Group Writing Project #4
Ballarat, Australia
"Well, that was a nice, easy drive from Melbourne to Ballarat," remarked Honey.
"It must have taken us at least one and a bit hours. It's always hard to believe that the country is never too far away from the city!", Mart spoke as he began putting his travelling maps and bits and pieces back in his bag.
"It is so much better for commuters from both Ballarat and the city now that the Western Ring Road is in use. It used to be a nightmare and a half for everyone to travel to either destinations," Neil informed the group knowing how frustrating it is when he visits his wife's brother who used to work in Ballarat.
As they drove over the bridge that led them down Woodmans Hill the group could not help but admire the immediate beauty of the city. The City of Ballarat Council was so proud of their piece of history and you could see it in the landscapes. Especially down Victoria Street. In between the out coming and incoming traffic lanes were the most beautifully kept garden beds of daffodils, jonquils and roses. There was an avenue of big old oak trees and the leaves scattered the sides of the road. The lawns were just immaculate."Boys, wouldn't Moms just love the gardens here? Personally I wouldn't... it would take me a Month of Sundays just to weed!, Trixie moaned but laughed at the same time.
"I think I would refuse to mow with our little mower. I would buy the folks a ride on mower so it would be done in no time at all," remarked Mart, obviously thinking ahead.
After about ten minutes driving time they had pulled up at a set of traffic lights that were right in the heart of the city. They noticed to their right in the centre of the traffic lanes was a beautiful old Rotunda with a weather vane on top. Instead of a rooster it had a boat on it. It was actually a tribute to all those drowned on the tragic voyage of the Titanic. Something so far away yet so close to home. A Ballarat lady had lost her beloved English cousin on that fateful night and this was a way to help share her grief.
The small bus turned left into Lydiard Street and pulled up out the front of a beautiful old building. Her Majesty's Theatre was a grand building that had seen many a show over it's life time of one hundred and fifty years or so. Countless productions are staged there from opera to music recitals.
They parked the bus and popped some money into the parking meter.
"Ahhh here we are, see just over the road there. Craigs Royal Hotel. Not bad for a few city folk and foreign travellers. We found our accommodation," said a quite excited Peter."oh my," sighed Diana, " This place is just soooo romantic."
"Trust you, Di." stirred Trixie," But I actually do see where you are coming from!"
"Well every one this is a first! Trixie Belden believes in a bit of romance! Good golly, I have seen everything." hooted Mart, he almost had tears weeping from his eyes.Trixie shot him a look of death, picked up her belongings and turned so fast on her heel that would make ones head spin.
"Mart, when will you learn to think before you stir Trix up. We all know you are joking but all of that aside, there is a bit of tomboyishness in side all of us Bob-White girls. With Trix, well, t6here is just a little bit more. And, I might add, we all like a bit of romance just as much as the next person." Honey had a brilliant way of getting her little messages across. She had style.
They walked into the foyer of the Grande hotel. It was full of history and artifacts of the yesteryear. There was the most beautiful staircase at the left of the desk, it just curled around until it hit the floor."You know, Trixie. Mark Twain stayed here in the late 1800's. He called this place 'The Pride of Ballarat'. Mark Twain of all people." Mart told his sister with affection."Isn't that ironic? Twain is linked to the Mississippi and in a way so are we."
They were all given their room numbers and keys and immediately organised to meet back down in the foyer in an hour.
Trixie, Honey and Diana all shared a room. Jim, Dan and Brian tossed for a room together and Peter, Neil and Mart won a room together as well. This was Neil and Peter's last night with the Bob-whites as they were travelling through to Adelaide to see their beloved Football team play against the Adelaide Crows. They would not miss the eight hour drive for anything in the world.
"Yes, we are. She was born in Ballarat too actually and will be a very good guide for us. I have never actually met her but I have spoken and e-mailed with her a few times. This is where Harrison comes once a year for his vacation."
