Adam G

Burke and Wills, the leader and second in command of the ill-fated expedition to cross the Australian continent, died on their return journey at Cooper's Creek in June 1861. Their bodies were exhumed and returned to Melbourne on 29 December 1862 and interned here on 21 January 1863 (Australia's first state funeral). Subsequently, in May 1866 the monument commemorating the explorers was erected over the grave site. This monument, a large Harcourt granite block, is twelve feet high by six feet square at the base and tapers to 5 feet square at the top. The block itself weighs nearly 30 tons and was the largest block ever quarried in Victoria and it was one of the most difficult undertakings ever effected in the colonies to get it from the quarry to the cemetery. The inscriptions on the four faces on the base were added in March 1873. This grave is one of the most visited in the cemetery.

St Patrick's Cathedral Shop is not where you would expect it to be and in fact, it's near the Presbytery at the Lansdowne St end of the Cathedral precinct and thus some distance away from the Cathedral itself at the Gisborne St end. Fortunately, there are some A-frame boards with directions to the shop.

As you will readily see from my photos here, it's quite a small shop but nonetheless it does have a reasonable selection of beautiful Catholic/Christian items including gifts and gift wrapping paper, statues, crucifixes, paintings, books, brochures and cards. I found the staff to be super friendly are helpful.

This children's playground, in the Carlton Gardens and located just north of the Melbourne Museum, is rather unique when it comes to playgrounds. There are two tall tower structures, a big tunnel slide, smaller slides, musical instrument, monkey bars, fireman's pole, ladders and a climbing wall, as well as a sandpit all set in a hide-and-seek type maze of walls each having different sized holes cut into them making them fun for hiding and exploring. There are paths running through the maze, with a wooden deck in the middle that hides musical bells that chime when you walk on them.

Off to the side is a circular area with soft surface for toodlers with toddler swings and a cubby house with a slide, sandpit, climbing frame and spring seesaw. Next to this older kids is an another area with a number of monkey bars and climbing frames, a flying fox and horizontal bars plus two double swings. There's lots to keep kids of all ages entertained while burning off energy.

Being in the Carlton Gardens, this playground is set in lots of green space with beautiful well established trees including large Moreton Bay figs. It is certainly different and quite popular especially after school when the kids pour out from the primary school across Rathdowne Street.

Sandridge Beach in Port Melbourne, is very similar to neighbouring Westport Reserve Beach. It's only about 5km from the CBD, with views of the city, Webb Dock and the Piers. It's a nice and fairly quiet beach with relatively flat and calm water which makes this beach for kids to shallow paddle on a hot day.

Additional to the sand and beach, there's some great amenities and facilities including a nearby Caps Cafe, the D'lish Fish Fish & Chips shop at nearby Beacon Cove, the Beacon Cove Foodstore, large sheltered picnic tables, free electric BBQ facilities, water drinking tap and nearby toilets, Westport Reserve Playground (a small playground), and car parking. There's also the Sandridge Life Saving Club nearby and the beach is often patrolled by surf lifesavers on the weekends during the warmer months. You'll see the red and yellow flags on the beach when they're on duty.

All round, a good inner city residential beach.

Run by the Victorian Climbing Club, the grass roots Burnley Bouldering Walls is a perfect place to learn and practice bouldering with some pretty cool dudes. Being directly under CityLink / Monash or South Eastern Freeway, it's a great example of integration into and utilisation of public space.

There are three bouldering walls. Wall 1 has beginner and intermediate routes, the bit more challenging wall 2 with its 30° overhang, is for intermediate to advanced routes, and Wall 3 having a 45° overhang, is for the more difficult/advanced routes. Being under the freeway means that it can be used under all weather conditions.