Luna Park

We went to Luna Park Saturday night and it was awesome. There have been dozens of amusement parks all over the world named Luna Park since 1903. Melbourne’s own opened 13 December 1912. A huge smiling clown face (aka the Hellmouth) greets you as you enter fairgrounds with traditional amusements rather than high-tech rides. We’re … Read more

Collingwood delivers my first AFL game

Thank goodness Collingwood beat Richmond Saturday night because it would not have been as good a first AFL game for me otherwise. In Miami, going to a sporting event can be a real headache. The latest news in Miami’s sports scene is around the new baseball park, a “gauche waste of public funds and taxpayer money” … Read more

The Eureka Skydeck

The first thing a first-time visitor to Melbourne should do is go to the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower and get a bird’s eye view of the city from the Eureka Skydeck. The Eureka Tower is a 297.3-metre (975 ft) skyscraper located in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne. The observation deck, the Eureka Skydeck, occupies the entire … Read more

Old Melbourne Gaol

Last week, we visited the Old Melbourne Gaol, a museum and former prison. For my American readers, gaol is a British variant spelling of jail. They’re pronounced the same. The building of the Old Melbourne Gaol began in 1841 and expanded following the discovery of gold in Victory, which led to rapid growth in population … Read more

Federation Square

We went to Federation Square yesterday. This is one of my favourite new places! Fed Square, as it’s more commonly known, is a large civic and cultural centre that serves as Melbourne’s public square. It’s located at the intersection of Flinders Street and Swanston Street/St Kilda Road. Adjacent to Flinders Street railway station and across from … Read more

Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium

I took my first trip to “the city” and visited the Melbourne Aquarium. We live in the middle northern suburbs and took a 30-minute train ride to Flinders Street Station. I was surprised to see how busy the area is; the suburbs are so quiet. We walked a few blocks, stopping in a Turkish cafe for … Read more