We left Te Anau, where we stayed for the Milford Sound fiordland, and drove back to Christchurch so we could fly over to Australia. We had driven down the interior of the southern island, so drove back up along the coast. Spent some time in Dunedin where we looked at some old churches and other old buildings. We just can't seem to stay away from the old churches.
Further north along the coast we came upon the Moeraki boulders. These started as pebbles on the sea floor 55 million years ago that were continuously encased in limestone. As the geography of the region changed, they were uncovered from the mud deposits and left on the shoreline. They can reach 1 meter and more in diameter and are like huge stone marbles left on the shore.
Reached Christchurch and flew over to Australia into Melbourne. From there we drove down to Boneo on the Mornington Peninsula where we spent the next several days. Weather changed from spring chill and partly cloudy to summer sunshine. Locals said they were experiencing summer weather early but it was quite a change. Needed layers in NZ and shorts in Australia. Admittedly, it has cooled a little since we got here but it is definitely warmer than NZ. Continually have to remind myself that it is Oct. since it feels like June/July.
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| London Bridge |
If NZ was characterized by waterfalls, so far Australia has been characterized by spectacular ocean colors. Can't get over the shades of blue and turquoise in the water. The Mornington Peninsula is actually south of Melbourne around the Port Phillip Bay. We hit local beaches in the area and Fort Nepean which is out on the tip of the peninsula. It was fortified to protect the bay during war time and was also an immigration and quarantine area for incoming ships, especially during the influenza epidemic. It was used from the mid 1800's to the late 1900's. It brought home that Australia is really a young country. I keep forgetting that it really wasn't settled much until the early 1800's.
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| Melbourne's Flinders train station |
We took the train into Melbourne for a day. It was ridiculously cheap and so much easier than driving in and finding parking. It was a windy day and I couldn't believe how strong the wind got. Chicago is called the "windy city" but Melbourne could easily rival that, at least the day we went. Sometimes, you felt like you were going to be blown over. And the dust and grit that was blown around made it really uncomfortable sometimes. Melbourne is a very large and modern city, though, that is a mix of old and new. Mostly new, but there are old buildings mixed in here and there that just add to the character.
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| a kangaroo, not a rat |
We also went to an animal conservation park. It was like a natural, outdoor zoo of sorts. It was the closest we will come to koala bears and kangaroos, probably, although we have come across road signs to beware of kangaroos crossing the road, like signs at home to watch out for deer crossing the road. Kind of weird. Don't expect to actually see a kangaroo on the road, though. At the park, it was a hot afternoon so most of the animals were taking it easy and sleeping in the shade. The kangaroos were in amongst the trees so it is hard to make them out in some of the pictures. But it was cool to see them. One crossed the path behind us, but of course, I wasn't fast enough to get a good picture.
Further north along the coast we came upon the Moeraki boulders. These started as pebbles on the sea floor 55 million years ago that were continuously encased in limestone. As the geography of the region changed, they were uncovered from the mud deposits and left on the shoreline. They can reach 1 meter and more in diameter and are like huge stone marbles left on the shore.
If NZ was characterized by waterfalls, so far Australia has been characterized by spectacular ocean colors. Can't get over the shades of blue and turquoise in the water. The Mornington Peninsula is actually south of Melbourne around the Port Phillip Bay. We hit local beaches in the area and Fort Nepean which is out on the tip of the peninsula. It was fortified to protect the bay during war time and was also an immigration and quarantine area for incoming ships, especially during the influenza epidemic. It was used from the mid 1800's to the late 1900's. It brought home that Australia is really a young country. I keep forgetting that it really wasn't settled much until the early 1800's.
We took the train into Melbourne for a day. It was ridiculously cheap and so much easier than driving in and finding parking. It was a windy day and I couldn't believe how strong the wind got. Chicago is called the "windy city" but Melbourne could easily rival that, at least the day we went. Sometimes, you felt like you were going to be blown over. And the dust and grit that was blown around made it really uncomfortable sometimes. Melbourne is a very large and modern city, though, that is a mix of old and new. Mostly new, but there are old buildings mixed in here and there that just add to the character.
We also went to an animal conservation park. It was like a natural, outdoor zoo of sorts. It was the closest we will come to koala bears and kangaroos, probably, although we have come across road signs to beware of kangaroos crossing the road, like signs at home to watch out for deer crossing the road. Kind of weird. Don't expect to actually see a kangaroo on the road, though. At the park, it was a hot afternoon so most of the animals were taking it easy and sleeping in the shade. The kangaroos were in amongst the trees so it is hard to make them out in some of the pictures. But it was cool to see them. One crossed the path behind us, but of course, I wasn't fast enough to get a good picture.
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