Melbourne Patron

A sentimental ode to Melbourne Today marks six years since my arrival in Melbourne. I flew in on a day much like today: high 30s, a piercing dry heat unlike anything I’d ever associated with the city down south. I remember arriving with my suitcase in tow at the hostel I’d booked a dorm bed in, on St Kilda Road. It was messy, and temporary, and I had no idea what I was doing. I still don’t! But I am proud that, since then, I have built a life here. I’m still transient; change never leaves us. I rent, I don’t currently have a partner, I’m always looking for new ways to expand my horizons, and some friends and I have fallen out of favour. But in the time I’ve been here, I have made many new friends, some of whom are very dear. I have lived in three different homes, all of which have meant new ways of being to me. I started this blog, and in its two years of existence, it has had over 60,000 page views. I have managed to find work most of the time, and in three very different indu...

I realise it's a little generic to title this post so vaguely, but my visit to Ballarat a few weekends ago has been my only experience of the place. It's just a 1.5 hour drive from Melbourne and it had been a toss-up whether to go there, or to Bendigo. (They're very near each other and both start with 'B'... it seemed like much of a muchness to the uninitiated.) It was a good decision. I was surprised at how genteel - and hilly - Ballarat is. There is some gorgeous historic architecture, which makes sense, when you consider the town's role in Australia's Gold Rush, and, with its wide streets and the central Lake Wendouree, it's quite pretty. Here are a few snaps from the weekend. I loved how some buildings were clearly built in the Art Deco period. There were several rotundas down the main street. There were also lots of statues... of whom, I couldn't necessarily say. But this dude is pretty self-explanatory: Gorgeous old ...