The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps
Updated 4 November 2015 Itinerary Overview ☼ Summer in Taiwan ☼ From Taoyuan Airport to Hualien City Day 2: Hualien (Taroko National Park 太魯閣) It’s our day 2 on the grounds of Taiwan! Though I’ve been to Taroko Gorge some years back, it’s never boring to …
▲ Photo Journal | ▲ Hong Kong, Lamma Island I just went to Hong Kong in January 2014. So it never crossed my mind to go to Hong Kong again for my mid-year holiday trip. But! My Cathay Pacific flight to Taiwan allows me to have 1 …
Updated 5 July 2016
Finally Fitzroy! People don’t normally go to Fitzroy on their first Melbourne visit (Here are 11 places for first timers to explore in Melbourne (Part1), (Part 2)). However, I wanted to go to the Haji Lane of Melbourne, except Fitzroy was much bigger than expected.
Fitzroy was planned as Melbourne’s first suburb and after undergoing urban gentrification since the 1950s, it is now a historic preservation precinct. More than that, Fitzroy has retained a creative edge with its art galleries, studios and specialist bookshops, making it a hipster heaven.
We first took the free City Circle Tram and went to tour the Parliament. From there, we walked less than 1 km, about 10 minutes to reach Gertrude Street. Be sure to walk down Gertrude and Brunswick Streets and explore.
Along Gertrude Street, you’ll find bars, restaurants, boutiques, vintage wares, costume hire, cool barber shops and old-school pubs.
For those who love cooking or are simply foodies, there’s a bookshop just for you at 233 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy — ‘Books for Cooks’ (photo below). Otherwise you can also find other bookshops in Fitzroy.
They have prettily curated shops around Fitzroy, from plants to clothing to jewelry. However, not every shop owner was happy with us taking photos of their shops (like the shop in the photo below). Hence try to ask before snapping away!
Fitzroy is a delightful place to hang around, with shops carrying different attractive and quirky offerings. The area is larger than Singapore’s Haji Lane, however the shops are not as packed together. That is, the interesting shops are not next to each other. Hence, it didn’t feel like we saw many shops although we covered a greater distance.
We didn’t plan or research on the place, thinking we could just walk and explore. However, the area is not so straightforward and hence we might have missed out on some corners and shops tucked away. For example, we didn’t see the art street art and galleries as mentioned at www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/Melbourne/Destinations/Fitzroy.
If you are going on a weekend, be sure to get to an unassuming side street, the Rose Street Artists Market. Here you can find artisan bags, artworks, jewellery, screen-printed t-shirts, hand-bound books and designer lamps from Melbourne’s emerging artists and designers during the weekend you like.
Final Verdict: There might be bouts of boredom from walking from one shop to another. At the end of the day, didn’t feel we saw much. But it’s still an intriguing place to walk around and be inspired! Think it will be better to come on a weekend for the creativity buzz.
There are a few cafes in Fitzroy to enjoy a cuppa of coffee.
Martha Ray’s is highly recommended by the locals, with good ratings in food review websites–on both their coffee and food. Too bad our stomach didn’t have space for food. I don’t drink coffee, so can’t comment about it. Hubby said it’s good coffee, but not that good for you to specially make a trip down to Fitzroy, especially when you are not into creative scene.
The wait for the coffee was a bit long even though the cafe wasn’t crowded. But at least their ambience was good, a small cosy cafe for you to rest your legs and chill.
Address: 85 Brunswick St Fitzroy Victoria 3065
Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri 7:30 am – 3:30 pm
Sat 8:00 am – 3:30 pm
Sun 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Melbourne City Attractions for First Timers (Part 1)
Melbourne City Attractions for First Timers (Part 2)
Australia Trip 2013 (Overview)
Travels During October 2013
Disclaimer: All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Travel.joogo.sg and/or the author shall not be held responsible for any injury, loss, expense or damage of any kind whatsoever suffered or incurred by any person who accesses or uses the information and external websites stated above. Full disclaimer here.
Updated 5 July 2016 Here are some of the places we went to eat and drink in Melbourne! Just before I begin, I like to mention Melbourne’s independent coffee culture. It’s so entrenched that Starbucks was forced to close 16 outlets in Melbourne. This city is practically the coffee …
After our Great Ocean Road drive, making Warrnambool and Port Fairy our last two stops, we headed north to the mountains– Halls Gap at Grampians National Park! After a long drive from Port Fairy, we were happy to see a sign welcoming us to “Grampians National Park”. Finally we’re …
We drove from Melbourne through Great Ocean Road in 2.5 days. I’ve written about Day 1 and Day 2 of the trip in Great Ocean Road Self-Drive Itinerary (1/2) and Drive to 12 Apostles from Melbourne (2/2) respectively. After the famous 12 apostles, people will usually turn back and return to Melbourne. But I wanted to visit Halls Gap, so we went further up to Warrnambool and Port Fairy of Great Ocean Road before going up to Halls Gap. Our Day 2 continues in this post as we rushed to Warrnambool after London Arch; and Port Fairy the next morning.
Warrnambool is a one time whaling centre which now attracts visitors to observe the large mammals from lookouts and boat trips. The whales are usually visible from the shore and you can view them at the Logans Beach Whale viewing platform at Logans Beach Road from May to September. It’s free and always open, remember to bring binoculars and wear warm clothing. Remember to check the updated whale sightings before heading down.
