Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne

This imposing memorial to the men and women of Australia's armed forces stands on a hill overlooking the Melbourne skyline. A recent rebuilding program has added a huge underground exhibition space which contains detailed histories of Australia's involvement in international conflicts, ranging from the First and Second World Wars, to Korea, Vietnam, and to more recent (and still ongoing) conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Information also shows Australia's participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations, which are arguably even more important, given that these operations can help stop local conflicts from escalating into major international wars.

History

Patriotism statuary

The Shrine of Remembrance was created to meet the needs of a grieving community after the extensive loss of lives in the First World War (1914 –18). 114,000 Victorians enlisted in the First World War. Of the 89,000 of them who served abroad 19,000 were killed. They were buried in distant graves far from home at a time when most Australians did not travel abroad. The Shrine provided a place where Victorians could grieve as individuals, as families or as a community. It also served to honour the courage of the men, women and children who remained at home. 

The Shrine of Remembrance was designed by two Melbourne returned-soldier architects, Philip Hudson and James Wardrop. The inspiration for the external outline came from one of the seven wonders of the ancient world—the mausoleum at Halicarnassus to Mausolus, King of Caria in South West Asia Minor.

The Shrine is composed of a number of elements consisting of exterior and interior features, a Crypt, a World War Two Forecourt, Visitor Centre, and the Remembrance Garden and Shrine Reserve. All are brought together by the grand design and the bold architectural elements that are each worth examining closely.

The Exterior

The east and west sides of the Shrine are marked at the corners by four groups of statuary representing Peace, Justice, Sacrifice and Patriotism. In addition, visitors can see sixteen stone ‘battle honours’ discs, commemorating Australia’s involvement in World War One battles at Gallipoli, Villers Bretonneux, Amiens, Ypres, and many others.

Western wall inscription: Let all men know...

The western wall of the Shrine bears the inscription: LET ALL MEN KNOW THAT THIS IS HOLY GROUND. THIS SHRINE, ESTABLISHED IN THE HEARTS OF MEN AS ON THE SOLID EARTH, COMMEMORATES A PEOPLE’S FORTITUDE AND SACRIFICE. YE THEREFORE THAT COME AFTER, GIVE REMEMBRANCE.

The Sanctuary

As visitors enter the Shrine of Remembrance they enter the main Sanctuary inside of which are the Stone of Remembrance. This is set into the floor and contains the inscription; GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN. This is part of a verse from the Bible (John 15:13), “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” The stone is aligned with an opening in the roof of the Sanctuary so that a ray of sunshine illuminates the word LOVE, on the Stone of Remembrance at exactly 11:00 am each year on November 11, Remembrance Day.

Crypt memorial: Father and Son

RAAF Display

At left: Located beneath the Sanctuary in the Crypt, stands a large bronze statue of a father and son representing the two generations who served in the both world wars. 

There is much else to see and do here, including examining the numerous displays in the exhibition space deep below the Shrine. In the grounds surrounding the Shrine visitors will find the Cenotaph and Eternal Flame, the Remembrance Garden and Shrine Reserve containing important statues and memorials—such as the one to John Simpson Kirkpatrick who is commonly known as “The Man With The Donkey”.

Finally, if visitors  to Melbourne and are able to visit the Shrine of Remembrance on the two most important days on the Australian memorial calendar—Anzac Day (April 25), and Remembrance Day (November 11), I’m sure they will find the experience to be both memorable and emotional, especially if they are up early for the Dawn Service.

Acknowledgements
Much of the information in this post is sourced from the official Shrine of Remembrance website and from Wikipedia…

Note: Click on images to see at full size.

Luna Park, Melbourne, Victoria

Melbourne's Luna Park may have seen better days, but try telling that to the hundreds of thousands of children, teenagers and adults who flock to this fun park throughout the year. Entry is free, but of course the rides and attractions are not. I visited on a Monday afternoon, and the place was buzzing with activity, and excitement. The rides and attractions are somewhat 'old school', and small in scale  compared to large, modern fun parks, but it is very popular just the same.

Overlooking Port Phillip Bay, this historic park—now in its 105th year—has been a favourite destination for generations of Melbourne families, and visitors alike. NOTE: Luna Park is open every weekend, and every public holiday except Christmas Day. However, it is not open during the week during school terms—or to put it another way, it is only open during the week when school’s out for summer, and other mid-year vacation periods!

