Bohol Biodiversity Complex (Bilar, Bohol)

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Bohol Biodiversity Complex

Part of the Panglao Bluewater Resort-sponsored CountrysideTour

After our visit to Loay, we boarded our coaster for 24-km. (40-min.) drive, via the Loay Interior Road, to the 25-hectare (6.5 hectares occupied as ecotourism site) Bohol Biodiversity Complex (BBC) in Bilar. Along the way, we passed its man-made forest of mahogany trees.

Check out “Church of the Holy Trinity” and “Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano“

Our lecturer….

We were slated to do the Tree Planting for Legacy eco-tour (individual tree planting), undoubtedly the highlight of a visit here but, due to our tight schedule, just attended a lecture (with fresh buko juice) on sustainable development and toured its facilities.

The BBC, surrounded by 1.2 hectares of rainforest, is perfect for the nature lover and the environmentally-conscious. It showcases various endemic tree seedlings and continues to raise awareness and conservation concerns among both locals and tourists.

This facility, and the eco-tour it offers, is the fruit of the Bohol Environment Code of 1998, which had the Bohol provincial government and the DENR sharing the responsibility of protecting and conserving Bohol’s amazing plant and animal species, particularly its endemic tree species.

Glamping Area

The complex, a unique and memorable alternative to a typical Bohol tour, houses a training center, organic vegetable gardens, a greenhouse, vermin-composting facility, farm animal sheds, reforestation area, Karst trail, gene bank, a dipterocarp mini laboratory and lodging quarters for anyone keen on lending a hand to sustainability and tackling all the BCC has to offer.

Setup inside tent

The sprawling grounds of the complex also make it ideal as a camping ground or a picnic site. Our guide showed us the glamping site with tents set up.  Each tent, which can accommodate 5 pax, is rented out for PhP2,000/per night (breakfast not included).  Near the site is a cottage housing communal shower and toilet facilities and a dining facility.  We culminated our visit with a merienda of corn coffee, steamed kamote, puto and fried saging na saba.

A honeymooner’s setup

The Tree Planting for Legacy eco-tour is a great way, whether going solo or traveling in a group, to proactively support conservation while having fun. It takes travelers beyond sightseeing and into environmentally-friendly and fun activities, letting everyone join and pitch in the efforts of restoring the breathtaking forests of Bohol by giving them the chance to leave a “tree for legacy,” their very own green thumb mark on the island of Bohol.   The endemic tree saplings they planted are taken care of by the center until they reach maturity.

Cottage housing shower and toilet facilities and dining area

Currently, with the help of the Provincial Government Offices of Provincial Economic Enterprises Management Office, Bohol Environmental Management Office, Office of the Provincial Veterinarian, Bohol Island State University and NGO Soil and Water Conservation Foundation Inc., the complex is undergoing development to help improve its services, Aspiring to become a model eco- agritourism site in Bohol, it promotes conservation of Bohol’s unique flora and fauna and appreciation of Boholano culture, especially in its agricultural industry.

Bohol Biodiversity Complex (BBC): Bilar, Bohol. Mobile number: (0950) 124-6588. E-mail: boholbiodiversity@gmail.com. Admission: PhP100/pax. Tour Group Price: PhP1,850/15 pax maximum. Admission includes seedling, name plate, laminated label and corn coffee/bottle of water (included only for group tours).  Open Mondays to Fridays, 8 AM – 5 PM, on request basis for holidays and weekends (Saturdays and Sundays).

Bohol Tourism Office: Governor’s Mansion Compound, C.P.G. Ave. North, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol.  Tel: +63 38 501-9186.  E-mail: inquire@boholtourismph.com. 

Panglao Bluewater Resort: Bluewater Rd., Sitio Daurong, Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol.  Tel: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96. Fax: (038) 416-0697.  Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph. Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph.  Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower, Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348.  Fax: (632) 893-5391.

Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano (Loay, Bohol)

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Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano.  The escuela de los Ninos is on the left and the Casa Tribunal on the right

Part of the Panglao Bluewater Resort-sponsored CountrysideTour

After lunch at Panglao Bluewater Resort, we met up with Mr. Christopher “Boyet” Boncales, our guidefor our resort-sponsored Countryside Tour, at the reception area.  Boyet, 43, a tour guide of 25 years, has been guiding VIPs, ambassadors and other high ranking officials to Bohol. We all boarded our Travel Village coaster for the 33-km. (1-hour drive) to Loay’s Holy Trinity Church Compound.

Check out “Resort Review: Panglao Bluewater Resort“

Check out “Church of the Holy Trinity“

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by Ms. Perlina Alo, curator of the Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano (Museum of Boholano Heritage and History).

The 2-storey Casa Tribunal. Notice the non-centering of openings. Above the main entrance is an anagram of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Anagram of the Blessed Virgin Mary above the entrance door of Casa Tribunal

Under the jurisdiction of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the museum is housed within two buildings at the compound– the 2-storey Casa Tribunal (the old tribunal or municipal building) and the single-storey Escuela de los Ninos (school for boys).

The one-storey Escuela de los Ninos

The former’s solid stone architecture and non-centering of openings probably makes it one of the earliest structures in the compound and the 18th century anagram of Blessed Virgin Mary over main door belies its construction under the supervision of Recollect parish priests.

Ms. Perlita Alo (center) briefing our media group

The latter, one of two schoolhouses (the other one, for girls, faces it from across the plaza), was also built by the Recollects and dates from the last quarter of the 19th century.

Religious paraphernalia and statuary

Paintings of Four Evangelists by Ray Francia

Ms. Alo first toured us inside the Casa Tribunal. The exhibit on the ground floor centers on the materials used in the construction of the church complex – coralstone, limestone, batikuling (Litsea leytensis, wood used for religious images), apitong (Dipterocarpus grandiflorus, a local hardwood), narra (Pterocarpus indicus); bakan (Melia azedarach); etc.

Scaled model of the church compound

Face Value: The Faces of Philippine Numismatics

Also on exhibit are religious statuary and paraphernalia; a scaled model of the church complex and currently being restored paintings (from the spandrels at the church dome ceiling) of the Four Evangelists (Luke, John, Matthew and Mark) done by Ray Francia.

Gallery 1

Gallery II

At the second floor are exhibits on the methods of construction; the evolution of churches in the 1600s; the restoration methodology of the NHCP plus 3 scaled models of Loay’s church.  Also at the second floor is the exhibit entitled:” FACE VALUE: THE FACES OF PHILIPPINE NUMISMATICS” ongoing from October 30 to November 10, 2019.

Scaled Models of Ancestral Houses

Scaled model of Loay Church

Moving on to the Escuela de los Ninos, we watched an audio-visual presentation of the history of Bohol at the foyer.  Exhibits at the two galleries centers on episodes in Bohol’s history – Early Boholano History; Arrival of the Spaniards; Changes Under the Spanish; Tamblot’s Revolt; Dagohoy’s Revolt; The Cantonal Government; Resistance Against the Americans; Change Under the Americans; Resistance Against the Japanese during World War II; and Rehabilitation and Growth.

Copy of Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde’s Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas (1734, A Hydrographical and Chorographical Chart of the Philippine Islands)

Also on display here are scaled models of Bohol’s bahay na bato or stone houses (Zarraga Ancestral House and Clarin Ancestral House in Loay; Rocha Ancestral House and Balili Heritage House in Tagbilaran City; etc.); a copy of Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde’s (1696-1753) Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas (1734, A Hydrographical and Chorographical Chart of the Philippine Islands); a painting of the Blood Compact; a church confessional; seals of the Cantonal Government; and a bust of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia.

Bust of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol’s first and, so far, only native-born Philippine president

Painting of the Blood Compact

Check out “Balili Heritage House” and “The Ancestral Houses of Sitio Ubos“

Museo ng Pamana at Kasaysayang Boholano: Holy Trinity Church Compound, Loay, Bohol. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 8 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free.  Mobile number: (0915) 178-0325.

