Metro tunnel opening, Melbourne, 30 November 2025

The opening of the Melbourne Metro Tunnel on 30 November 2025 heralded many changes in the centre of the city.  It was fun to ride the new train line on the first day and am finally sharing some photos.  There were crowds, bands, street performers, photo opportunities, everything felt shiny new and there were new confusing long connecting tunnels to walk.  

I was not among the early enthusiastic crowds.  My plans of brunch and trains were scuppered by the rain.  But I was there on this momentous day.  When the first 3 underground stations in Melbourne - the City Loop - was opened 40 years before I was a kid in the country and excited at the idea of travelling in the dark on a train.  It was a disappointment when I finally travelled on the loop to have the lights on the whole time.  This time I didn't get my hopes so high but it was great to share in the exhilaration at opening 5 new underground stations with the crowds.  And did I mention that public transport was free!

The above photo is more exciting than it looks.  I had always loved the view of St Paul's Cathedral until the Metro Tunnel works covered it up.  Now we have the view of our cathedral back as well as a fine new station entrance in the City Square (bottom left of photo).

State Library Station

The State Library station was my first stop because it is connected to the Melbourne Central (formerly Museum) station where my train arrived from home.  The two new CBD stations (Town Hall Station is at the other end of Swanston Street) have tunnels connecting to City Loop stations and have many exits.  The State Library station is convenient to RMIT university, the Queen Vic Market, Melbourne Central shopping centre, Queen Vic shopping centre, Emporium shopping centre and, of course, the State Library.

At the corner of Latrobe and Swanston Streets on the side of the station is an amazing large-scale artwork (Forever by Danie Mellor) based on historic images of Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung women from the State Library’s archives.  This is a reminder that the station is built on First Nations land.  I was impressed to see this a couple of months before the opening.
 

 

On the day of the opening I went straight from underground at the Melbourne Central station through the tunnel to the State Library station without going above ground.  It was quite exciting to reach the point where the stations connected.  Musicians played celebratory music and a performer (not in photo) was hula hooping.

Once I was in the State Library Station, I took the escalators to travel further underground.  It was quite aa shock to see the huge crowds coming in the opposite direction.  I asked a Metro worker about it and was told that there had been a day that created a backlog of commuters.

The orange archways that soared high above the State Library platform brought to mind a cathedral to technology.  They inspired awe in the architectural skill and creativity.

 

I had to ask where the platform was because I could not see the train tracks where it would stop.  Then I found that the doors only opened when the train arrived so we could step directly onto the train.  I had never seen this in Australia.  The digital display above the doors even showed how full each carriage was. It all seemed very high tech compared to our other train stations.  Though I did miss seeing the light of the train coming down the track. 

ANZAC station 

Anzac Station is the only station east of the Yarra River.  Its green columns and timber canopies are intended to reflect the green heart of the city around the nearby Royal Botanic Gardens and Shrine of Remembrance, with a slightly longer walk to the grassy expanses of Kings Domain, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and Albert Park.
 

The station is in the middle of the St Kilda Road which is one of the grand boulevards of Melbourne, albeit a boulevard of modern office buildings these days.  Its large canopy along the major tram interchange brings a new iconic building to this busy city thoroughfare.  It's long canopy is called a 'timber potato chip' by the Age Newspaper.

Underground it was not so impressive with the platform dominated by large low orange lights (similar to Parkville and Arden) but the colourful abstract mural (Future Wall Painting by Raafat Ishtak) on the concourse caught my eye.  It can be seen in the above photo.  I rushed to exit the station and back onto the next train; they were only coming every 20 minutes.  If you look at the Community Art page on the Big Build website you can see other artworks at ANZAC station that I will look out for next time.

Parkville Station 

 

The Parkville station is in the university and hospital precinct.  Three station exits surround the intersection of Grattan Street and Royal Parade (with a fourth up Grattan St near the university).  On the four corners are the towering buildings of the Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne Medical Building, the Doherty Institute for Infectious and Immunity and the Peter MaCallum Cancer Centre.  Nearby is also the Royal Women's Hospital, the Royal Children's Hospital, the CSL biotech company and more.  There is a lot of medical research and clinical talent in this area.

Now there are these new icons on the corners signs of the new hidden depths of this intersection.  When I went to the opening of the new stations I barely stepped out of the train to look at the station and got back in again.  This was because I had taken a sneak preview a few days before to see the concourse.  That is when I took the photos.

