N9 in Straya Series: GREAT OCEAN ROAD – A Day Trip To The World’s Largest War Memorial

Over the last few weeks, I started sharing with you some details about our Melbourne, Australia Trip last April 2019. I’ve posted about the parks, gardens & heritage sites we visited, the hipster laneways, communal spaces & modern areas we walked through & the famous bathing boxes we went to. I also gave you some insights about Flinders Backpackers Melbourne, the extremely popular & affordable accommodation we booked for 7 nights while in the city. Today, I will share with you 1 of the 3 day trips we took during our trip – that is the Great Ocean Road Tour.

The Great Ocean Road

Twelve Apostles in Port Campbell National Park – the highlight of the Great Ocean Road day tour..

The Great Ocean Road is a 243-kilometer road along the southeastern cost of the Victorian State. This long road stretch was built from 1919-1932 by the returning soldiers for those killed during the World War I. This road is listed in the Australian National Heritage & is also the world’s largest war memorial. Today, the Great Ocean Road is one of Melbourne’s most famous day trips outside the city.

Day Tour Booking

We booked our 1 day Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles Tour with Sightseeing Australia. It’s the same agency where we booked our Hunter Valley Wine Tour in Sydney last year. The agency then endorsed us to another tour company called Wildlife Tours Australia.

The day tour cost us AUD 105 per person. It includes all pick-up & drop off at selected places, morning snack, park entrance fees, wildlife viewing & a friendly & informative bus driver / tour guide. Lunch meals were not included.

Itinerary

Allow me to share with you our day trip itinerary. The tour bus picked us up (you can choose your pick-up station upon booking) at St Paul’s Cathedral, corner of Swanston St & Flinders St at 7:15 in the morning & dropped us off at around 8:00 in the evening. The tour usually lasts 12 hours; may even take longer depending on traffic.

MORNING TEA

We’re one happy group of friends – done with morning tea & all set to explore Great Ocean Road.

We drove for a few hours away from the Melbourne CBD & stopped in a park / public open space for 30 minutes & had morning tea. Our driver / guide brought us some cookies, coffee & tea for snacks.

GREAT OCEAN ROAD MEMORIAL ARCH

We continued the journey & stopped at the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch. This arch marked the original start of the 243-kilometer war memorial. We stopped here photos.

EASTERN VIEW BEACH

A few meters from the memorial arch is a pristine beach in Eastern View, Victoria. We took some time to walk around the nice beach & got some amazing photos.

WYE RIVER COASTAL RESERVE

We went on for about 30 minutes until we reached the Wye River Coastal Reserve. It is a reserve where we saw wild koalas. The reserve had a caravan park in it & the Great Ocean Road beach was just at the other side of the road. We also stopped by a lookout which gave stunning views of the Victorian coast.

APOLLO BAY LUNCH

Next stop, lunch! We headed to the coastal town of Apollo Bay to have lunch for 45 minutes. We went into this local restaurant & ordered food. I got the Aussie staple food – fish & chips! The meal prices were higher than the usual, maybe because it is a popular stopover area.

OTWAY RANGES RAIN FOREST

After lunch, we went away from the coast & headed to the Otway Ranges Rain Forest, still on the Great Ocean Road. We took a guided walk through the rain forest, among the ancient Eucalyptus trees & cool forest scenery.

TWELVE APOSTLES

From the rain forest, we drove for an hour to reach Port Campbell National Park, also known as the Twelve Apostles. It is Melbourne’s & one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. The Twelve Apostles is a collection of limestone stacks off the shore. These landmarks were formed by erosion & natural occurrences. If I remember it right, only 7 or 8 of the original 12 can be seen from the view deck. This part of the tour was the highlight of this day trip. Too bad the skies were not clear during our visit. Nonetheless, the views from the boardwalks were stunning.

LOCH ARD GEORGE

Loch Ard George is located a few minutes away from the Twelve Apostles. This place is famous of its beautiful limestone cliffs as well as the famous shipwreck site of Loch Ard.

GIBSON STEPS

The final stop of this Great Ocean Road day tour was a brief stop at the Gibson Steps. We were given a few minutes to go down & have a final walk at the Great Ocean Road beach.

