#Top Things To Do In Yarra Valley

[bumblebeeappletree]

Jane tours an established food forest where nearly everything you see is good enough to eat.

Deep in the Yarra Valley about an hour Northeast of Melbourne, Jane visits a garden filled with over 300 plants from around the world. This dense one-acre food forest is purposed as an edible and medicinal forest. It is also a wedding venue and home to the initiator of the project, Louise Ward, who lives here with her husband. Louise says they are “mimicking the normal forest as a food system...things that you would find when you go into a forest. Some things you can eat and some things you can't, but they all have their purpose within the forest. That's what the edible forest is all about.”

Louise came across the idea while researching permaculture and saw the term edible forest. “I thought wow that would be amazing... it'll be like the garden of Eden. People can walk in and taste. I can just see it in front of me,” she says. The site began as a clear open paddock on clay soil, so to improve the soil she and her husband brought in manure of all kinds. Now, everywhere you look is covered in plants along structured pathways and the result is that “there's a lot of produce,” says Louise, “We’re always having to think what we do with it. Because we’ve got the business here, we use it in the menus as well.”

Horticulturalist Jamie Sweetman has looked after these plants for nearly four years and takes tour groups around the garden. Jamie says, “we've got about 330 plants in here and about 200 are edible. The other hundred just fit into the system, so they will be attracting beneficial bugs or nitrogen-fixing. Everything has to have an excuse to be in here.” Large areas of the garden are protected by a netted structure which keeps out deer, rabbits and cockatoos, while still allowing the smaller creatures in. Jamie says, “the little birds can come in, so we've got blue wrens in here... they come in and out of the fence line as they please. The bees and the dragon flies, all the good stuff.”

Some of the plants harvested for medicinal purposes include rosehips and elderberry which can be made into syrups. Peruvian gooseberries can be eaten fresh, but a favourite this time of year is the chokeberry. Jamie says despite the name, “no, you won't choke but they're quite astringent. In saying that they have more antioxidants in them than blueberries. Easier to grow, they make a great hedge, easy to harvest and all ripen at the same time... they are in the rose family, you can kind of tell by the leaf shape.”

A common method of repurposing green waste is to chop-and-drop. Jamie explains “you'll cut something down and drop it on the ground so that the nutrients can go back into the ground.” The version they’re using in the edible forest is a wire structure shaped into a cylinder in which the green waste is piled up. Jamie says, “we will pull that up soon, throw some mulch over the top, leave it for a while and it’s building soil on site.” They also have a wetland area where everything is edible, including the Australian native water fern, nardoo, and a range of other nitrogen fixing plants such as the Persian silk tree. Jamie explains that nitrogen-fixing plants “have nodules on their roots that turn nitrogen into forms that other plants find accessible, so they’re self-fertilising our garden for us.”

Amongst all these plants with purpose, Louise does have a special favourite, the gotu kola. Louise says, “it’s a medicinal one, so it's not the most beautiful looking one... it’s very very happy over here and it’s a great little groundcover, too.” Louise says, “gardening is one of the best things I've ever discovered. It's just wonderful. Getting your hands dirty is just one of the most wonderful things in the world. It's really good for you mentally. It's everything.”

[rich-info]

Unlock Your Dream Home: House and Land Packages in South East Melbourne

Have you ever dreamt of owning a home that perfectly reflects your lifestyle and preferences? The vibrant region of South East Melbourne beckons with an exciting opportunity to turn your dreams into reality with its alluring house and land packages. South East Melbourne is a thriving and diverse area, offering a range of lifestyle options that cater to everyone, from young professionals to growing families and retirees. In this article, we'll explore why South East Melbourne is a fantastic choice for house and land packages, and what makes this corner of Australia so special.

An Abundance of Choice

One of the most attractive features of house and land packages in South East Melbourne is the sheer variety available. This region is home to numerous housing developments and communities, each offering a unique blend of amenities and features. Whether you're looking for a tranquil retreat, a family-friendly neighborhood, or a vibrant urban environment, you'll find the perfect fit here.

Natural Beauty at Your Doorstep

South East Melbourne boasts a stunning natural landscape. From the pristine beaches of the Mornington Peninsula to the lush Dandenong Ranges and picturesque wineries in the Yarra Valley, residents have access to an array of outdoor activities. Imagine weekends filled with hikes through national parks, sun-soaked days on the beach, or leisurely visits to local vineyards. It's all within reach when you choose a house and land package in South East Melbourne.

Access to Quality Education

Families in search of a new home will be pleased to know that South East Melbourne is renowned for its excellent educational options. Top-notch public and private schools, as well as higher education institutions, are located throughout the region. Your children's educational journey is sure to be in good hands here, giving you peace of mind as you build your future.

A Commuter's Paradise

For those who need to commute for work, South East Melbourne is a strategic choice. The region offers easy access to major road networks, including the Monash Freeway and EastLink, making it a breeze to reach Melbourne's bustling city center. Public transportation options are also readily available, ensuring a convenient and stress-free daily commute.

Community and Culture

South East Melbourne's vibrant communities offer a diverse range of cultural events, festivals, and recreational activities throughout the year. You'll never run out of things to do or new friends to meet. From food festivals and local markets to art exhibitions and community sports, there's always something happening, creating a sense of belonging and unity among residents.

Investing in Your Future

Purchasing a house and land package South East Melbourne isn't just a home investment; it's an investment in your future. The region's property market has shown resilience and consistent growth over the years, making it a smart financial choice. As South East Melbourne continues to evolve and develop, property values are expected to appreciate, ensuring a solid return on your investment.

Embrace the South East Melbourne Lifestyle

In South East Melbourne, you're not just buying a house; you're embracing a lifestyle. The combination of natural beauty, diverse housing options, excellent education, convenient transportation, and a strong sense of community makes this region an ideal place to call home.

So, if you're looking to turn your dreams of homeownership into a reality, consider exploring the house and land packages in South East Melbourne. This thriving corner of Australia has so much to offer, and by choosing to make it your home, you're not just investing in bricks and mortar – you're investing in a brighter, more fulfilling future.

[winetravellrseo]

Best Wineries South Australia

Explore Australia Best Wine Regions, Wineries & Wine Adventures. Experience the best wine regions in Australia including Margaret River, Yarra & Hunter Valley.

[didnt-hear-cold-as-you-live]

It's the 21st of December, and now they're ringing the last bells.

i’ve spent forever talking in circles about my memories with you. everyone who follows me probably knows them all.

but there’s a difference between the person I was when I woke up at 5:30am to go on a wine tour of the Yarra Valley and not-a-date later in the evening on December 21, 2018, and the girl, at midnight on December 21, 2019, sitting in her New York City apartment who’s been blasting Thick As Thieves by The Temper Trap for the last 3 months, who currently has tears streaming down her face playing a song called How To Make Gravy for all the laughs she had to it sitting in a red lawn chair on the best night of her life: December 21, 2018. 

Sometimes, you know when something life-changing is going to happen. Sometimes, it’s a big event on the calendar and you see it coming, you just don’t know how it’s going to go. And sometimes, you’re rounding a corner walking down the street on the last day of a fun but disappointingly uneventful vacation, and it punches you straight in the face - the way the sunlight did as i turned and saw it cast over you in front of the Melbourne skyline that afternoon.

So for all the things I miss about The Australian, for all the tears I’ve shed over knowing I’ll never see him again and the way he kissed me goodbye, for all the hours I’ve wasted listening to the music I know he likes to get even the lightest taste of what was running through his head, for all the refreshes on who viewed my Instagram story to confirm he still thinks about me, for all the memories that cut me to the core as i feel them getting fuzzier by the day, this isn’t about that. 

This is about the thing I’ve never gone into detail about, and why he means so much to me. This is about the gratitude I feel for him, and the way that, though he’ll never know it, the second our noses stopped touching and he leaned in to me under a hundred blankets and the pale moonlight, he changed everything. everything for me. 

And if it hadn’t been for him, and for him and his actions that night alone, December 21, 2018 Holly and December 21, 2019 Holly would be the same girl - terrified of the sheer prospect of having sex, who had straight up panic attacks in the middle of Brisbane at the idea of even interacting with someone romantically. i had no self confidence and not even any idea that i was visually appealing to any other people to speak of, no ability to talk to guys or exit my comfort zone or take a single risk in my fucking life. not able to stray from the status quo and whatever track my life was on, and terribly scared of, well, everything. 

The relationship I had gotten out of a few months before I left for Australia did enough to my psyche to ruin me. That guy who, on top of it all, was trying to brainwash me into being a white supremacist the last year of our relationship, but that’s a wHOLE other thing all but talked me into having social anxiety, made me question my every decision and every move, convinced me everyone was constantly judging me. He didn’t know a thing about me, because I had to hide my interests so he didn’t make fun of them. I had to beg him to say a single nice thing about me, ever, even tell me I looked nice that day. He told me to my face I was a “solid 6 out of 10″, and that was fine because he “was ugly, too” and I had to just “accept that being attractive wasn’t a quality i had and find other things since that one’s out the window”. He - my boyfriend of 5 years - would not have sex with me more often than once every three months, because he didn’t want to, because “jacking off was the same”. He would rub in my face how good in bed his ex-girlfriend had been, and would never talk about what i could do to be as good as her, even though I asked, even though he had given me anxiety and made me nervous about literally everything in the first place. He would literally just use me and finish, not worry about me, then put his clothes back on and go off to his separate room and fall asleep because he refused to share a bed with me even though we lived together. 

And so with every compliment, every kiss on the forehead, every detail The Australian remembered about me, every last millisecond he spent holding me in his arms and tracing my bare skin and staring into my eyes and smiling like he couldn’t believe i was his - even if it was only for the night - I owe him everything. 

i owe him learning what it meant to be cared for by a partner. I owe him every happy memory with The Guitarist, because for the mess that that has been, I would have been far too scared to ever have had anything to do with him if not for the confidence The Australian instilled within me. the realization that I didn’t need to be staring at hot girls wishing i was half as pretty as them, because i was a ‘hot girl’. I owe him moving to New York, as my coming here every weekend to hook up with The Guitarist - which I could never have done without what happened with The Australian - is what gave me the final push and just get a place of my own. I owe him any amount of sexual liberation (and let’s be real, I have a LOT of it). I - and you all - thus owe him hundreds of hours laughing at Spice Nights on this blog. I owe him the hope his very existence instilled in me every dark moment the last year; the way that dreaming I’d see him again served as the light at the end of every dark tunnel in 2019. I owe him the wildest adventure of my life, the greatest story I’ll ever have to tell at a party. I owe him seeing the sunrise over Ayer’s Rock in the outback, having the courage to say ‘fuck you’ to my friends and follow my heart.  I owe him some of what was already my favorite music in the world gaining three dimensionality (Wildest Dreams, Enchanted, Streets of Gold by needtobreathe, etc) and going from songs I think are beautiful to the sounds of the very insides of my soul. I owe him the special place the entire Lover album will always hold in my heart; what made it more than just a collection of 18 incredible songs. I owe him what it felt like to have something to look forward to romantically for the first time in six years. 

And, most importantly, every romantic interaction I will ever have for the rest of my life will be what it is because of the care he showed me. The way he made me feel safe and comfortable enough, went out of his way to be lovely enough to me, that, in the moment, all my anxiety melted away. The way he showed me what sex is supposed to be like.

