Melbourne Day 2

Melbourne Day 2 and back on the tram into the city

We decided to start the day off by going down to the docklands area for a walk round.  A few people had told us that there was a lot of controversy around the building of this area, but couldn't quite find out what.  I presume as with everywhere else, it is about the vast money spent building an area of luxury accommodation, without anything for the 'real people', but then I could be wrong.  It's in the same vein as Canary Wharf with big businesses taking off down there.  I just hope they've made provision for everyone else - there can only be so many millionaires that can afford the property.

It felt quite desolate in some ways, and obvious that most of the accommodation was empty, but then it does take a long time for an area to develop properly. It was fascinating in some ways and quite fun.

Cow in a tree (of course!)

Old wharf piles with tops on (I think)

Don't even ask

Anyway, we walked for miles around the docks and eventually ended up at a boat show which was fun.  We thought we would just pick up a yacht to go with our docklands flat and associated mooring.

Ours is the one on the right at the back!

As with any new development there is the compulsory shopping centre, which was pretty boring apart from the painted kangeroos!  In London it was painted elephants, here they kept it local - good fun.

So enough of the docklands, we headed back to the city via the QV market for lunch and back to Federation Square and the Art District for a mooch.

We started with another visit to the waterfront and bumped into the Angel again, who was giving us a stern look.

Federation Square and where the trams come in - great meeting point

Arty Farty Stairs - but I loved the stone they used

Who let the dogs out!   sculpture in Federation Square

Well in the end we caught the tram back to St Kilda for the last time.  We both felt that we hadn't done Melbourne justice and that we would like to come back and stay for longer.  We did all the touristy bits, but we would like to explore the districts more and spend the night time there.  We felt there was so much going on.  But I suppose it is good to leave a place feeling like you want to go back - and you never know we might just do that sometime.