The starring artwork here is Patricia Piccinini’s Vernal Glade.  She has drawn on biophilic design (aka a design to connect us to nature) to create the tiles to be calming and reflect the greens of the Australian bush and the reds and yellows of native flowers.  It is so amazing to have a work by Piccinini.  She is a giant of the Australian art scene and recognised for her talent internationally.  (For more about her, check out my post on her Rising Festival exhibition in 2021 that showcased her vision and imagination.)

At the exit to Grattan Street was the most magnificent sight.  Patricia Piccinini's calming tiles were on one side, the giant lights by the barriers on the other side, and the escalator in the middle under the glass canopy skylight with the light rippling on the moving metallic stairs.  It was so shiny new, so quiet and so beautiful.  I know it wont last but it was so wonderful to see the new station in this pristine condition.

Arden Station 

Arden stations’s impressive arched brick tunnel is houses in a shiny building with the large friendly hands of Abdul Abdullah's artwork titled Come Together.  The arches are intended to reference North Melbourne’s industrial heritage.  The artwork is a tribute to the community spirit, not just of industry but also of the North Melbourne AFL club that used to call home the Arden St Oval just up the road.

The arch has 100,000 Victorian hand laid bricks.  It is also described as a 'whispering wall' where you can speak into the bricks on one side and you can be heard clearly on the other.  I must return and try this.  It was busy and noisy and friendly on the opening day.  I missed the crowds fun and freebies at other stations because I was late but I was glad to join some bonhomie at Arden.  There were lots of official people in blue with big blue hands and blue rings with 'First to ride Metro Tunnel' written on them.

That platform had the large orange lights that were also at the Parkville and ANZAC.  I was slow to leave as I took it all in.  I had plenty of time before the next train took me back to the CBD.  So by the time I left, the platform was all but deserted.  I went up to look at the tunnel and all the new signage.

By the time the next southbound train arrived, the platform was packed with crowds.  The trains were all busy but this one was the busiest.  Everyone was crammed into the train to give us a taste of that peak hour feeling.

Town Hall Station 

 

My last metro station of the day was the Town Hall.  It is in the heart of the city, with the main entrance at the Town Hall end of the City Square.  You can see the canopy in the photo at the top of the post.  Above you can see how the entrance has a wonderful view of St Paul's Cathedral that gets better as you travel down the escalators.

I was so disoriented at a new station that I didn't come out the main entrance.  I didn't know that it was there.  I didn't know that the construction was still underway on the exits to Swanston St near Young and Jacksons pub and Federation Square.  I followed the crowd and found myself in Campbell Arcade which links runs under Flinders Street between Flinders St Station and Degraves Street.  

I stopped in the arcade to look at the photos and admire how much the arcade has been cleaned up.  Then I headed up the steps to Degraves Street where I enjoyed browsing the shops.  I realised I was hungry after all that train travel and bought an excellent dubai chocolate cookie.

I walked along Collins Street to the main entrance.  It fascinated me to see all the new signage in the streets and how the new stations are changing the landscape of inner Melbourne.

There is a little irony that this build was started in 2017 before the Covid pandemic escalated the move to more working from home.  These days there are less people travelling to the city but as the city grows I am sure we will welcome better public transport infrastructure.

I checked out the recently revealed City Square - which is not overly impressive other than the fine new metro canopy - and headed down the main entrance to the trains.  Inside the entrance, it is quite starkly grey and concrete.  A couple of performers on stilts dressed as insects were just finishing up.  It is a large space and would need to a lot of people to make it feel crowded.

I did not see anything in the way of artwork in Town Hall Station.  According to the website, we can see a 45 metre long installation by Indigenous artist, Maree Clarke’s called Barerarerungar at the Federation entrance when it is open.  

One of the information staff in blue gave me a metro tunnel lollypop.  I wasn't interested in eating it but I did take a photo on the platform with the orange cathedral-like arches.  There were lots of friendly staff about at all the stations who were very willing to help people find their way on their time in the space.

I walked through the platform and around the tunnels to Flinders Street Station where I got my train home.  You can see the much older historic platform in the below photo.  But even these platforms that I have stood on so often seemed transformed by the new blue sign directing us to the connection to the Town Hall that opens up more possibilities in the future.

Despite my train line not going through the new tunnels, I am told that diverting some of the trains out of the loop will mean that our trains will run more often, which would be great.  In February the trains in the metro tunnel have increased their frequency and there is still more to be done.  As well as more Town Hall exits opening, these stations will all develop over time as shops open and maybe there will be more artwork and posters.  