He, a random guy i met by 10 sheer coincidences, from an entire world away, happened to be the first person who even tried to make a move on me after i became single. and he could have been the same asshole that 90% of the male population is. He could have had even one of the negative traits that every other male I’ve ever even spoken to has. I was a girl from a foreign country leaving in a few days. He owed me absolutely no ounce of kindness. And yet, every star in the universe aligned when the world handed him to me, and that very first person to try anything, who ended up being the first person i ever kissed, touched, slept with (actually, despite 5 years of sex in my rearview mirror, he was the first person i ever ever ever slept with) after getting out of that 5 year disaster, was the absolute greatest gentleman i will ever meet.

Because of the way he tucked me in, because of the way he fell asleep hugging me, because of the way he, a random dude who owed me absolutely nothing, remembered little details about me from a month before,   actually asked for consent, made me feel safer and more comfortable than I had with a boyfriend of five years, took care of me (i didn’t mean that in a sexual way but like, also in a sexual way), literally chased me down in the street the next morning to take me out for breakfast. 

He taught me what I can get, and thus what I deserve, from the very start. He is the gold standard by which i will have to compare every lover i ever have, and the fact that I was provided with that from the very first swing, when i had no idea what i should be expecting from anybody, is the most important thing in the world. I’ve had a higher-than-average amount of sexual partners since that night with him. And not one of them has come even close to being half the man he was. Not half as caring, half as kind. None of them, in every look in their eye and every ounce of body language, and every touch and every whisper, have treated me like they loved me with their entire soul (even though he had known me only a month and definitely didn’t actually), no matter how long they’d known me - even though he’d known me the least out of all of them. None of them would have taught me the lessons he did about what a man should be, none of them would have saved me from the crippling fear the idea of sex had left me with. 

And that’s how I know, for all he did for me, how much of a miracle he was.

So this is an appreciation post for the way he rescued something that was 10 coincidences away from being toxic and traumatizing and anxiety-inducing for the entire rest of my life; something that had all but been robbed of me. Because I can tell you, with 100% certainty, had the second person i ever had sex with been anybody else in this whole world but a 6′7 law student tour guide with a heart of gold from the other side of the world that i probably shouldn’t have even met in the first place, it wouldn’t have worked out that way. this isn’t socially acceptable to admit - though, none of this is, so why stop now - he has crossed my mind every single day for the last 365 days. and no matter how far removed from him I get, no matter how much 1 year since this whole thing signifies that i should be moving on, it will be damn near fucking impossible to ever let him fade from a burning appreciation in my memory for as long as i live. 

This is an appreciation post for the American girl, who, 365 days ago this minute, was in a hostel bar in Melbourne with a guy from South Africa, a drunk sorority girl from New Jersey, and her chain smoking British friend. And how, DMing a shockingly kind tour guide about plans for the following day, she was so annoyed that this might be the wildest that her great Australian adventure would ever get. The girl who, the previous week, had made peace wit the fact that she was never going to even kiss anybody ever again, and was sad she’d be leaving the country in a few days, not with a hot-Australian-guy-I-found story she’d promised everyone, but only with the character development that she’d realized how deeply damaged she was.

This is an appreciation post for the man who, on the 2nd to last night, spun her world in the entire other direction and saved her in every way.

[foxspirit1928]

Miss Fisher Australia Tour (46)

The Yarra is the main river that runs through the city of Melbourne. I believe it was called out by name twice (S2E1 Murder Most Scandalous, S2E12 Unnatural Habits), but when Elsie said that Jack was “the nicest copper this side of the river” (S1E11 Blood and Circuses), I assumed that she meant the Yarra as well.

The river was called Birrarung by the indigenous Australians. The European settlers in the 1830s called it the “Yarra Yarra” because they thought that was the Aboriginal name for the river. It turned out that “Yarra” meant waterfall or flow and could be used to describe any river or creek in the area. (See Wikipedia for details) Since the river travels through the greater Melbourne area and a number of towns/areas have been or will be featured in other posts, I decided to highlight the Yarra Valley instead.

The Yarra Valley is the upper regions surrounding the river and is only about an hour from Melbourne. Because of the cooler climate, it is host to a thriving wine industry. In addition to the wineries and restaurants, there are hot air balloon ride, skydiving, white water rafting, natural trails for walking, cycling, horseback riding, etc. The Tiger Moth ride at the Vintage Airway that was featured earlier (post #17) is in the area too. If you are not into physical activities, there are wildlife zoos, steam train tours, and art museums to partake. The visityarravalley.com.au website is a great source of information on things to do, places to go, or where to stay if you plan on paying a visit.

I don’t plan on venturing out that far from Melbourne this time, so the Yarra Valley is not on the top of my list. However, I will definitely take a stroll alongside the river while I am in the city. Just wonder which side of the river I will need to be to find the nicest and most dashing copper like Jack Robinson.

(Posted 24-Mar-2019)

[happyweddingblogs]

Top 10 Wedding Venues in Australia

A destination wedding is no more a distant dream now. These days, almost every couple dreams of a destination wedding or wedding in some international location. And the best thing is – there are numerous beautiful places in the world to get hitched, and one amongst them is Australia. Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country that comprises the mainland of the Australian continent, Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the sixth-largest country in the world. It is a mesmerizing location to get hitched. Whether you want to marry on an island or in the suburbs, Australia is one of the world’s best locations. here are the most popular wedding venues in Australia.

Of course, finalizing the only location is not just enough; you still need to do a lot of stuff, and that’s finalizing the venue. Choosing a venue won’t be a problem if you are a local resident. However, if you’re not local, then you might face problems. But you don’t need to worry about the venues in Australia!! If you’re also planning to get wed-locked in Australia, then this post is for you. Here we are sharing the top wedding venues in Australia.

Here we go…..

Source:: Happy Wedding App

1. Chateau Yering Hotel

Chateau Yering Hotel is one of the renowned wedding venues in Australia. The place is known for hosting contemporary style weddings in Australia for more than 25 years now. If you are planning to host an intimate wedding with 50 to 100 guests in Australia, then this is the place for you. Chateau Yering Hotel is located in the heart of the picturesque Yarra Valley, Victoria’s oldest wine region, on 250 acres of private land. Visit https://chateauyering.com.au/yarra-valley-wedding-venue/ for more details.

2. Lake House Daylesford

Lake House Daylesford is one the most beautiful hotels in Australia. The place is apt for a romantic wedding celebration. Lake House is only 80 minutes journey from Melbourne. The hotel is best known for its beautiful lakeside location, award-winning cellar, two-hatted destination restaurant, and impeccable service. Check their website https://lakehouse.com.au for further details.

3. Eden Gardens

Eden Gardens is another beautiful wedding venue in Australia. It offers a unique range of wedding locations to couples to celebrate their BIG DAY. If you are looking for a garden wedding, then Garden Theatre and Lawn Terrace are ideal locations for that. The spectacular gardens are ideal for capturing the perfect moments. The venue is known for its wonderful services and dedicated events team. You can check their website for more details, https://edengardens.com.au

4. Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains

Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, MGallery by Sofitel is a great property located on the Jamison Valley cusp in Australia’s Blue Mountains National Park. The venue is known for its breathtaking views. The venue offers 15 flexible event spaces, including a pillar-less ballroom that has the capacity to accommodate up to 460 guests. It is a great place for any kind of wedding, from small-sized to medium-sized weddings. You can click on the link https://www.fairmontresort.com.au to get more details.

5. Hyatt Place Melbourne

Hyatt Place Melbourne is another breathtaking location for hosting a dream wedding. This is the place where you can host any size wedding, from intimate to big fat, with up to 1300 guests. The property is located just 10kms from Melbourne’s CBD and 6.5kms from Melbourne Airport. This is the place to have the best of experiences and create wonderful memories. The best this is – they have a dedicated event team, which means you don’t have to worry much about the wedding venue decoration and other details. Their event team will take care of everything; all you have to do is to enjoy your wedding to the fullest. Click on the link to know more about Hyatt Place Melbourne https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/australia/hyatt-place-melbourne-essendon-fields/melze/special-events/weddings

Also See: List of Best Destination Wedding Venues in India

6. Hyatt Regency Perth

Hyatt Regency Perth is a beautiful venue for hosting a luxury wedding. The place is apt for any kind of wedding, from an intimate wedding ceremony to the grandest of weddings. It offers two astounding ballrooms along with Gershwin’s. Hyatt Regency Perth offers a variety of event spaces. Also, they have their own events services team that makes sure to give your a world-class experience and make your wedding an unforgettable event for all. Here is the link to the hotel https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/australia/hyatt-regency-perth/perth/special-events/weddings you can visit for more details.

7. Crown Melbourne

Crown Melbourne is one of the most popular wedding venues in Australia. It is an amazing place to host your wedding. The venue is located alongside Yarra River overlooking Melbourne’s CBD. It offers a wide range of picturesque event spaces to couples. Click on the link https://www.crownmelbourne.com.au to get more details.

8. Leonda By The Yarra

Leonda By The Yarra is one of the most romantic wedding venues in Australia. This five-star property is a famous wedding venue. The best thing is this wedding venue offers all-inclusive reception and ceremonies packages. It has a capacity of 400 seated guests. If you are planning a stunning waterfront wedding in Australia, then Leonda By The Yarra is the place for you. Click here https://www.leondabytheyarra.com.au for more details.

9. Quat Quetta Melbourne

An elegant Victorian-era mansion, Quat Quatta located in Melbourne, is the place for hosting a dream wedding. This venue features soaring ceilings, soft drapery, mood lighting, sweeping staircases, and hand-painted windows – all classified by the National Trust. The place is perfect for hosting an intimate wedding celebration with 50 to 150 guests. Celebrating your wedding in this dream-like location will take your celebration to the next level. Click on the link to know more in detail https://www.quatquatta.com.au/weddings

10. Le Montage Sydney

Le Montage, located on the waterfront of Sydney’s Iron Cove Bay, is a luxurious, contemporary wedding venue. The place is known for hosting the most opulent wedding in Sydney. It offers myriads of stylish event spaces, from luxurious ballrooms to industrial-style bars. This iconic location is perfect for hosting a grand wedding celebration. To know more, please click on the link https://navarravenues.com.au/venues/montage/

[morgantakestinder]

A Tinder-ific Christmas Down Under

If someone told me they were planning to fly for 25 hours to spend Christmas in Australia with a guy they met on Tinder (two and a half months prior) and his family, I’d say they were totally mad. So I guess in this case I’m totally and utterly mad.

“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice. “You must be,” said the Cat, or you wouldn’t have come here.”   - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

But yes, despite some minor reservations that I could in fact be meeting a group of charming and charismatic serial killers who harvest organs for the black market, I flew all the way to Melbourne to my Christmas and New Year with Prost. And there is simply no way that I can do my trip justice in a blog post because how do you squeeze 8 days into a few paragraphs, but I’ll do my best with the highlights.

Mumma Prost 

It’s funny to think that all of this started with a blog post where I commented that I’d be so keen to meet his mum since she seemed to have raised such a gentleman. This was of course 100% true and Mumma Prost, as I’ll call her, is the epitome of both hostess and mum. Whether it was filling the car with Keith Urban and Christmas CDs for my drive from the airport, making gorgeous meals day in and day out, snapping perfect photos at every opportunity, or giving me firm but caring medical advice, she doesn’t do things half-assed. Frankly, I was a little intimidated when I first arrived because everything was so impeccable but I felt very welcome very quickly as Mumma Prost (and the entire family really) were very down-to-earth, laid-back, true blue Aussies. Probably the most lovely thing I can think of is how before I left she brought me some travel gifts including a new travel journal. I’m sure to most people a journal is just a journal but when I eventually fill up my current one and switch to my lovely new blue one, I’ll think very fondly of my time in Melbourne and the lovely people I’ve been able to meet.  Also low-key brag, but at one point she told me I was very photogenic, and considering that their entire family is actually beautiful this was basically the best compliment I’ve ever received and I’m holding on to it forever.

