TheTramWalker

NEW! Find me on Flickr for some of my favourite photos. 

[posted July 7, 2006]

Why walk Melbourne’s tram network?

Well, as my profile says, I was bored with my usual walking circuits and itching to explore more of this fabulous city. It’s so easy to get stuck in a routine: work, home, usual shopping/entertainment areas and rarely venturing from these oft-travelled routes.

I know people who drive to popular walking venues – namely Albert Park Lake and The Tan around the Royal Botanic Gardens – but that sort of defeats the purpose. And as for treadmills … urgh! Unless it’s being used as a warm-up for further exercise at the gym, a treadmill can feel like the road to nowhere. But when you go for a walk you can look back at the distance covered and feel a great sense of accomplishment.

Walking is not just about exercise, it’s also about getting out in the fresh air to discover new sights and sounds (and occasionally smells).

( Read more... )

 


[posted July 7, 2008]

A year ago, when I was celebrating breaking the 100km tramwalking barrier, I dedicated the walk along the start of the No 55 (West Coburg to Domain Interchange) to a late friend who used to live in the area.

Twelve months and another 137km later I'm nearly at the end of my journey, which I later realised had been inspired to some degree by Kerrie and her determination to live life to the fullest ... no matter how short it was so cruelly cut.

Kerrie's story has just been released in print, written by her husband Danny as a gift to their son Eddie (the toddler who used to stuff stones in his mouth).

It's a beautiful story and had me alternating between laughing out loud and having a quiet sniff as memories were recalled.

Look for it in the Australian biographies section of your local book store. It should also be available soon on Amazon.

Walker

Dear Eddie: God, Turtles and Letters about Mum  by Danny Russell (Murdoch Books, RRP $30)
ISBN: 9781741962086 (pbk)
Dewey number: 362.196994
http://www.murdochbooks.com.au/deareddie.htm
 

 
UPDATED 1/11/08 (Elizabeth St - pt I)
                     28/11/08 (Elizabeth St - pt II)

TIME WALKED (actual time, does not include overlaps): 48hr 20min

DISTANCE WALKED (actual distance, does not include overlaps): 239.71km

ROUTES (walks in progress):
No 86 - Bundoora to Docklands (4hr 20min)(21.53km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), Part 4 (map), Part 5a, Part 5b, Part 5c, Part 5d, Part 5e (maps I, maps II), Part 6 (map), Part 7 (map), Part 8 (map)
No 109 (east) - Box Hill via city to Port Melbourne (2hr 40min)(13.18km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map),
No 112 (north) - West Preston via city to St Kilda/Fitzroy St (1hr 50min)(9.76km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map),
No 70 - Wattle Park to Docklands (3hr)(14.58km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (maps I, maps II),
No 48 - North Balwyn to Docklands (2hr 30min)(12.68km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c (maps I, maps II),
No 30 - St Vincents Plaza to Docklands  (30min)(2.9km)
   Part 1a, Part 1b, Part 1c, Part 1d (maps I, maps II)
City Circle - 50min, 4.53km
   Flinders St: Part 1a, Part 1b, Part 1c (maps I, maps II).  La Trobe St: Part 1a, Part 1b, Part 1c, Part 1d (maps I, maps II).