I am so glad that the stations have opened and will make a difference to Melbourne's public transport after years of upheaval around the city streets.  I have photos of some of the roadwork and will share some in another post. 

By the time I went home I was really tired.  All those elevators, tunnels, long platforms and crowds.  I spent a lot more time backtracking than usual because I was not clear on the layout.  I was really grateful to have the opportunity to join in some of the joy of the new stations opening and see them when they are so newly clean without the day to day scuffs that build up over time.  I look forward to seeing it become part of Melbourne.

Ballards, Thornbury: vegetable-centred vegan restaurant

When Sylvia asked what I wanted for my birthday, I said I wanted an experience.  She organised a dinner for us at Ballards in Thornbury.  This restaurant is my sort of vegan food: vegetables take centre stage, cooked beautifully with lots of nut and seed creams, creative flourishes and no mock meat in sight!  We had a fantastic dinner on a fine summer evening.  

We wanted to book an inside table but there were none left because we chose a busy evening the day before Valentines Day.  Inside the walls are painted a deep burgundy red with lots of artsy framed pictures like you might expect in a heritage European cafe.  The candles on the tables add to the charming vibe.

There is a large bar inside with lots of books, plants and of course bottles of booze.  And there are a few booths include one at the back that is quite private.

Our booking was for the beer garden out the back that is reached down this little lane.  I love the greenery in the middle of the space that breaks it up into smaller cosy corners.  It was very pleasant on a balmy summer's evening. down a little lane

The menu is a tyranny of choice so we ordered the Just feed me menu.  For $68 per person we were served the chef's selection of 9 amazing small dishes including dessert.  While there were still a few dishes we would have loved to have tried, such as the green olive arancini and layered potato lasagna, we got to try most of the dishes we were interested in and a few that I would not not have tried but was glad I did.  The staff were also open to requests when Sylvia asked if it could include the foccacia.  In addition to everything being vegan, there were lots of gluten free options.

We started with a glass each of non-alcoholic sangria.  A refreshing fruity drink was just what we needed on a summer's evening.  It looked fancy with the ruby red colour, orange slices and ice blocks.

Soon after, our first three dishes were served (see the top photo) as starters.

Sylvia had heard great things about the foccacia with burnt eggplant dip with surprise pickles & smoked tomato oil.  It was every bit as good and more.  The dip was so light and creamy, the bread so soft and had a wonderful sourdough flavour with some toasted fennel seeds and it all was tied together nicely with the pickled onions, cucumbers and smoky oil.

The mac and & cheese croquettes with sunflower seed toum & sweet gherkin leather were delicious.  So crunchy on the outside and the toum gave a creamy boost to the macaroni filling.

 

Most unusual was the cryptically named Pedro ximenez parfait crisps w cured mushrooms, relish, seed cracker.  Pedro Ximenez is a sherry which infused the creamy mushroom paste on the crisp seed cracker.  Topping the paste were cured mushrooms and a sweet relish which contrasted beautifully with the intense mushroom flavour.

 

Our second round of dishes arrived with lots of vegetables: You can see here how huge that eggplant is and the beautiful presentation.

The Heirloom tomato salad with apple, almonds, lovage & sunflower cream was nice, in spite of my wariness of salads featuring tomatoes.  I liked the creaminess and crunch, especially as a companion dish to the potato hash and roast eggplant.
 

The Potato hash with charred broccolini, smoked habanero oil & cannellini was excellent.  The potato hash did not dominate this meal but was all the better for the lovely greens and so much extra toppings.  It was a bit spicy but delicious.

The final of the trio was amazing: Roast eggplant tahini, chickpea, smoked corn & grape molasses.  Eggplant and tahini are such a wonderful combination, especially when the eggplant is cooked so beautifully that it falls apart at the glance of a fork.  The crunchy chickpeas and fresh vegies were great on top of the soft eggplant.

The final savoury dishes were a combination of two dishes, neither of which would have appealed to me but were a wonderful main course.  The Lions mane steak was served in intense dark seared chunks of that odd mushroom that looks like a giant puffball. They came on a bed of braised quinoa with a generous peppercorn sauce and topped with shards of crisp potato.  It was excellent.

The side salad was a Heirloom lettuce w cured sugar melon, sesame & curry leaf vinaigrette.  I could not would not eat this salad but itself.  I am not familiar with sugar melon (but apparently it is cantaloupe that I have always really disliked) nor curing fruit and vegetables.  But I really liked the dressed and fresh lettuce and melon when paired with the intense flavours of the lions mane steak.