Melbourne

So about four and a half years ago I spent 3 days in Melbourne before embarking on a trip along the Great Ocean Road and then up through to the Red Centre in Australia (slightly ironic but it was this trip where I met Not The One.) Of all the places I visited, I was the least impressed with Melbourne. Maybe it was that I didn’t meet anyone or it was winter and cold or that I was homesick for Sydney but either way, I did not like it and really had no intention of going back. Flash forward and I now have about a dozen friends living there and I had skipped visiting on my last trip still. So to find myself in Melbs again all because a boy from Tinder thought he could change my mind on the city, is a tad funny, no? 

But having returned, I can say with all honesty that Melbs is pretty fantastic and has its own unique charm. Prost showed me all that Melbs had to offer. We saw cricket at the world renowned MCG. We had brunch in Fitzroy and wandered laneways for street art. We went to lovely St Kilda beach. And we explored beyond the city as well enjoying summer sunshine on the Mornington Peninsula, on Phllip Island, and in the Yarra Valley. Unlike many cities that offer up their best front and center to visitors, Melbourne is more protective of their treasures and you need to dig a little deeper to see the real gems. Having said that though, it helped to have such fantastic weather and an even more fantastic tour guide to show me around. 

Christmas 

As you can imagine, the highlight of the trip was definitely Christmas. Coming into it I was definitely feeling a bit anxious about meeting an entire set of family members and friends of my perpetual Tinder date, I guess we’ll call it since there’s no real term for whatever this is. This was intensified by the fact that I arrived at nearly midnight on Christmas Eve and Prost and I walked into a silent house so my first actual meeting with anyone was on Christmas morning. To add to my awkwardness Prost joked with me about the fact that I’d had sex twice in his parents’ house before even meeting them, ever the gentleman right? 

Christmas though was absolutely stunning and I was fairly good with learning lots of names quickly (teacher skills!) Both Prost and Mumma Prost ensured that my plate was overly full and wouldn’t let me sit down until we couldn’t fit anything else on it. The weather was fairly cool for an Aussie summer day but was perfect for me and there was sun so I was beaming. Plus between lunch, lots of card games, and pressies, we didn’t really spend much time outside. There was a highly dramatic moment though where during a lull in the late afternoon, the Christmas tree came crashing down sending ornaments flying and splashing water from the bowl on tons of paper wrapped gifts. Some ornaments were lost and some parcels needed quick unwrapping but once the tree was carted away everything was relatively fine. (Lucky pictures of their gorgeous tree had already been taken!) 

We finally sat down to open gifts and everyone seemed at least politely pleased with what I had brought for them - shopping for people you’ve never met is the most difficult task. Prost seemed happy with my gift to him: a scratch-off travel map to help him document his adventures. It felt a bit underwhelming though in my mind once I started opening pressies from him and his family, including beautiful Aussie animal ornaments, heaps of chocolates and biscuits, and the most over the top of all: a sunrise hot air balloon ride and wine tour in the Yarra Valley. If I hadn’t been in such complete shock, I would have sobbed right on the spot. I’d say that was the best part but the real cake topper was a lovely hand-drawn, hand-written card that meant everything to me. I could have gotten nothing else but that card and I’d have felt very lucky to be there. It was truly a Merry Christmas.

In Sickness and in Health

Oh also, I got horribly ill. Probably should mention that at some point! I was all well and good until the penultimate date of the year when I got terribly sunburnt from a cloudy day at the beach. Having lived in Australia previously and being super fair skinned I should know better but I was lax about putting on sunscreen that day and paid the price. So the next day when I had serious chills while wandering St Kilda even though it was warm and sunny out, I chalked it up to a bit of sun poisoning. But once we got home and I could barely lay in bed without shaking, I caved and asked for a thermometer. Good thing too since I had a fever of 39 degrees (that’s 102 for you American folk.) Around this same time, I also started getting pain in my side, a worrying moment if you have kidneys as bad as mine. Luckily, Prost’s parents are a surgeon and nurse and despite the fact that it was NYE, they wrote me a script and picked it up so that I could get on antibiotics asap. They also told me in no uncertain terms that if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to fly home. Now clearly, I’d have loved to spend more time in Australia but that would have caused all kinds of work headaches. Unfortunately, my ill health killed our NYE plans and Prost stayed home with me while I basically just slept on the couch, insisting that I had to be up at midnight. The next day was little better and we were basically house-bound except I managed to feel well enough to go for a swim. Through all of this though, Prost and Mumma Prost looked after me with tender loving care and despite it being a real bummer at least I got sick at the end and not the beginning!

Prost

I guess this is the most important part, the pièce de résistance: how did things go with Prost? Well, I’m oddly not sure how to answer that. If you had asked me while I was there, I would have told you about how effortless things seem to be when we’re together and how much I loved waking up next to him every morning. But I guess when you look back at it, you have a much more critical eye. We had great sex (multiple times a day), but was that the main reason for being there? I bloody hell hope not since I could have had sex without flying half way round the world! One day that really stood out to me was when we went to the cricket and I met a half dozen of his mates from high school. I was a bit nervous since I thought it would be really awkward but I felt like things were quite cheery and genial and not a hair out of place while there. I guess in my mind, if someone holds your hand the whole time while out with their friends, they’re clearly happy to have you there. On the opposite end of the spectrum though, was the day we went on the hot air balloon ride. The ride itself was phenomenal - one of the highlights of my year - but afterwards we went to brekkie and one of the gals from the ballooning company asked us if we were in a long distance relationship. I said we were “nothing right now” and Prost said we were “just friends.” And it cut me deep to the core. I adore my friends but I don’t spend two days travelling to meet their families and spend Christmas with them. Although, in retrospect, my answer was no better or nice sounding. And to his credit, Prost actually brought up the awkward encounter a few days later. But at that point I was sick and kind of brushed it off. 

It was the most incredible holiday. I was totally blessed to be able to visit Australia for a second time this year and to see Melbourne in a different light. Prost and his family were so lovely to me and I felt humbled by all their hospitality. I should be grateful for every moment of this experience. Yet, at the same time, that gratitude is clouded by the lack of closure best described by me when talking to Prost I called us “something else” because I don’t know what else we could be. I’m not good at saying goodbye and that departures area at the airport before security is never kind to me, especially when you get blown a kiss by someone who you’re not sure you’ll see again. 

I guess the practical thing to do now would be to get back on Tinder and start swiping anew. But it’s really hard to put your heart into something when you’re missing a piece, and my piece was left in Melbourne.

[johannahairasfmpyear2]

Some More Of Australia’s Famous Landmarks

There are so many amazing places in Australia! I have never been, but it is definitely on my bucket list an doing this research now, just makes me want to pack my bags and go right now! It seems there are so many places to see, the country has got  varieties of different landscapes and makes even the desert and outback beautiful looking. Then there are of course the beaches, as Australia is said to have the most beautiful beaches in the world, and looking at the photos I would definitely agree!

The Great Barrier Reef

The largest living thing on Earth, what trip to Australia could be complete without swimming amongst the millions of fish, corals, and turtles that make this national treasure their home. Global warming and intensive use of the surrounding land might be slowly killing it – so don’t put it off and assume that one of Australia’s greatest tourist attractions will be there forever.

Kangaroo Island

This chilled-out, rural island off the coast of South Australia is sometimes called ‘Australia’s natural zoo’. Why? Well, here you can see native wildlife doing their thing out in the open.

About a third of the island is protected by national parks and conservation areas so the wildlife has been able to flourish. See a huge variety of birds, colonies of sea lions, spot the dolphins in the water and, of course, spend some time with the kangaroos that give the island its name. As an added bonus, some of the world’s best hotels are here and the food is perfection.

Cradle Mountain Tasmania

Found within the world-famous Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, a hike along the Overland Track will bring you to the iconic Cradle Mountain, one of the most beautiful mountains in the world.

Proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage along with the surrounding area as part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area there is much more to explore in this special – and ancient – place including glacier feed river, tall pine forest, icy streams and even Tasmanian devils if you’re lucky!

Broome

it’s quite a trek to this out-of-the-way town in the red-soil country of Western Australia and some people think it’s not worth it. However, it’s the ideal place to explore the region from, plus there is a lot more to Broome than meets the eye. A welcoming local community with a laidback vibe makes this seaside resort on the Indian Ocean charming year-round, not only when the tourists are piling in.

Cable Beach is glorious whatever the weather, and its west-facing location means that the sunsets are spectacular. You can also enjoy a film at the 1903 outdoor theatre, visit nearby Coconut Wells, go on a guided tour of the former pearling town, or drive out to the epic Cape Leveque. Exploring the creeks and mangroves of Roebuck Bay is also a lovely way to spend a morning (if it’s not too hot!). Quirky bars and cafes line the streets, and you’ll find that if you’re here for more than a couple of days you can quickly become a regular.

Uluru Rock 

Speaking of isolated, this gorgeous, grand and utterly unforgettable monolith rising out of the vast desertscape has to be on everyone’s list of the most iconic Australian Landmarks. In the heart of arid Australia, the nearer town is 450 km away (Alice Springs) but that doesn’t spot thousands of tourists descending annually to this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Uluru is over 550 million years old and is considered sacred to the indigenous Australians – so don’t even think about stepping foot on it! Admire for a distance, and try exploring the rest of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park including the 36 red-rock domes of the Kata Tjuta…Yes, there are a few other things to do out here in the middle of nowhere!

Fraser Island

Given that Fraser Island is heritage listed and absolutely stunning, not to mention the biggest sand island in the world, we’re sure you’ll understand why it’s on this list. Not for nothing do local Butchalla people call it paradise – it’s all deep blue lake, luscious golden sand dunes, rich rainforest and the ever-present ocean surrounding it all.

Coming here is a real adventure, something you sense as you bounce along unsealed roads in a four-wheel drive, spotting the local dingo. The wilderness on Fraser is full of native wildlife and the most popular accommodation option is camping, so you can really immerse yourself in the nature around. Float down Eli Creek, swim in the freshwater lakes (avoid the sea as the sharks love this area!) and hike to your heart’s content.

Kings Canyon

People might sometimes avoid central Australia on their road trips, but there are so many gems to discover there – Kings Canyon being one of the most spectacular. This vast cavern is a paradise for hikers, and really for anyone who loves to experience the wonders that the natural world can produce. Located in the heart of Watarrka National Park, this red-rock canyon offers jaw-dropping views of the sunrise from the top (well worth waking up pre-dawn!).

We’d recommend staying a couple of days here so you have the time to explore it on foot. Due to the heat, you often need to save the hiking for mornings are late afternoons, which is when the area is looking its best, anyway. The ripples in the rock show how the geology formed over millennia, from being underwater to finding its current home in the middle of this massive country. If you stay at the resort, you can enjoy dinner underneath the starry skies above Kings Canyon.

Blue Mountains

Only 90 minutes from Sydney, this iconic Australian natural landmark offer dramatic views over a seemingly endless Vally, though if you dare to explore further you fill find glow worm tunnels, more bushwalks than we can count, rivers, little cottages, leeches, and the worlds steepest railway. 

While there are so many things to do near Sydney, if you can spare the time you really should try spending a few days in the Blue Mountains of Australia to escape it all, reconnect with nature – or at least just enjoy the cool, fresh air up here!

The Pinnacles Desert

Back into the desert again and another of the most iconic landscapes in Australia. The otherworldly Pinnacles Desert looks like a cross between the moon and a Star Wars film set, but it is actually one a few hours drive from Perth (though you do have to get there first).

