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The White Hat Melbourne NewsletterArchived Newsletter No.106 - 19 November 2004Contents
Family stuffThis week the open air movies start at Collingwood Children’s Farm. There is also the Return of the Sacred Kingfisher Festival at Ceres Park and open day at Cruden Farm (see below). The Myers Christmas windows are now on display with plenty of happy faces in the crowd and only the occasional face under a white hat thinking “bah, humbug – they’ve chosen an overseas children’s book again because it comes with plenty of overpriced ‘official merchandise’”. Details at Children in Melbourne. There are also a number of school fetes with family entertainments this weekend starting from Friday evening. Details at Fairs & Fetes in Melbourne. A very proud Australian“Mate, you’ve got to get over here!” I had never heard Ewan like this. Although he is an old friend I have never known him so excited. Nor have I ever heard him use the word mate in any circumstance. Ewan is a professional businessman who had an air of gravitas at the age of twenty-two and here he was on the phone this morning in full flight like some bimbo who has just won the designer set of drink coasters on a television game show. “Slow down” I said, “why do I need to get over to Adelaide?” It turned out that Ewan had been to the first two operas in Wagner’s Ring Cycle. He was highly impressed by the first, then blown away by Die Walkure. Now Ewan is someone with some substantial runs on the board in both music and theatre and I respect his judgement. I don’t know whether any tickets are available so I might have to call in a few old favours. I suggest you do the same if you can see your way clear to spend some time on Adelaide. I’m sure there will be some room to kip down on Ewan’s living room floor. “Where are you now? I asked. “I’ve taken the day off work” he said. Ewan never takes the day off work – even with a broken leg. “I’m just wandering the streets of Adelaide feeling very proud to be Australian”. The last time I remember people roaming the streets feeling proud to be Australian was when I was in inner Sydney immediately after the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics. It is worth checking whether tickets are still available. Theatre, dance & musicIf you love tap dancing then got on down to The Nash for the annual tap dancing spectacular called “Bachelor Pad Royale”. Who knows, they may even have the tap version of the Ride of the Valkyries. Details at Dance in Melbourne. Then for theatre you can check out ‘Five Minute Call’ which is labelled as a ‘site specific comedy’. Details at Theatre in Melbourne. Next week lunchtime music in the parks starts in the Flagstaff and Treasury Gardens. Melbourne myths & legendsThis week events celebrating the Eureka Stockade start in earnest, so I thought it might be appropriate to start a little series on Melbourne Myths and Legends - tales that have been elaborated and expanded over period of time or many that have been simply made up (such as many urban myths). For instance, it is only through my own retelling that I have come to realise that my feats on the half back flank for the Ballart High School second eighteens were truly heroic. The words legend and myth are often used interchangeably but in our White Hat Guides we use them in the following way. A legend refers to something which may or may not be true, but the teller and the listener (or reader) know that. They know that purpose of the legend is to tell a ripper yarn or to convey some important values or messages. A myth refers to something which is not entirely true but which is claimed to be literally true. Over the next few weeks expect to encounter numbers of legends associated with Eureka and even more myths. This week there are several forums and talks about Eureka as well as a major free music event at Fed Square. Details of all these Eureka events at Eureka Stockade. Next week we will take a look at some of the major myths of Melbourne. Umbrellas & pensCurrently there is an exhibition of street art at Fed Square using umbrellas as the medium. Then for that important first date, why not take along that special someone to the Melbourne International Pen Show. She’ll be fascinated. Details at Melbourne Events. Open day at Cruden FarmThis weekend is open day at Dame Elisabeth Mudoch’s farm with its famous gardens, jazz and classical music and numbers of family activities. Details at Dame Elisabeth Mudoch. Country VictoriaIf you want to get away from the tensions of modern life there is a Mediaeval Fair (sorry Fayre) and Tourney at Berwick. Here you can back to a more cultured time where if you disagreed with someone you would cleave their head open with a sword or impale them on a lance. Lots of other jolly traditions of the time are also revived. There is the Kyneton Agricultural Show as well as a Festival of Roses at Ballarat – they’re slowly working their way up to the real ting. Details at Victorian Events. Hidden Gems of MelbourneMelbourne is rich in heritage. You can start just about anywhere, walk for one block in any direction and be surrounded by reminders of the last 150 years through to the latest happenings. For instance try standing in Little Collins Street on the corner of Alfred Place.
We have only covered only covered the distance of a block on our little stroll, yet we have run across all manner of reminders about Melbourne life past and present. Just about anywhere in the centre of Melbourne you can travel for one block and run across a similar number of evocative reminders – provided you have the right guide.
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