Our last dish was the dessert of Elderflower & cashew pannacotta with fresh berry, charcoal meringue & basil.  Again I was surprised at how much I liked this, given that creamy desserts like pannacotta aren't usually my thing.  Perhaps it was that it was made of cashews (I much prefer a cashew sauce to a dairy cream) and the tart dots of fruit gel (was this the elderflower) as well as lots of berries.  The charcoal meringue was a bit gritty as charcoal can be but a nice contrast.  It was a slpendid way to end a wonderful meal.

I would highly recommend Ballards if you are vegans or even if you're not.  The delicious food kept coming, we were not rushed and yet we finished bang on the dot of the 90 minutes we had booked and left with full stomachs and happy taste buds.

Ballards
915 High Street, Thornbury
Open: Monday to Saturday: 6pm - late
https://carrot-jellyfish-7mgz.squarespace.com/

My Monthly Chronicles - January 2026

January was a busy month with leave on the first and last weeks.  In the first week I ate out 6 of 7 days.  I ate amazing food, caught up with friends and family, got out for swimming, lost my purse, had a mudguards saga, had some lovely day trips to Monsalvat, the Dandenongs and Daylesford, as well as seeing family in Geelong.  And then there were the stinking hot days when we were too hot to do anything except a quick ride to the pool in the morning.  I tried to avoid the terrible political events but they demanded attention as you can see in my summary at the end of this post.

You can read more about my January below or about the food we had at home in my post: In My Kitchen January 2026.  Above is a random photo of the summer artwork on the front window of the iconic Readings Bookshop in Lygon St, Carlton.  I try not to buy books as I don't have much time to read.  Yet whenever I am in there, I find so many books I would love to read that I feel that even if I just spent all day every day reading, I would never be able to read them all.  So much joy and so much regret!

Torquay Beach on New Year's Day

On New Years Day we went to Geelong to have lunch at my parents.  My mum had made a lovely cheese quiche to serve with salad.  A fine challenge for Sylvia's first day as a vegan.  There had been some communication breakdowns so to make amends I took her to the supermarket to find mini tacos and vegetable gyoza for her to eat for lunch.

Then I went to the Torquay back beach.  The weather was so cool and I didn't have much time so I just walked along in the tide.  I was amused at the wintery attire of the lifesavers in the middle of summer.  It is always lovely to get to the beach with any weather.  

Welcome to Thornbury - Vegan food trucks

Sylvia was keen to go to Welcome to Thornbury (520 High Street, Northcote) because it was a vegan evening in the food truck park. I enjoyed all the outdoor seating in the leafy courtyard.  We started at Nohadra's Kitchen where we shared the Taste of Iraq mixed plate with 2 falafels, 2 savoury Kuba Haleb (crispy rice balls with mushroom filling), 3 Dolma, tabouli, salad, pickled turnip, flatbread, and tahini sauce.  We'd had it before at Coburg Night Market and knew they do good food.  The crispy rice balls are excellent.

Wokkng Amazing, Welcome to Thornbury

Then I joined the queue in front of the Woking Amazing food truck (also visited here) for three Garlic Butter Jumbo Potato Cakes and an Eggy Sausage Roll, both of which we shared.  The garlic potato cakes were delicious and indulgent.  The roll was described as a "Classic Taiwanese breakfast with BUDS Italian Sausage, soy egg, and hash brown drizzled with oyster mushroom sauce rolled in a savoury flaky scallion pancake."  I was disappointed how how similar the vegan omelette was to a chicken one.  I enjoy a vegan version that is not at all like the real thing as I don't like the taste of eggs.  But I really loved the flaky scallion pancake.

Union Kiosk, Melbourne CBD

We met my dad in the city for lunch and a movie.  Lunch was at Union Kiosk (10 Howey Place).  It is down a laneway off Little Collins Street.  Union Kiosk is a hole in the wall that sells mostly vegan toasties.  That was what we were there for.  My dad had the bolognese, mozzarella and garlic butter toastie.  Sylvia and I shared the pepperoni mac and cheese toastie and the tofu scramble , mushroom and cheese toastie.  