ROUTES (completed walks):
No 1 (north) - East Coburg via city to South Melbourne Beach (1hr 20min)(6.61km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), full route
No 1 (south) - South Melbourne Beach via city to East Coburg (1hr 25min)(6.71km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2a, Part 2b (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c (maps), full route
No 3 - East Malvern to city (2hr 55min)(14.75km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c, Part 3d (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (maps), full route
No 5 - Malvern to city (2hr 35min)(12.65km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c, Part 3d (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (maps), full route
No 6 - Glen Iris to city (2hr 35min)(12.79km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c, Part 3d (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (maps), full route
No 8 (north) -  Moreland via city to Toorak (1hr 15min)(6.17km)  
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), full route
No 8 (south) - Toorak via city to Moreland (1hr 55min)(9.64km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2a, Part 2b (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c (maps), full route
No 16 - Kew via St Kilda to city (4hr 15min)(20.34km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2a, Part 2b (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c, Part 3d (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (maps), full route
No 19 - North Coburg to city (1hr 40min)(8.34km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c (maps), full route
No 24 - North Balwyn to city (La Trobe St west end)  (2hr 25min)(12.6km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c, Part 3d (maps I, maps II), full route
No 55 (north) - West Coburg via city to Domain Interchange (2hr)(10.33km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), full route
No 55 (south) - Domain Interchange via city to West Coburg (25min)(2.18km)
   Part 1 (map), full route
No 57 - West Maribyrnong to city (2hr 05min)(10.35km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (maps), full route
No 59 - Airport West to city (2hr 35min)(12.84km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (maps), full route
No 64 - East Brighton to city (3hr 25min)(16.13km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c, Part 4d (map), Part 5a, Part 5b, Part 5c (maps), full route
No 67 - Carnegie to city (3hr 05min)(15.52km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c, Part 3d (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (maps), full route
No 72 - Camberwell to city (3hr 30min)(16.86km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), Part 4a, Part 4b, Part 4c (map), Part 5a, Part 5b, Part 5c (maps), full route
No 75 - Vermont South to city (4hr 30min)(22.98km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), Part 4 (map), Part 5a, Part 5b, Part 5c (maps I, maps II), Part 6 (map), full route
No 78 - North Richmond to Prahran (Brighton Rd) (1hr 25min)(6.87km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), full route
No 79 - North Richmond to St Kilda Beach (1hr 35min)(7.58km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), Part 3 (map), full route
No 82 - Footscray to Moonee Ponds (1hr 50min)(9.13km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), full route
No 95 - Melbourne Museum to Bourke St (west end) (35min)(2.52km)
   Part 1, Part 1b, Part 1c, Part 1d, Part 1e (maps I, maps II), full route
No 96 (north) - East Brunswick via city to St Kilda (1hr 25min)(6.76km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2a, Part 2b, Part 2c, Part 2d, Part 2e (maps I, maps II), full route
No 96 (south) - St Kilda Beach via city to East Brunswick (1hr 30min)(7.21km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), full route
No 109 (west) - Port Melbourne via city to Box Hill (45min)(3.51km)
   Part 1 (map), full route
No 112 (south) - St Kilda/Fitzroy St via city to West Preston (1hr 10min)(5.9km)
   Part 1 (map), Part 2 (map), full route
 

Direct links to some of Melbourne's favourite destinations and tourist attractions as seen on my tramwalks:

ALBERT PARK (Beach, Victoria Ave and Bridport St)  (link)  (map) 
BOURKE ST, city  (maps I, maps II)
     Pt 1 - Royal Exhibition Building (Nicholson St) to Exhibition St  (link)
     Pt 2 - Exhibition St to Swanston St  (link)
     Pt 3 - Swanston St to Elizabeth St (Bourke St Mall)  (link)
     Pt 4 -  Elizabeth St to King St (inc Bourke Place)  (link)
     Pt 5 - King St to Spencer St  (link)
BRIDGE RD (Richmond) and FITZROY GARDENS  (link)  (map)
BRUNSWICK ST, Fitzroy  (link)  (map)
CHAPEL ST (South Yarra/Prahran/Windsor)  (link)  (map)
ELIZABETH ST, city  (maps)
     Pt 1 - Pelham St to La Trobe St  (inc Queen Victoria Market)  (link)
     Pt 2 - La Trobe St to Bourke St  (link)
     Pt 3 - Bourke St to Flinders St
ENTERPRIZE WHARF and QUEENSBRIDGE SQUARE  (link)  (map)
FLINDERS ST, city (maps I, maps II)
     Pt 1 - Spring St to Swanston St  (inc Forum Theatre)  (link)
     Pt 2 - Swanston St to Queens St (inc station)  (link)
     Pt 3 - Queen St to Spencer St (inc Immigration Museum)  (link)
HIGH ST, Armadale  (link)  (map)
LA TROBE ST, city  (maps I, maps II)
     Pt 1 - St Vincents Plaza to Exhibition St  (link)
     Pt 2  - Exhibition St to Elizabeth St  (link)
     Pt 3  - Elizabeth St to King St (inc Flagstaff Gardens)  (link)
     Pt 4 - King St to Docklands  (link)
MUSEUM and ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDING  (link)  (map)
NEIGHBOURS SET (Pin Oak Court, Vermont)  (link)  (map)
QUEEN VICTORIA MARKET - Peel St  (link)  (map); Victoria St  (link)  (map)
ROYAL PARK  and ZOO (link)  (map)
SMITH ST, Collingwood  (link)  (map)
SPENCER ST, city - (link)  (maps); Exhibition Centre  (link)  (map); Southern Cross station  (link)  (map)
SPORTS PRECINT (inc MCG and Melbourne Park) and BIRRARUNG MAR  (link)  (maps)
STATION PIER, Port Melbourne  (link)  (map)
ST KILDA - Beach and Pier (links pt 1, pt 2)  (map) - Acland St, Esplanade  (link)  (map)
ST KILDA RD (St Kilda to city)  (maps)
     Pt 1 - Carlisle St to Commercial Rd  (link)
     Pt 2 - Commercial Rd to Domain Interchange  (link)
     Pt 3 - Domain Interchange to city  (western side: inc Victoria Barracks, Arts Precint)  (link)
     Pt 4 - Domain Interchange to city  (eastern side: inc Shrine of Remembrance, gardens)  (link)
SWANSTON ST, city (maps)
     Pt 1 - Fed Square to Collins St (inc St Paul's Cathedral)  (link)
     Pt 2 - Collins St to Lonsdale St (inc Town Hall, Manchester Unity Building)  (link)
     Pt 3 - Lonsdale St to Melb Uni terminus (inc State Library of Victoria)  (link)
SYDNEY RD (Brunswick) and ROYAL PARADE (inc Melb Uni)  (link)  (map)
TRAM MUSEUM, Hawthorn  (link)  (map)
VICTORIA ST, Richmond  (link)  (map)
WILLIAM ST, city (inc Queen Vic Market)  (link)  (map)
 

