Melbourne

Here are some views of Melbourne which has been home for the last 2 weeks. They say time flies when you're having fun and the blog has been a little neglected as a result. Above is the CBD taken from the Mornington Peninsula.
The Royal Botannical gardens are a lush haven a short walk from the center of the city. They have an impressive variety of plants in tranquil settings.
Bridge over the Yarra River with St Pauls Cathedral in the distance. It supposedly has the tallest spire of any Anglical Cathedral in the world although it doesn't look all that high!

Boat / rowers on the Yarra River.
Federation Square in the heart of the city. Impressive variety of galleries, ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) and Information Office as well as some cafes and bars. There is free wireless internet to be enjoyed if you have your own computer. My favorite is the ACMI where you can choose from thousands of films in the library and watch them in booths with up to 5 people, for free! There is also a large variety of historic film from as far back as 1897 and documentaries on Australian and Victorian history/culture.

I am yet to photograph the trams but they are a good way to get around. They have evolved from cable-drawn to electric power although at one point their future was looking uncertain. I heard they were saved by one of the mayors who, being an avid supporter, managed to get the tracks layed in concrete so that they were there to stay.

Below is a bike shed at a community environment park called CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies). They take in abandoned bikes and strip them, restore and re use the parts to make new bikes. They also grow organic veg and rear chickens organically. They rely on renewable energy - mainly solar but some wind, use composting toilets and are generally earth friendly. They have a website :
http://www.ceres.org.au/whatisceres