"So I am guessing we are off to this Sovereign Hill place first?", asked Dan."Man, I have been to Sovereign Hill a few times and it is just great!", Peter almost shouted. "It is such a history lesson in itself.""Fantastic. We have come trillions of miles just to do school on our vacation." Mart said, very deflated."Actually, Mart, I think you will enjoy the Hill most. It is an open air museum in the Gold fields era of the 1850's. If you want you can dress up in period costume. On the actual grounds there is an original gold mine that you can walk through and so much more. Let's get to it and sight see this historic city." Peter said to the group.
After about 10 minutes they came to a huge carpark. They eventually found a park, it was a Saturday and weekends are ever so busy at the park. They piled out and walked up to a bluestone building that looked as ordinary as any other shop you would see on a street. They paid their admission fare of around $15 each and went through the turn styles.What the group saw took their breath away. It was as if they had all stepped back in time. The nine of them stood at the bottom of the Main Street, which was a graveled street lined with weather board shops. There was also a blacksmiths, a bakery, a library, a post office where you could send post cards with a social Sovereign Hill post mark and there was even a hotel. There were people everywhere. Tourists were bustling around seeing as much as they could and there were staff dressed up in the period costume."Watch out, Honey!"
"Get out the way!"
There was a scream and Honey quickly responded to the calls and jumped out the way. So too, did the chickens that were pecking their way across the road. They were standing in the way of the stage coach and four horses, teaming around the fields. Luckily they got Honey out of the way in time, otherwise who knows what may have happened.
"Ok we have to go to the Post Office and meet Harrison's Cousin there. We have seen photo's of each other so that shouldn't be a problem." Diana looked really excited to meet her butlers relative.
"G'day Diana," spoke a young lady of about 26.
"Hi Tan! It's so nice to meet you in person other than on the internet!" Diana introduced her best friends to Tania and they all broke the ice immediately."The internet is wonderful, I have met a heap of friends there. Some that I expect will be my pen pals for life." said Tan. She had a huge smile and bluest of blue eyes. Some how they thought her hair wasn't natural. It was a reddish colour but it suited her anyway. They guessed with the cold months in Ballarat one would need to warm them selves with such a colour. :-)The group walked up and down many streets and looked inside houses of the era and gardens of the era. The bought gifts for their families such as home made soaps, string bags, toys and lollies. The lollies were made on site at the confectionery where you could stand at the window and watch. Mart bought some humbugs,boiled assortments and raspberry drops. Trixie bought some licorice and Honey bought a beautiful hat for her mother at the Dress makers shop. They walked further along and Brian had a look at the Chemist shop since that was his dream when he finished his education at college.They walked up to the school which from time to time had primary school children booked in to dress up and do their schooling there so the tourists could really see it at work. One poor girl was a little bit upset because she slumped over her writing and the teacher was explaining to the class that wasn't allowed back then so the teacher put a ruler down her shirt to straighten her up. The class laughed at her and the girl the thought it was funny too. After all once you walk into the park you have entered another time, the staff go along with the era as it is their jobs. If you talk about every day life in the year 2000 they believe you are cuckoo and act blank."Are any of you left handed?" asked Tania, grinning.
"I am actually, " said Jim
"If you went to school here in the 1850's they would make you write with your right hand."
"Boy am I glad that you can speed type on any old PC at home!"
The afternoon went by really quick and before they knew it it was almost time for the park to close. They had spent the rest of their time panning for gold in the creek, they went on a mine tour that took about a half an hour, plucked up the courage to go on the stage coast and they also went and had a meal at the bakery' s cafe.They organised to meet Tania again the following morning so when they got back to the hotel they all ordered room service, showered and went to bed
"It was so nice to meet you two guys. Keep in touch and if you ever come to the States look us up. We would love to show you our part of the world!" Jim spoke for the group. They all hugged and shook hands with their two Australian pals and once again piled into the bus. They all waved as the train pulled out of the old Railway Station.Next on their tight agenda was the Wildlife Park. It was located on the outskirts of the city on the Melbourne side of town in Fussell Street. They all desperately wanted to go there as they had not encountered any native animals. And here they could do so and touch and pat them.