CELEBRATING ... 48 HOURS ON THE ROAD


TIME WALKED (actual time, does not include overlaps): 48hr 20min

DISTANCE WALKED (actual distance, does not include overlaps): 239.71km

THIS WALK (completed):
No 19 - North Coburg to city (2hr 5min)(10.27km)
No 57 - West Maribyrnong to city (2hr 25min)(11.78km)
No 59 - Airport West to city (3hr)(14.77km)

( Click for progress map )

No 19 - North Coburg to city
No 57 - West Maribyrnong to city
No 59 - Airport West to city

( Click for full route maps )

ELIZABETH ST
ROUTES 19, 57, 59
(stops 9-1)

( Click for satellite maps )

 

 
Elizabeth St - pt I

No 19: North Coburg to city
No 59: Airport West to city
No 57: West Maribyrnong to city



from Pelham St to Flinders St (terminus) - stops 9-1 – 25 min (1.93km)
Google Earth: 37 48’07.23”S, 144 57’27.10”E  to  37 49’04.79”S, 144 57’53.73”E
Google Maps: start and finish

Elizabeth St is a bit of an odd mixture.

At the northern end it’s commercial showrooms and other businesses, but not exactly the sort of area that attracts visitors keen on serious retail therapy – although the Queen Victoria Market on the Victoria St corner is an exception to the rule.

Further south, after La Trobe St, more traditional shopping kicks in, including the GPO development on the intersection with the Bourke St Mall. This walk ends at the western entrance to Flinders St station.

Elizabeth St is also where you can go cruising for motorised transport of the two or four-wheel variety.

And before I forget, this post marks 48 hours on the road exploring Melbourne’s tram network by foot.

(Note: Photos were taken over several different days over the months on two different cameras, so light/tree foliage etc may vary.)

 

( Read more... )

Elizabeth St - pt II
(posted 28/11/08)

La Trobe St to Flinders St - stops 5-1 - 12min (0.95 km)

La Trobe St to Lonsdale St
In my previous post, I said Elizabeth St was the place to come if you were after motorcycles.

And this is the block to shop for motorised two-wheel transport ranging from nifty little Vespas for zipping around town to enormous touring Harley-Davidsons with seats that look as comfy as the most expensive armchair, CB radio and four-speaker sound system (complete with intercom for the pillion passenger – who BTW has an elevated seat with a backrest for added comfort). “Head out on the highway” indeed ... but in this case I reckon for these easy ridin’ Steppenwolf fans it’s more a case of “live to be extremely pampered” than “born to be wild”.

The amount I know about motorbikes could be written on the back of a Metcard ticket, but even I slow down while walking along this section of Elizabeth St (on the western/outbound side) to have a look. Motorbikes are sold further north along Elizabeth St, and not every shop along this section is to do with bikes ... but it’s pretty close.

The line-up along the footpath is suitably impressive (beware the domino-effect of accidentally knocking just one) ...

 

( Read more... )( Read more... )

Like the subject says, I've treated myself to a new camera, which also means I'm redoing photos from my four unposted final walks (Collins St, Spring St, Elizabeth St and Docklands).

In the meantime, here's a pic I took at the recent Royal Melbourne Show, featuring a trio of alpacas:

There's also a full report - and plenty more pictures - on the Walking Melbourne website.

Walker

Sigh!

Sorry folks, but updates may take awhile.

It's not me but Livejournal, which for some reason is not allowing "rich text" editing of posts. I can post this plain entry fine, but the minute I want to edit it (I usually tweak a complicated entry with pictures and different typefaces 3 or 4 times) it is reverting to HTML only ... and I dare not touch that in case I completely bugger up the coding.

According to noticeboards, this problem is affecting thousands of other LJ users.

So until next time - get walking!

Walker

UPDATE: Problem fixed and now posting to LJ.

2nd UPDATE (9/9/08): LJ rich text still isn't recognising certain commands (like italics) and wants to print posts in smaller-than-requested type sizes (so don't blame me if everything suddenly "explodes" to elephantine propotions). Also, LJ recently added advertisements on the right side of the page. It's not so bad if you have a wide screen (like me), but crap if you're on a standard monitor - so I 'm currently investigating new layouts.