From there, we started our trip back to Melbourne. It took us about 3 hours before we reached our final stop, St Paul’s Cathedral. Overall, it was a long but a great day tour. The views were stunning & one-of-a-kind. It’s a unique place to visit in Melbourne & in Australia, something one should not miss when visiting the city / state. I recommend taking a tour through this agency because doing it your own could be too tiring. I won’t mind doing it again in case I fly back to Melbourne.


(L-R) Me, Leng, Shane & Lord at Twelve Apostles in Port Campbell, VIC. Photo courtesy of Shane.

Have you been to the Great Ocean Road? Which was your favorite spot? Was the weather nice & clear during your visit to the Twelve Apostles? I hope the weather will be perfect in my next visit as I’m surely going to be back. Share your experiences in the comment section below. Do you have any questions about the Great Ocean Road or Melbourne in general? Feel free to post them below or e-mail them to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll answer as soon as possible. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – FacebookInstagram or Twitter.

Before I forget, I want to let you know that it’s been a year since I first went to Australia with my friends. We explored Sydney for a few days & I flew to Brisbane for 3 days to spend some time with my relatives. Check out the Sydney & Brisbane blog list below to know more about my Australia previous trip.

Tuesday Tip: 6 Steps On How To Apply For An Australian Tourist Visa
N9 In Straya Series: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City
N9 In Straya Series: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours
N9 In Straya Series – BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches + BOUNCE SYDNEY HOSTEL Tribute
N9 In Straya Series: HUNTER VALLEY Day Tour – Australian Wine Tasting At Its Finest
N9 In Straya Series: SCENIC WORLD BLUE MOUNTAINS – Nature & Adventure In One Place
N9 In Straya Series: BRISBANE Weekend – Quality Family Time In QLD
Hostel Of The Day: THE POD SYDNEY – Minimalist & Contemporary Hostel In The Middle Of A Busy City

Thanks for joining me today.. Until the next Melbourne post! ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

TAICHUNG Photo Blog: Picturesque Places Outside Taipei

3 weeks ago, I shared with you a flight report on how our EVA Air flight from Taipei to Manila went last June. I mentioned in the post that my family went on a 4-day trip to Taipei to celebrate Father’s Day. I know I haven’t posted any detail about our whereabouts in Taipei but allow me to show you the details (& photos) of our 1st day in Taiwan. After arriving at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, we rushed to our accommodation & left our bags. We immediately boarded the car to Taichung. Let me show to you which picturesque places we went to in this short day trip to the city.

TAichung city

Houli Flower Farm – one of Taichung’s top tourist attractions.. Such a beautiful place to visit!! 🙂

Taichung City is an industrial city located in central Taiwan. It is located 2 hours by land from Taipei, also 2 hours by train via the TRA (Taipei Railways Administration) train & about an hour by train via Taiwan High Speed Rail. The city has gained a lot of attention from international tourists because of its unique & picturesque spots. It is in fact a famous day trip taken by people outside Taipei.

day trip around taichung

The fastest (but also the most expensive) way to go to Taichung from Taiwan is via the high speed rail. The most affordable (& slow) way to reach the city is via the TRA rail. We were travelling with a 2-year old kid & we thought taking these trains will be very inconvenient. Going around Taichung on our own is also a different story.

What a picturesque scenery in Green Fantasy Forest – a relatively unknown Taichung spot! 🙂 🙂

We opted on renting a car (with driver) that will take us to Taichung (from Taipei), bring us around selected places & drive us back to Taipei. I searched the internet & found Albert Corrales of ACWorx Tours Taiwan. I arranged the transportation & itinerary with him & bargained for an affordable day tour rate. While Taichung has a long list of places to visit, Albert recommended that we only choose 3 so that we can make use of all our time in these places. We chose to visit the Green Fantasy Forest, Houli Flower Farm (of course) & the Rainbow Village.

The whole Taichung day trip took us about 10 hours. We arrived back in Taipei before dinner time. The package included all parking & driver fees. It didn’t include entrance fees (which we paid on the specific places) & lunch. In case you’re interested in the services of ACWorx Tours Taiwan, feel free to send them a message on Facebook or message Sir Albert on Viber at +886903021282.

Allow me to share with you some of the photos I took during this day trip.