We didn’t have much time in the day, so we skipped whale watching and rushed to Tower Hill Nature Reserve for a chance to get up close with wildlife. This nature reserve, between Warrnambool and Port Fairy, is a volcanic crater of an extinct volcano rimmed with volcanic ashes. We were inside of a volcano, yo.
There are quite a few walking/running trails to choose from, but we chose a short one of 30 minutes. Even so, we got lost along the way and there was no one around for us to ask for help. My heart was pumping fast as we figured our way out. I could sense the animals watching us from behind the bushes. Thank God we made it out safely!
The place is rumoured to be a good place to see koalas, kangaroos, emus and other wildlife easily. Well, I didn’t spot any koala, but a fleeting emu which I couldn’t get a proper look at. At least the kangaroos didn’t disappoint. They were awesomely close! I froze when the kangaroos looked us in the eye. They were so near! We were checking one another out to assess the situation. When I realized they were harmless, aka not coming towards me, I took out my phone and started taking photos and videos of them.
However, it was not until I went to Halls Gap at Grampians that I managed to capture a priceless scene of two kangaroos fighting! Pardon the rough editing and shooting skills. Will do better the next time I travel. Enjoy the video of the southern sea at GOR and the fight! :)
After Tower Hill, we went to Fishtales Cafe at 63 Liebig Street for dinner. The owners of our Airbnb recommended this burger place to us. I don’t remember spotting the eatery easily, so look out for this array of menu at the entrance.
AND THE BURGER WAS REALLY REALLY AWESSSSSOMMMMME!!!
Super hungry! No time to pose. :P
The reason why we stayed at Warrnambool was largely because we wanted to go to the Shipwrecked sound and laser show at Flagstaff Hill. You can enjoy Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in the day and the show at night. But because of our itinerary, we were only able to make it for the show that runs nightly.
At A$26 for one person, the show is not exactly budget friendly for us. However, we read many online reviews raving about the show, so off we went! From Flagstaff Hill’s entrance, you will have to travel a distance to watch the show. You can either choose to take the Loch Ard Lantern Walk or a small bus through the village. I will highly recommend to you the walking tour. As we walked through the village, the tour guide stopped at different points to give a commentary.
The lady owner of our Airbnb actually works as a guide for this show! But too bad she’s not working for that particular night. She was the one who encouraged us to take the walking tour, saying it’s more interesting than the bus. She also told us that the team who designed this light show is the same guys who did the light show at Resorts World at Sentosa (think she was referring to the outdoor crane show).
It was not crowded when we were there, hence everyone was made to walk. It was an interesting experience, but probably my expectations were raised too high, so I’ll give it only a 7.5/10.
I’ve mentioned a few times above about the Airbnb, so here it is! If you are thinking of staying for a night at Warrnambool, you can consider this Airbnb (4.5 stars based on 132 reviews). Do read my review of this Warrnambool Airbnb before booking! :)
After a night at Warrnambool, we headed further on the Great Ocean Road to Port Fairy, and then up north to Halls Gap at Grampians National Park. Port Fairy is the last destination on the Shipwreck Coast, at the end of the Great Ocean Road.
This charming fishing village has wide streets lined with nineteenth century cottages, Georgian-style merchants’ homes, grand public buildings and old stone churches. More than 50 limestone and bluestone buildings from 1800s have been classified by the National Trust. Follow one of the historic walking trails and discover the beauty and charm of the town’s architecture.
Eat, drink and shop at the array of restaurants, cafes, pubs, boutiques, antique stores, and art and craft shops scattered throughout the town. You can also walk along the local port and watch the fishermen pull in their catch of the day. Or take a guided fishing trip from the wharf or a cruise to the seal colony on Lady Julia Percy Island.
We went to Port Fairy simply because I thought its name is nice. Too bad the weather wasn’t cooperating when we were there in the morning. The heavy downpour didn’t make it pleasant or safe for us to wander along the river, visit the beaches, or go on the historic walking trails. Moreover, since it was quite early in the morning, most of the shops weren’t open yet. Although we only drove around and got down the car a one or two times for photos, Port Fairy came across to us as a small and quiet town with pretty architecture.
That’s all for our Great Ocean Road Self Drive in 2.5 days! Refer to the related posts below for more information on the itinerary. After the sea, we’re now heading to the mountains at Halls Gap. ;)
Related Posts: Great Ocean Road Self Drive Itinerary (1/2) Drive to 12 Apostles from Melbourne (2/2) Review: Pebble Point Review: Warrnambool Airbnb
Updated 19 July 2016 | Travels During October 2013
Disclaimer: All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Travel.joogo.sg and/or the author shall not be held responsible for any injury, loss, expense or damage of any kind whatsoever suffered or incurred by any person who accesses or uses the information and external websites stated above. Full disclaimer here.
The Great Ocean Road (“GOR”), near to Melbourne City, is one of the world’s most scenic coastal drives. The route starts from the surf capital Torquay to the famous 12 Apostles, and ends at historic fishing village Port Fairy. This post continues from the previous post, ‘Great Ocean …
Margaret River (www.margaretriver.com) is well known for its award winning wines, fine food, pristine beaches and breathtaking scenery. The region also has Western Australia’s most extraordinary attractions. Here’s a quick glance of where we went in Margaret River: Cape Leeuwin (Lighthouse), Jewel Cave (Beautiful limestone …