"In February, as Victoria’s bushfires reached the edge of Yarra Glen, the small Yarra Valley town was apparently nearing its darkest hour. It survived, but the smoke seemed to linger for a while as visitors avoided the region out of respect, while the locals rebuilt. When I ask the co-owner of Mandala Wines, Charles Smedley, if Yarra Glen has a strong sense of community, he nods an affirmative. ‘What happened through the fires enhanced it, if anything,’ he says."

A guide to the town of Yarra Glen, in the Yarra Valley east of Melbourne.
Available for republication (print only).
Images available.

[Read the full article here]

"This focal point seems the right place to begin an exploration of Melbourne’s renowned alleyways and laneways. Over the last decade these once-neglected sidestreets have become populated with bars, cafes, restaurants, music spots and art galleries. Today I’m taking a trip from the macro world of sprawling Flinders Street Station to the attractive micro world of Melbourne’s alleys."

Wandering the vibrant alleys and laneways in the heart of Melbourne.
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"I’m having coffee with an enthusiastic man from the 19th century. At least, it looks that way. Tour guide Colin Mockett is dressed in a black top hat, bright red cravat and riding boots, and looks like nothing less than a wealthy Victorian gentleman out on the town. Geelong was certainly rich in those days; and the symbol of its 21st century renewal is its once decaying waterfront, now restored to vitality."

[Read the full article here]

"Where to next? I’m standing high on a slope, and the walking track I’ve been following is blocked by fallen trees. This sort of thing happens every time I visit Olinda. Having left the concrete jungle, I get excited by the prospect of bushwalking, neglect to obtain a proper map and end up on a walk that’s more difficult than I’d expected. But the good thing about this national park is that you’re never far from a craft shop."

A guide to the town of Olinda, in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne.
Available for republication (print only).
Images available.

"I’m fortunate to arrive at the lake as the sun is about to set. There’s no traffic on the water this time of day, so its surface is almost still, rippling slightly as a cool breeze blows into the town. Aside from a few pink-tinged clouds, there’s a clear sky, and as it fills with the orange glow of the disappearing sun I feel myself starting to relax."

Enjoying the wineries and natural attractions of Nagambie, Victoria.
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"From the dawn of powered air travel in 1903, people have been enthralled by aircraft and their pilots. Whether it's because air travel still seems miraculous, or simply because an aircraft aloft is an impressive sight, we're drawn to the sight of what a movie once called 'those magnificent men in their flying machines'."

Taking to the skies to cover the Avalon Airshow in Victoria, Australia. 
Available for republication (print and Web).

"The 1880s were the glory days of Marvellous Melbourne - the city was booming, the British Empire was at its mightiest, Queen Victoria was approaching her Golden Jubilee and it was time to create a body devoted to the most famous English writer of all time..."

Discovering the secrets behind Melbourne's oldest societies.
Available for republication (print only).

"Dressed in a black robe and hat, Sinton cuts a startling figure seemingly from a bygone age. He’s standing on the steps of a Gothic monument to colonial pioneers in the chilly darkness, as some bats pass theatrically above his head. 'The State Library is the most haunted building in Melbourne,' pronounces Sinton as we continue the walk."

Delving into the paranormal via ghost tours across Australia. 
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"Right at the end of Kelly Street is a tumbledown timber house built by Ned’s dad, 'Red' Kelly. Ned’s childhood home is derelict, but I feel warmly toward it, thinking of the brave young boy growing up here; admiring his dad, loving his mother. His life is an undeniably fascinating story, but I keep coming back to the same question: was he hero or villain?"

A journey through Victoria's High Country in search of the spirit of Ned Kelly.
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"“Everybody said ‘You can’t do it in Australia’,” recalls David Baker, owner of the Bakery Hill Distillery. But such negativity only made Baker more determined. Evoking the spirit of the 1854 Eureka Stockade uprising in the Victorian goldfields, he swore to uphold his right... to make Aussie whisky. Which explains the crossed pick and shovel on the label of each bottle, as well as the distillery’s name."

Revealing the artisan distillers of Australia, from rum makers to sake brewers. 
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"All good things must come to an end, as the saying goes, and even Melbourne’s much-loved trams run out of track eventually. But that needn’t be the end of the journey. Near the scattered tram termini, there are interesting attractions worth hanging on to the end of the line for - sometimes humble, sometimes intriguing, and sometimes picturesque."

