Our Truly Excellent Adventure Part One.

So, as you know, we have just got back from a lovely holiday in the thriving metropolis that is Melbourne.

I won a raffle a few months ago and first prize was four nights of accommodation (and breakfasts!) at a chain of hotels.  I could have had my pick at any one of them in any of our capital cities, but as you know, Australia is a large place.  Cities are far apart and mostly accessible by plane. 

I don’t like flying much. And it was school holidays, so flight prices were INSANE.  So we decided that it would be a good idea to take the little people on a road trip to Melbourne.

Melbourne is eight hours away by car, which is altogether too long for a seven and a four year old, so we broke our trip into two days travelling.  We chose a point kinda half way and decided to spend the night in Bendigo.  Turns out it wasn’t half way, but no matter.

For those of you unfamiliar with Australia, Bendigo is a town/city founded in the Gold Rush.  The money was pouring in around 1850-1900 (the Victorian Era) and as a result, it is filled to the brim with old buildings, old pubs, old houses and stunning public spaces.

I took loads of photos (of course I did).  Here are some.

Every street corner has an old building on it.  Mostly they are restuarants now, but in the old days, they were pubs or banks.  LOTS of banks in Bendigo.  Or at least there were once.

Lots of financial institutions back in the day.  This one is now a restaurant.

Being a Victorian Era town, there was of course a statute of Queen Victoria.  She gets around, old Queen Vic.  I think there’s one in Adelaide too.

Just some random old building in the middle of a beautiful park.  I think this was a dedication to returned soldiers. 

Bendigo has this amazing park right in the middle of the city.  It was a welcome relief to kids who wanted to run and run, and parents who were terrified they’d dart into traffic.  We spent a long time here in this park.  We bought our lunch and ate it in the sun.

They are very proud of their tulips in Bendigo. 

As well they should be.

Oh look.  Quilting inspiration is everywhere!

I’ve heard of Yarn Bombing but never seen it.  The kids thought it was ‘awesome, mum'!’.

You could stick me in Bendigo for the rest of my life and I would be happy.  I think it’s a magical place.  So filled with history, every house is an old one, antique shops filled every street (oh but was I allowed to look in any of them??? I think not!).

I didn’t get to see any quilt shops there, but no doubt they are there!.

Tomorrow – more from our truly excellent adventure!