Continued 23rd April, evening,
Had dinner at the Restaurant here 89 floors up, floor 88 was a circular viewing deck. Before going up to the restaurant we were given a ten minute virtual tour around Melbourne. It was amazing.
Looking to the top of Skydeck.
Looking over to the MCG Melbourne Cricket Grounds. Oval shape centre top of photo. To the right of that there is the Rod Laver and Margaret Court tennis arenas.
Looking down from the 88th floor of Skydeck.
Opposite to the Railway Station is St Pauls cathedral church where we visited yesterday. It looks so tiny. Like a model. (just opposite the left end of the bridge.)
You can go into this glass box which then slides out from the side of the building. You are then like hanging out from the side of the building where you can then walk around and get a good clear view through three sides of glass. And no we didn’t go out.
By the time we got up to the Restaurant 89th floor, the sun was just going down.
Looking straight down from where we were sitting.
They put us at a table right into the corner of the building. Poor PT was being so brave. I did pull the table away from the glass a little. But it was the best seat in town with the great view of the sun going down.
An early celebration birthday dinner for us both.
Sunset had nearly gone down.
24th April, 2025
Today we decided to walk straight out to Melbourne Park area where the MCG and Melbourne Tennis takes place. But firstly on our way to the old gothic building of the ANZ Bank to learn a little of its history.
At first we thought that it was just a museum but it is also a working bank still. The interest to us was that we both had dealings with this branch through our time with the bank.
ANZ Bank. Collins Street branch
Across the road looking at this magnificent Gothic building. The history is that the building was owned by the English Scottish and Australian Bank. It was created in 1883/87 as the Head Office and the General Managers residents for the E.S & A Bank.
The old Stock Exchange building next door to the E.S. & A. Bank.
After the E.S. & A. Bank was built, there was still empty land next door, until the Stock Exchange building was built. In the previous photo it shows how the Stock Exchange building was built right up against the E.S. & A. Bank. In 1923 the E.S. & A. Bank building was incorporated with the neighbouring Stock Exchange building, by taking the internal walls out to make one building as it is today.
This is still a working bank as well as a museum. The line going across the ceiling, just on the other side of the glass looking ceiling is the line where the wall between the two original buildings were taken down to open the buildings up as one.
There were enclosed glass cabinets to display all sorts of the old technology. Grandkids note this is what it was like before computers.
A great display of all the different money boxes of the past.
Just further down Collins street. Another great old building which was the Commercial Bank of Australia .
Now walking down to see the MCG and the tennis complex. We are walking over Melbournes railway system. I think we counted fourteen tracks. Trains coming and going in and out of Melbourne all day. But not when we were crossing. We are looking along the tracks to the MCG on the left.
Looking back at the CBD
Outside the Melbourne Cricket grounds.
This was as far as we were allowed to go unless we wanted to
Pay to go on a tour around the grounds. Which we didn’t.
Now to have a look around the tennis centre. We are not allowed in any of the courts or arenas. We managed to get a peep of this enclosed court very small.
Around the back of Rod Laver Arena.
Statue of Rod Laver
Looking around the other way shows how close the tennis complex is to the cricket stadium which is the circular stadium in the middle. I am taking this just outside the back of Rod Lavers arena.
This is the entrance to Margaret Court arena.
Now looking at the front entrance of Rod Laver arena.
Outdoor playing courts.
Managed to find an entrance open on these two courts as people were playing. Above and below photos.
Same statue as above of Rod Laver. It’s such a big complex very spread out with so many courts.
We were now feeling really tired from walking back in the CBD to try and find some street art but didn’t see much as just wanted to get back to our hotel after walking 8.8km. Sore feet. We might look for some more tomorrow but maybe not.
A lot of small lanes around town manly full of eating places. We can’t get over how many people are out having lunch during the day. Every eating place is packed.
More street art.
Got back to the Hotel about 2.30pm exhausted. Should be a quieter day tomorrow as looks like the weather might be wet so not so much walking. I think the weather reached 27 today but looks like the weather is cooling down quite a bit and could be rain about. Can’t complain as we have had two brilliant sunny days. At the moment we are watching on TV the start of Aussie rules football at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds where we were today. The grounds are shared with cricket and Aussie rules football. Just had our national anthem sung due to Anzac Day. Big Anzac build up before the game starts, so I guess we will be watching that.
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