Bohol Tourism Office: Governor’s Mansion Compound, C.P.G. Ave. North, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol.  Tel: +63 38 501-9186.  E-mail: inquire@boholtourismph.com. 

Panglao Bluewater Resort: Bluewater Rd., Sitio Daurong, Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol.  Tel: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96. Fax: (038) 416-0697.  Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph. Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph.  Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower, Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348.  Fax: (632) 893-5391.

Bohol–Panglao International Airport

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Panglao International Airport

The PHP8.9 billion (US$169 million) Bohol–Panglao International Airport (also known as New Bohol International Airport), on a 216-hectare area in Panglao Island, serves as the gateway to Tagbilaran and the rest of mainland Bohol for domestic air travelers, replacing Tagbilaran Airport (which is 10 times smaller), to support Bohol’s increased passenger traffic due to tourism.

This airport is officially classified as the international airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and though Philippine Airlines ended its Tagbilaran-Seoul flights on February 9, 2019, it welcomed the twice weekly (Mondays and Fridays) Royal Air Philippines’ Hong Kong-Bohol-Hong Kong flights which started last September 30.

Covered area in front of the terminal building

Bohol’s new international airport was partially funded with PHP5.862 billion (US$123.5 million, about 79% of its total project cost) by an official development assistance (ODA) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with the remaining amount coming from the general appropriations fund of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTr). JICA also  provided JPY4.37 billion ($38.96 million) for the second phase of the airport project.

The airport apron

A Japanese consortium of Chiyoda Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation was the prime contractor for the project. EEI Corporation, the sub-contracting partner, handled the civil works while the design and consultancy work on the projectwas awarded to Japan Airport Consultants (JAC) in association with Phil JAC.

The airport was inaugurated on November 27, 2018. After the DoTr upgraded the airport’s navigational equipment to allow it to handle planes landing at night, the Bohol gateway began operating flights up to 10 p.m. on September 1, 2019.

Passenger boarding bridge

The BPIA (IATA code: TAG) has a 2.8 km. (9,184 ft.) long asphalt runway with a width of 45 m. (147.6 ft.) and running in a 03/21 direction. It has a 55,585 sq. m. concrete apron that features four parking bays for aircraft as large as the Airbus A330 or a maximum of seven parking bays for narrow bodied aircraft and is flanked by two taxiways which allows 10 takeoffs and landings per hour.

Bridge

Currently, the airport’s parking tarmac can hold, at a time, up to seven Airbus A321 aircraft or four Airbus A330 or Boeing 777 aircraft, enough to handle the deluge of foreign and local travelers even during peak seasons. The airport also has enough space to build another terminal in case expansion is needed in the future plus the runway could also still be extended up to 3.2 kms., making it possible to accommodate as many as 3.4 million passengers annually.

Baggage handling conveyor belt

The airport, dubbed as the first eco-airport in the Philippines and the country’s green gateway, boasts of environment-friendly features with advanced Japanese technology such as:

  • A photo voltaic power generation system set-up that aims to eventually power all of the airport’s energy requirements
  • A rainwater catchment mechanism that would utilize the abundant rainwater that the province gets for various uses
  • A sewerage disposal system that is at par with those often found in eco-conscious Scandinavian nations
  • An energy-efficient air-conditioning system, powered by solar energy, is available only in the pre-departure area.  The airport’s primarily uses  natural ventilation.
  • Geotextile sheets are used in the soaking yard to avoid the drainage water from seeping into the surroundings.
  • Energy-saving features integrated in the airport’s design include installation of LED lights, natural lights and ventilation for most public areas.

The single-level passenger terminal, spread over 8,500 sq. m., has a multi-curved roof that appears to be floating over the building and takes inspiration from the rolling Chocolate Hills, one of the province’s famous landmarks. The external 1,958 sq. m. covered area in front of the terminal building is dedicated for sending off and welcoming passengers’ relatives.

