The White Hat Melbourne Newsletter

Archived Newsletter No.210 - 7 February 2008

Contents

Festivals
Bringing the country to the city
Melbourne's Hidden Gems - No.1
Free music performances
From the White Hat Inbox
World Music in the Fairfield Amphitheatre
Racing 1939 - 2007
Reader Feedback
Children & family
Melbourne's Hidden Gems - No.2
Country Victoria
The White Hat Quiz

Festivals

This weekend sees the celebration of Chinese New Year in the city. There is the traditional festival in Chinatown on Sunday as well as Dragon Boat racing at the Docklands. Details at Ethnic Festivals in Melbourne. This Saturday is also the major day of the St Kilda Festival with wall-to-wall bands and celebrations. Details in all the mainstream and street media.

Bringing the country to the city

All sorts of country communities have experienced the sea-changers and tree-changers bringing city-style activities to the country. The cappuccino machine was understandable, but when the 50/50 dance was driven out of the shire hall to make way to make way for the poncy city-style arts festival with lectures by men with pony tails (“he has to deconstruct things dear because he’s never constructed anything in his life”) then you knew it was time for the country to come to the city.

This weekend on the outskirts of Melbourne is the annual Whittlesea Country Music Festival. There will be all the things you would expect at such a festival including buskers, family entertainment, decorated rigs and utes and young ladies wearing the sort of thing you wear when you drape yourself across rigs and utes. Details at Country Music.

Melbourne's Hidden Gems - No.1

Several months ago it had been a good day at work. I was feeling particularly cheerful and decided to take a colleague for a quiet drink at one of the hidden bars nearby. Up Franklin Street to Queen Street, turn right into Queen Street then right again into the first lane, and after a couple of twists and turns – voila – the hidden entrance. Once inside you make your way through an old courtyard. I pointed out the opened cartons of earthenware and glassware which had probably sat there for a generation and were now unlikely to find a buyer. Several people were sitting around on the makeshift packing case furniture enjoying a drink. We made our way up the outdoor stairs, across a patio and into the bar where we ordered a new age low calories beer. I pointed out the variety of shrubs and potted plants throughout the space. “They have all been rescued from development sites” I pointed out “and when the bar moves on from this site they will be donated to local community projects. ”Each one has its one label with its history. It’s a far cry from the big commercial bars out there that have no contact with the surrounding community.”

We took our drinks and sat outside on the raised decking. “Look at the warehouse roofs” I said. “It helps keep you in touch with how this part of the city earned its living. And these makeshift chairs and tables – just simple packing case units with no wasted paints or chemicals, that can be reused for a variety of things.” The waitperson removed our empty glasses “And they’ve even got a retro feel about the staff clothing that’s in tune with the surroundings.” We went to the bar and ordered another drink.

It’s good to know that in a sea of commercialism that hidden up back lanes there are small establishments in tune with their surroundings and the values of a current generation.

The entrance to ‘The Pond’ can be found down the first lane running off Queen Street to the north of Franklin Street intersection. It is open at variable hours.

Free music performances

The coming fortnight presents a bonanza for music lovers. For less than the price of an ipod download you can enjoy opera in the park, four orchestral concerts under the stars and a concert for organ and orchestra in the Town Hall. All six concerts are free.

Opera in the park is always a popular event but you need to get there early if you want a good picnic spot. International organist Simon Preston is the soloist on the mighty Town Hall organ together with Orchestra Victoria.  And, of course, the four free orchestral concerts at the Music Bowl bequeathed to us by one of Melbourne’s most successful businessmen are always one of the glories of summer in Melbourne. Details of all these at Free Classical Music in Melbourne.

From the White Hat Inbox

“I am a seasoned traveller and before visiting your wonderful city I did what I usually do. I explored the internet, subscribed to several newsletters and looked for the sort of unusual things that tourists might not usually find. We had a wonderful time in your city and thanks mainly to your newsletter. Why don’t your official sites such as . . . list these things??? Thanks for a wonderful resource.
Yours, Maurice.”

Maurice, because our ‘official’ websites’ are not independent they can only list what they are allowed to. For instance many overseas visitors believe that the ‘That’s Melbourne’ website is about what’s on in Melbourne whereas it’s about what’s on in the confines of the area administered by the Melbourne City Council. In fact (possibly to make it less misleading) they have recently added the word “city” to their website. Thus visitors to Melbourne this weekend using that website may be unaware of the major festival in St Kilda (administered by a different council). This is all right and proper given that the City of Melbourne’s information services are funded by those within its city boundaries but it can be confusing to visitors. Similarly many state tourism authorities will only give information about those organisations which have paid their (often hefty) registration fees, while some other government funded organisations will only promote events that fit the socio-political agenda of those in charge of the website. At White Hat we are independent and not hamstrung by any of these and as such can be completely objective and follow our own arbitrary agendas.

We also had the following personal message:

“hi from portc. had a wonderful summer. mark has told me that none of the gr8 achievers ever went thru uni without at least 2 gap yrs so im going to have another gap yr this yr. u didn’t reply to my messages in jan – is something wrong? luv, nat”

World Music in the Fairfield Amphitheatre

The free family-friendly outdoor concerts of world music continue on Sundays in the Fairfield Amphitheatre. Details at Folk & World Music in Melbourne.