I liked the mac and cheese best despite it being a bit spicy.  The tofu scramble (a bit like the Wokking Amazing roll above) was too eggy.  I wished they hadn't worked so much magic on the tofu.  My dad loved his toastie so much that a few weeks later he took a friend there for lunch 

Howey Place and Flow at ACMI cinema, Melbourne CBD

We headed off to see Flow at ACMI cinema after lunch.  It is an animation film about a cat in a flood.  The scenery is gorgeous with lots of jungle and seemingly spiritual statues.  A friend had told me she liked it despite there not being any dialogue.  Sound odd but once you are immersed, it was a delight to watch the black cat act in ways that rang true of cats and expressing fears and joys.

Postscript: We took the tram home without needing to pay because the state government was giving free transport on weekends to celebrate the new Metro Tunnel.  The next day I could not find my wallet.  I rang the trams, then the cinema and finally Union Kiosk, who had it.  I went back for it and with a bit more time I was amazed to see all the creative street art off Howey Place.  It was so impressive that I have put up a post on this street art in Presgrave Place.

North and Eight cafe, Essendon

I had a lovely lunch at North and Eight (285-287 Buckley Street) with my friend Kathleen.   She had the smashed avo and I had the wild rice salad: quinoa, kale, feta, roast carrot, pistachio, corn, turtle beans, herbs, cranberry, coconut, pepitas, spiced tahini yoghurt, avocado & activated almonds. ($24).  It was a lovely salad but I took more notice of catching up with an uni friend than the food!

Lux Foundry, Brunswick

After hearing in a history talk that Lux Foundry (21 Hope Street) is a fine example of a converted historic industrial building in Brunswick, I went there with Faye with renewed interest in its heritage.  Faye had the Poke Bowl which looked very good and I had the Roasted Pumpkin and Superfood salad: asparagus, kale, currants, shaved macadamias, broccolini, miso dressing.  The menu offered vegetarian extras of poached egg or haloumi and lemon.  I asked for the crispy battered tofu.  I really loved the tofu but it could have benefited from some sauce.  However there was plenty of dressing on the salad so I really enjoyed this meal. 

Bean Thief, Kew East

Another university friend I enjoyed catching up with over January was Jane.  We met in Kew at Hays Paddock for a walk on the morning of a ridiculously hot day of 39 C.  At least the park had some shade but it was definitely a day for a hat and suncream.  It was only a short walk followed with sharing a delicious wedge of Tuscan apple cake at the Bean Thief (773 High St).  The cafe had a nice vibe but it was the air con and cold drinks that I most appreciated.

Monsalvat, Eltham

I can never say enough just how much I love the artists colony of Monsalvat.  It is bursting with fascinating local history, wonderful artistic creations and many gorgeous buildings that looks more Medieval French than Melbourne.  I had a lovely visit there in January and wrote this post about it: Monsalvat Artists Colony, Eltham.  I love this photo by Sylvia.

Big Elma, Coburg 

After a friend recommended Big Elma (138 Nicholson street) at the end of Harding Street, I went there for brunch and we were most impressed.  Sylvia loved her vegan burrito made with wheat tortilla, black beans, avo, tofu scramble, tomato, aioli and served with pickled onions.  

My meal deserved to be heaped with praise!  I had the amazing Half moon tribute Falafel patty by one of our favourite local joints, Half Moon Cafe in Coburg. The patty was made of that delicious vibrant green Egyptian falafel mix and served in a soft bun with tzatziki, cucumber, lettuce and sumac onion ($18).  I ordered the vegan version and it was so so delicious.  Bonus points for being a burger that is easy to pick up with my hands and eat neatly - unlike so many modern burgers.  In fact I think it is one of the best burgers ever!  I regret that the photo does not do it justice.  We must go back for more.

Hey, that’s my Coburg exhibition at Big Elma

We had scrambled to get to Big Elma in January to see the Hey That’s My Coburg: What Remains, What’s Next artwork by local artist Lanie Harris.  The exhibition was inspired by the close of the nearby Andy's Milkbar in Harding Street.  I really love Lanie's gorgeous ink and watercolour paintings of local icons and houses.  My favourite was the Half Moon Falafel painting you can see in the middle of the above photo.  Lanie has a business called Hey That's My House where she take commissions for hand-drawn house portraits (starting at $130).  

