Tag Archive - Melbourne

Sunday Session of Family Fun at Melbourne’s Ripponlea Gardens

February 13, 2011 in Family with 0 Comments

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Boat house on the lake at Ripponlea

Ever struggled to come up with something that’s interesting but a little different to do on a Sunday afternoon with the kids?  Of course there are playgrounds, parks, museums, playcentres and the like.  But have you ever considered the historic and heritage societies like National Trust who manage historic mansions, castles, and other properties of note in your area?  They are starting to turn on the fun for kids and families to attract a younger (in this case very) crowd.

While living in the UK I belonged to National Trust (mostly historic houses) and English Heritage (mostly castles) each for a year so I could take in these famous places.  While like any good gallery or museum these days they all have the obligatory colouring tables for kids to keep them busy while you rush around the historic site the move is towards big event days usually during holidays to attract big crowds (sometimes too big) of locals as well as tourists.   The same can be said in the USA, Europe and elsewhere where there are some many options for leisure that it important to stand out and be noticed for special activities. 

And now living in Melbourne, while there is no where near as many historic houses as in the UK the selection rests well on the impression of Melbourne as one of the world’s most liveable cities. Well kept gardens and well thought through activities are the order of the day for enjoying the outdoors with the historic house/ building a bonus if you have the time.  Places like Como House and Rippon Lea estate have beautiful gardens close to the city and are easily accessible, while National Trust has recently reopened the Polly Woodside, a famous sailing ship set outside on the Yarra River with set days of great activities for the kids.

Ripponlea House, Melbourne

 

Conveniently I’m living around the corner from Ripponlea Estate, which for over a century was occupied by only two families but is now owned and run by the National Trust Victoria.  Famous both for the expansive and beautiful gardens and the Ripplea Bear (based on the teddy bear of one of the girls who first lived on the estate over 140 years ago) Ripponlea is a tranquil oasis close to the city.

Today I took my three kids to Ripponlea for a “Summer Session” held every Sunday from noon-4pm until the end of March.  It was a great way to spend the afternoon as my kids tried croquet and mini tennis on the lawns in between making badges and getting their face painted and other supervised craft activities.  And all the time a band played some soothing Jazz while families and friends sat on picnic blankets relaxing.

Sunday session at Ripponlea

An afternoon very hard to beat so if in Melbourne or anywhere around the world take another look at National trust or those heritage societies near you  – they probably have some events on that are fun for you and the family! And the bonus is that you help preserve the wonderful historic buildings and gardens in your area so you can keep enjoying them for years to come.

Note: Ripponlea estate is free for National Trust members but otherwise costs for garden only ($7 Adult & $2 child) or for garden and the house ($12 Adult & $6.50 Child)

Ripponlea is open 10am – 5pm seven days a week.

A Teddy’s bear picnic is another big event popular with the kids held every year in February.  For 2011 its Sunday 27 Feb from 10am – 4pm.

5 Cycle Hire Cities to Try (as a local or tourist)

July 7, 2010 in Travel with 0 Comments

"Copenhagen style" bike lane in Melb...
Image via Wikipedia

Cycle hire schemes are launching all over the place these days.  If it’s not the desire to get people out of cars and appear to be greener, local and city governments want residents and tourist alike to feel good about a greater mix of transport options.  Over recent years I’ve lived in the majority of cities on this list who have now introduced cycle hire schemes and I also worked on a cycle hire evaluation project for London so I’ve got some perspective. Of course the success of a scheme is very subjective but schemes usually establish themselves pretty quickly into the transport mix for a city and find their niche (sometimes unexpected).  Often the hardest challenge for schemes is to get people to use the scheme the first time but once you’ve tried you’re often hooked. And for tourists, feeling the wind in your hair as you cycle around a city can offer a great change to the normal walking, public transport or bus/taxi view giving a fresh perspective.  Whoever you are local or tourist I suggest you give cycle hire a try.

Paris, France – a poster child for cycle hire schemes, its launch and prominent good-feel buzz has put the pressure on other cities around the world to implement a scheme themselves.  Keen pricing, and many access points make this scheme one of the best.  It also helps that Paris is fun to cycle with so much architectural beauty, gardens and laissez faire attitude.  For tourists it a great way to experience Paris and for locals it’s a quick and easy alternative to the metro for short trips.

Copenhagen, Denmark – the Grand daddy of cycle hire schemes having launched in 1995 the cycle service team also employees prison rehabilitees and gets them back into work so a nice social innovation angle as well. The original cycle hire model now adapted by many, Copenhagen is a very cycle friendly city for tourists and locals and is looking to refresh its system to continue leading the way.

Montreal, Canada – launched in 2009, the scheme has 3000 bikes in 300 stations offering good coverage but will only operate in the snow free months (snow can be a hazard on two thin wheels!).  Montreal is a beautiful city so perfect for a spring or summer cycle. Montreal’s Bixi system was designed so it could be used in numerous other cities, and has since been adopted elsewhere such as Boston, USA and Melbourne, Australia.

Melbourne, Australia – launched this year, Melbourne’s scheme is still in the process of being rolled out but the first bikes of the scheme are in place in inner Melbourne. Melbourne is a cycling crazy city with many locals already riding to work but for new adopters it might take a while to get the hang of it.  However for tourists it’s a bonanza as Melbourne is very cycle friendly with many marked cycle trails in all directions worth exploring especially the water side ride along the bay from Albert Park/St Kilda down the coast.

London, England – due to launch later this month (the 30th) so the jury is still out (and there is lots of expectation) but having lived there cycling has its pros and cons but when the public transport system is 100s years old and the streets are clogged cycling is a very good option if you need to get around.  The current Major Boris Johnson is also introducing 12 cycle superhighways to help the flow of cyclists into and around the city. Perhaps of more use for locals than tourists since walking, buses and the tube can get you most places pretty well in the city I’d like to hear from any tourist who tries it when it launches?

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