The group were so excited as they entered the gates. Hoping around them were beautiful red and grey kangaroos. Several of them had a Joey peeping out of their mothers pouches occasionally at the Bob-Whites, then shyly bopping back in.
Further along the trail they came to the Tasmanian Devils. They were so ferocious looking what with their black fur with stripes. The also made a terrifying noise."I thought these little fellows were extinct?", said Brian.
"I think you are thinking of the Tasmanian Tiger, Brian. They are indeed extinct but people think that they see them every year. A lot of people think that they are still in the wild , but no-one has found one yet. They look similar to a dingo, apparently."Mart filled the group in on his findings out.They all even got to have their photographs taken with the koala's. Being careful not to be scratched by their big long claws, they all stood around the caretaker and smiled.
"Aren't they just so cute and cuddly, guys? Cuddly enough to sit on my bed with my teddy bears!", cooed Honey.
"Mmm I don't think so Miss, these little fellas have been know to cause a lot of injuries. You would not believe what havoc they could do. And noisy creatures they are too. Have you guys heard them? Bloody noisy things. Cute looking but definitely noisy!" the care taker said laughing."Don't be silly, what sort of a noise would they make? I imagine a nice cuddly, cute little noise." sniffed Diana."To describe it accurately I say they sound like a pig. They snort horribly and loudly. At night if you didn't know what it was it would give you the 'Heebee Jeebees'. Honestly."After a brilliant day looking at the Koala's, Kangaroo's, platypus' and such they headed back to the hotel for an early night.
They passed the Loreto College, which is an all girls Catholic college which is located near the Olympic Rings from when the 1956 Olympic Games were held in Melbourne. The rowing was held in Ballarat. Loreto also houses a magnificent Gymnasium, of which Tania's husband built a few years back.
Further along were more beautiful houses and many swans were waddling all over the place. You are only allowed to drive 50 kilometers an hour around the Lake precinct. There are always many water birds that are in danger of being hit and also families love to spend their time at the Lake also.
They decided that they would stop in at Gill's Boathouse for a Cafe Latte and some mud cake. They figured they would walk it off during the next half an hour anyway. Tania and Trevor's best friend is a Chef there and he came out to compliment them with free cake.The restaurant is situated on the lake and has a full three walls of glass so at night or day the views are just beautiful. And their coffee and cake is equally as good.Coming back around the home stretch they passed Tan's husband working on a huge mansion working hard as ever. Jokingly Trevor gave his loudest Bob-white whistle he could do and they all did it back.When they got back to the mini bus they decided to fill their last after noon in on shopping. They visited Wendouree Village, which is really good in Ballarat's cooler times of the year as it is all under one roof. There is about 100 specialty stores there.From there they went to the Bridge Mall, which dies off in the Winter a bit because it is a Mall and in the open air. The council is trying to get it roofed but has not had any succession. Because the shops are all Heritage Listed and the towns people don't want an eyesore.They walked up Sturt Street and went to Central Square Shopping Centre and went to Myer, Target, Granny May's and many other stores. They walked back down to their bus and returned to their hotel for their evening meal. Their last in the historic city of Ballarat. They said their good-byes to their new found friend and promised each other to keep in touch with more than just electronic mail.
Early the next morning the group checked out of their motel and drove a short way out to the Ballarat Aerodrome. It was a small airport and they needed to get back to Melbourne early to show up for their mystery flight that they had won at the Casino, nights earlier."I wonder where we are going on our Mystery flight, said Dan.
"The possibilities are endless. Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales or even The A.C.T. I am sure it will be one of them." said Mart.
"Hey smarty! It may even be Tasmania. Ahhh the apple isle!" said Jim."How about we wave goodbye to Ballarat and hop on the plane and wait until we get to Melbourne airport and see!" Said Brian.
" I bet it is Alice Springs!" yelled Trixie.
"I bet it is Canberra!" yelled Mart.
"I bet it's Adelaide!" Yelled Diana.
"I bet it's Sydney!" yelled Brian.
"I bet it's Perth!" Yelled Jim.
"I bet it's Surfers Paradise!" said Honey.