FOCUS - AUGUST 2018 47 The Little Penguins on Philips Island. Australia has always had a fascina- tion for me, and I remember how amazed I was the first time I went. The cities are pristine, the countryside spectacular and the people, as friendly as you can imagine. In fact, a great deal about the country is similar to Canada. It was, after all, settled around the same time by the same people. Of all the cities in Australia, I have to admit Melbourne is my favourite. Locat- ed on the southern tip of the continent, the city is robust with art, culture and his- tory. Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, boasts the second highest population of the country, next to Sidney. Located on the Port Phillip Bay, one of the must see attractions is Phillips Is- land, a popular day trip which most visi- tors make at sunset, for that is when the magic happens. Each night at sunset, Little Penguins return ashore after a day of fishing. Special observation stands have been set up to view the world’s smallest penguin in its natural habitat. Visitors can also arrange to view them from underground as they return from the sea to feed their young. It seems this touristic event has little or no effect on the flightless birds, as it has been hap- pening for many years. The only part that really bothered me was when they made an announcement not to use flash, and suddenly hundreds of flash photos were launched almost simultaneously. I should mention that Little Penguin is the official name for these birds. Melbourne was officially declared a city by Queen Victoria in 1847. The name was chosen because Lord Mel- bourne, Prime Minister of England, was very close to the Queen. A few years later gold was discovered in Victoria, and a mad dash of prospectors set upon the region. Melbourne prospered as the main port of the area and by 1865 it had surpassed Sydney as the largest city in Australia. The climate in Melbourne is oceanic, which means the winters are cool (10- 15 degrees) and the summers are warm (high 20s). Keep in mind the winter months in Australia are from June to Au- gust, while summer is from December to February. The city of Melbourne has some fantastic things to do, for all ages and interests. One such thing is a Colonial Tramcar Restaurant tour. While cruising through the city aboard a historical tram- car, patrons dine on a 3, 4 or 5 course meal in an elegant, period-style setting. The 1948 tram car is outfitted in velvet and brass, like vintage European Pull- man-style trains, complete with climate control and music. For the wine connoisseurs there is the famous Yarra Valley wine region, which features dozens of wineries. Guides are available to take visitors on a great day trip throughout some very picturesque country along the Yarra River Region. Scenery plays a major part in things to do in the Melbourne area. For photog- raphers, there is a twelve hour tour that wows visitors with breathtaking scenery ...................... Please turn to page 48 JONATHAN VAN BILSEN JONATHAN VAN BILSEN MELBOURNE