Monday 12th February 2007. Melbourne, Victoria.

This morning I am living like a uni student again. Tom has a rehersal this morning for one of his forthcoming gigs and I enjoy the entertainment whilst I complete the household chores like my washing...talk about Melbourne housewifes'.

Off on my own again today and I head into Melbourne to continue exploring. This is a fascinating city which has proved thus far to have a great deal to commend it. I have only scratched the surface and even with today's explorations I hope one day to return.

I make my first stop St Paul's Cathedral. An example of the work of English architect William Butterfield and built between 1880 and 1891 the building is designed in the High Victorian Gothic Revival style. It is possible (for me after visiting so many churches this year)to view this building as yet another metropolitan building imported from the Mother Country. It has all the facets from design to mosaic floors to memorial plaques and stunning stained glass...but it deserves recognition as the fine building it is.
The three towers and the spire were completed in 1933 to the design of Sydney architect John Barr.

This church makes overt its connections with the Mother Country with displays from English cathedrals and memorabilia of Royal visits. But a real connection for me was the memorial I found to one George William Rusden who was an educationalist and author and who served as Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Council from 1856 - 1882 and who was born at Leith Hill Place in Dorking on July 9th 1819. Dorking has been my home town and place of work for the last five years and for me it is always fascinating to find connections.

Scotland's national bard gets everywhere. I have seen Rabbie Burns immortalised around the world from St Louis to Melbourne where his statue was erected in 1904 by the Caledonian Society here in Treasury Gardens.

A strange concept is Captain Cook's Cottage relocated here from Yorkshire being shipped to Melbourne in crates and barrels. Cook's Cottage displays how simple life was during the 18th century in Great Ayton only 15 years before Cook landed in Australia.

Standing outside is a Moreton Bay Fig. A native tree in New South Wales and Queensland it is strongly identified with Moreton Bay near Brisbane. As the Endeavour sailed north along Australia's east coast in 1770, Cook named Moreton Bay after the Earl of Moreton (then President of the Royal Society). The re-creation of an English cottage garden is wonderful and the smells simply adorable. This is an excellent example of historical preservation and well worth a visit.

With its little bridge, piped classical music and stunning blooms the Conservatory in Fitzroy Gardens is high Victoriana at its best.

Afternoon tea is at the Hotel Windsor where there is an eclectic mix of businessmen, ladies who lunch and tourists. I loved the cute detail on the cake stands with the heraldic lion adorned by the British Crown.

The Windsor Hotel lies next door to the site where Scotch College rented premises from 19th January 1852 until 1853. This was the second location of the school which moved to its own premises in Lansdowne Street on January 10th 1854.

My last stop today is the gothic revival masterpiece that is St Patrick's Cathedral. This building is stunning with its magnificent organ...and the unfriendly porter who ushers you out in order that he can close. There is something very wrong in our world when the doors of churches have to close to God's people (particularly at 5pm).

In the cathedral there are exhibits of Chinese iconography reflecting Melbourne's, and Australia's, growing multi-cultural population and the high proportion of Chinese catholics in the city. I did though manage to offer up two prayers before leaving...

Dear Father
Pray that we grow in understanding of each other; of different cultures and beliefs; and that we come to respect each and everyone for who and not what they are , in order that we ALL can live free from the fear and hatred that leads ultimately to war and insanity.

Dear Mother of All
Pray that we grow in our awareness of all that Mother Nature has to offer; that we grow to treasure natures gifts and the wonders the earth can and does give us. In your capacity as the Mother of God show us...the weak, feable and ignorant peoples of the world...the true path to environmental protection and understanding, such that we can pass on a world at least as bountiful and wonderous as the world God allowed us to inherit.

Tonight I have yet another Melbourne experience. After our Shisha in the garden the girls and I were joined by Mary our neighbour and a retired University Professor . After a fine discussion over an equally fine bottle of French wine I headed out with the girls to The Clyde to meet up with the University College crowd. At the College the atmosphere, the history and the buildings reminded me of my time as a student at Oxford.

It is a shame that I have so little time in Melbourne as I haven't had the chance to do the city justice and will thus need to return one day and explore.