Some of the oldest living fossils on Earth have been found here, a testament to how old these limestone spires really are and the mysteries held beneath Western Australia’s largest sand dunes.

The Great Ocean Road

Probably one of the most scenic drives in the world – The Great Ocean Road is often first up on road-tripping tourists bucket list of iconic landmarks in Australia.

Hugging the coast of South Australia its not just about the drive, but about the surf breaks waterfalls, rainforest, galleries, heritage attractions and native wildlife you will encounter along that way. And that’s all before you set sight on the towering 12 Apostles, basically, the physical manifestation of rugged Australia splendor piercing out of the dramatic Southern Ocean.

We loved road-tripping here with friends, but in that case, things are going to be comfortable so be sure to follow some fabulous suitcase packing tips. If you have extra time, don’t forget to visit the nearby Yarra Valley for some of Australia’s best wineries…

Byron Bay

No list of places to go in Australia would be complete without the famous Byron Bay. This town in south-eastern Australia has become practically synonymous with the laid-back, beachy surfer lifestyle that the country is invariably associated with. While its popularity has had its downsides (traffic jams, queues and a lack of parking space spring to mind as examples), this beach-focused town is still a special stop on your Oz road trip.

An eclectic group of people call Byron Bay their home – from artists and musicians who have set up camp here, to local retirees, to aging hippies looking to put down roots. This community mixed with the backpackers, families, and adventurers who visit creates a colorful, friendly place to be. Cafes hum with life, fresh food is lapped up, beers are enjoyed at sunset. If you’re feeling energetic, wake up at dawn for the glorious sunrise. Byron is not somewhere you’ll ever forget, trust us.

The Sydney Opera House

Not only one of the most iconic Australian landmarks, but one of the most famous buildings in the entire the world – The Sydney Opera House is a great architectural work of the 20th century and today listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of the youngest in the world.). Fusing creativity, innovation and structural design in a remarkable setting at the heart of the Sydney Harbour, this work by Danish architect Jørn Utzon inspired millions of people every year who come here to eat, drink, play, be entertained or simply admire this modern wonder of the world.

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At the edge of the known world, natural storytellers spin their tales

We also offered a series of intensive classes in life-writing. Sixteen people enrolled. They contributed their own stories to the production and introduced us to other great storytellers in their community. We scoured the hills recording people with our iPhones. And we coerced them to perform in our show. Twenty Stories. Twenty Legends.

The Frogley family founded Healesville Cordial Products. Pictured with a distribution truck are Gerald and Pop Frogley with Eric Hook, Norm Frogley and his son Ray.

Hop kilns at the Coranderrk reserve near Healesville. The Frogleys were early joiners. Ros great-grandmother was one of the first residents of Coranderrk, the Aboriginal Reserve created by the Victorian government in the 1860s. She was Alice Zipporah Grant known as Zippy. Ros has a beautiful collection of photographs of the four generations of her family (the Jenkins) starting at the hop gardens at Coranderrk, where her great-grandfather Thomas was the manager.

The Healesville Cordial Products range included Totem soft drinks.

An advertising calendar for Totem soft drinks. Ros husband, John Frogley, has lived in Healesville for 71 years. His grandfather founded Healesville Cordial Products (HCP). Their soft drinks quenched the thirst of the Yarra Valley for 40 years. One morning, we were invited to Dougie Jensens shed. He introduced us to his wife, Martha, and to a circle of men most of whom used to work for the sawmills. We plonked our microphone on a stool, nursed mugs of coffee and recorded 80 minutes worth of stand-up comedy. Bonga: One time Im drivin' with Misery. Hannie: Whys he called that? Bonga: Cos hes a big tall streak o misery. John: He started out bein called Mystery. Dougie: He was the butcher. Sausages. Mystery bags. Hannie: Right. Bonga: So, this day were goin to Kyneton. He had some racehorses. Hes towin the horse float and he goes: Jesus, look at that! Fancy that bloody idiot passing me on a bend. And Im goin: Its our horse float. Misery goes: You forgot to put the clip down, didnt ya? When I asked these chaps if they would each tell one of their stories on stage, their response was categoric. No bloody way. I was disappointed. One of the joys of doing this kind of work is that you rarely see people who look or sound like these men on Australian stages. You can write them, but on stage they are played by pretty NIDA graduates. But there was no point sweet-talking. These fellas were too shy. Apparently. So we asked around town and found local actors men who shared this glorious Aussie sense of humour. One member of our writers team recorded Alf Rice, the local postman. But Alf was going on holiday when the show was scheduled. So veteran actor Michael Veitch played him. Veitch is also a local. Apart from those two scenes, everyone else on stage was telling their own story. Most had never been in a show before, so we rehearsed for hours in peoples homes, in sheds and in a room upstairs at the theatre. We spent weekends recording birdsong, animal noises and the sounds of rural life. We made this our soundtrack. The performance took place in The Memo, Healesvilles renovated Memorial Hall, where Dame Nellie Melba sang Ave Maria in 1928. We had teachers, students, farmers, shopkeepers and the president of the Healesville Historical Society.

The Hello, Healesville! finale, with Hannie Rayson centre stage at the memorial hall. Credit:Michael Dickinson The local CFA captain, Graeme Bates, told the story of the day fires were raging towards Healesville in 2008. He had his leg in plaster after a work accident and had despatched all 10 trucks to fight other fires. He got a call from a bloke in the watch tower just on the top of the hill, who said, This one is coming straight for you. Im watching this thing roaring towards us with a northerly behind it, Batesy tells the community. And Im thinking, were in trouble. For the first time, Healesvilles going to burn. Then, just as the fire reaches the crest of the hill, the wind changes and the fire turns away. Graeme Bates and I carefully chose his costume from the row of fire-fighting gear hanging on pegs at the fire station. The audience loved veteran lyrebird keeper from the Healesville Sanctuary, Kevin Mason. He began working at the sanctuary in 1960. He had recordings of lyrebirds imitating kookaburras, camera shutters and even a burglar alarm. Ovarn Brown migrated from Jamaica three years ago. On his first day in Healesville, the local bank had a sausage sizzle in the main street. He thought, what place have I come to that gives away free food? When he arrived, he could not get over hard rubbish. People throw away all this stuff, he told the audience, incredulously. In his home town in Jamaica, he had to ride a bicycle without a seat. There used to be an iconic Thai restaurant in Healesville called Poppys. Skye Macfarlane told of how her mother, the eponymous Poppy, came from a small village in northern Thailand. She won the lottery which was worth $32,000 and bought herself an airplane ticket to Australia. I asked my mum why Australia and not America? Skye told the audience. She simply said, I like the kangaloo. A midwife, Sunderai Felich, regaled us with her hilarious story of three encounters with Jimmy Barnes, during which the audience spontaneously sang Working Class Man. Everyone involved was charged with the responsibility of collecting red autumn leaves. We strewed the stage with them as a tribute to the beauty of the Yarra Valley in autumn. Local artist Jenny Reddin made a replica of one of Healesvilles iconic street lamps. One key to the show was the three-minute rule. You will be surprised how much you can say in three minutes. And how little you can say, if you bang on for 10. This was our golden rule. And we were fascists about enforcing it. With the Badger Creek Womens Choir, a cellist and a guitarist, we had 49 people and a large black dog on stage. They stood on the carpet of red leaves, against a projection of a huge tree at the Maroondah dam, in full red-leafed glory. I have been working in the theatre for nearly 40 years, and there is nothing like a community show to fill your sails with euphoria and joy. Work like this reinforces the power of theatre to transform peoples lives and to transform a community. Healesville has always been a special place and now we blow-ins know it, too. Most Viewed in Lifestyle Loading https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/at-the-edge-of-the-known-world-natural-storytellers-spin-their-tales-20190610-p51w8c.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

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Melbourne is a stylish, sophisticated, and dynamic city with plenty to explore! Some of our favorite things to do in Melbourne are wandering through lanes and arcades covered in street art, exploring the vibrant culinary scene, driving the Great Ocean Road, wine tasting in Yarra Valley, and wildlife tours just outside the city.

Here are the 16 best places to see and things to do in Melbourne, Australia:

1. Federation Square

Watch the world go by from a comfy deck chair in Federation Square. Melbourne’s meeting place and unique cultural precinct brings together a creative mix of attractions, museums, galleries, and restaurants.

View of Federation Square from Transit Rooftop Bar. Image: Tourism Victoria

2. Lanes and Arcades

Melbourne’s arcades and laneways are full of hidden treasures. Take a step off the beaten track and discover local designers and specialty retailers, quirky cafes, independent designers, street art, amazing architecture, and historical tales of Melbourne along the way. We definitely recommend a guided tour so you can discover the hidden gems of Melbourne that only the locals know!

3. St. Kilda

Just 3.7 miles from Melbourne’s city center, St. Kilda is Melbourne’s seaside neighborhood, which is much-loved by residents and visitors. St. Kilda is renowned for its sandy beaches, palm-lined boardwalks, gorgeous sunsets, great restaurants and bars, and fascinating history.

4. Royal Botanic Gardens

Looking for some peace and quiet in the heart of the city? Take a stroll through the internationally renowned Royal Botanic Gardens, a beautiful oasis featuring thousands of plants, including rare and endangered species.

5. Harbourside Docklands Art Trail

This waterfront walking trail features public art from Melbourne-based and international artists. The trail is divided into three sections, each approximately 1.5 miles long. Download the Harbourside Docklands Art Trail app for a map and special commentary on the works.

6. Shopping in Melbourne

Melbourne is home to a diverse and stylish selection of shops offering everything from locally-designed originals to vintage gems. Top shopping locations include Flinders Lane, Emporium Melbourne, and QV Melbourne.

Shopping in Melbourne. Image: Tourism Australia

7. Chapel Street

The Chapel Street Precinct is a vibrant area filled with high-end designer shops, quirky cafes, and stylish bars. Find unique trinkets at the Chapel Street Bazaar, indulge in multicultural cuisine, and explore local art at one of the many galleries in the area.

8. Art Galleries

Melbourne is home to a thriving arts scene and boasts more than 100 galleries, ranging from large public institutions like the National Gallery of Victoria and Australian Centre for Contemporary Art to smaller commercial galleries and artist-run cooperatives. See our list of Melbourne’s best art galleries.

9. Melbourne Markets

Locals and tourists alike love visiting the Melbourne markets for food, clothes, art, and more. The Queen Victoria Market (open Tuesday – Sunday) is a must-visit; South Melbourne Market (open Wednesday and Friday – Sunday) features produce and gourmet treats that will delight any foodie; and the Rose Street Market (open Saturday – Sunday) features handmade goods from local artists and designers.

10. Great Ocean Road

Take in surf beaches, historic ports, whale lookouts, rainforests, and mountain ranges on this spectacular coastal route. A highlight of the Great Ocean Road is the Twelve Apostles limestone stacks, created by nature rising from the ocean depths.

Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road. Image: Tourism Australia

11. Yarra Valley

The Yarra Valley, renowned for producing Australia’s finest pinot noir, is just an hour’s drive from Melbourne. Take a guided tour or follow a self-drive wine trail and design your own route between cellar doors.

Hot air balloon over Yarra Valley. Image: Tourism Victoria

12. Phillip Island

Phillip Island, a natural wonderland, is just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne. Every night, visitors can witness the Little Penguins in their natural habitat as they make their nightly march up the beach to their dune burrows.