GREEN FANTASY FOREST

Entrance fee: 300 NTD per person

HOULI FLOWER FARM

Entrance fee including 2-hour BBQ lunch buffet: 350 NTD per person

Our visit to the Houli Flower Farm started with a buffet barbecue lunch – ahhhh so gooooood! 🙂

RAINBOW VILLAGE

Entrance: Free of charge


We may only been to 3 places in Taichung but we definitely enjoyed our time in these selected spots. We made the most of every place without thinking of making it to the next spot. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Sir Albert of ACWorx Tours Taiwan for arranging our transportation & driver for this trip & for the safe day trip.

Have you been to Taichung? What do you think of the Green Fantasy Forest, Houli Flower Farm & the Rainbow Village? Which is your favorite spot? I find the flower farm to be just alright. The Rainbow Village was too crowded. Will I go back? I don’t know – maybe to the other spots in the city! You have anything to say or share? Make sure to utilize the comments section below. You can also send your thoughts directly to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – FacebookInstagram or Twitter.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

N9 In Straya Series: BRIGHTON BATHING BOXES – Iconic & Photogenic Bathing Boxes Found In A Coastal Melbourne Suburb

Over the last few weeks, I shared with you some details of our walk-a-thon around the City of Melbourne. I talked about the places we’ve been to in the city, mostly parks & gardens, heritage sites, hipster laneways & communal spaces. Melbourne is such a walk-able city – most of the places to visit can be reached by foot. I mentioned in one of my previous posts that my friends & I also went on day trips outside the city to see what the Victorian state has to offer.

One of the day trips, or should I stay half day trips, we took is a morning at the Brighton Bathing Boxes site. The iconic Brighton Bathing Boxes are located in Dendy Street Beach in Brighton, Victoria. These boxes played an important role in the seaside bathing culture in Melbourne in the 1900’s. Out of the thousands of bathing boxes present in the costs, only 82 of them remain. All these 82 bathing boxes are found at the Dendy Street Beach. Up to now, these boxes are licensed by the local government council as bathing boxes; although some of them are no longer functional.

The Brighton Bathing Boxes have become a popular tourist attraction outside Melbourne. Visitors flock to this site to see & have a photo with the colorful & uniquely-designed boxes. These boxes sport the intricate Victorian architecture with its original wooden materials. A photo with the bathing boxes is perfect for your next Instagram post or your Facebook profile photo. This place may be out of the way, but it’s definitely worth the visit.

Planning to visit Australia soon? Getting a tourist visa is easy as 6 steps. Check out my post on how you can get your visa to Australia.

Access

Going to the Brighton Bathing Boxes is very easy. From Flinders Street Station, take the Sandringham Line to Sandringham. Get off at Middle Brighton Station & walk for about 15 minutes to Dendy Street Beach. The boxes are located on this beach. Take note that the nearest station to the bathing boxes is Middle Brighton Station & not Brighton Station.

The Sandringham Line was under repair / redevelopment during our visit. Public Transport Victoria provided free bus rides to Sandringham from the Parliament Station. These buses stop at every station on the Sandringham Line. We rode these free buses to Brighton & back to the city. It also helped us save some cash. Make sure to check the Public Transport Victoria website for service interruptions / maintenance.

Looking for a place to stay in Melbourne? Check out Flinders Backpackers. This hostel is affordable & has a great vibe. Know more details about the hostel by clicking this link.

Brighton Bathing Boxes

The 82 Brighton Bathing Boxes are positioned as one line on Dendy Street Beach. Visitors have 82 boxes to choose from for their best photo. We went there around 10-11 in the morning on a public holiday & oh boy, there were a lot of people. There were only a number of people swimming in the beach due to the relatively cold but sunny weather.

Brighton Beach

My friends & I decided to check out Brighton Beach since we were already in the area. Brighton Beach is about 15-20 minutes walk (about 1.2 kilometers) away from the bathing boxes site on Dendy Street Beach. Brighton Beach was quiet compared to the bathing boxes site. There were close to no one swimming because of the cold winds. We took the ride back to the city from Brighton Station.