Invasion Day

On Invasion Day, on 26 January, the idea of celebrating it as Australia Day becomes more and more problematic.  I was impressed by this Invasion Day poster with a traditional Indigenous eel trap of hopes and dreams.  I keep meaning to go to these marches but sadly this year was not a day when I had the energy.  Instead of marching in the street I read words of anger about how Indigenous people are viewed and treated in this country, especially with the attempted bomb in Perth on an Invasion Day march.  Here are a few of the articles written with distress and fury at the ongoing injustices and harms:

• Invasion Day, the party's over, by David Tyler in David's Substack, 26 January 2026.
• It's only "terrorism" if they're not white, by Dave Milner in The Shot, 30 January 2026.
• Invasion Day is about Indigenous people’s survival, our resilience. To strike at the heart of that is a hate crime, by Lorena Allam in The Guardian, 7 February 2026.
  
  

Paddock Bakery, North Geelong 

We had a lovely lunch with my parents at Paddock Bakery (Federal Mills, 33 Mackey St).  I have only had takeaway or eaten bakery items in the cafe before.  This time we had the full cafe menu.  My mum opted for bakery simplicity in a croissant and jam.  Sylvia went for vegan simplicity in her chips and toast; there was not much savoury vegan food for her on the menu but she was very pleased to have a soy strawberry matcha.  My dad went for the indulgent spectacle of a Sticky Date Pudding French Toast served with custard, caramel sauce, ice cream and berries.  I had a fantastic Purple Toast: roasted beetroot & Za’atar puree, two poached eggs, Meredith goats milk feta, honey roasted walnuts, fresh rosemary on our house wood-fired 7 grain sourdough toast ($25). I did not have the eggs and had the optional extra of guacamole ($6). 

Our lunch was on the busy Invasion Day weekend, and there were a few disappointments.  They were sold out of their wonderful salads.  My mum was surprised that they didn't have any ham and cheese left for the croissant.  Sylvia was told they could not change any menu items such as giving her some sauerkraut on her toast from another meal.  I had looked forward to an Iced blueberry Earl Grey, lemon & soda with rosemary & berry skewer but they were out of blueberries so instead I had the Iced peppermint, apple & soda w/ mint bunch & freeze dried apple ($11), which was really nice.  Despite all this, we enjoyed our meals.  The bread is always amazing and I would be interested to taste their GF options with the toast.  I'd love to return on a quieter day!

Torquay, sea and swimming

After lunch at Paddock, I went to Torquay back beach for a swim.  It was the perfect day for it and on the long weekend there were many people enjoying the sun, sand and surf.  I was so happy to get some swimming in during January after so many busy months with even dipping my toe in.  We had a couple of 44 C days that were made so much more bearable with a morning swim at Brunswick Baths.  And there was the wonderful lunch for my mum's birthday that I have written about: At the Heads, Barwon Heads where we ate overlooking the ocean.

Ripe Cafe, Sassafras

We had a great trip out to the Dandenong Ranges at the end of my week of holidays in late January.  It was the day after it had been 44 C so we noticed that many buildings were still a bit warm and stuffy after such heat but we appreciated how cool it was in comparison to the previous day.

Our first stop was Ripe Cafe (376-378 Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd) which had an impressive menu for vegans and vegetarians and beautiful food for everyone.  It was also a lovely space with a large fireplace and dark wood paneled walls in the older part of the building and a more modern addition with a high ceiling fans and large windows onto the garden at the back.

Sylvia and I shared the Veggie Big Breakfast of Thai corn cakes with chilli jam, wilted spinach, guacamole, chargrilled pumpkin, dukkah & pecans, sourdough toast, beans, grilled tomato & mushrooms ($30), and Italian tomato arancini served with salad and aioli ($24).  They were both magnificent: beautiful and delicious vegan meals.  I really wanted to have one of the gooey brownies but there were other temptations nearby.

Miss Marple's Tearoom, Sassafras

Nearby the Ripe was the famous Miss Marple's Tearoom (382 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd), which feels like walking into ye olde English village tearoom.  Sylvia can't remember her last visit there so was excited to visit.  We had to walk up to browse the Through the Looking Glass bookstore (3/383 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd) first because we were full of lunch.  We also enjoyed looking at the crafts and gifts in the Little Eclectic Shop (1/372 Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd).

Later we returned for scones with jam and cream plus some peppermint tea for me and red lemonade for Sylvia.  I was not so keen on the towering square scones which were not as fresh as I would like but the locally made raspberry jam was the fine quality you would expect in an area of Melbourne renown for its orchards.  Sylvia was pleased they had vegan scones with jam and coconut cream.  Hers weren't that fresh either but they were much better than just watching me eat mine!  

