Puffing Billy Steam Train

Thanks to all those volunteers who rosters for a wide range of duties in Puffing Billy Railway, therefore we are able to enjoy the nostalgic ride in the world's oldest steam train passing through fern gullies and lush rainforest of the Dandenongs Ranges.

I really highly saluted these volunteers and Puffing Billy Preservation Society for their efforts in keeping Puffling Billy Railway's operation since 1962, if not the line would not be economical.

We took the ride in Menzies Greek and get down at Belgrave. Marvel at the scenery and panoramic views of the Sherbrooke Forest which passed by your carriage window.   

I was lucky to meet native bird - Australian Crimson Rosella which is describe as very sociable, and that is why I managed to took its picture closed up. The colourful blue cheek patch, red head and breast, plus the black edge with blue in their wings and tail looks pretty.

 

Beware of Rhino in Australia?!!

When travel in Australia, you will noticed a yellow postal of "Beware of Rhino" on a skateboard pasted everywhere in the tram stations. It is a very creative advertising and I am really curious at the first place what is the rhinoceros the advertising try to refer to. And it was the tram!

After some study done online, the rhino icon being used because the 30 rhinos are described as equal to one tram. Then you can imagine if you were hit by a tram then are hit by 30 rhinos. What are disaster! But how were they came out with this figure? Andrew brought up an idea that average weight of rhino is 225kg, if 30 rhinos will be 6750kg, but a Melbourne tram is 2450kg.

I really have no idea, but I will said the impact is big and you can quickly imagine 30 rhinos = 1 tram in your head. Then you will be more careful when you crossed the road. Just like previously the Digi's yellow man campaign make me always remembered that I have a yellow friend with me previously when I were using their service. Haha! What do you all think?

 

Queen Victoria Market

On Tuesday, we reached Queen Victoria Market around 3pm but unfortunately most of the stalls had closed. We decided to come back here on Friday's morning since our hotel just located not far away and it took around 10 minutes walk from there. Therefore, please bear in mind the timing when you wanted to visit Queen Victoria Market. According to the website,  it closed on Mondays, Wednesdays, Good Friday... and the operating hours are 6am to 2pm for weekdays and longer timing for weekend.

The Queen Victoria Market had around 130 year-old and it is the largest market in Australia. There have open air market separate into wet and dry market (as per my observation), Deli Hall and Meat Hall. According to the tourist guide, the previous day of Queen Victoria Market was the old cemetery, and there were still 9000 bodies buried underneath the market’s car park.

Evening visit to the market was quiet and solitude, especially in winter when the sun sink earlier. It reminded me the history and ghost story told by the tour guide. But the morning of the market is totally different, lively and bustling. The vegetables and fruits are fresh and juicy. Comparison, the price to cook at home are cheaper than dine in restaurant.

There are souvenirs you can buy in cheap price in this local market but there are mainly from China. The tour guide told us that we can even get a "three generation" T-shirt from here but I wonder what is the meaning of three generation she was mentioned. At first, I thought the the quality of the T-shirt is so good until it can last for the usage of three generation. But I was wrong, instead, mentioned by the tour guide, after washing the T-shirt, from your father size can shrink to your size and later your child size. What a funny story, haha...

 

Enjoyed a cup of latte with my mum in McCafe nearby the Meat Hall

Farm life experience in Warrook Cattle Farm

On the way to Philip Island, we visited Warrook Cattle Farm for an educational tour to see kangaroos, wombats, sheep shearing demonstration, cow milking and the working dogs demonstration.

Warrook cattle farm is an 100 years old historic cattle and  sheep farm situated at 4170 South Gippsland Highway Monomeith, Victoria with one hour drive from Melbourne. At Warrook, you will experience a real lifestyle of Australian farming which you couldn't experience in the city.  Therefore, relax and get your hands dirty!

When we reached Warrook, what welcoming us was the tranquil trail with two rows of trees waving at us. The air crisp and the breeze playful. What a good weather it is. After that we were brought to the fauna park to see wombat and kangaroos up close. The question arouse "are joeys (baby kangaroos) born in their mother's pouch?" "What is the size of a new born joey?". These are the questions you can get your answer in this educational tour.

We proceed to the cow farm, "Do, Re, Mi, Fa..." four calves stretched their heads out of the cage awaited for our arrival, I think they were in hunger. Some of it even licked on the handbag of one of our group members by thinking this is their food. Feeding the ridiculously cute calves was another experiences you can get and I have experienced it before in Korea trip at an open farm. The calves will chased after you when you hold a milk bottle. It was fun experience! After we finished feeding the calves, we were introduced on the correct way to milk the cow. It was not hard to do it, but I just afraid the cow will felt pain. I just pretended it and took a picture.

One thing I noticed that, most of the pets are given name, and the farmer treated them as one of their family members as well. The two working dogs were then brought to the sheep area and instructed by the guide to round up sheep in a lush pasture. But there are incident that one of the working dog tried to bites on a sheep and the owner had to punish the dog. Was it an accident or a show?

The educational tour were then followed by a sheep shearing demonstration before it ended. The poor little sheep was being pulled out from the cage and look innocent when the owner sheared on its skin. It also look like the sheep was enjoying the whole process without struggling and sit still. Although the skin have been sheared, but the lanolin (wool wax) will protected it from coldness.

 

 

 
Before we departed, we have our lunch in Warrook and I enjoyed the chicken set and their house wine.