This sums up our brief morning visit to Brighton & the Bathing Boxes site. Is this place worth going? Definitely. Will I visit the place again when I fly back to Melbourne? I don’t know. Seeing the boxes for the first time is great & that’s it. There’s nothing else to see in the area.

Have you been to the Brighton Bathing Boxes? What is your favorite bathing box? Were there a lot of people during your visit? Share your experiences & trips in the comment section below & let’s engage in a discussion. Do you have any questions about Melbourne & Brighton in general? You can also post them in the comments below or send it to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – FacebookInstagram or Twitter.

Thank you for taking your time to read my post. Watch out for my upcoming stories about our Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island & Yarra Valley Wine Tasting Tours. It should be posted on this website soon!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 2 – Hipster Laneways, Communal Spaces & Modern Areas

Last month, I revived the N9 In Straya Series & started talking about our 8 days & 7 nights adventure in Melbourne last April. First, I shared with you the list of parks, gardens & heritage places we visited during the trip. I also gave you some details about Flinders Backpackers, our cheap but super cool hostel in downtown Melbourne. I still have a lot about Melbourne to share & allow me to share some with you today. Let me talk about the laneways, communal spaces & modern areas we visited during the trip.

Note: As mentioned in the previous blog, tram rides within Melbourne CBD are free of charge. Also, the city is very accessible by foot.

Melbourne is known for its hipster laneways, coffee shops & everything artsy. I may not be a coffee-drinker but this city is full of small artsy shops offering special coffee, avocado toasts & pastries. My friends didn’t go to many coffee shops (we went to milk tea shops instead lol) but surely went to some of these laneways & alleys. Let me share with you some of these places below.

DEGREAVES STREET

Degreaves Street is a short pedestrian street that connects Flinders St & Flinders Lane. It is a famous place to eat a hearty brunch, get your morning coffee, avail your afternoon snack or buy your evening dessert. This vibrant street has become a famous go-to places for both locals & tourists. You’ll often see shops / stalls having random queues for something cheap, hippie or artsy.

HOSIER LANE

Hosier Lane is Melbourne’s famous graffiti street. This short lane is full of random & sophisticated street arts. International & local artists put on graffiti in the walls about anything & everything about the world. There are some iconic arts, some controversial while most of them are just random ones. These street arts or murals are not as organized as that of Penang‘s but they give a different experience whilst walking along the paved way.

FEDERATION SQUARE

Federation Square is a one-of-a-kind cultural precinct located opposite Flinders Station. This communal space is a venue for cultural events, arts & world-class activities. It also has bars & restaurants, making it a perfect place to just hang out & chill.

CHINATOWN

Just like any other city around the world, Melbourne has its own local Chinatown. It is in this place where you will have your rice fix (I know – very Asian). It’s also the place to have cheap food & souvenirs. We had our 1st lunch in the famous Shanghai Street Chinese Restaurant – cheap & good Chinese food.

COLLINS PLACE

Melbourne has a lot of modern & intricately-designed retail & commercial buildings. One of these buildings is Collins Place. This commercial complex was designed & built way back in the 1970’s & up to now, still embodies the true Melbourne character. The structures are unique & are well-maintained. It’s also a good place to meet with friends for random eats & drinks.

MELBOURNE CENTRAL

Melbourne Central is a massive commercial, retail & transport hub in the city. It has hundreds of specialty stores, bars & restaurants which makes it the best place to go out with friends. You can find both local & international clothing, footwear & accessories brands here. It’s also the best place to shop in Melbourne. This complex is located in the heart of the city in the corner of La Trobe & Swanston Streets.

YARRA RIVER

Yarra River is a body of water that originates from the Yarra Ranges & runs through the Melbourne Business District. This river played a very important role in the daily lives of the early city inhabitants. It made the lives of those living in the upper areas easier to transport everything to & from the city. Now, the city-part of the river serves a tourist destination, giving the visitors a perfect view of the Melbourne skyline. A walk by the banks of the Yarra River is a perfect way to start or end your day in the city.

SOUTHBANK

Southbank is a booming urban neighborhood located in the south of the Yarra River. It now an area of tall commercial & residential buildings. Southbank currently has Melbourne’s tallest observation deck in Eureka Tower. A 100-storey building in Southbank is currently under construction & will be Australia’s tallest building by roof height in a few years. The area of Southbank by the Yarra River is also a great place to have a morning or night stroll. It’s also the perfect place to have a pint of beer with friends overlooking the city skyline.