  

Miss Marple's Tearoom II

We were very pleased to be at Miss Marple's on the day when school went back when it was quiet and there was no waiting list.  You can't book so there are often queues.  It meant we sat in one of the darling window seats with floral curtains and cushions.  Even if the scones aren't fresh out of the oven, it is worth visiting.  There is so much to admire in the cosy village decor: the dark beans on the pale ceiling, the pots by the fireplace, the cute window seats, shelves around the walls holding old teapots, the black and white photos of Margaret Rutherford when she played Miss Marple on tv.  And the staff were really lovely.  You can read my post about a previous visit to Miss Marple's tearoom.

Cloudehill Gardens, Olinda

Our last place to visit was the Cloudehill Gardens (89 Olinda-Monbulk Rd) the next town along from Sassafras.  I had worried the gardens might look a bit wilting after a scorcher the previous day but they were gorgeous and green with lots of flowers and shade.  It was much cooler outdoors and I enjoyed strolling around.  We had a map but I got a little lost towards the end.

Merri Creek cycling trail

I've enjoyed riding by the Merri Creek on the my holidays.  It is always nice to ride in the strip of greenery and waterways.  

My bike had a few repairs last year but the most frustrating was the last one when the mudguards (technically called fenders)needed replacing.  I decided to go to a new place in late November who offered to order some in and give me a call.  They never called and when I finally rang in late December they said just come in when I could.  Finally in early January I did.  They said they were too busy.  I went home to check my diary and rang to arrange something and they said it would take a week.  By this time I was fed up and questioned that they had no time for a quick job.  So I was told to come in and I did.  I left the bike for a few hours and again they did not call me to say it was ready so I headed back.  When I got there I found that they had ordered the wrong type of mudguards and had my phone number right.  I asked for a refund and went to my usual bike shop.  They had new mudguards on my bike in a few days!

Harvest cafe, Daylesford

We drove to pick up a pillow we left at our Daylesford Accommodation in October.  We were excited to go to Harvest Cafe (29 Albert Street)early enough to order the tofu scramble off the breakfast menu (after failing to do this in October).  We got there early but the tofu scramble was no longer on the menu.  Instead we checked out the display cabinet.  

Sylvia made a beeline for the rice dishes: Dolmades ($1 each), Pumpkin tarragon rice cake ($4), and the Shiitake mushroom & sticky sushi jackfruit sandwich ($10.50).  I ordered the Apple & raisin sourdough fruit toast served with goats cheese & pear ($15) from the menu and a side serve of Cauliflower ceviche salad with green beans, coriander, pickles, cucumber, red onion.  Once I picked  out all the coriander I quite liked the simplicity of the salad.  It was a good meal all round.  The Two Boys elderflower and rose kombucha was also lovely.  You can read my post about my visit to Harvest Cafe in 2009.)

Paradise Bookshop, Daylesford

After brunch we collected the pillow and had a quick look in some shops.  I really loved Cedar and Sage gift shop but spent most of my time at Paradise Books (46 Vincent St).  It is a beautiful bookstore with lots of gorgeous greeting cards, second hand books, kids books and all the tempting fiction and non-fiction I would love to curl up with in one of the gorgeous rooms with bookshelves, a fireplace and a cosy armchair.  

As we drove home we listened to an episode of ABC RN The Music Show called "Lucy Dacus on feelings, bread, and roses; and 'a country trying to sing itself free' in Celtic Utopia".  I loved the part of the interview where Lucy talked about marriage.  As well as being a muso she is a marriage celebrant and has incorporated weddings into her concerts because she can and also to support couples who were concerned about visa issues in the current USA administration.  Fascinating stuff!  As you can see January had so much stuffed into it and February and March are both busy times.  So much to share and so little time to write about it!

 In the News:

January is supposed to be a quiet time for politics and current affairs but not this year.  We have had days in Victoria way above 40 C resulting in bushfires, loss of property and deaths.  Across the border,  NSW residents were dealing with heavy rains and flash flooding which gave rise to more shark attacks!  But other politics in Australia and America that have dominated the news so I have concentrated on these this month:

Australia was still reeling from the Bondi murders at Hannukah in Sydney and the fallout was intense and harmful:

• Grief and resilience in Bondi as community unites after deadly beach attack, John Anderson, Townsville Bulletin, 11 January 2026.
• There was little time to grieve before politics were played out that resulted in new hate speech laws which were called for by the Liberal National Party (LNP) who were in opposition.
• Disagreement about hate speech laws ripped apart the LNP who were much reduced in power as the two parties of the Liberals and the Nationals.
• The power vacuum has created the conditions for far right party One Nation to suddenly poll as the second preferred party in Australia, though it should be noted that the ruling Labor party still has a huge majority!  For now! 
• Read more about Pauline Hanson's One Nation party in If I had leg's I'd kick you, by Tim Dunlop in the Future of Everything substack, 27 January 2026.
• The Bondi attack resulting in unrest about the invitation for Israel Prime minister to visit Australia in February
• Read an insightful reflection on Bondi and the hate speech laws in The Great Silencing by Rick Morton on his brilliant Nervous Laughter blog, 15 January 2026. 
• Meanwhile a bomb thrown into an Invasion Day march in Perth of Indigenous people and allies (that was not detonated by dumb luck) was met with a shrug not a shriek (Daniel James). See Invasion Day articles further up this post.
• The Adelaide Writers Festival was cancelled after mass resignations in response to cancellation of Palestinian writer and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah for past statements on Israel.  It is illuminating to listen to Jan Fran's interview with Randa Abdel-Fattah in We Used to Be Journos, 13 January 2026.  
• Update on writers festival saga - Top authors signing up for alt Adelaide Writers’ Week An alternate Writers festival in Adelaide, InDaily, 28 January 2026

Meanwhile the Trumpian saga of rupture, racism and entitlement continues in the USA:

• Trump's intervention in Venezuela heralds an incomparable era by Laura Tingle, ABC News, 7 January 2026.
• Woman [Renee Good] in Minnesota fatally shot by ICE agent during raid, video shows: Mayor says ICE claims incident was self-defense are not true, and tells agency to ‘get the fuck out of Minneapolis’ in The Guardian, 8 January 2026. 
• Trump ties failure to win Nobel Peace Prize to efforts to acquire Greenland in message to Norway, CNN World, 20 January 2026.
• ‘Rupture in the world order’: Speeches by Carney, world leaders in Davos, Al Jazeera, 21 January 2026.
• Protesters gather in Minneapolis as governor calls on Trump to remove agents after shooting [of Alex Pretti], BBC News, 25 January 2026.
• Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg, & NOFX Share New Anti-ICE Protest Songs For Minneapolis, by Chris DeVille, in Stereogum, 28 January 2026. 
• Donald Trump has Iran in his sights, but what is his endgame?, by John Lyons, ABC News, 30 January 2026.

More listening, viewing, reading:

Daphne: A Portrait of Daphne Du Maurier by Judith Cook.  I really enjoyed this book, especially the first half about her ancestors and youth that had fascinating memoirs by Du Maurier to draw on.  It was a nice coincidence that at one point, Du Maurier wrote about Branwell Bronte, bother of the Bronte sisters.  I had some context around his story, having recently read Dark Quartet: The Story of the Brontës by Lynne Reid Banks.  I love a literary biography and recommend both of these.

The Good Wife tv series which focuses on legal and political stories.  Julianna Margulies is the star as the eponymous good wife but I really loved seeing Josh Charles as a law firm partner having his principles challenged.  It felt like seeing how his character in Dead Poets Society might have turned out as an adult.

No one should call this place home, (which parodies Peter Allen's I still call Australia home) is featured on Tony Armstrong's Always Was Tonight, an ABC special.  It is sung by Aboriginal children about being locked up in gaol.  You can read more about the context on Pedestrian.TV: Tony Armstrong Takes Square Aim At Criminal Age Of Responsibility In New ABC Special, 22 January 2026.

But Also John Clarke about the Kiwi-Australian comedian.  It talks about some of his hilarious comedy on television and film but also of him being fun but also compassionate and challenging when facing injustices.  That is great leadership and great friendship as well as great art!

Joy (2024) based on the true story of the world's first IVF baby starring Bill Night, Thomasin McKenzie and James Norton, showing how harmful attitudes to women and infertility could be in the 1960s and 1970s, and what a difference the science of IVF made to their lives.

Artists and Models (1955) with Jerry Lee, Dean Martin, Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone.  This was a film that I loved watching on tv as a child and recently found on dvd because these old movies are much harder to find on tv these days.  It is a fun story involving a talented women, crazy dreams, a cartoon and the cold war politics, with a touch of not so admirable old fashioned attitudes.  It was such a great nostalgic trip to watch it again.

Challenger: The disaster five people saw coming, ABC News, 28 January 2026.  A really interesting piece of investigative journalism about the team of engineers who expressed scientific concerns but were overruled by management attitudes 40 years ago when the space shuttle explosion resulted in the deaths of the whole crew and a review of space travel.