This new international airport can annually accommodate 2,000,000 passengers, more than double the 800,000 capacity of the decommissioned Tagbilaran Airport (the provincial government is eyeing to manage the 26-hectare property and convert it into an information technology hub or a commercial park).

BPIA’s location also makes it ideal to divert aircraft bound for Cebu (it is only 90 kms. away, way nearer than Manila or Clark, which are 600 and 700 kms. away, respectively) in case the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, a gateway to the Central Philippines for international tourists, in Mactan is closed due to unfortunate circumstances. Panglao is also accessible by fast craft from Cebu City.

Bohol–Panglao International Airport: Panglao; 6340 Bohol. Mobile number: (0936) 277-9019.

Hosier Lane (Melbourne, Australia)

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The narrow, cobblestoned Hosier Lane

We were now on our last day in Melbourne and they say you shouldn’t leave the city without taking the time to explore at least one of the city’s laneways and street art in Melbourne, a defining characteristic of the city, is celebrated here and its urban art scene is known across the globe.

Another view of Hosier Lane. Bar Tini on the left

Melbourne, the cultural capital of Australia and one of the great street art capitals, oozes art out of its pores. Just by walking its many alleyways, one would be shocked by the amount of incredible, constantly changing street art, with layers and layers of spray paint on every surface – walls, dumpsters, pipes, windows and the street below.

L-R: Jandy, Grace, Kyle and the author

Union Lane, ACDC Lane (immortalizing Australian kings of rock), Degrave Street and Croft Alley in Chinatown are some of the few lanes that are full of colorful works but the city’s most popular laneway is Hosier Lane and this we explored. A much celebrated landmark mainly due to its sophisticated urban art, it showcases the best graffiti and street art talent in the city.

Check out “Melbourne Chinatown“

Street mural of Andrew Gibbons, a Melbourne-based independent artist

This sloping alley, set with rough bluestone paving stones, is the epicenter of Melbourne’s street art scene, containing the area’s densest collection of spray-painted masterpieces.

Declared a “graffiti tolerance zone” by the city council, it has been well-known for the quality and the often political nature of its street art and graffiti created by local and international artists alike.  In Melbourne, street art is legal with the proper written permission from the building owner.  In a heritage control area, a planning permit may also be required for a property.

The city is home to some of the best graffiti artists in the world and their creativity is abundantly on display on Hosier Lane. Over the years, layer upon layer of spray paint and other mixed-media have been sprayed on every inch of the walls of the street and its side alleys.

From Hosier Lane’s cobbled length, we joined camera-wielding crowds and wannabe Instagram models posing in front of edgy graffiti, stencils, paste-ups, murals and art installations, taking in the dizzying array of colors, characters and shapes.  Others watch these from the comfort of the window seats at Bar Tini.

The art’s subject matter, running to the mostly political and counter-cultural, is spiced with irreverent humor. Due to the dynamic nature of street art, this pedestrian laneway, covered from beginning to end, with not a single square foot left untouched, is constantly changing and no two visits will be the same. Even if I wasn’t a fan of the graffiti movement, Hosier Lane was still a site to behold. Too bad we didn’t get to witness a street artist in action.

Previously, Hosier Lane has been fairly empty of private enterprise, its e main tenant being the Youth Project (which provides crucial services for the disadvantaged).

The rear entrance of Culture Kings. The flanking murals were later replaced by a commissioned Lizzo mural

However, Culture Kings, the monolithic clothing chain, has opened its second entrance (rear) along this iconic lane. Critics now fear commercialization of street art itself with an increase in corporate-funded artworks, stunts, and installations, which includes murals-as-ads.

NOTES:

On the evening (7:30 PM) of February 8, 2020 (Saturday), just a little over three months after our visit, a group of mask-wearing artists, in a coordinated project, almost completely hosed down Hosier Lane in an attempt to combat what some see as the commodification of public space, particularly a place that is important to the street art scene.