Double sighs with a grumble topping,
 
Walker

PS: I did try to give myself a quick lesson in HTML coding by comparing previous posts with the latest ... but I reckon long-chain molecules (organic chemistry comprising complex combinations of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms that haunted me in year 12) are easier to understand.

TIME WALKED (actual time, does not include overlaps): 47hr 55min

DISTANCE WALKED (actual distance, does not include overlaps): 237.78km

THIS WALK (progress):
City Circle - Flinders St; La Trobe St (50min, 4.53km)
No 30 - St Vincents Plaza to La Trobe St (west) (30min)(2.9km)
No 86 - Bundoora to Docklands (4hr 20min)(21.53km)

THIS WALK (now complete):
No 24 - North Balwyn to city (La Trobe St west end)  (2hr 25min)(12.6km)
 
 
( Click for progress map )

No 24 - North Balwyn to city


( Click for full route maps ) 

LA TROBE ST - pt I
ROUTES 24, 86 (cont), 30, City Circle
(stops 12-D2)

LA TROBE ST - pt II
ROUTES 24, 86 (cont), 30, City Circle
(stops 12-D2)



 

La Trobe St - pt I
No 24: North Balwyn to La Trobe St (west end) (cont)
No 30: St Vincents Plaza to La Trobe St (west end) (peak), Docklands (NewQuay) (interpeak)
No 86: Bundoora to Docklands (NewQuay)
City Circle



St Vincents Plaza, East Melbourne to Docklands - stops 12-D2- 30min (2.9km)
Google Earth: 37 48'29.35"S, 144 58'33.29"E  to  37 48’55.29”S, 144 56’41.47”E
Google Maps: start and finish

La Trobe St is one of the quieter CBD routes that skirts the northern border of the Hoddle Grid and is therefore much quicker to walk or tram. (OK, and the big wide street makes it easier to navigate across the city by – shudder – car.)

From east to west the main section of La Trobe St mainly hosts accommodation, education, limited retail and members of the legal fraternity. Plus, there are two very nice public gardens to explore.

The La Trobe St extension also opens up the route down to the water and a new suburb that is one of Melbourne’s most ambitious recent development projects. My opinion about Docklands wavers. On busy weekends, the stinking midday heat of summer or wet wintry days - when southerly gusts off Port Phillip Bay freeze you to the bone – it can be thoroughly miserable. However, on a recent still, sunny afternoon the openness of the area seemed to lift the weight of the city off my shoulders, and left me feeling refreshed for the rest of the day.

More on that later ... we still have a way to go.

( Read more... )

La Trobe St - pt II
(posted 13/6/08)



Exhibition St to Russell St
This section of La Trobe St is fairly boring with a mix of mainly low-rise offices and apartments, many in converted old buildings.

One of these is “Sefton” at #30-36 on the northern (outbound side). I don’t know anything about the building, but it’s quite attractive: 

La Trobe St - pt III
(posted 18/6/08)



Elizabeth St to Queen St
Back uphill and another section of La Trobe St with only a few highlights amid the office blocks and shopfronts.

On the northern side at #320 is the small Welsh Church with one of those handy blue and white plaques:

► Welsh Church: One of two Welsh Calvinistic churches still active in Victoria, this simple Gothic revival building was designed in 1871 by the architect Charles Webb on the site of the Welsh chapel built in 1856. With the support of the Rev Dr Egryn Hones, the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital for women began in the church hall in 1896.

A separate bronze plaque on the church notes the driving force behind the establishment of the women’s hospital: Dr Constance Stone, who had to study overseas because at that time women were not permitted to study medicine in Australia.

[Warning: there are some large images under the cut, so my apologies to readers with a dial-up connection.]
 ( Read more... )

La Trobe St – pt IV
(posted 8/9/08)

King St to Spencer St
This last section of La Trobe St, at the western end of the CBD, is the quieter end of town and not particularly exciting. On the northern (outbound) side is a low-rise residential development, while on the other side is another collection of low-rise buildings at #555 – many several decades old – that houses William Angliss College.

Here’s what the information plaque says:

► William Angliss College: Built in 1939 as the result of a gift by William Angliss - a prominent Melbourne businessman, philanthropist and politician - to the Government for a food services training school. The college, designed by Percy Everett of the Public Works Department, is an example of the “Modern Movement” in architecture. The school was used for the training of defence forces catering personnel during World War II.

And here’s what it looks like. Note the second picture showing details of the fancy brickwork: I like the 90 degree angles and the way the windows are “framed” within the borders.

 

( Read more... )

TIME WALKED (actual time, does not include overlaps): 47hr 25min

DISTANCE WALKED (actual distance, does not include overlaps): 234.88km

THIS WALK (in progress):
No 86 - Bundoora to Docklands (4hr 15min)(20.90km)

THIS WALK (now completed):
No 75 - Vermont South to city (4hr 30min)(22.98km)