13. Mornington Peninsula

Under an hour from Melbourne, you’ll find orchards, olive groves, and more than 200 vineyards in the Mornington Peninsula. Take coastal walks, spot seals, and swim with dolphins. End your day with a nice, relaxing soak in the hot springs.

14. Nature and Wildlife Tours

Discover native Australian wildlife in its natural habitat. Wildlife excursions led by local guides allow you to witness kangaroos, koalas, and more just a short drive from the city. Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary is a popular place to interact with Australian animals up close.

Feeding kangaroos at Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary. Image: Tourism Victoria

15. The Goldfields

An easy 90-minute drive from Melbourne, Ballarat is home to Sovereign Hill, an open-air museum that brilliantly recreates life during Victoria’s glorious gold mining days. See how the Eureka Rebellion shaped modern Australia and immerse yourself in the spectacular AURA sound and light show. The nearby Ballarat Wildlife Park is worth a visit as well.

16. The Grampians

The majestic mountain ranges and forests of the Grampians are famous for their magnificent scenery and Aboriginal heritage. Discover rock art, go fishing or canoeing, enjoy scenic hikes, and get up close to native animals in this picture-perfect mountain range.

Our Australia travel specialists have visited Melbourne several times and are happy to chat about the best things to see and do! Call us at (888) 229-0082 to start planning your trip to Melbourne, or browse our Australia travel packages.

The post What to Do in Melbourne, Australia appeared first on Down Under Endeavours.

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Just over an hour’s drive north-east of Melbourne the beautiful Yarra Valley is known as a weekend winery spot. Many natives and tourists rush to this place in Melbourne to relish the best Yarra Valley wine tours Chandon. Yarra Valley offers a lot to explore with a number of things to do. Of course, traveling to Yarra Valley in a luxurious and comfortable manner will add charm to your travel. We at premium Limo provides the top Limo cars that you can hire anytime or any destination or occasion. We make sure to turn your ride luxurious with the hi-tech and comfortable features. If you are planning for travel Yarra Valley tour Melbourne then book your desired Limo care with us at Premium and enjoy the perplexing travel.

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9 Things You Need To Know Before You Visit Melbourne

Melbourne, the cultural capital of Australia, is home to historical building and landmarks, museums, art galleries, rooftop bars, designer boutiques, street arts and little hideouts. Every corner of this city and its surrounding area will be fascinating the first time you visit Melbourne. And if you are coming back, you will always find great to discover.

With the passing years, every city develops much better attractions for city dwellers to engage with. Some of these fade out with the passing of time and some become even better. The same case stands for Melbourne too. The city evolved much during 2018 and has come up with new absolute thrilling activities for its fun-loving residents and tourists.

Here are some of the best things that Melbourne has to offer for you in 2019. Some of them have been great hits over the years but some others are relatively newer and we have included these as well into the mix:

Plan your visit to overlap a festival

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Melbourne is a vibrant and dynamic city and home to a wide range of festivals. There are always festivals going on in Melbourne devoted to comedy, film, arts, music, food and wine, beer and theatre throughout the year. Select the festival that you want to attend and plan the visit at the time when the festival takes place. Some of the best festivals in Melbourne are:

White Night in winter Fashion Festival in March Comedy Festival in April Good Beer Week in May Melbourne Festival in October

Myki Travel Smartcard

Myki is a contact-less ticketing system that is used to pay for travel on trains, trams and buses. You can easily purchase this reloadable smartcard at machines and booths around train stations, but you can’t buy them on the train, bus or trams.

It’s easy to use, when you get on to a tram or train, ‘touch on’ your Myki by tapping against the reader at the entry of the train. And don’t forget to ‘touch off’ by tapping it again after you get off. If you have problem operation these, take help from locals, they are happy to help you.

Don’t Miss Melbourne’s Wineries

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Of the 65 wines regions, Melbourne is at the heart of the Victorian wineries. The splendid view of wineries and the pleasure to taste some of the best wines in the world is by far the best thing to do while in Melbourne. So if you share the passion of wine tasting, you must go for some wine tours in Melbourne, and explore the beauty of vines and enjoy their taste.

Of the several wineries around Melbourne that I have visited, one thing is common is that all of them are splendid. But for your convenience the must visit in order of MY personal preferences are:

Yarra Valley Wine Tours Mornington Peninsula Winery Tours Geelong Wine Tours Macedon Ranges Wine Tours

Melbourne is famous for its nightlife, don’t miss out

Melbourne is famous for nightlife, food and beverages. There are a lot of nightclubs for party animals, but not all are open till sunrise. Many bars close are 1 am and other shuts at 3 am. However, there are some places in Melbourne to enjoy beverages the whole night. Thankfully, with the 24-hour Public Transport operating on weekends, you can enjoy your night to the fullest.

Some of the cosiest places to hang out are:

Billboard Saturdays Robot Bar Union Electric Bar Lucky Thursdays (On Thursdays)

Enjoy wide range of cuisines at better prices (won’t say cheap)

Melbourne loves food and you can find affordable meals everywhere in the city. Some of the cheap eats in Melbourne are:

Half Moon Café Chinatown Purple Peanuts Butcher’s Diner Ippudo

And did you know about the best mini desserts in Melbourne? The city is home to some of the best desserts in the world with some of the top chefs in the city. So try the desserts.

Party in Yarra River Cruise

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Melbourne’s beauty would not have been the same, if the smooth and ever-flowing Yarra River did not grace it. Of all the recreational activities organised in Melbourne, there are plenty that are done on the Yarra River. The Yarra River boat cruise in Melbourne is a fascinating way of experiencing the beautiful Melbourne skyline and rich cultural and natural heritage of the city while drifting over the ancient river.

Go on a walking tour

Melbourne has beautiful street art in every nook and corner. Lace up your shoes and explore Melbourne on foot, this is the best way to explore the beauty of the city. Discover the restaurants and cafes hidden in the city; these are the hidden gems. Walking tour is the best way to learn the history of the town.

Shop late on Fridays (For QVM – Wednesdays)

Shopping in Melbourne is always exciting; you can get the loot from the local designers and the best of international brands.

The shops often are open from 10 am to 6 pm on Mondays to Saturdays, if you love shopping at evening, go on Fridays, the shops are open till 9 pm or later. And if you are willing to visit Queen Victoria Market, Wednesdays is the best day to shop on the night market.

Some of the best places to shop in Melbourne are:

Bourke Street Mall Queen Victoria Market Collins Street South Melbourne Market Chapel Street

Pack for all seasons

The weather in Melbourne is ‘four seasons in one day’, changes throughout the day. So while packing brings clothes fit for all the season, coat, boots and layers. Opt for all kind of patterns, bright floral for a sunny day and dark attire for rain.

TAKEAWAY: You can experience cold and rain as well as 24 degrees sunny days in winter. In summer, the temperature can be 40 degrees. However, it may rain, and the temperature may decrease to 14 degrees. Be ready for the changeable weather of Melbourne.

Once you are here, hire a tour organiser in Melbourne to explore the Wineries, Boat Cruise and Philip Island and make the most of your visit.

As you can see, Melbourne is a great city to visit with friends or family and there are also brilliant romantic things to do in Melbourne. The city has remained one of the three best cities in the world for over a decade now after remaining the best city in the world for seven consecutive years. But the point here is to enjoy the best of it within as little time as possible. So make the best of it, while you are here. And if you have some activities that you feel are great but I have not included here, go ahead share them with us in the comments below!

The post 9 Things You Need To Know Before You Visit Melbourne appeared first on Travel for Food Hub.

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Pitch a tent, sleep under the stars or wake up to sounds of the bushland in a private cabin – holiday parks and campsites provide some of the most impressive locations in Australia and now cater to all budget levels and types of holiday-makers from families to groups. The Grampians The Grampians National Park and surrounding …

The Grampians

The Grampians National Park and surrounding state parks offer some of Victoria’s best free camping spots. The park, three hours west of Melbourne, offers a great base for day-trips to waterfalls or challenging hikes to renowned rocky escarpments. Visitors can get closer to nature and meet resident wildlife.

Jimmy Creek Campground located in the Southern Grampians, offers an outback camping experience just a short drive to Dunkeld. Campers can stock up on wood fired bread, locally produced yoghurt and honey from the Dunkeld General Store.

Jimmy Creek Campground – Grampians

Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park is surrounded by the picturesque beauty of the Grampians National Park and is only three kilometres from the centre of Halls Gap township. The park features a heated outdoor pool, new amenities with individual bathrooms and modern facilities. Halls Gap Zoo, Grampians Adventure Golf and Brambuk the National Park & Cultural Centre are just some of the family friendly attractions visitors can experience within Halls Gap.

Wimmera Lakes Caravan Resort is ideally located on the Western Highway at the eastern end of Horsham with the Grampians National Park as a distant breathtaking backdrop to the park. Visitors can enjoy a barbecue in the camp kitchen, a swim in the solar heated pool or some fun on their outdoor playground Jumping Pillow.

BIG4 Parkgate Resort located in the foothills of the Grampians National Park is a short drive from the town centre of Halls Gap. Ensuites and powered sites, set in idyllic locations with modern amenities are ideal for enjoying the great outdoors.

The Murray

With temperate  climate and spectacular wilderness areas, The Murray region provides idllyic bushland and riverbank camping along the Murray River.

Gunbower Island in Gannawarra is an expansive island situated alongside the Murray River, well suited for the adventurous camper. There are three free camping sites set among spectacular bushland, with access to the river for water skiing, swimming and fishing.

Gunbower creek cohuna – The Murray

The Murray River is lined with 12 BIG4 holiday parks offering cabin, caravan and camping accommodation. Big 4 Riverside Swan Hill offers riverside camping and deluxe cabins surrounded by breathtaking scenery, as well as pool facilities and golf packages for the award winning Murray Downs Golf Course which is located nearby.

Just a short drive from Swan Hill, Lake Boga Caravan Park offers the visitor magnificent lake views and easy access to the iconic Lake Boga. The lake is a great place for all water sports. The Caravan Park has its own boat ramp with other facilities including laundry, camp kitchen and a BBQ area.

Gippsland

For the combined bushland and coastal camping experience, Gippsland offers striking terrain, ideal for a range of adventurous activities.

Nestled between the river and the ocean beach, near Point Hicks, the Thurra River is the largest camp ground in Croajingolong National Park. With 46 campsites, the Thurra River is shallow, making it a popular spot for families to relax on hot days.

Cape Conran Coastal Park has 135 camping sites spread over one kilometre along with a range of accommodation including cabins and a large lodge which sleeps up to 17 people. The Park fronts on to 60 kilometres of isolated sandy beaches facing the rugged Bass Strait.

For those wanting a, ‘glamping’ option Parks Victoria Wilderness Retreats are ideal. Located at Wilsons Promontory National Park, Cape Conran Coastal Park and Buchan Caves, the comfortable safari-style tents combines the “close to nature” experience of bush camping with the comforts of modern park cabins.

Cape Conran Wilderness retreats – Grampians

Great Ocean Road

From Torquay to Port Campbell, visitors will find a range of camping options from luxury ‘glamping’ at remote and secluded beaches to wilderness camping at sites nestled deep in the Otways.

A popular camp ground in the region is Johanna Beach, located in the Otway National Park among sand dunes, excellent for camping with dogs, caravanning and catching the surf.

Pebble Point is another luxury camping experience situated at the end of the Great Ocean Walk in the small coastal village of Princetown. The exclusive bush retreat has five luxury tents with quality king-sized beds, linen and towels with spacious ensuite bathrooms and private decks.

Those looking for a more leafy green camping experience can stay at Bimbi Park in Cape Otway. Bimbi Park is sheltered among tall manna gums with many resident koalas spotted in the area. The Park caters for a range of camping options with powered camp sites, on-site vans, bunk rooms and standard and deluxe cabins.