Having said that, just to confuse the issue, the Park does open for the occasional special event during school terms, so I highly recommend readers check the Luna Park Opening Hours page to see if it is open for just such a special occasion.

The Ride of Your Life?

Luna Park offers 18 attractions which are suitable for a wide range of ages. However, all rides carry a minimum height restriction (and in some cases a maximum height restriction). Very young children may have to be accompanied on some rides by an adult.

Check Luna Park’s Rides and Attractions page to see a complete list of rides and which restrictions (if any) apply to them. Speaking of which, among the more exciting attractions Luna Park features the Circus of Screams, Power Surge, Twin Dragon, and Spider rides, and those ever present fair ground staples, the Sky Rider Ferris Wheel and of course—Dodgem Cars.

Life is a Carousel, Old Chum…

Luna Park’s wonderful Carousel is said to be the largest and most elaborate in the Southern Hemisphere. Visually stunning, its 68 horses and chariots are individually hand painted and intricately decorated in brilliant colours. Each horse is unique and even has its own name.

The Carousel was built in 1916 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, and was number 30 out of a total of 80 carousels built by the company.

The Great Scenic Railway

With the Great Scenic Railway roller coaster, Luna Park lays claim to “the oldest operating roller coaster of its kind in the world,” although how they substantiate that claim, is unspecified. I assume the “of its kind” part of the claim relates to the fact that the Great Scenic Railway was originally built entirely of wood! Even more improbably is the fact that the carriages are still controlled by a brakeman who stands in the centre of each carriage and controls…what? Speed? Ascent and descent? Oncoming traffic? Okay, don’t panic. I’m only joking. That crack about oncoming traffic was put there to see if you are paying attention. 

Mummy, I’m Hungry!

The food franchises are of the fast food 'pie and chips' variety, along with the ubiquitous Fairy-floss (or Cotton Candy as Americans like to call it), pop-corn, snow-cones, and hot-dogs. While the prices are quite reasonable the choices on offer leave much to be desired.

Café Luna is a little more upscale, and sells gourmet pizzas, deli-style sandwiches and burgers. Apparently the café also caters for vegetarians as well. Personally, if you are planning a long visit—and given that entry is free—I would recommend patronizing one of the local cafés or restaurants nearby where the meal choices are broader and healthier.

Visitors with Special Needs

While the main Luna Park site is accessible for visitors with special needs and disabilities, many of the rides and attractions are not able to accommodate people with major disabilities, or who are wheelchair-bound. Check Luna Park’s Special Needs page for a complete breakdown of what visitors with disabilities can expect when they visit the park.

Getting There

Visitors without their own means of transport, can get to Luna Park with a minimum of fuss and expense from the CBD by taking either a number 3a East Malvern-bound tram, or a number 16 Kew-bound tram from the tram stops on St Kilda Road by Federation Square.

Another option is the number 96 St. Kilda Beach tram which runs along Collins Street, and also takes visitors directly past Luna Park.

Here’s a video compiled from multiple roller coaster rides that give you a good look at what a ride on the Great Scenic Railway entails.

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IF YOU GO

Address: 18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda, Port Phillip, Victoria. Phone: +61 3 9525 5033

Opening Hours… 

Luna Park Online…

Yarra Trams… for public transport options.

Friday Photos: Morning Glory

The Morning Star, Venus, hovers above a rising sun

My photographs today, feature a selection of images taken during the early morning hours, either before the sun had risen above the horizon, or soon after. In the image above, you can see what is popularly known as the ‘morning star’, although the planet’s official name is of course, Venus (also known as the ‘evening star’).

Early morning countryside. Mr Fox is out there somewhere.

Early morning country field somewhere along Australia’s Mallee Highway (Route B12), not far from the Victoria country town, Ouyen. I remember watching as a fox slowly loped across this open field, while presumably on its way back to its den after a night out foraging for food. I had pulled into a parking bay along the highway the night before where I slept in the back of my station wagon.