Some of the murals affected include the commissioned promotional mural art of Lizzo on the Culture Kings storefront and the mural of comedian Celeste Barber (painted in the wake of her massive bush fire fundraising efforts last month). Aside from the promotional art on the Culture Kings storefront, the lane has also seen ads for the Melbourne Football Club and UFC matches pop up recently, among other things.

The protesters used paint-filled fire extinguishers to coat the various murals lining the walls of the laneway. About a quarter of the street art was ruined. Clean up crews used high pressured hoses to remove the paint that settled on the laneway’s cobblestones.

 

The author

How to Get There: Hosier Lane, located near the city center, lies opposite the entrance to the Atrium at Federation Square on Flinders Street, a prominent position in the city. The nearest stations to Hosier Lane areSt. Paul’s Cathedral/Flinders Street (Melbourne City), a 117-m. (2-min.) walk away; 6-Russell Street/Flinders Street (Melbourne City), a 178-m. (3-min.) walk away; and Collins Street/Russell Street (Melbourne City), a 193-m. (3-min.) walk away.

Immigration Museum (Melbourne, Australia)

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Immigration Museum

This museum, founded in 1998, is a division of Museums Victoria which administers the cultural and scientific collections of the State of Victoria.  Its sister museums are Melbourne Museum (including the Royal Exhibition Building) and Scienceworks Museum. The museum’s two floors house temporary and permanent exhibitions. Primarily displaying Australia‘s immigration history, it is located on  in the grand Old Customs House building which originally looked out onto ships tied up at the adjacent Queen’s Wharf.

Check out “Melbourne Museum” and “Royal Exhibition Building“

The building’s Renaissance Revival facade

The 3-storey former Customs House Building, resting on a bluestone foundation, occupies the site of Fawkner’s Hotel, one of the first buildings in the city, built in 1835 by John Pascoe Fawkner, one of the founders of Melbourne.

It is of architectural significance as an example of the work of three of the Victorian Public Works Department‘s most talented and accomplished architects – Scottish immigrant Peter Kerr, who did the initial design, and Arthur E. Johnson and John G. Clark, who prepared the final design, which incorporated the earlier building (but without the projected grand stairs and classical portico).

Historical plaque

Between 1856-58 and 1873-76, it was constructed in two separate stages.  In 1965, the building was converted to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices and, in 1998, became an immigration museum. On September 8, 1994, it was included Victorian Heritage Register.

Jandy, Grace, Kyle, Cheska and Bryan at the steps leading to the museum entrance

One of the finest examples of a customs house in Victoria, it is an extraordinary example of the Italian Renaissance style (with remnants of Greek Revival influence), a style greatly favored for official buildings in Melbourne during the 1860s and 1870s. It has a rusticated ground floor facade while the two upper floors are surmounted by a simple projecting cornice running around the whole building.

Reception counter

A flight of stairs leads up to the entrance doors, above which four Ionic-style columns run through the two upper floors in support of the fascia and cornice. The site is delineated by a fine wrought iron fence with bluestone posts and base.

Second floor lobby

The impressive and opulent former Long Room, one of the grandest and most elegantly proportioned classical interiors in Melbourne, now houses the main exhibition space of the Immigration Museum.  A notable piece of Renaissance Revival architecture, it features giant Ionic colonnades (modeled after the Erechtheion Temple in Athens) and high ceilings.  The hand-laid tessellated tiles, based on fragments of encaustic tile found in floor fill, were made at Stoke-on-Trent in the UK.

The Long Room

The museum facilities and activities include a Discovery Center, community gallery, touring exhibitions and public and educational programs, including community festivals, exhibitions and many community engagement activities.

The museum’s permanent exhibitions explores Victoria’s immigration history through global motivations for leaving homeland, personal stories of immigrants from various countries and time periods, the ship journey over time, and a history of Australia’s immigration policies and processes.

