Things have certainly changed since we were in Melbourne five years ago. This city now boasts more than 4 million people but has been suffering from a 13-year drought. Thus, things are quite dry even though we have had some rain since we've been here. Traffic is heavier, speed limits are lower and there is a new toll highway on the east side of the city which makes it much faster to drive down to the Mornington Peninsula outside of Melbourn. And there is even a brand new office tower, the Eureka Tower which boasts the largest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere. Every city seems to want to lay claim to that title.
The labels on the photos should explain themselves but overall, we find that time has been flying by since we've arrived in Melbourne. One of our most memorable experiences here thus far has included the Melbourne Symphony in an impressive performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony at Hamer Hall (complete with 10 trumpets, 12 horns, the Melbourne Symphony chorus and soloists). Another memorable and very moving experience was our visit to the Healesville Sanctuary, about an hour east of Melbourne in the Dandenong Mountain Range. This sanctuary specializes in Australian animals and there, in the state-of-the-art animal hospital, we watched veterinarians and staff treat koalas with severe burns and injured turtles. Many rescued animals from the bush fires find themselves at this sanctuary.
There's lots happening here so stay tuned for more soon from Melbourne.
1. Trevor and Lorraine @ Werrivee Park Mansion
1.a Lorraine @ Royal Botanical Gardens, Cranbourne (Australian Garden)
2. Veternarian @ Healesville Sanctuary treats Koala injured in bush fires
3. Veternarian @ Healesville treats another Koala with severe burns
4. Trevor with new hairdo @ Royal Botanical Gardens, Cranbourne (Australian Gardens)
5. Melbourne Symphony & Chorus: Mahler's Symphony No.2 (Resurrection) @ Hamer Hall in Melbourne Arts Centre
6. Trevor, Glenda and Geoff on Mornington Penninsula
7. Trevor, the Bushman
8. Lorraine on Swinging Bridge at Warburton in Dandenong Mountain Range near Melbourne
9. Cameron on basketball court in Frankston
10. Glenda and Geoff, proud basketball parents
11. Darren (Glenda's son) Lorraine and Trevor
12. Trevor @ Queen Victoria Market
