Monthly Archives: April 2012
Connect with a Sausage, Melbourne Wi-Fi Hot Spots
The latest place I have discovered for a Wi-Fi connection was from the café chairs and tables outside the delicatessen hall at Queen Victoria Market. Located on the Cnr. of Elizabeth Street and Thierry Streets outside the side entrance to the Delicatessen Hall.
The access Wi-Fi I tapped into was from McDonalds on the opposite corner, with no need to be inside to the store, I accessed the connection from across the road.
This is a great place to have lunch and we purposely went to have one of the continental sausages from ‘Bratwurst Shop & Co.’ I had a spicy bratwurst for approximately $7.20 topped with Sauerkraut, cheese and my choice of mustard. Let the queue above at the counter speak for itself. If a sausage does not take you fancy there is a feast of Delicatessen stallholders plying there produce for you to try just inside the hall.
There is another Wi-Fi spot at Queen Victoria Market, Cnr. Queen and Victoria Streets, within the Food Court area.
We walked from the market down Swanston Street though the city to Federation Square for a coffee, Cnr. Flinders & Swanston Streets. Located there is another place to catch up on your email, upload your latest blog or travel pictures, sitting on the steps basking in the sun. If you are lucky you’ll catch one of the international or local buskers entertaining, or you can call into the Melbourne Visitor and Information Centre located below.
If the weather is no so warm try the Great Space Cafe at 45 Collins Street, underneath the Sofitel in the food court area. Popular with the corporate community this ‘Paris End’ of Collins Street location gets busy during the lunchtime period.
Wi-Fi Hot Spots can be found in several places around the city you’ll find a more comprehensive list thanks to ‘Only Melbourne’ here. Most sites are free wireless internet connections, or free with the purchase of a coffee…
What’s underneath the Onion Skin:
Other things to do nearby – it’s a Market, shop till you drop and the Melbourne City Baths in Swanston Street
Close by to: Melbourne Central and CBD, juts walk further up Elizabeth Street
Suburb/Neighbourhood: NORTH MELBOURNE [45 minutes walk from Southbank Homestay]
Food: Bratwurst & Co.
How to get there: Melways reference – Map 2B C12
By Car: Stacks of parking at the rear of the market
By Tram: 19, 57 & 59 from anywhere in Elizabeth Street
By City Explorer Bus: – – Free tourist shuttle, get off at stop 8 for the Queen Victoria Market . Walk through the market to the opposite side and main entrance on Elizabeth Street.
MELBOURNE in APRIL – at the SPIEGEL TENT
The Famous Spiegel Season , 12 February – 24 April, 2011
The Famous Spiegel Tent, which for much of the past decade has been a much-loved feature of the Arts Centre forecourt, returns to Melbourne with an exciting new program of cutting-edge cabaret, music, comedy and circus programmed by the Arts Centre. Check out the program here.
Offering a range of ticketed shows, the Famous Spiegel tent season will run for 11 weeks from 12 February and will also introduce visitors to a series of themed outdoor spaces designed to provide a relaxed social atmosphere in the shadow of the iconic aspire.
Whether you are attending one of the season events or just strolling past, take a moment to have a drink the bar located in the vintage tram next to the tent on the forecourt and chill out watching the promenade along St Kilda Road.
Lanway Gallery
Hosier Lane is located between Flinders Lane and Flinders Street opposite the entrance to Federation Square Atrium, and well worth the walk across the road. The walls of this and adjacent laneway buildings form the canvas for the artists work. To some ‘Tagging’ as this art is frequently called, is frowned upon – even these folk I think may walk away thinking WOW!!.
If you are visiting at the weekend you may even catch some Melbourne’s newly weds in vintage cars using the laneway as the backdrop to their wedding photos.
At the end of the lane is located two Spanish Tapas Bars, the perfect place to end your walk and visit to this space.
SOVEREIGN HILL, BALLARAT
SOVEREIGN HILL, at BALLARAT is about a 90 minute journey North West of Melbourne. It is one of those tourist attractions that I always take my visitors, as a living city from the1850-1890′s with mine, working shops and town etc. it will appeal if you have children in your group. There are a range of accommodations on site and if you do not wish to be totally immersed in the experience there is lots of choice nearby in Ballarat.
I recommend staying for the sound and light show “Blood on the Southern Cross’ which is well worth the additional cost. If planning to see the sound and light show, try and book the first show before you leave Melbourne or once you arrive at Sovereign Hill. Staying on to catch the second show if they are running one can make the day a long one especially if travelling up and back in one day