On display are hundreds of objects from the Museum’s collections, some developed through partnerships with families and communities, relating to migration, cultural diversity, transport technology, customs and quarantine, and popular culture. All these subjects are presented in a number of ways – object and image-based displays, audio-visual presentations, immersive experiences (such as a series of recreated ship environments), interactive theater, on-site computer information outlets and the Museum website.

The Migration collection includes over 6,000 objects which document the migration experiences of Victorians since the 1830s and, consequently, the long history of the cultural diversity of the Victorian and broader Australian population.

“Leaving Home” Exhibit

The “Leaving Home” Exhibition, using sound, objects, still and moving images, explores the reasons why people left their countries to come to Australia and what they brought with them. Some of the many reasons include fleeing from the ravages of war, hunger, religious persecution and political repressions while others were lured by a sense of adventure, by the prospect of a new beginning, of owning land, of making a fortune, or to be reunited with love ones.

Many arrive with keepsakes, precious reminders of loved ones or special places. The experiences of arriving in a new country vary from person to person, with stories that are sometimes sad, sometimes funny, but always engaging.

“Identity Yours, Mine, Ours” Exhibit

The “Identity: Yours, Mine, Ours” (What does it mean to belong and not belong in Australia?) Exhibition explores how our cultural heritage, languages, beliefs, and family connections influenced our self-perceptions and our perceptions of other people – perceptions that can lead to discovery, confusion, prejudice and understanding.

Visitors are invited to find connections with others, as well as challenge the assumptions we make about each other every day through engaging personal stories, intriguing objects, compelling images and interactive multimedia experiences.  Visitors are also encouraged to share their stories, affirm their identities and celebrate diversity in our community.

“Getting In” Exhibit

The “Getting In” Exhibition, showing how and why Australia’s immigration policies have changed, focuses on four periods – the Gold Rush Days of the 1840s to 1900; Federation to the end of the Second World War;  Post-War to the Early Seventies, and 1973 to the Present Day.  Since 1788, more than 9 million people have migrated to Australia while countless others have tried and failed.

Since the 1800s, various immigration policies have dictated who gets in and photographs, historical objects and personal stories show the effects of these policies on cultural diversity in Victoria. An interactive theater experience, central to the exhibition, finds visitors find themselves in the role of a government official charged with the responsibility of interviewing people applying to migrate to Australia, and discovering whether or not they “get in.”

Customs Gallery

The Customs Gallery shows the story of Customs House, where officials controlled what-and who-could enter Victoria. Customs officers collected import duties, inspected ships for smuggled goods, controlled immigration to Victoria, and prevented the importation of items such as illegal drugs, endangered and contaminated animal products, and banned books and films.

Discovery Center

The Discovery Center, set in the beautifully restored 19th century vaults of the Customs House, is a perfect place to relax in comfy lounges; talk to helpful staff; research family history; explore Australia’s migration history; share personal stories; research contemporary issues; and understand its culturally diverse community.

You can a book from its unique reference library, explore its collections and vast web resources online, or enjoy the screen lounge showcasing stories of cultural celebrations.

“Our Bodies, Our Voices, Our Marks”

During our visit, the temporary exhibition Our Bodies, Our Voices, Our Marks was ongoing.  It features a suite of exhibitions and experiences that explores the art of tattoo, alongside themes of identity, self-expression, culture and community.

Check out “Our Bodies, Our Voices, Our Marks” Exhibition“

Museum Shop

The Immigration Museum Shop offers a wide range of souvenirs, gifts and books while its Museum Café offers coffee, soft drinks, snacks, confectionery and more.

Tribute Garden

The Tribute Garden, located in the northern garden of the museum, is a public artwork that pays tribute to 7,000 people who have made the journey to Victoria.  It features the names of immigrants who came from over 90 countries, from the 1800s to the present day.  The region now known as Victoria is represented by the people of the Kulin Nation as traditional owners of the land, and records the names of languages and dialects spoken by Aboriginal communities. Launched in 1998 and concluded in 2002, Melbourne-based artist Evangelos Sakaris designed the original artwork while Gina Batsakis led the design for the following stages of the project.