VICTORIA HARBOUR

Victoria Harbour is the Docklands precinct where Collins & Bourke Streets meet. This picturesque harbour has a stunning & relaxing view of Docklands, Marvel Stadium, Newquay & some parts of West Melbourne. Please do not compare this with Sydney Harbour because this place is way behind the famous New South Wales harbour.

SOUTHERN CROSS RAILWAY STATION

Southern Cross Railway Station in Docklands is Victoria’s major transport hub that links Melbourne to regional Victorian cities & even other Australian states like New South Wales & South Australia. This station is the main hub of Skybus – the only bus transport service that operates between the city & Melbourne Tullamarine & Avalon Airports. The station also serves as the departure & arrival points of interstate buses. The station is also connected to the city loop making it easier to transfer to Melbourne’s other railway hub – Flinders Street Railway Station.


This pretty much sums up all the interesting places we’ve been to within the City of Melbourne. However, the adventure didn’t stop there. My friends & I booked 3 well-recommended day trips to the countryside which you will know more about in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

View from the 66th Floor of Light House Melbourne – a beautiful skyscaper in Melbourne CBD

Have you walked around the Melbourne central business district in the past? How was your experience? What was your favorite spot in the city? Share some details in the comments section below. If you have anything to ask or share to me, feel free to send an e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – FacebookInstagram or Twitter.

Thanks for your time & see you in the next Melbourne post. ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 1 – Parks, Gardens & Heritage Sites

Last August 2018, I went to Australia for a week-long trip with my N9 friends, Shane & Leng. We spent days around Sydney’s heritage sites & country icons, tried the extreme rides in Scenic World Blue Mountains, toured Hunter Valley & had a taste of the best wines in the region & walked along the beautiful Bondi & Coogee Beaches. I also had the chance to spend a few days with my relatives in Brisbane. It was the perfect dry winter trip, away from the humid & rainy Manila.

We all got multiple entry visas on our 1st application (find out here how we did it) & we agreed to fly to Australia again before our visas expire. Fast forward to April 2019, we all flew back to Australia for another week of adventure.. But this time, in Melbourne! Yes, we went around Melbourne & Victoria in general for 8 days & oh boy, we had a great time. I cannot wait to share everything in this platform. This trip to Melbourne also means I’ll be reviving the N9 In Straya Series which started last year.

We were joined by my good friend, Lord of LordAroundTheWorld, for the first 4 days in Melbourne. Lord was the one who invited me to go to Its The Ship 2018 last November. We had the best party nights on board a cruise ship – good times. Anyway, I will be dividing the trip write-ups into 6 or 7 sections & I’ll try to remember as much details as I can.

FLIGHTS

Last year, I paid around ₱11,500 all-in for a return ticket to Australia. Yes, that cheap! We flew with Cebu Pacific Air, a low-cost carrier, for 8-hour trips to & from Sydney. The experience was alright, though nothing beats flying with a full-service airline. Given our planned dates fall on the high (Holy Week) season, we decided to fly with the same airline in their Melbourne route.

This time, I paid around ₱15,000 for a round-trip ticket to Melbourne, Australia. The ticket only included shared baggage with my friends, no in-flight entertainment or food. Both flights were on time which were good. However, the experience was terrible. The flight was full, we had no space to change seats & have a row of seats to ourselves. The cabin was noisy in general & the service was a bit slow. The crew were fantastic, there were just around 400+ passengers on board.

This Melbourne ticket is amazingly cheap considering higher fuel prices & taxes. I’d still take the same flights but not during peak seasons.

ACCOMMODATION

My friends & I stayed in Flinders Backpackers in the center of Melbourne. We got a 3-bed dormitory room (perfect for us 3 – Lord got his own bed in another dormitory room) for 8 days & 7 nights. I will talk more about the hostel, its location & our experience in my upcoming hostel of the day feature. Watch out for that.

