17th - 19th - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

We were picked up from the hotel in Sydney late morning and arrived at the airport for our domestic flight to Melbourne.  After sorting out the weight and luggage issues at check in we made our way to the gate where we had our first inkling of something special going on in Melbourne.  The flight was delayed by an hour due to the late arrival of the incoming plane and when we stood waiting for our bags we had another sign of something different.

Our hotel was on the waterfront and after checking in we headed out to explore the city.  That was when the penny finally dropped.  Taylor Swift was in town for here Eras tour, today, Saturday, was the second day and there were women of all ages dressed in sequins, cowboy boots and hats.  They were streaming along the riverside all heading towards the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a huge stadium that tonight would have 96,000 screaming females in attendance.

There was one incident that sticks out, two older women trying to ride an electric scooter while completely drunk, the scooter took off with out them and crashed, fortunately, into a post.

We walked around the city before returning to the waterside, the first day in a city is one where you have no idea where you are or where to go.  We went back to the hotel, changed and went to a Japanese Restaurant not far from the hotel and sat in the sun and watched the women streaming to the MCG.

After dinner we returned to the hotel and sat on the balcony and watched the sun set on the city, while Taylor rocked the MCG.

The following morning we were up and walked a little more confidently around the CBD before picking up a river tour.  This started off going upstream of the River Yarra as far as was navigable.  Heading out we passed the Rod Laver Stadium, home of the Australian Tennis Open in January, and of course the MCG.  There was not a lot of interest on this section, but things picked up as we turned and made our way downstream back to the city.

Going under one of many of the low bridges.

We went as far as the Victoria Dock, then turned around and came back.  It was a beautiful day and the buildings were reflecting all around them in the sunshine.

Our hotel is the building on the left hand side.

Leaving the cruise we decided to walk along the boardwalk back to some of the areas we had seen.  It was hot, so once again we sort out the cool of an air conditioned shopping mall.  We had a drink and a snack in a bar alongside the river, taking in the wonderful blue sky.

Walking back great views of the city, the bridges and the river.

Flinder's Street station another example of railway station architecture.

We walked around the city again encountering even more Swifties in bars and restaurants, when we came back to the river we had a great view of the MCG and the crowds were already streaming towards the stadium.

We ate a little later, again alongside the river and then retired. 

Monday morning dawned a little quieter, girls pulled cases along the streets, but without the energy and enthusiasm of the previous two days.  We decided to walk alongside the river, heading to the Botanical Gardens.  Australian Wood Duck were on the grass by the river along with Pacific Duck..

The calls of Cockatoos in the trees had us stop.  These were Little Corella a smaller Cockatoo with a distinctive blue eye ring and pink around the bill, they had a crest, but this was white and not that pronounced.

They use their feet like a hand, prehensile feet?

Al ittle further on they were grazing on the ground very similar to we had seen the Sulpher-crested Cockatoos had been doing in Sydney, this one though was rolling over and over as it tussled with a stick.

A nice poss in a nearby Euclayptus.

We walked through Kings Park and came across more Corellas, but this time slightly larger with red markings on the foreheads and on the neck like a cut throat.  These were Long-billed Corellas.

There was a ceremony going on at the shrine of remembrance and as we passed we could here an Australian song about a disaster somewhere, and the words that stood out were "As the plane took off, it was blown to smithereens right in front of our bloody eyes".  Typically Australian.

We entered the gardens and walked around the many paths.  In a shady dark area I spotted a bird buzzing around the trees and bushes.  It was difficult to get on to, with the branches in the way.  This was the best I could do, enough to identify it though, an Eastern Spinebill.

There were a lot of small birds in the trees, very hard to get on with the camera, the only ones I could definitely identify was a Brown Thornbill.

At the centre of the gardens there is a large lake, big enough to have boat trips on it.  A Little Pied Cormorant was fishing in the middle.

A black Swan that I could now tick.

This Monarch appeared around the water, a spectacular butterfly.

Lotus in flower around the edge of the water.

Another Glorious day in Melbourne and another green space in the middle of the city.

We had decided to leave but as we set off I saw something in the water, as it raised it's head I could see it was an Australian Darter.  The snake like head characteristically held up right as it swam with the body under water.

And then another bonus, an Australian Grebe, that looks a lot like out Little Grebe, but with a longer neck and overall larger.  

The eye is also very obvious.

One more look at the wonderful gardens and lake.

From the gardens we made our way back to the riverfront and then decided to find the car hire garage where tomorrow morning I would pick up a car for the next stage, a drive to Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road.

After finding Avis we returned to the hotel and then dinner once again in the Japanese restaurant and after that packing once again.  I am becoming sick of those suitcases.