Melbourne, the misnamed island and Adelaide

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Melbourne was almost Batmania, the name suggested by it’s founder John Batman. The site he declared was “a good place for a village.” Thankfully saner (or more politically astute) minds prevailed and it was called Melbourne after the prime minister of the time.



One of the first major industries was confectionery, MacRobertson’s Steam Confectionery Works developed and produced the crunchie and freddo bars in the 1920’s. Products taken over when Cadbury’s bought the company in 1967.



Another proud first was the installation of the first traffic lights in Australia to ‘solve’ the problem of traffic,and pedestrian congestion. They went in at the junction of Flinders And Swanson Streets, still a major junction and still pretty congested. But given they were only installed in 1928 I suppose it is early days yet.



Well we took the shuttle bus into town and we’re on the hunt for several items that we need. The main shopping area is a nice mixture of large wide roads with the usual range of shops and much smaller darker alleyways where the artisan eateries impinge on the pedestrianised roadway. In these side streets the impression is more of little Italy, much like parts of Naples we have seen. Quaint, shadowy and with a faint feeling of decay.



Melbourne is a nice place, make no mistake, but it seems to have more homeless street people than other Australian cities, although perhaps they are just more visible. As with the other cities most shops have one or two uniformed security staff. All this hints at a slightly less idealised society. In fact more like any large city anywhere in the world. Very nice parts and other parts you may want to avoid.



Anyway, we get what we need, it is a little hot and I am getting tired so we return to the ship. Once there Ian changes and goes for a run along the sea front. It looks much like Bournemouth, good sandy beaches, a series of small piers, more for fishing from and mooring small watercraft, monuments and cafes. It is all genteel and just the sort of place to take a pleasant mini break.



We return to sea for a single day and then wake up anchored close to Kangaroo Island. It is 110 Km south of Adelaide and is Australia’s third latest island with an area of 4400 km2. It boasts 100 sheep for each of the 4700 residents. (So the Welsh and New Zealanders feel right at home.)



It separated from the mainland 10,000 years ago and the fauna has developed it’s own subtypes. The kangaroos are smaller and darker than the mainland variety, and it had a pigmy emu (until they were all eaten). It is also the home to penguins and various seal species. In 1884 Ligurian Bees from Italy were imported. These insects now form the purest colonies of Ligurian Bees in the world and are famous for the honey they produce. (No I’d not heard of Kangaroo Island Ligurian Bee Honey before either, but it is reassuringly extremely expensive. So no, I’ve still not tasted it either.) The 51 keepers can make 300 tonnes from the 3333 hives in a good year. So understandably about half the island is given over to nature reserves.



We have to tender ashore and the sea looks a little choppy from our view 12 storeys up. About a hundred of us get on board one of the ship’s tenders (which double as lifeboats) and set off. Immediately we clear the shelter of the ship we are on a real rollercoaster ride.screaming passengers as well! The side doors have been left open for air, and sea spray is soon hitting those nearest the openings. The crew shut them but there is now water sloshing around the deck. Ian helps things along by announcing in a suitably grave voice that we are sinking and people shouldn’t panic. He is obviously joking but some people look and sound distinctly unhappy. As we progress to the island the small tender rolls dramatically and sheets of spray engulf the front windscreens. This lasts for about 15 minutes until we get to the small dock. (Where Ian asks, “can we go round again?”)



The trip we wanted to do was over booked so we have to make our own amusement. Thankfully there is a nearby penguin colony. We ask an information guide for directions, only to be told the penguins are nocturnal and currently asleep in their burrows, so so penguins for us.



Never mind we will do the sculpture trail instead. This is a 1.5km walk around the local outback with art installations. We are also told the place is over run by wallabies. We start the walk and sit down at a conveniently located bench to enjoy the air and the beautiful view. (Think white Orkney sands with associated vegetation but balmy breeze and warm.) suddenly we see movement and there is a family of four wallabies. We watch entranced taking pictures. After a few minutes they are startled by some lizards and bound off into the bush. From then on we see multiple family groups (or possibly the same group multiple times), they are wonderfully camouflaged and invisible until they twitch an ear or otherwise move. By now numerous passengers are gazing at the animals and taking pictures. Some of the locals look at us in pity, much as we would about anyone getting excited over seeing a wild rabbit.



Later we make our way to the market the villagers run every time a ship stops. There it the usual crafts available and I get a broach and earrings while Ian buys a belt. We take pictures of a 7 month old orphan kangaroo joey the local animal charity is raising and make a donation.



Then it is back to the dock. The sea looks even more ‘exciting’. The Cunard shore party tell us this is the last tender leaving for a few hours as conditions are worsening and the Captain has ordered a halt. The ride back was even more exciting, the pitching and rolling made me wonder how these little boats would manage in an emergency in a severe storm? (They are very buoyant so I suppose it would just be really unpleasant.) The tender crew are good and we get back safely to the ship, re-embarking is fun with the boat bobbing up and down several feet.



Later that afternoon we watch from the safety of our balcony as they bring off the remainder of the passengers and crew. I swear you can hear squeals and screams from the insides of the tenders from a couple of hundred yards. Much better than any Alton Towers ride!!!



Other than the orphan never saw a kangaroo at all.



The next morning it is Adelaide, the fifth largest Australian city and pronounced one of the top 10 cities in the world on The Economist’s Liveable Cities Index.

Some more facts about Adelaide:



Adelaide is the only capital city in Australia that was not settled by convicts, which has made the locals extremely smug. Established in 1836, the city was a planned capital for free British settlers. A majority of the people had no criminal history, the city was thought to have little crime compared to other areas. As a result, no prison was built for some time. Criminals took advantage of this decreased law enforcement and a prison was added soon after.



Adelaide is a small city, but did you know it only takes 20 minutes to get to any point in the city? Nicknamed the 20-minute city, Adelaide is one of the easiest cities to venture around. Test out the theory for yourself, trust us, everything really is only 20 minutes away!



Throughout history, Adelaide has been at the centre of forward thinking. It was the first city to give women access to vote, recognise Indigenous land rights, as well as criminalise sexual and racial discrimination.



Cunard are running a ‘restricted shuttle bus service’ to the city. As we get off the ship we see hundreds queuing extremely optimistically for one smallish bus. Happily there is the metro station a hundred yards away with a train already there. With more hundreds of passengers and crew we walk to the station. Staff are urging us on, “it leaves in two minutes”. But we don’t have tickets. Buy them on the train we are told. So we all pile on, no where to buy tickets at all.



The ride takes 40 minutes and we arrive at a lovely colonial period railway station. A vast queue forms at the single position where you can buy a ticket in these circumstances and exit through the automated ticket control barriers. A member of staff makes a decision, opens the gates and tells us to “buy a ticket on the way back”. So there we are, a train ride for free. Well not quite, it transpires the ticket to get back applies for a full day unlimited access so in fact your A$11.20 pays for the ride both ways, as well as buses and trams in the city.



We use the tram (regular and quick) to the Botanic Gardens. As with all such gardens they are superbly maintained, restful and restoring to the spirit. At Adelaide they have one of the major rose gardens of the World, 2,700 varieties on show. There is an army of staff and volunteers deadheading and making things look perfect. We watch a stunningly colourful lorikeet feasting on a pear two feet from us. Flying foxes are roosting in a tree

We return to the ship and we have two sea days before Busselton.

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