious, light and airy with lots of windows. So we decided to have lunch here.

Royal Botanic Gardens

We also enjoy visiting botanical gardens, so the Royal Botanic Gardens are a must for us. These gardens are beautiful with a pond and Victorian-era landscaping.

Getting around Melbourne

We did a lot of walking in Melbourne but we also used the trams a lot. The trams are free within the city center. You just get on and get off. Very easy. The zone is signposted on tram stops, and there are announcements made when you are nearing the end of the free zone.

RESTAURANTS IN MELBOURNE:

Cumulus

One of our favorite meals and a fun evening is when we met Northie and her husband for dinner. Northie suggested Cumulus, and she was right on the mark. This was one of our favorite restaurants in Australia! We had a delicious meal and a wonderful evening made even better by such awesome company. Connecting with Fodorites makes our trip even more special!

I had pork chops, and I think that Mr. Northie had pork chops, too. They were perfectly cooked and seasoned. I already mentioned that we loved the pork chops in Australia. Often times at home the pork chops are over-cooked. Not so in Australia!

Ed had swordfish, and I think Northie did, too. And the swordfish was delicious, too. We all ordered desserts but I didn’t write down what we had.

Higher Ground

Northie suggested Higher Ground for breakfast, which is close to the Savoy on Little Collins Street. We had another one of our favorite breakfasts here! I ordered an Avocado Pretzel with poached eggs and whipped ricotta! Delicious!!

Old Beijing

We had the best Chinese food here! We spent our last day in Melbourne with Ed’s cousins, and they recommended this restaurant. One of the dishes we ordered was Peking Duck, which was delicious. I forgot the other dishes, but they were all perfect.

Piccolo Me

We had breakfast here one morning. It’s close to the Savoy. This is a fast food place. Our breakfast was good, fast, and inexpensive. So it works if you have a full day of sightseeing ahead of you and you don’t want to spend a lot of time in a restaurant for breakfast.

Crane Restaurant

This is a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. We were disappointed, however, in our meal. And it was expensive. We first walked over to Flower Drum which several people recommended but it was closed that evening. So we ended up at Crane instead.

I am salivating at some of the wonderful food you had in Australia. I don't recall standouts with pork during my times in Australia, so I will have to pay attention this time. The lamb and the salmon, for sure, and the meat pies, divine.

Wandering around Melbourne!

This is the neighborhood near our hotel.

Exploring around our neighborhood.

Near Chinatown

The Chinatown Gate

Fashion week in Melbourne

Fashion week in Melbourne

I love this cat!

Federation Square - one of Melbourne's newest public spaces

Near Federation Square

Some of Melbourne's high rises

Another view of Federation Square

Unique architecture

Party time on the Yarra River

Along the Yarra River

Another popular spot on the Yarra River

Lobby of The Savoy on Little Collins Strreet

Higher Ground Restaurant

My scrumptious avocado smash pretzel with poached egg and whipped ricotta.

The Long Room at the Customs House, which is now the Immigration Museum.

Old photo of the Long Room at the Customs House.

Interesting display at the Immigration Museum

Description of the notorious Dictation Test

Temporary exhibit on the second floor of the Immigration Museum. Called "Joy". Nostalgic replica of a 1990's video store!

The artist's reflections on video stores, an important part of his younger self.

Part of the colorful and nostalgic "Joy" exhibit!

More of Marvelous Melbourne!

Colorful Melbourne Tram

Flinders Street Train Station - Melbourne's first railway station - turned 100 years old in 2010. And is Melbourne's most iconic building.

Another view of the Flinders Street Train Station that shows how long the building is.

St. Paul's Cathedral - a corn market once stood on this site

Interior of St. Paul's Cathedral

My delicious pork dinner at Cumulus Restaurant.

Ed's swordfish dinner at Cumulus.

Street art and graffiti on Hosier Lane.

Creepy clown reminds me of Stephen King's "It"!!!

Along Hosier Lane

Hosier Lane is Melbourne's most celebrated laneway for street art.

Edgy graffiti

A grand market and a royal garden!

Queen Victoria Market - this market has been here for more than 130 years!

We saw tons of raw oysters - and tasted a few - our favorites are from Tasmania.

I looked up Morton Bay Bugs. They are not insects - they are crustaceans.

The spiny creatures are interesting.

The pork counter

More pork

Crustaceans

Such a pretty display!

Love the color of the Turkish Delight!

Delights from the sea!

Polish Deli - The Queen Victoria Market has something for everyone!

More crustaceans!

Delicious!!!

The remodeled light and airy food court at the Queen Victoria Market

Entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens

Lovely flowers . . .

And interesting tree!

Pretty pond . . .

and interesting greenery

I love this uniquely shaped tree!

Bird of Paradise!

What is this unusual flower?

Bird of Paradise are everywhere!

Pretty yellow flowers

As you can tell, we really enjoyed the Royal Botanic Gardens

Yarra River waterfront

Our delicious Peking Duck at Old Beijing Restaurant

Karen, I just saw your very entertaining travelogue and lovely photos for the first time tonight--and read it all in one go. You managed to do and see so much in just three weeks and you've yet to post about your time in Sydney! You've reminded me of many wonderful places I've visited on my own trips to Australia, but also peaked my interest in those I've yet to make it to. And your photos of food and markets made me feel quite hungry. I've never seen such a huge, succulent-looking Peking duck! If you like lobster, I'm pretty sure you would have enjoyed those Moreton Bay bugs you photographed in QV market. Those and Balmain bugs are "slipper lobsters".
I believe those unusual flowers are a species of kniphofia. We have a lot of them on the East Coast of the South Island.
That was kind of you to acknowledge the tiny bit of advice I could offer. I'm glad your trip went so smoothly.