The Mulwala Bridge linking Victoria and New South Wales

Early morning at Lake Mulwala, where the twin towns of Yarrawonga (in Victoria), and Mulwala (in New South Wales) are joined together by the Mulwala Bridge, seen here soon after dawn. The name, Yarrawonga, is thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘place where the wonga pigeon rested’. Mulwala derives its name from an aboriginal word for 'rain'.

Early morning fog haze over Sydney

The early morning sun is rising through a haze of fog in the image seen above. This, and the photo below was taken during a visit to Sydney in 2009. In the image below, the sun has risen higher and is burning away the morning mist to promise a beautiful day out and about on Sydney Harbor.

Early morning Sydney skyline

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Someone to watch over me. My early morning 'angel'.

And finally, the early morning sun throws my shadow 50 feet just before continuing my 2009 road trip from Adelaide to Sydney.

Click images to view larger sizes.

Who’ll Stop The Rain?

Image: Residents in flood damaged Lockyer Valley wait for flood waters to recede

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Long as I remember, the rain been comin' down,

Clouds of mystery pourin', confusion on the ground.

Good men through the ages, tryin' to find the sun,

And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain?

Who'll Stop The Rain? ~ John Fogerty

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Image: Southbound traffic on the Bruce Highway grinds to a stop due to flooding

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As I write this, I am keeping an eye on a live television stream from the Australian Broadcasting Commission reporting on the devastating floods that have swept across vast swathes of eastern Australia.

It is impossible to get your head around the massive volumes of water involved. Flood waters have not only covered hundreds of square miles of Queensland, but flood waters are slowly traveling along Australia’s river systems into New South Wales, Victoria, and eventually even into my home state of South Australia. To give you a sense of the distances involved, floodwaters from Queensland will take up to three months to reach South Australia, although heavy rainfalls in that state are already causing minor flooding along parts of the River Murray, one of the longest rivers in Australia.

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Image: Cars piled up as a result of flash flooding in Toowoomba, Queensland

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Image: Flash flooding roars down Herries Street, Toowoomba

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While scenes of the devastation are reminiscent of those seen after Hurricane Katrina made landfall over New Orleans in August 2005, that is about the only comparison that can be made between the two events. Australian authorities, including various branches of the armed forces, have had plenty of time to prepare as best as possible for the flooding, as have non-government agencies like the Red Cross, Salvation Army and other charitable organizations.

Those readers wishing to make donations towards the flood relief effort will find a mass of agencies collecting clothing, goods and money for Australian’s affected by the flooding.

Some suggested websites…

The Queensland government’s official website is a good place to start.

Australian Red Cross…

The Salvation Army…

Australian Broadcasting Commission live television stream…

Hanging Rock, Victoria

~ Until 1975, Hanging Rock was a volcanic rock formation unknown to most people outside of Victoria. All that changed when the Australian film director, Peter Weir, turned Joan Lindsay’s book, Picnic at Hanging Rock into one of the finest feature films in modern Australian cinema.

The book and the film, tell the story of the disappearance of several female students and a teacher from an exclusive girls boarding school who visit Hanging Rock for a school picnic on St. Valentine’s Day, in 1900.

In Australia, the film made stars of Helen Morse, Jacki Weaver, Anne-Louise Lambert, and Peter Weir in particular, although only Peter Weir went on to real international fame. Almost all the actors in the film have spent their subsequent careers acting in Australian television dramas. Few if any, went on to have an international movie career of any real substance.

All this is by way of an extended introduction to explain my second visit to Hanging Rock a couple of days ago. To say Picnic at Hanging Rock put the volcanic outcrop on the map, is an obvious understatement. Anyone who has seen the movie, should make a point of visiting Hanging Rock if they are passing through the Mt Macedon area, or if they have the opportunity during their stay in Melbourne.

Since Hanging Rock is about an hour’s drive from my Melbourne house sitting address, it was a no brainer for me to jump in my car and head out of town for the short drive to the Rock and to reacquaint myself with the mystery and majesty of this area.

There are essentially two main walking paths: one going around the base of the Hanging Rock (a distance of 1.8 kilometres), and the other much more strenuous (though shorter) walk leading up to the summit.

