Melbourne, 12 Apostoles and Ballarat

Have you been working and studying really hard for the last couple of months and you have no holiday in sight? Do you fancy having a short break just to escape your rat race? All right. I would like to share my own experience with you and give you some brief hints and ideas about where to go and what to see in and around Melbourne in Victoria on the South. The distance between Sydney and Melbourne is around 1000 km so I assume that the best way of getting there is to catch a plane.  There are a lot of good bargains at Flight Center for return flight ticket prices ranging from $140 to $180 per person flying with Virgin Blue.

That is how friend of mine and me flew to Melbourne on one early Saturday morning. Take some extra jumper with you because Melbourne is much further down the South and it is really colder there. It took us about 70 minutes to get there. From Melbourne airport you can get to the City either by bus or by Taxi or you can even rent a car straight at the airport. If you fly with Virgin Blue go to see one of gorgeous girls at Europcar rentals because they have special deal together so you can get good discount. We chose the second option and at about 9a.m. we already were in YHA hostel, which is situated in North Melbourne close to popular Queen Victoria Market. Before you leave the airport grab some leaflets and vouchers for sightseeing from Information Center.

                It was quite early to check in for our booked room so we left our luggage in very handy lockers and after light breakfast in the café of the hostel we left for a walk to the City. We bought some delicious and very cheap fruits on the way on above-mentioned Queen Victoria Market. It might seem that Melbourne is modern city but there is still a lot of historic buildings that you can admire but you have to find them. There is a map where is highlighted the route of all historic buildings you can see. It is multicultural city with over 3000 restaurants serving more than 70 national cuisines. It is usually described as the liveliest city in Australia. Melbourne hosts many festivals and events throughout the year, a vibrant nightlife, the cafés, shopping, art galleries and parks and gardens. For the best panoramic view of Melbourne I suggest you visiting the Rialto Tower Observation Deck, which is with its 252 m the tallest office building in the Southern Hemisphere.  Other suggested places which are worth of visit are: Fitzroy Gardens, Royal Melbourne ZOO, Parliament House, Arts Center, Melbourne Aquarium, Formula One Track, etc.

After spending all day wandering around in the City we were really tired and looked forward to getting to the hostel to get proper rest. The YHA hostel in North Melbourne to me is the best and most High Tech hostel I have ever stayed in. It is located in quiet area and has a great facilities such as free bicycle use, 24-hour guest kitchen and laundry, video/TVs, lockers, free car parking, swimming passes, foreign currency exchange, mail holding service, internet lounge, information center and BBQ area situated on the roof of 4 floor building with enjoyable view at the City. The thing that I liked very much was having an entry card instead of carrying sharp room key in my pocket.  For more info about YHA hostels all over Australia please log on www.yha.com.au

The next morning after well-deserved sleep we went to Europcar rentals where we rented Volkswagen Golf and set off for Great Ocean Road in direction for Geelong via Freeway.

The Great Ocean Road works its way along the stunning coastline of Victoria's Southwest is recognized as one of the world's most scenic drives and stretches for over 300 kilometers, from Torquay, just south of Geelong, to Warrnambool. For most of the distance the road hugs the coastline.

The mighty Twelve Apostles are world-recognized icons of the Great Ocean Road. These giant rock stacks soar from the swirling waters of the Southern Ocean and are a central feature of the spectacular Port Campbell National Park that extends from Princetown to Peterborough.

The dramatic and imposing limestone cliffs that are the backdrop to the Apostles tower up to 70 meters, while the tallest of the rock stacks is around 45 meters high.

The Apostles had their beginnings up to 20 million years ago with the forces of nature attacking the soft limestone of the Port Campbell cliffs. The limestone was created through the build up of skeletons of marine creatures on the sea floor. As the sea retreated, the limestone was exposed. The relentless, stormy Southern Ocean and blasting winds gradually eroded the softer limestone, forming caves in the cliffs. The caves eventually became arches and when they collapsed, rock islands up to 45 meters high were left isolated from the shore.

This has created the 12 Apostles and a host of other stunning natural features along this truly remarkable stretch of coastline. Among them are Pudding Basin Rock, Island Arch, the Razorback, Mutton bird Island, Thunder Cave, the Blowhole, Bakers Oven, London Bridge and the Grotto.

Extensive boardwalks and viewing platforms ensure visitors experience sweeping, awe-inspiring vistas.

There is really good and convenient opportunity to see The Apostles by bird-eye view and enjoy 10, 15 or 20 minutes flight by helicopter. You can take-off from nearby airfield, which is close to the Twelve Apostles car park.

Just before 7p.m. we arrived in Port Campbell, checked in at YHA and went to close Nicko`s Pizza for dinner where we were offered 10% discount as a guests of local YHA hostel. Next morning it was the time to go little bit more in inland direction. We decided to visit historic golden city of Ballarat.   

Imagine going back over a century to Victoria's gold rush days and reliving the history and excitement of the era. You can at Sovereign Hill - Australia's foremost outdoor museum! Built on a 25 hectare (60 acre) site linked with the richest alluvial gold rush in the world, Sovereign Hill faithfully depicts Ballarat's first ten years after the discovery of gold in 1851.

The Sovereign Quartz Mine (c 1880) extends this period to include some of the innovations of the mining industry in their search for gold. It's where Australia's history comes to life! 

What to expect?

• A goldfields township set over 60 acres on the site of the world's richest alluvial gold mine
• Over 60 buildings throughout the township to explore
• More than 40 horses working in the township
• See craftsmen at work in traditional 1850's trades
• Go underground in the Red Hill and Quartz Mines
• Marvel at $50,000 AUS of liquid gold being poured
• See demonstrations and street activations every day

You can start your adventure in the Diggings, where you can pan in the creek for REAL gold or discover the underground world of the miners in the Red Hill Mine and Quartz Mine - both open for visitors.

There are over 60 buildings throughout Sovereign Hill; all known to have existed in 1850s Australia and all recreated as historically accurate as possible. At Sovereign Hill, you'll experience life as it was in the 1850s. It's just like stepping back in time.

Just opposite Sovereign Hill city you can find the Gold Museum where you can discover the beauty and power of gold through one of Australia's most impressive presentations. The Gold Museum houses an extensive and valuable collection of gold nuggets, alluvial deposits, gold ornaments and coins, featuring the renowned Jessica and Paul Simon collection of gold coins.

You can catch a glimpse of Ballarat's fascinating history and marvel at the struggles of early miners, desperate to strike it rich.

In Ballarat we finished our 3-day trip and drove back to Melbourne to stay over night in the same hostel as the night before. We had nice barbecue dinner with a glass of champagne on the roof. In the morning we rushed to the airport to return the car and flew back to Sydney. As I look back in time I had really great time and enjoyed the trip very much. I look forward to another one and recommend you do the same and reward yourselves. Australia is beautiful place for travelers and holidaymakers.

Rado