WALKING AROUND MELBOURNE

Last year, my friends & I joined the I’m Free Tours in Sydney & we had a nice experience. We opted not to take the I’m Free Tours Melbourne because we already know about the history of Australia. It would’ve been nice to know more about Melbourne in that walking tour but my friends didn’t want to take it again. Instead, we explored the city on our own. Trams are free within the central business district plus everything in the area can be reached by foot. Today, allow me to share with you the list of heritage & historical sites, parks & gardens we went to in the city.

Flinders Street Station

Flinders Street Station is Melbourne’s main train station. It was built in the 1850s & then transform into what it is now in the early 1900s. It is Australia’s first railway station. The station serves the whole Victorian metropolitan network. Flinders Street Station also has one of the world’s longest train platform at 708 m long.

St Paul’s Cathedral

Located opposite Flinders Station & Federation Square, St Paul’s Cathedral is another heritage structure built in the late 1800’s. It is an Anglican cathedral in Melbourne, the cathedral church of the Diocese of Melbourne & the seat of the Anglican Primate of Australia.

Royal Exhibition Building

Royal Exhibition Building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Carlton Gardens, Victoria. It was built in the late 1800’s & has been used for events & exhibitions in the city. Up to now, the place is used for those types of functions. Note that this building is undergoing a multi-million renovation & is expected to be completed by 2020.

Carlton Gardens

Carlton Gardens is a 26-hectare site located a few streets from the main city. This massive open space has the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Museum & IMAX Cinema in it. Just like the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton Gardens was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial that is dedicated to all Victorians who served in the war, particularly during the World War 1. The shrine is located outside the Central Business District, but is only a few tram stops from Flinders Street Station.

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne is a 36-hectare botanic garden located at the south of the Yarra River. This botanic garden is home to thousands of plant species located along slopes, garden beds, lakes & lawns. This botanic garden serves as a breakout space & a bonding place for people who wanted to take a break from the busy city life. Entry to the garden is free of charge.

Fitzroy Gardens

Fitzroy Gardens is another 26-hectare block of greens at the back of the Parliament Square. This massive parkland is another park that is located within the Melbourne CBD. The Cook’s Cottage can also be found in this park.

Parliament House of Victoria

The Parliament House of Victoria is the house or meeting building of the Victorian Parliament. This historical & heritage landmark is located along Spring Street, beside the Old Treasury Building. The building was under renovation during our visit last April.

Old Treasury Building

From the name itself, the Old Treasury Building used to house the Treasury Department of the Government of Victoria. This old but beautiful building has then been transformed into a museum of Melbourne History.

St Patrick’s Cathedral

St Patrick’s Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. It is also the seat of the Archbishop of Melbourne. The church was built in the 1850s but took a while to be completed. The cathedral is located in Cathedral Place, right at the back of the Parliament Building.

Old Melbourne Gaol

The Old Melbourne Gaol used to be a prison that held the country’s notorious criminals. It also had records of people being executed & hanged. It stopped operating as a prison after the world war & has then become a museum. Entrance fee to the museum is at AUD 28 per person, quite expensive to be honest. My friends & I decided not to go inside because it was out of our budget.

Queen Victoria Market

Queen Victoria Market, locally known as the QVM, is one of Victoria’s famous landmarks. It is an open air market that serves as the main trading hall for Victorians & for visitors. We visited the QVM on a Wednesday night & it was also the 2nd night of the Europa Night Market. This night market showcased different food, delicacies & drinks from selected European countries.

State Library of Victoria

The State Library of Victoria is the state’s central library. Built in the 1850s, it is Australia’s oldest public library & at the same time world’s first free libraries in the world. The library has various reading & collections room where locals & visitors can have a look. I’ve been to this library twice last April, 1st one with Lord & the 2nd time with my N9 friends. This is by far one of my favorite places in Melbourne. The view from the topmost floor of The Dome is just stunning.


This ends the list of parks, gardens & heritage sites we’ve been to in Melbourne. I’m sure we’ve been to more but I can’t remember the other ones. Melbourne is such a nice city. Its buildings are combinations of heritage listed brick ones & modern & contemporary ones. Its one of those cities where you won’t get tired of walking around.

Have you been to Melbourne in the past? What is the most interesting building you’ve been to? How was your visit? Feel free to send your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about the matters above? You can also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – FacebookInstagram or Twitter.

Watch out for more Melbourne content in the future! Thank you for reading.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.