Both paths can be traversed over a couple of hours, depending on how fit and active you are feeling. For those visitors who enjoy a bit of solitude, I recommend the easy walk around the base of Hanging Rock. I encountered only two other people on my walk, and was lucky enough to spot a group of kangaroos resting quietly in the shade of some eucalypts at the base of the Rock. This, in addition to the Kookaburra’s and Cockatoo’s calling overhead, and the abundance of butterfly’s, made it a very pleasant walk.

Since I was there anyway, I also followed the path to the summit of Hanging Rock. There are two paths to select from. One built using steps, and the other following a smooth asphalt covered path. Both paths meet towards the top of the Rock, where you can continue to the summit. The summit climb showed me just how unfit I have become, and left me puffing and blowing and gasping for air at one point. Note to self: get out and exercise more, Jim!

Because Hanging Rock is a little off the beaten track, it is not exactly crawling with visitors – or at least it wasn’t when I visited in the middle of the week. Not that I’m complaining. However, if you are able to time your visit to coincide with some of the special events that take place at Hanging Rock, you might like to consider these. Annual events include The Age Harvest Picnic, car events, annual picnic horse races on New Years Day and Australia Day, and an annual outdoor screening of Picnic at Hanging Rock itself, among other events.

Hanging Rock Information
Open every day except Christmas Day
Hours: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Fees: $10.00 per car
Phone: Ranger 0418 373 032
Office Hours (03) 5421 1469

Image: Hanging Rock, Victoria
Camera: Apple iPhone 3G
Photographer: Jim Lesses

Song For The Open Road

~ Day two of my road trip to Sydney unfolded with a beautiful, cold dawn, and the sight of a lone fox loping across an open field as it presumably headed home to its lair.

Breakfast in Ouyen consisted of coffee and bacon and eggs on toast, followed by a delicious vanilla slice from the local bakery. And why not? After all, Ouyen hosts an annual Vanilla Slice Festival, that attracts bakers from far and wide competing to see who can take the prize for making the best slice! Hey, in a tight tourist market, any angle will do if it helps get the visitors in.

Apparently, the former Premier of Victoria, Jeff Kennett stopped in at the local bakery about ten years ago for a coffee and piece of this delightful delicacy. He was so taken with the cake, that he quickly conceived of the idea for the Vanilla Slice Festival, which now takes place every September in this small rural Victorian country town.

And yes, I can thoroughly recommend the local delight.

This is my song for the open road,

The blue sky, and the lighter load.

The heart filled with a joyful song;

The summer breeze pushing us along.

© 2009. Jim Lesses. All Rights Reserved.

Observations
Dry. Everything is so dry.

Murphy’s Swamp? Dry. It probably hasn’t been a ‘swamp’ for years.

Creeks and rivers? Dry. Who knows when they last ran with flowing water? Or for how long. All along the highway, signs just before isolated country towns tell the tale: Stage 3 water restrictions in force. Sometimes the luckier towns, those with a more regular supply of the precious liquid only face Stage 2 or even Stage 1 water restrictions. But it seems that virtually all towns face some level of water restrictions.

Meet The Press
One of my rituals whenever I take a road trip is to purchase local papers in the towns I stop in. I do this to get a snapshot of what issues and concerns are foremost in the minds of the local communities.

Many of these local papers are quite small, often no more than 8-16 pages. The North West Express, at eight pages, is no exception. It even contained an extra two page agricultural supplement, the Mallee Ag. News.

The main front page story (which spilled over to consume the whole of page two), concerned the Mallee Track Health & Community Service 2009 Debutante Ball, at which nine “beautifully dressed young ladies and their partners were presented…”

Another front page story presented a progress report on the forthcoming Wild Dog Mail Trek, which appears to be one of those events designed to test participants to the limit. This event apparently covers a distance of 68 kms, and according to the organizer, Terry Gibson “Walkers… have to be super fit (and a little mad) as there is no vehicle access to rescue them when they get out in the Wyperfeld Wilderness Zone.”

Meanwhile, the Mallee Ag. News supplement offered 'Top Tips To Be Water Savvy', which, given the parlous state of the water situation in the region – already noted above – seemed to be very timely.

Distance from Ouyen to Sydney – 1100 Kms.

Make a Note of That: The lovely new public convenience behind the old court house in the main street, also includes free showers. Just the thing for the weary (and smelly) road warrior looking to freshen up after a long day on the road.

IMAGE: Here Comes The Sun, by Jim Lesses