Bimbi Park – Great Ocean Road

Geelong and the Bellarine

For a camping experience with all the bell and whistles, visitors can pitch a tent at the award winning Big4 Beacon Resort in Queenscliff. Much more than just a holiday resort, Big4 Beach Resort is home to an onsite day spa – Mud Day Spa, a  gym, heated swimming pool, modern amenities and full kitchen facilities. For a gourmet glamping experience, guests can stock up on supplies at the onsite shop, which is full of locally grown produce and local beer, wine and cider from The Bellarine region.

Barwon Heads Caravan Park has a stunning location at the mouth of the Barwon River, where the river meets the sea. Guests can book waterfront camping sites which offer commanding views of the Barwon River and further out onto the ocean. Barwon Heads Caravan Park is ideally located in the heart of Barwon Heads, meaning guests can easily walk to the main street which is filled with trendy cafés, restaurants and shops. Popular surf beach, 13th Beach, is also within easy walking distance.

Tucked off the main road between Barwon Heads and Torquay is the tiny hamlet of Breamlea. The Breamlea Caravan Park is nestled off the main road in its own hidden piece of paradise, looking onto the picturesque Thompsons Creek on one side, with a surf beach the other side. Secluded and quiet, civilization feels hundreds of miles away, although it is located only 25 minutes from Geelong or 90 minutes from Melbourne. The Caravan Park is home to powered and unpowered sites, on-site cabins, a general store and Post Office, plus all the other usual amenities.

Located little more than an hour’s drive from Melbourne, the Brisbane Ranges National Park is where you can find the state’s richest wildflower habitat.  Set in a low range of mountains dissected by rocky gullies, the unusual geology of the National Park has preserved plants that have long since vanished from other parts of the region. The park is home to a handful of off-the-beaten-track camping sites -some of which are walk-in only – and an excellent base for bushwalking, wildflower and wildlife studies and exploring the historic gold mining area of Steiglitz Historic Park.

Brisbane Ranges

High Country

Camping within the High Country region offers pristine natural environment combined with proximity to bountiful towns boasting vibrant food and wine as well as plenty of outdoor adventures with cycling and walking trails.

Porepunkah Pines Caravan Park is an award winning park conveniently situated on the Great Alpine Road, just minutes from the beautiful township of Bright. The park features two solar heated pools with a shaded water park for the little ones, also a large camp kitchen, barbecues, games room and kids playground. Accommodation ranges from powered sites to well-maintained cabins and two houses that sleep up to 12 people.

Campers can enjoy sweet seclusion in Victoria’s far north east at Colac Colac (Clack Clack) Caravan Park, near Corryong. Located in a beautiful valley, Colac Colac Park boasts tall trees, sprawling lawns and a great swimming hole for the kids.

Colac Colac – High Country

An hour’s drive from Mansfield, Sheepyard Flat in the old gold-mining Howqua Hills Historic Area, is one of several flats along the Howqua River, with open, grassy campsites arrayed on either side of the Howqua Track. A popular spot for picnics, horse riding, bushwalking, fishing and 4WD driving.

Goldfields

The Goldfields region is rich with things to do and see, especially within the towns of Ballarat and Bendigo. From beautifully preserved architecture, some of Victoria’s best galleries and museums to quality local produce at many top restaurants. Holiday parks just out of town provide the best of both worlds – enjoying natural surrounds and located only a short drive to the region’s many family friendly attractions.

The multi-award winning BIG4 Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park is situated in Ballarat, within close proximity to the city’s major attractions. Caravan and camping sites, budget cabins, spa cottages and villas are available, along with a solar heated swimming pool, giant jumping pillow, giant checkers, indoor heated spa, tennis, go-karts and more.

Bendigo Park Lane Holiday Park located within close proximity to Bendigo’s CBD, offers powered sites, cabins and luxury villas. Families will keep entertained with Bendigo’s largest indoor play centre, Parky’s Wonderland – a four level indoor play structure – as well as pedal karts, a sand volleyball court, plus much more.

Bendigo Park Lane Holiday Park

Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges

The scenic beauty of lush forest, bush settings and clear mountain streams make for the perfect backdrop for a camping holiday. Visitors can stay in a forest park or choose a holiday site with full facilities.

Big 4 Badger Creek Holiday Park is surrounded by 24 hectares of peace and tranquility, immersed by natural bush land in the Yarra Valley. The Holiday Park offers quality caravanning, camping or self-contained park accommodation. Hillside Cabins are nestled amongst the native trees and the Park cabins overlook the creek.

The Warburton Caravan Park is located on the banks of the Yarra River, in the Upper Yarra Valley, surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. The Park includes a tennis court, laundry and shower facilities, children’s playground and electric bbq and shelter areas. There are many scenic campsites as well as cabins along the kilometre of river frontage which is ideal for canoeing or fishing.

Big 4, Badger Creek Holiday Park – Yarra Valley

Mornington Peninsula

The beautiful Port Phillip Bay coastline of the Mornington Peninsula, from Rosebud to Rye to Sorrento, boasts 13km of foreshore camping with white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. There are excellent facilities with shower and toilet blocks, barbeques and kids’ play areas, as well as top dining destinations and many places to pick up gourmet foods in nearby coastal villages.

The Rosebud Foreshore Reserve stretches approximately 7km from Anthony’s nose in McCrae down to Chinaman’s Creek in Rosebud West. There are 665 camping sites available, both powered and non-powered, all with great access to the beach, amenities and various shops.

Camping at the Rye & Sorrento Foreshores is available from the last weekend of October to April. There are 315 camping sites available with both powered and non-powered sites for caravans and tents.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire manages camping along the natural foreshore reserves with all bookings to be made via the Foreshore Camping Team.

Mornington Peninsula Foreshore

Daylesford and Macedon Ranges

Visitors to the region will be rewarded with lush parks, rugged river gorges and dramatic rock formations in state and regional parks. Days are filled with waking up to panoramic views, energising springwaters along with plenty of walking tracks to explore.

O’Briens Crossing camping area is located beside Lerderderg River in Lerderderg State Park and flanked by steep, wild slopes. It offers a true bush experience and walking is the best way to get to know the park – there are several tracks for a range of walks from short, easy strolls to strenuous overnight hikes for experienced bushwalkers.

O’Briens Crossing, Lerderderg State Park

The sheltered extinct volcanic crater of Mount Franklin in Hepburn Regional Park provides ideal surroundings for a picnic or short term camping. Panoramic views can be obtained from the summit and there is a scenic walking track along the rim of the crater.

Phillip Island

Phillip Island has all the elements for a memorable seaside holiday with plenty of family attractions, friendly wildlife and sheltered bays perfect for a spot of beach cricket.

BIG4 Phillip Island Caravan Park is nestled amongst the sand dunes of the Newhaven Beach in a natural landscape setting of trees and gardens, and is conveniently located within 500 metres of restaurants, cafes and shops. There is a wide variety of accommodation, ranging from shady camping sites to three bedroom deluxe villas as well as entertainment rooms, a children’s play area and sport facilities and washing vicinities.

Phillip Island Caravan Park

Cowes Caravan Park offers beach front sites, only one kilometre from Cowes township. The park offers a full range of accommodation with cabins and powered and unpowered camp sites. The park is well equipped with a camp kitchen, recreation hall with open fire, playground and full amenities.

Content supplied by Visit Victoria

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15 Inspiring Examples of Small Business Branding

Taking on a branding project for a small business can be a valuable opportunity for agencies and freelancers to develop experimental creative work without the intense pressures and restrictions associated with larger accounts.

While big businesses often have multiple decision makers with very specific ideas and guidelines to keep their existing brands consistent, smaller companies are usually more open to exploring new creative directions, and can move faster to implement them.

If you need some more convincing that working with small businesses can result in some stunning creative work, we've put together a list of 15 small business branding examples to get you inspired for your next project.

15 Examples of Small Business Branding

1) Elo Soap

When traditional Greek soap manufacturer Elo needed a fresh look for their new Greek god-inspired line of olive oil soaps, they turned to designer Mike Karolos at Smirap Designs to create something that would stand out in a sea of touristy Greek gift shop items. 

"The biggest goal was to be different, unique, and eye catching," Karolos said in an interview with The Dieline. "Although the Greek god theme in tourist shops here in Greece is very common, by using my illustration signature style we managed to give a different take on an overused theme. The result was a modern, fresh, and at the same time kind of traditional packaging due to the theme we chose." 

Images via Mike Karolos on Behance

2) AND UNION

These craft beer cans from German brewery AND UNION balance minimal design with a complex, unexpected texture. The team at AND UNION designed the unique cans in-house with the goal of breaking through the idea that only cheap beers come in cans.

"There is still that stigma, even though many craft brewers before us have done such a great job in educating the consumer, we want to do our bit too," co-founder Rui Esteves said. "We wanted to create a can that you hesitate to throw away after you’ve had the beer. I end up leaving stacks of these empty cans in my kitchen because I feel bad throwing such a beautiful thing in the recycling." 

Images via The Dieline

3) Folklorious

Barcelona-based designer Quim Marin developed this stunning branding for online accessories boutique Folklorious. Marin incorporated excerpts of classic artwork, illustrated design, and photography with modern graphic elements and typography. The end result is an eclectic, stylish, and truly unique brand identity. 

Images via Quim Marin on Behance

4) EAT MY SHORTS!

EAT MY SHORTS! (Yes, that's an intentional Simpson's reference) is an independent, gender-neutral clothing line by fashion designer Malena Blas, who worked with Mexico City-based designer Tomás Salazar to create a contemporary brand identity and packaging solution.

The company's shirts are packaged in pastel-colored metallic pouches with no reference to gender, and the trendy cotton candy hues are used throughout the brand's promotional materials.

Images via Tomás Salazar on Behance

5) Zonzo Estate

Swear Words, an Australian design firm, was tasked with creating a sophisticated, energetic rebrand for Zonzo Estate, a winery, restaurant, and popular wedding destination in Melbourne's Yarra Valley. 

The redesign is surprisingly modernistic for a rustic winery. The work is centered around a versatile, floating-letter logo that looks classic in gold foil, and youthful and fresh when printed in outline on a menu cover. 

Image via Swear Words

6) Qoñi

This small artisan community in Peru was branded head-to-toe by Leo Burnett Design, the design department of Leo Burnett's Canadian branch.  

"We created the brand’s identity from top to bottom, giving it a name, wordmark, brand story, lookbook, promotional material, and retail tags," the Leo Burnett team writes on their website. "Qoñi, meaning warmth in the region's native language, was perfectly suited to the brand’s line of cozy alpaca goods."

Image via Leo Burnett Design

7) Lune Croissanterie

Lune is a futuristic bakery with a serious, scientific commitment to perfecting their signature pastry. It makes sense then that their branding -- developed by Melbourne-based agency A Friend of Mine -- combines science and baked goods in the form of a croissant-tailed spaceship logo. 

"The packaging we designed features diecut 'hyperdrive' ventilation slots in a galactic theme (taking cue from the name Lune) which acted as ventilation for the pastries, paired with a subtle glitter print for a further cosmic touch," writes the team from A Friend of Mine on their website. "We also redesigned their much loved rocket motif, and we couldn't resist adding a little croissant in our update."

Image via A Friend of Mine

8) Tenth Muse Botanical Fragrance

Thanks to Studio MPLS, this botanical fragarance startup has a charming, Victorian-inspired brand identity that still manages to look modern. Tenth Muse creates custom perfumes from natural, sustainably sourced ingredients, and their packaging and promotional materials elegantly "combine[s] clarity and beauty with intrigue and mystery."

