Today I went into a small bit of the city: hopped off the train at South Yarra, walked to the Shrine, and then up to Flinders St station. I took my camera, I thought I’d share some of the photos of things I’ve found interesting. I have walked up St Kilda road before but never with a camera (I don’t have a smartphone so I have to deliberately take a camera if I want to photograph something).
So this is a pole at my local station. it looks like a lot of train drivers use it as a chewing gum repository. WTF.
The Herbarium, in Melbourne. I had a job interview here in the late 90s (didn’t get the job). On the way out I fell over and landed in a puddle. Bled everywhere from each knee and broke my umbrella handle. It was not my finest hour.
The shrine is a memorial to those who fought and died in the wars on behalf of Australia. I last went there as a child – it was probably in the 1970s. Since then the entire underground area has been transformed into a war museum – I had no idea it was there. Good museum, well laid out. I’m a bit torn on war; there are the wars you have to fight to stop evil and the wars you don’t have to fight. War history is very often related only from the point of view of the men, too: good to see there is at least an effort here to highlight the part women played in the wars.
Mother and country and stuff, epic statues. We guess there is a lot of iron in the stone as lot so the stone has rust marks.
The eternal flame, sucking up that natural gas.
View down St Kilda road, going into the city and up Swanston St. There is I believe legislation to prevent anything blocking the view from the shrine up this way.
The Eureka tower, the tallest building in Melbourne. It’s ugly but I like it – interesting. You can tell it’s a cold winter day, too.
Brown structure is a shrine to some of the forces in the Boer war – have never noticed it before. I used to be a connie on the trams up St Kilda road so I’ve seen it a lot : from a tram window.
You can tell Melbourne is a a very modern city, we have very up to date public transport, Woah there horsie! And the metal corsets around the trees are possum-stoppers. I don’t know if they work and I seriously think they could be painted or decorated to make them look much nicer. There are a lot of possums living around here, it’s right near the botanical gardens. There are possums everywhere, if you go anywhere at night you’ll see them (I’ve got some in the trees in the yard here).
Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop statue – something else I had no idea existed. I just had to look up what he did, I’d heard his name before but not known his history.
A memorial to Victorian Police who were killed in the line of duty. It was pretty incomprehensible in the information it gave. I bet it gets graffitied a lot.
People put soap flakes in this fountain a fair bit at one point. When I used to be a tram conductor it would often be different colours as people would dye it.
The art gallery – went in and wondered yet again why we have so many Burne-Jones but no Rosettis.
Footbridge over the Yarra, taken while I was eating my delicious Grill’d veggie burger at Southbank. I usually get a Mighty Melbourne burger. Good aussie burgers have beetroot in them. I’m sorry, but anyone who doesn’t add beetroot to burgers just doesn’t make a good burger.
Flinders st station – copper dome, with St Pauls behind it. I used to work at Flinders st. I can tell you on the roof just in front of the dome was where all the smokers would go and you’d stand on a thick layer of cigarette ends. It was kind of cool working at FSS.
And my current workplace – the sandy coloured building poking up over the buildings to the left. And a seagull.
The beautiful clear water of the Yarra River.
If you’re a cricket or footy fan – this is the MCG. Or the ‘Gee’. And Princes Bridge.
Flinders St station, ramp leading to platforms 6/7
My Great Grandfather was apparently involved in putting the railings into Flinders St Station.
Train! The journey home begins. Hope you enjoyed my photos!