A profile of attractions near the termini of Melbourne's tram lines.
Available for republication (print only).

"It must be some sort of record – this privately-owned railway closed after running just one train in 1888. Ross’ dream was to build a sugar beet factory on the edge of the city, with a dedicated railway to transport the resultant sugar to its eager sweet-toothed inhabitants. However, the project was a white elephant from the moment construction began in 1883."

Traces the walking trails along former railways in and around Melbourne.
Available for republication (print only).

"When Indiana Jones grabbed the golden idol out of that lost temple back in 1981, young Andre Bishop mistakenly thought it was fashioned in the shape of a monkey. Decades later, Bishop helped preside over the opening of Golden Monkey. 'I just imagined the sort of Shanghai bar that Indiana Jones would walk into, meeting some dodgy antique dealer.' And it’s not the only city bar with an Asian theme..."

Profile of five cool inner-city bars with an Asian theme.
Available for republication (print only).

"The only question that occurs to visitors in this oh-so-cool Fitzroy bar is 'Am I cool enough?' There’s a certain studied nonchalance about the regular clientele that perfectly matches the dressed-down loungey aesthetic..."

A journey through Melbourne's vibrant bar scene, from grunge venues to glam premises.
Available for republication (print only).

"How often do we stick to the prescribed list of attractions in the guidebook, ticking them off while more interesting unplanned experiences wait just around the corner? Starting from Flinders Street Station, I’m going to take each successive left turn, then right turn, down streets and arcades, until I can go no further. Or decide to cheat, as long as it makes the experience more interesting."

Exploring central Melbourne via an experimental travel technique.
Available for republication from June 2007 (print only).

"What if you’ve been to Melbourne a million times and have 'done' all the tourist sights? Here’s a different approach: trainspotting without the trains. A number of railway reserves, remnants of unsuccessful rail lines, have been turned into routes for walking, cycling and riding. These 'rail trails' pass through attractive greenery or by interesting architecture, and allow a certain amount of stickybeaking into back yards along the way."

An investigation of four walking trails along former railway lines, in and near the city.
Available for republication (print only).
Images available.

"Although I'm concentrating on where my feet are, avoiding muddy patches and keeping to the track, I can't ignore the forest around me. It's dense and green, but with dramatic shadings of light and dark, so that it seems comforting rather than oppressive. And when I pick my way up a difficult slope and find myself on a small wooden bridge over a creek trickling its way down the hillside, I feel like I'm at the top of the world."

Escaping from the big city, into the leafy Dandenong ranges east of Melbourne.
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"Ballarat is that exceptional thing: a regional location whose main attractions are historic rather than natural. The city is haunted by the ghosts of colonial Victoria, and its story is showcased in original, interesting ways. If you’ve ever felt you should know more about Australian history, this is the place to spark your interest."

A look at the attractions and tumultous gold rush history of Ballarat, Victoria.
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

"Melbourne was once known as a city of conservative morals, early closing hours, and uninviting, rainswept streets. But times change. Those streets now lead to alleyways lined with fashionable boutiques, cool cafes and cutting-edge bars: quietly fashionable, architecturally quirky and deliberately off the map."

An exploration of Melbourne's vibrant alleyway bar scene, with short reviews of several bars.
Available for republication (print only).

"In the shadow of these structures lie a number of hidden treasures. Some are historical curiosities, others the forgotten debris of the past. These forgotten gems are reminders of the city’s eternal diversity, and the way it piles up new examples of the present without ever quite clearing away its history. Here are ten places to get you looking at Melbourne in a different light."

Investigation of ten little known places of interest in Melbourne. 
Available for republication (print and Web).

"Every museum has it. No matter how dusty the displays, how misspelled the cardboard labels, there's at least one unexpected item which makes you say 'cool'. A look through the specialist museums of Melbourne doesn’t disappoint. Each confirms this city's story is as complex as its people; just when you think you know it all, Marvellous Melbourne springs another surprise."

A look at a range of lesser-known Melbourne museums, including the Tank Museum and Chinese Museum. 
Available for republication (print and Web).
Images available.

I also have a selection of high-quality digital images available, depicting a variety of international locations. 
See examples of my travel photography.

If you'd like to republish one of these pieces, or would like a new piece written about the same location, please get in touch via the contacts below:

email:
tim@iwriter.com.au

phone:
0411-242327
(international +61-411-242327)

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