Image via Studio MPLS

9) Bombay Electric

Bombay Electric is a upscale fashion select store located in Mumbai, and their vibrant, kaleidoscopic new branding was created by Paris-based designer Michael Thorsby.

"When approaching the work to put a new image on the company I knew that there was no way around colors and vibrancy," Michael writes of the project on his portfolio website. "Framed by a rather minimal typography and grid, the intense color gradients are drawn to look like blurry abstract photographs, as if taken inside an Ann Veronica Janssens installation."

Image via Michael Thorsby

10) Glorioso Super Nutrients

These seed packet-inspired supplement packages from Spanish superfood company Glorioso Super Nutrients are simple but delightfully whimsical, each featuring an abstract circle motif representative of their contents. 

Glorioso's entire brand identity, which includes a range of colorful business cards, was developed by Barcelona-based agency Requena. The circle motifs are used throughout the brand's website and other promotional materials. 

Image via Requena Office on Behance

11) Notel

This decidedly unconventional hotel demanded some especially bold branding choices, and agency Self Titled definitely delivered. Notel consists of six reconditioned Air Stream trailers parked on a roof, and Self Titled was brought in to provide art direction and develop a strong brand concept for the entire operation. 

As the agency explains on their website: "The name and logo explicitly express the idea that this is ‘not a hotel’, with a subtle nod to the slashed 'no symbol'. Celebrating the best of Melbourne, reframing both high and low culture, Self-titled created the brand positioning -- 'reflecting and reframing Melbourne'. This helped inform the reflective surfaces, cut-out logo and a website design which reveals and reframes layers of content."

Image via Self Titled

12) Marte Estudio

Classical art, bright colors, and modern design elements come together in the branding for this Mexican hair and makeup studio. Created by design agency Bienal, the eclectic physical space and promotional elements were developed to reflect the bold, vibrant personality of Marte Estudio's creator, Mariana Abraham.

Image via Bienal

13) Robinson's

When you think of an auto body workshop, great branding probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But thanks to agency Parallax, Robinson's Accident Repair Center has a sleek, retro-inspired logo, minimal branded materials, and interiors to match. 

Image via Parallax

14) Sneaky Veg

Mandy Mazliah created her blog Sneaky Veg to chronicle her family's experiences eating healthy food. When she needed some clever, stand-out branding for the blog, designer Vicki Turner cooked up these designs.

"I was asked to create Sneaky Veg's brand identity that captured the sneaky yet good intentioned methods of making wholesome fruit and veg recipes into firm kid favourites," said Turner on her website. 

Image via Vicki Turner

15) Doctor Manzana

Doctor Manzana is a technical support shop for smart phones and tablets located in Valencia, Spain. They wanted a way to attract a new audience for their services and products, so they reached out to the folks at Masquespacio Design to create a new brand identity.

The Masquespacio team explains on their website: "A brand was designed to attract different kind of customers from fashionistas to geeks, traduced here into several kinds of colors through a brand image that plays continually with the angle of 54 degrees formed by the reflection of the mobile phones' screen."

Image via Masquespacio Design

  from HubSpot Marketing Blog https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inspiring-examples-of-small-business-branding

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The 10 Best Places Getting Hitched In Australia

The 10 Best Places Getting Hitched In Australia

Amidst the chaos of organising a marriage – and prior to saying “i actually do” – partners need certainly to make the best and to be honest among the most difficult commitments of most: choosing the place. Dramatics apart, ask any bride-to-be and they’ll tell you that choosing the environment with this occasion that is momentous much simpler said than done! Not merely does the room need certainly to express you as a couple of, it requires to tick lots of containers – accommodation, amenities, meals, bar, damp climate choice (merely to name a couple of) – as well as it requires to be positively stunning (non-negotiable).

Therefore, whether you’re interested in that perfect country property or you’re following a relaxed coastal do, right here, we’ve rounded within the top ten places to have hitched in Australia.

1. Glenmore Nation Estate, Hunter Valley – NSW

Hunting for an exclusive, nation location that offers you as well as your visitors treatment that is five-star? Near the top of our list is Glenmore nation Estate – an ideal spot for the whimsical, yet bold bride.

Based in the Hunter Valley (yes, that is wine nation) an easy 3.5 hours north of Sydney, this location boasts nation charm having a luxurious side. Even though it’s close to nearby establishments, when you’re regarding the home it is like you’re in the center of nowhere – pure bliss!

Along with heralding several of the most tranquil views the valley is wearing offer, the location includes the artfully preserved and newly renovated homestead that rests eight and the classic nation barn that may hold around 100 guests. The setup that is ideal those that want the ease of keeping every thing within one destination (ceremony and reception) but still want that “wow factor”.

Owned and operated by the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, your wedding day is created better (a less strenuous) with meals and drink choices tailored for you by the finest in the biz. A devoted wedding coordinator is here that will help you curate the area to meet your requirements while making sure the afternoon is really as gorgeous as it’s unforgettable!

2. Luna Park, Milsons Point – NSW

Exactly just just What could possibly be more pleasurable compared to a trip on a rollercoaster, followed closely by a ceremony with a few of the greatest Sydney Harbour views being offered? When it comes to few that are looking for a place with a colour that is little a entire large amount of enjoyment, Luna Park the most iconic wedding venues around.

‘Brides on Rides’ apart (yes, that’s an inclusion), Luna Park is certainly not just fun and games. With a few stunning spaces readily available for hire, the waterfront park has a thing that will appeal to any or all.

Here’s an example: the mesmerising Crystal Ballroom. Along with its ceiling to floor windows overlooking the harbour, there’s small concern as to the reasons this will be probably the most popular wedding venues in Sydney.

3. The Brown Brothers Winery, Milawa – Victoria

Bubbles, bubbles and much more bubbles. Referred to as home of Australian prosecco, the Brown Brothers Winery is significantly more than a secondary hotspot, it is a magical location for those searching for a wedding location providing you with a straightforward and intimate outside experience – and did we mention the bubbles?

Having an unimpeded view of mt. Buffalo additionally the vineyard that is gorgeous, you’ll have your ceremony inside their recently restored barnyard, as well as perhaps also schedule a wine tasting within the celebrations!

4. The Fig Tree, Byron Bay – NSW

Byron Bay is definitely the location for those of you looking for the best escape that is relaxing. For similar explanation, the encompassing hinterland offers probably the most intimate wedding areas in Australia.

Ontop a mountain and boasting both mountain and lovely coastline views, The Fig Tree is certainly one such establishment. Called after the 150-year-old Moreton Bay Fig Tree on location, this place is classic and stylish with this relaxed bohemian vibe that Byron Bay is renowned for.

5. Loyal Hope Regarding The Valley, Brisbane – Queensland

Totally rejecting the concept that a wedding in a hallway is daggy and dated, Loyal Hope associated with the Valley may be the bride that is DIY fantasy!

Based in Brisbane’s fortitude valley, simply moments out of the bustle of busy James Street, this place is really as picturesque as it really is romantic. Think: whitewashed walls, beams of sun light, hardwood timber floorboards plus an emerald green art-deco design club that may move you to swoon.

With unique utilization of the room, partners may do as much or as low as they like. A blank canvas for you really to make your perfect, contemporary wedding.

6. The Langham, Melbourne – Victoria

Romance; beauty; grandeur: all terms that this quintessential luxury wedding location is well known for. Appropriate in the center of Melbourne, The Langham is actually for the bride that wants it all – after which some!

The Langham is luxury and bespoke at the same time from the Alto Room on the 25 th Floor with sweeping views of Melbourne’s city skyline and terrace to the Clarendon Ballroom (yes, BALLROOM) and Yarra Room with magnificent crystal chandeliers and French silk upholstered walls.

Our suggestion? Get married in the rooftop, then keep the reception inside their ballroom. Beverages, dinner, and dance shall be memorable in this resort.

7. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney – NSW

Whimsical and wonderful; there’s one thing therefore special about a garden wedding, and, as far gardens get, nothing quite even compares to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney.

With a few vast yards for establishing marquees or even a reception that is picnic there’s a garden setting for every single few. The Gardens home is our pick that is top for yard wedding. This is certainly an amazing location you want to avoid wedding-stress if you’re dying to have a beautiful ceremony, but.

Peter Rowland’s specialist planners have already been preparing and providing weddings right here for over a decade; their all-inclusive packages suggest for you– from the budget to the flowers, they’ll take care of everything that they’ll manage every thing!

8. Museum Of Old And Brand Brand Brand New Art (MONA), Berriedale – Tasmania

Then the MONA is the wedding venue for you if your love for art comes a close second to your love for each other.

Situated only a brief ferry ride from Hobart, this attraction is just a feast when it comes to eyes. Not merely does it house a few of the best artworks of all time, nevertheless the architectural components of the structures are going to wow your friends and relatives – and then make for a few extremely impressive pictures.

Our choose? The Void: an area that sits 13 metres underground, and encased by way of A triassic-aged sandstone wall surface.

9. Nedlands Yacht Club, Perth – Western Australia

For couples interested in that perfect waterfront location regarding the west coast, take a look at Nedlands Yacht Club.

This venue is an idyllic choice for your summer wedding with its lush foreshore leading down to the banks of the Swan River in Nedlands.

The space which supports to an astonishing 500 people, could be utilised an array of means. Foodtrucks, dancefloor beneath the movie stars, marquee – the employees are versatile scandinavian online date and there to assist you produce magic that is pure!

10. Kingsford Homestead, Barossa Valley – Southern Australia

And, final but most certainly not least, a marriage place hitlist wouldn’t be complete with out a Barossa Valley addition. Using its jaw-dropping scenery, advanced vibe and exclusive nature, we couldn’t get passed away the Kingsford Homestead.

Just 45 minutes from Adelaide this amazing location is really one thing unique. Nonetheless, just providing up to a number that is select of every year, it really is one particular venues you ought to hop on – quickly!

Source: https://showlex.site/2020/03/17/the-10-best-places-getting-hitched-in-australia-8/

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How to Spend One Year on a Working Holiday Visa in Australia

Almost nine million people visit Australia each year to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef, trek to waterfalls in Kakadu National Park, visit the Sydney Opera House, surf in Byron Bay, find Chris Hemsworth and eat Vegemite (you’ll quickly learn that last one). There’s a demand to see these places, which means there is always a demand for work.

That’s where you come in.

Australia is one of the easiest countries to get a Working Holiday Visa, and it’s actually the most popular country out of the 62 in the world that offers these kinds of visas.

That’s largely why it attracts 333,000 prospective workers each year who travel to experience the country, make friends and save money along the way.

Prior to 2016, travelers on a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) or Work and Holiday Visa (W&HV) were only able to stay in Australia for a year. However, due to changes in legislation, travelers on a W&HV are now able to work and travel for two years—that’s a whole lot of time to experience Australia!

There are is a whole heap of things on your Australian bucket list to tick off so, this one-year itinerary for traveling in Australia on your Working Holiday Visa should serve you well.

4 Months Before Your Trip: Get Your Visa

Don’t put the cart before the horse and buy your flight first. What if your visa gets rejected? That is one expensive lesson!

Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia.

Identify the visa that you would like using the Australian Department of Home Affairs website. Depending on which country you are from you will be directed to either a 417 (Working Holiday Visa) or a 462 (Work and Holiday Visa). For example, the UK, Germany, Netherlands and many others get directed to the WHV, whereas the USA, Spain and Argentina can apply for the W&H Visa.

