Flinders Pier

We recently visited the pier at Flinders, the large wooden pier is said to be a safe location for a day's fishing. Where a good variety of species can be caught, especially calamari and whiting. Flinders Pier is also one of the most popular shore dives in the state.There seems a lot to see and do around Flinders the scenery is beautiful and there many opportunities to snap a photo or two.

under the pier

J Ward Ararat Guided Tour

J Ward front view

We called into Ararat on our way home from a trip touring around the area in the hope we could  join a guided tour of J Ward. J Ward housed some of Victoria's most dangerous men, those men who were deemed "criminally insane". The building originally opened as a goldfield prison in 1859, during this time three men were hung here and their bodies buried in the grounds in unmarked graves. In the mid 1880's the site was  acquired by the Lunacy Department to house those men who were deemed criminally insane until it closed in 1991. Our tour guide on the day was Wally and he was a wealth of information about J Ward and the inpatients housed there, would recommend this tour as a must do.

 Front gate

Single staff quarters

 West wing

 Married couples quarters

 Ship picture painted by a prisoner still visible today

 Straight jacket

 Exercise yard inmates spent 12 hours a day here

Guard tower

Inmates carving in bluestone brick many hours with nothing else to do

 Building facade

 Entry to guard tower was from a stairwell outside the facility

 Underground kitchen facade

 Bread was baked on site in an old wood fire oven

Cell

 Stairs to second level

Cell block

Mt William Grampians National Park

Today we walked to the top of Mount William which is a most popular summit and the highest point within the Grampians National Park. Beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges and open plains can be seen from the summit a definite must for the photographer. The weather on the summit is very unpredictable we had almost made it to the top when a storm front move in and within minutes it started to rain. The temperature was 3c at 9am on top of the summit and very windy, but we went prepared for any condition.

Rock wall showing natures art work

 Natural rock face

Stunning views

 

 Storm front hit just as we reached the summit

Cape Schanck Lighthouse

Cape Schanck Lighthouse was the second coastal lighthouse build in Victoria in 1859. It is situated on the southern most tip of the Mornington Peninsula and sits 80 metres above the ocean on the cliff top overlooking the Bass Strait. It's tower was built from limestone and it stands just 21 metres high.

Cape Schanck Lightstation is now part of Parks Victoria and gives visitors the opportunity visit a maritime museum, join a guided tour of the working lighthouse, it boasts spectacular coastal bush walks with stunning ocean views and 4 self contained cottages that are available for overnight accommodation. We enjoyed our time at the cape and would recommend the walk along the coast.

 

Titum Arum Blooming at Royal Botanic Gardens

An unexpected bonus of being in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne on Christmas day was the chance to see one nature's amazing gifts, the rare blossoming of an Indonesian Corpse Flower also known as Amorphophallus titanum or Titum Arum. While wondering around the gardens we came to the tropical glasshouse and were surprised to see security guards standing outside the door. On entering the glasshouse we found out why, it was hard to miss the giant flower standing nearly two metres high of the Indonesian corpse flower almost in full bloom. The tuber for this one was sent down from Sydney seven years ago and this is the first time one has flowered at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Victoria. The Titan Arum’s flowering structure was growing about 10 centimetres (4 inches) a day to a height  which was nearly two metres tall. We were very lucky that at the time of our visit on Tuesday there were not too many other visitors so we were able to get some good photos and have a long look  without being hurried on. When news got out that the Arum was in full bloom hundreds of people stood in long queues for a brief view before being moved on. For me it was a once in a life time opportunity to see very unique and beautiful plant.