Racing 1939-2007

If that sounds like the title for a biography of your grandfather, then maybe you should head down to the Royal Historical Society to find out more about the subject at this public lecture.

Reader Feedback

“Thank you for the information about the open day at the Melbourne Club. We took our two toddlers along who immediately sat down in the middle of the lawn and wanted to stay there all day. What a wonderful space. I’ve promised I’ll take the kids back again once I become a member but I didn’t tell them how long that might take.
Cheers, Peter”

Children & family

This Sunday at Docklands is the last of the Kidsdance dancing classes for kids. Also this weekend is the Kids Shake Rattle & Soul Concert where they can listen to the music of their grandparents’ time. Details at Children's & Family Events in Melbourne.

Melbourne's Hidden Gems - No.2

It had been a lousy day at work recently. I was feeling particularly grumpy and decided to take a colleague for a recovery drink nearby. From Victoria Street through the market along Queen Street, past the store with the man-eating spiders, past the party supplies store and left down the lane. Through the back entrance and my friend was immediately taken by the pallets of old goods. “They must have been here for decades” he said. “Nah” I said, “shipped in for atmosphere – look how they’ve installed the lights behind the glassware.” We made our way to the bar. “Isn’t it amazing what you can find down back lanes?” said my friend. “Not really” I said, “look down the stairs at the large glass doors leading onto the main street. That’s the main entrance but they keep that closed in order to suck in those who are attracted by an air of ‘mystique’. It also helps keep out undesirables such as baby boomers.” “You have had a bad day!” he said. “Not real flash” I admitted. “Besides, look at these plants everywhere.” he said “that they’re going to contribute to the community after they leave. At least they’re interested in the environment.” “Unless somebody takes some interest in the plants and gives them a drink nobody is going to want to accept them as a gift” I said. “Even if they poured some of the contents from the half drunk glasses on them they would be in a better state. Look at the labels – they have spent more time in creating a fake-distressed font than caring for the plants. It’s all part of the marketing spin.”

We sat outside with our drinks. “Look at those factory roofs” said my friend. “Rooves!” I said “and they’re asbestos – nothing atmospheric about that. And look at this stuff we’re sitting on. Untreated softwood left out in the weather – it’s already warping and won’t be of use for anything in a month or so. And who thought that Coles Cafeteria Uniforms circa 1970 would be a fetching garb for the waitresses. You see, this is just a marketing exercise for one of the major players in the liquor industry to launch their new range of beer. In a little while they pack up the whole concept and take it to a space in Sydney where they can create a back entrance for a new batch of gullible punters. And another thing . .”

My friend made some excuse and said he had to leave. Some people don’t even have the courtesy to enjoy an after-work drink and pleasant conversation with a colleague. As the sun began to set I became aware of the unique view of the Katsilidis Republic Tower in the background seemingly growing out of the Katsilidis urban apartments in the foreground. Maybe this is a unique place . . maybe I had been here before . . maybe it all depends what mood you’re in . .

The entrance to ‘The Pond’ can be found down the first lane running off Queen Street to the north of Franklin Street intersection. It is open at variable hours.

Country Victoria

This weekend the Murray River International Music Festival finishes and the Yarra Valley Grape Grazing Festival starts. There is the Wunta Festival in Warrnambool and the Ficifolia Festival in Drouin together with the RACV Macedon Ranges Grand tour and the San Remo Channel Challenge and Market. The San Remo swim challenge takes place in the limited ‘still water’ time between tides. If you attempt the swim outside those times you will probably find yourself swept up on either the northern coast of Western Port Bay or the northern coast of Tasmania. Details of all these at Country Victoria.

The White Hat Quiz

First to last week’s quiz about clubs, organizations & groups. We had numbers of correct answers so here they are.

Please note: This section of the newsletter has been removed as it forms part of a forthcoming publication or because it is forms part of our Questing activities. If you find yourself on a tour where the guide is White Hat Accredited they are likely to know the answer to many questions you may have in this area. All guides on White Hat Tours are White Hat Accredited.

Now to this week’s quiz. Recent ones have been a little difficult, so let’s keep this nice and simple.

1. We are currently celebrating Chinese New Year. What animal is celebrated this year?
2. Any person familiar with racing 1939-2007 should be able to answer this. If you bet 50c on a horse (my top limit) how much would it pay if it won and the odds were: a) 6 to 1 b) 4 to 3 on
3. A piece in a current city newspaper states – “In 1879, Ned Kelly wrote The Jerilderie Letter. In it he declared: “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter'.”’ Did Ned write the Jerilderie Letter (careful) and does it contain the words quoted?
4. On Tuesday there is free concert featuring one of Stravinsky’s great early ballet scores. Stravinsky rewrote a number of his early works including this one. Is this because he was dissatisfied with them or could there be another reason?
5. Melbourne has numbers of clubs hidden up back lanes. Where would you find the Kelvin Club and what is the strange contraption that is often visible in its foyer?

No prizes – just glory and a warm inner glow.