Fitzroy Gardens

The Fitzroy gardens The Fitzroy Gardens are 26 hectares (64 acres) Valued for their historic, aesthetic, architectural and horticultural significance; the Fitzroy Gardens were classified by the National Trust in 1974 and placed on the Victorian Heritage Register in 1999. The gardens were initially designed by Clement Hodgkinson and planted by park gardener, James Sinclair, as a dense woodland with meandering avenues. The land originally had been swampy with a creek draining into the Yarra River. Originally set aside as a reserve in 1848, the gardens derived their name from Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, Governor of New South Wales (1846 - 1851) and Governor-General of the Australian Colonies (1851 - 1855).

Conservatory

Another feature of the gardens is the Conservatory (1930), housing magnificent indoor floral displays that are changed five times each year, Today it was a Hydrangea & Fushia display. It looked gorgeous.

We ate lunch at the Pavillion Cafe. I recommend it for a lovely day out.

Queen Victoria Market

We went to the Victoria Market to buy fruit and vegies for Xmas.
The QBE is the oldest and largest market in the southern hemisphere. The Market is a major Melbourne tourist destination, offering a variety of fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry and seafood, gourmet and deli foods as well as specialty delicacies.
It also has a large non-food related market, selling a diverse range of clothing, shoes, jewellery
and handmade art and crafts.
Did you know the site it now stands on use to be a cemetary and although they did reinterned bodies there are still approx 9,000 people buried under the sheds and carpark of the market.
The market was once known as a thriving underground pirated goods centre. A massive crackdown in 1997 has helped to clean up the market's image, but has also resulted in an increase in prices for these types of goods.
We love the atmosphere and the diversity of the market that is why we come here.

Four Mile Creek

Four Mile Creek is on the East Coast of Tassie. It took us about 1 and a half hours to drive there. We went through St Mary's and stopped to get the necessary alcohol. Then continued on through the harrowing St Mary's Pass. Finally we arrive at this tiny and I mean tiny settlement of about 30 homes (no milkbar) to be greeted by our friends and hosts the Jensens.
We spent 5 days there exploring the area. Billabong Bay, Bay of Fires, St Helens etc. The weather was a lovely 23 degrees and it rained only once in the morning by the afternoon it was fine and sunny. We went over the Elephant pass to have lunch at the pancake barn there. That was sweet. Had a dinner in St Mary's Pub and Evandale Pub. Great meals. Finally came home Tuesday.

The only downer to the trip was on the way to we sat on the runway for 2 and half hours because of a faulty something then on the way back our morning flight was cancelled and they put us on an evening flight. 10 hours in Lauceston airport is enough to drive you potty!
Thanks John & Debbie for a relaxing and fun holiday.