While there are tons of websites out there charging anywhere between $70 to $200 on top of visa fees to give you a visa, your best option is to apply directly through the Australian Government website (the website URL should always end in .gov.au).

The process is pretty simple, should only take around 30 minutes to an hour to complete and, whether you’re applying for a Working Holiday Visa or a Work and Holiday Visa, it will cost you $440 AUD.

These visas give you full working rights in Australia, with the only condition being that you cannot work for the same company for more than six months. It’s structured this way, so you work and travel. Not just both.

Note: You can only get these visas if you’re at least 18 and not yet 31 years old.

It can take anywhere between 24 hours and four weeks for your visa to be granted, so be organized and apply as early as you can. But once you have it, the clock starts ticking—you have 12 months to make your way to Australia. From your date of entry, you are then given one year to work and travel.

3 Months Before Your Trip: Decide Where You Want to Go and Book Your Flight

Once you have your visa (which can take anywhere between 24 hours and four weeks), you’ll want to buy your flights. But Australia is massive, which can induce some serious decision anxiety.

You’re coming over to Australia to work and travel, so you’re going to want a perfect combination of the two.

Well, Melbourne is the world’s most livable city with, beautiful beaches, unique laneway bars and cafes and really, really good nightlife. It’s a cultural melting pot and a foodies’ paradise, and the breathtaking street art makes it, in my humble opinion, the best place to start your travels.

Plus, there are great value-for-your-money flights to Melbourne from most major international airports, with a one-way ticket generally costing $450 USD.

Melbourne is literally the most livable city in the world!

I know many of you likely have Sydney on your mind as a place to start. Just keep in mind it’s going to be the most expensive choice with some serious competition. Because, really—did you think you’re the only backpacker to make Sydney your first choice?

News flash—you’re not, which means “backpacker jobs” will be slightly more difficult to get, especially if you don’t have experience. This isn’t to deter; it’s just some food for thought. Bring your A-game if you plan to find work in Sydney (and maybe a few extra thousand in the bank to tide you over).

Pro Tip: As with any flights, try to avoid the holidays as you will have to pay a premium to fly, and keep in mind that June through September is Australia’s winter (yes, we do have winters here in Australia), so flights are generally a bit cheaper then.

1 Month Before Your Trip: Save That Money and Plan an Epic Party

If it costs $200 just to walk across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and a whopping $5 for a dozen eggs at the grocery store, just imagine how expensive Australia will be.

The good news is that Australia is known for paying well. But you’re going to want to have a few dollars stashed away before you go since you probably won’t be working as soon as you land.

Hanging Rock in the Blue Mountains, Australia.

Your biggest expense is going to be your accommodation. A week in a hostel in Australia is generally around $150 USD. In any standard week, you should anticipate spending anywhere between $300 to $800 USD, depending on activities, your dining and, most importantly, your drinking habits.

(Take my advice: If you drink in pubs the whole time, you will somehow spend a lot of money.)

Just take a look at this breakdown of the average costs of expenses in three major Australian cities. For more, check out Numbeo for a cost of living breakdown in other cities around Australia.

The Average Cost of Living in Sydney (in USD):

Hostel per night: $32

One-bedroom apartment per week: $329

Pint of beer: $5.50

Cheap restaurant meal: $11

A day trip to the Blue Mountains: $75

The Average Cost of Living in Melbourne:

Hostel per night: $25

One-bedroom apartment per week: $298

Pint of beer: $5.50

Cheap restaurant meal: $11

A day trip to the Great Ocean Road: $80

The Average Cost of Living in Cairns:

Hostel per night: $18

One-bedroom apartment for a week: $181

Pint of beer: $5.20

Cheap restaurant meal: $11

Day trip to the Great Barrier Reef: $145

I would recommend getting to a savings point of $5,200 USD before you go, and I’ll tell you why later.

In the meantime, you may want to check out this handy guide on saving money for travel and creating a financial plan that will help you save over the long term.

Day 1-10: Get Set up, Meet People & Tick off That Bucket List

The plane touches down and you wake up from what was likely a very long flight, no matter where you came from. You rub your eyes and, suddenly, you’re in the coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria!

Rugged rocks forms hug the bay beaches. The national parks are rife with wildlife. The center city is bustling with coffee fiends and shopping addicts and bar crawlers—vice or virtue, you decide. You’re finally here to pick your poison.

But before you dive right in, I would strongly advise giving yourself at least a week to get yourself set up. You’ll need to open a bank account, get a Tax File Number (this is essential if you want to work), and get your hands on a SIM card.

Traveling for the first time is daunting, and the reason why you started this adventure is to meet new people and to have life-changing experiences.

Noosa coastline

In Melbourne, you actually have the option to check off all the quintessential bucket list items for Australia, like petting a kangaroo or koala bear or learning to surf on some of the best surf beaches on earth.

You can also experience worldwide sporting events such as the Australia Grand Prix or the Australian Open, or go snowboarding or skiing just three hours away by car.

Plus, two popular day trips from Melbourne, include watching the Phillip Island Penguin Parade, when hundreds of penguins emerge from the surf to waddle back to their burrows for the night, and wine tasting in the Yarra Valley wine region.

Day 11-60: Venture Out to the Surrounding Areas

If you’ve taken my advice (and I hope you have) and landed in Melbourne, then I’ve spelled out your plan perfect for you.

Head west out of Melbourne and you have the Great Ocean Road, the most scenic drive in all of Australia and the number one road trip in Oz. It is the fourth most popular destination in Australia, and it’s an absolute must, especially if you’re in Melbourne. It’s about 150 miles of coastline-hugging, beach-kissing, rainforest-penetrating road with the most iconic part being the 12 Apostles.

A five-day road is perfect for this destination. This is especially true if you couple it up with a little-known destination called The Grampians. Then you can either loop back to Melbourne or keep heading west to Adelaide and the outback.

I would then recommend touching base back in Melbourne for a few days before heading in the next destination: east toward Sydney and Cairns. Every east coast trip is different, but you should travel for at least a month and preferably two to three if you want to experience it properly.

Overlooking the Sydney Harbour

The best way to travel the east coast of Australia is to take a hop-on-hop-off Greyhound bus the whole way there.

You could also find a group of other travelers to buy a used car together. You’ll find tons of cars for sale on sites like Gumtree (the Australian Craigslist) or Facebook groups like Backpacker Cars Australia.

If buying isn’t your thing, you can also rent campervans. You can get them from Jucy, Spaceships, Travel Wheels, Travellers AutoBarn, Hippie, Mighty and Wicked. There are plenty of different options depending on the level of luxury you want.

Likewise, if you visit hostels, check the bulletin boards for flyers advertising used cars for sale.

Months 2-8: Start the Job Hunt and Get to Work!

Just because you’re onto the job hunting stage doesn’t mean that the fun has to stop. After living on the road for weeks on end, you’ll probably crave some stability and structure. At least a little bit. And you’ll meet even more people while finally earning yourself some money!

Finding Work in Australia

When you’re done traveling, make sure you have enough money to last a month. You probably won’t find a job on day one of your hunt. That means you need to have enough savings to last you until you find work. Look at job websites like Job Search, Seek and Gumtree to find work in these specific fields.

Making friends and networking is a great way to find a job too!

But don’t spend all day on websites job hunting. Talk to people around your hostel, and ask the workers at the hostel for the best place to find work. In most major cities, there is a specific area where there are always people recruiting in hospitality. So print out that resume and enjoy the day going into as many places as possible asking if they’re looking for any workers.

These areas are your hospitality hotspots, which are full of bars, restaurants and cafes.

Sydney: Kings Cross, Bondi and Oxford Street

Melbourne: St Kilda, Chapel Street and Lygon Street

Brisbane: Fortitude Valley

Cairns: Everywhere

Darwin: Mitchell Street

Adelaide: Glenelg and the CBD

Perth: Northbridge

It is sometimes harder to find employment if you have a specific field you want to work in because most employers believe that working holiday visa makers can only be part of their company for six months, which is generally true.

What to Expect While Working in Australia

The minimum wage is $18.93 AUD in Australia, and most casual positions in hospitality and tourism pay around $20 AUD.

The type of work ranges from being a waiter up to being a skydive instructor—you can view the jobs available to travelers on Working Holiday Visas on the Home Affairs website here, but do bear in mind the work has to be above the Tropic of Capricorn and in certain postcodes.

Your new bffs?

Some aspects of the Australian work culture may also surprise foreigners. Understand these cultural differences:

There’s a lot of casual conversation.

Swearing in the workplace is to be expected.

There will be a lot of happy hours.

Australians are super laidback and uphold a “no-fuss” attitude, which can be jarring in stressful situations.

Office romances are a thing, and they’re not quite as taboo.

Most offices have flat organizational structures, without much hierarchy if any at all.

National workplace safety laws, “Occupational Health and Safety” or “OH&S” are taken very seriously.

Australians use a lot of blunt humor, even in the workplace.

Australians embrace a work-hard-play-hard culture.

The standard working week in Australia is 38 hours per week (7.6 hours per day). They value their time outside of work.

Month 9-12: Keep Traveling

You’ve been working for a few months—that’s a serious high five moment! Take a break. Go on a trip. Let loose a little. You deserve it!

Generally, people’s second journey within Australia is the outback. That may mean the wetland of Kakadu near Darwin. There, you’ll see some of the most jaw-dropping waterfalls and the highest concentration of salt-water crocodiles. I recommend a tour there for at least three days.

Entering Kata Tjuta in the outback of Australia

You can couple this up with the third most popular destination in Australia, the Red Centre. With the cultural history surrounding this area, the iconic sunset at Uluru and nights underneath millions of stars, this is another bucket-list item to tick. To get to this destination you can fly into Alice Springs or Yulara airport.

Alternatively, you can go overland from Darwin or Adelaide for a true outback adventure.

From here you can fly to the place you fell in love with.

Maybe you felt like Byron Bay had a spiritual calling for you. Or you realized that the busyness of Sydney was actually your “cup of tea.” Maybe you’ve been dying to get back to Cairns. Or maybe the world’s best coffee is pulling you back to Melbourne.

Want to Spend a Second Year in Australia?

So many people fall in love with the Australian way of life, so it’s not a surprise that thousands of WHV and W&H Visa workers choose to extend their visas for another year.

View from above—Australia, Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise

The Australian Government created an initiative for understaffed industries. This is for people who want to travel and work in Australia for extended periods of time. And the second year working holiday extension allows WHV and W&H Visa holders to extend their initial one-year visa to two if they work 88 days in one of those specific sectors:

Plant and Animal Cultivation

Fishing and Pearling

Tree Farming and Felling

Mining

Construction

At the end of your initial employment, your manager will have to sign off on Form 1263. This includes their ABN (Australian Business Number) to ensure that you have completed the work. Then you will apply for your second-year visa through the same website that you got your first one.

Tip: If you’re on a W&HV (USA I’m talking to you) you can extend your stay by working in hospitality and tourism, as long as these jobs are in Northern Australia. This work ranges from waiting tables to being a skydiving instructor—you can view the jobs for travelers on Working Holiday Visas on the Home Affairs website here.

This all said, you might want to head home or travel in between your first and second year. It’s up to you when you decide to use your second-year visa. Just make sure you use it before you’re 31 or you’ll lose eligibility.

Whatever you do, just remember that you’re going to Australia to work and travel. You left that all-work-and-no-play lifestyle behind at home.

Well, unless you’re this dude, that is.

So now the only question is, what’s the first adventure before you start working in Australia? Let us know in the comments!

READ MORE: Work and Travel in Australia: How to Get a Working/Holiday Visa

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