The Atrium

The Atrium, a beautiful glass conservatory at the rear of Old Customs House, connects the main building to the Courtyard. It can accommodate long-table dinners running the entire length of the Atrium, or layout more intimate round tables throughout. Sliding double doors open from the glass-walled Atrium into the sun-drenched Festival Courtyard which is utilized to host community festivals which are an amalgamation of food, music and culture.  The wide hallway connecting the Atrium to the rest of the museum is home to changing feature exhibitions, usually hanging art that tells a story.

Festival Courtyard

Immigration Museum: 400-424 Flinders Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000.  Tel: 1311 02.  E-mail: mvbookings@museum.vic.gov.au. Website: www.museumsvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/. Open daily, 10 AM – 5 PM (closed Christmas Day and Good Friday). Admission: adults ($15), children (free).  Entry to the Tribute Garden is free.

Watch House Experience (Melbourne, Australia)

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City Watch House

Our Old Melbourne Gaol ticket – Crime and Justice Experience covered entry to two buildings – the Old Melbourne Gaol (Melbourne’s oldest prison) and the City Watch House.  The two buildings are part of a precinct, the heart of crime, law and order in Melbourne since the 1840’s, that also includes the historic Magistrate’s Court (as it is part of the RMIT complex, it can only be visited during school holidays).

Check out “Old Melbourne Gaol“

Crowd waiting outside the entrance to the Watch House

The Watch House tour ran on a timetable (which vary and are not published, but usually starts every half hour from 10:30 AM) and, at the specified time, we left the Gaol and proceeded to the Watch House, opposite the Russell Street Police Station, for the “Watch House Experience.”

Corridor leading to the holding cells

The former City Watch House, built in 1909, operated between 1913 until its closure in 1994.  The city’s most notorious criminals such as bush ranger Ned Kelly, notorious 1920s gangster Leslie “Squizzy” Taylor, multiple murderer Julian Knight and underworld hitman Victor Peirce have spent time within its walls.  On October 2007, together with the former Magistrates Court, it was opened as a museum and they have been combined as the Old Melbourne Gaol Crime and Justice Experience.

Jandy, Grace and the author at the City Watch House

The Watch House has, for almost a century, operated as Melbourne’s central custody center or “holding place” where felons were brought to face justice, whether arrested in the streets of Melbourne for minor misdemeanors or being brought before the court for significant crimes. The Watch House tour delightfully takes us through the intake process in a fun recreation.

The author inside his holding cell

We all headed out back along Russell Street to now join a large 15 to 20-group of people now gathering together outside for the Watch House Experience.

The stainless steel toilet at the cell’s corner

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be arrested?  Our Watch House Experience, a 30 to 40-min. interactive experience like no other, gave us an opportunity to explore this confronting place and its people from different perspectives, through role-play, multi-media interpretation and self-exploration. The Watch House was to be our first step into the criminal justice system.  Here’s a narrative of our experience and the sharp and witty monologue we received:

The door of the Watch House soon opened, revealing the imposing figure of a stern looking lady “sergeant on duty,” her hands clasped behind her back and feet planted firmly on the floor.  “Right you horrible bunch of criminals,” she snarled at us. “Welcome to your new home until the courts decide what to do with you, you miscreants, you scum of society, you lowest of the low. Follow me! Women to the left, men to the right.”

Shuffling in, with our backs pressed against the damp brick walls, we lined up shoulder to shoulder.  Then our “sergeant on duty,” parading up and down in front of us, told us “No talking. No coughing. No laughing. No spitting. No burping. And absolutely no farting!” When you “upset” the sergeant, you might find your stay “unpleasant.”

We were then led up to the station desk and handed cards detailing the profiles of criminals (car thieves, robbers, people causing public disturbance, drug dealers, drunks, etc.), all based on real people, we had to “act” during processing as we reported our “crime.”  We were then led along another corridor where we had to place our belongings on the floor and then stand, with our arms outstretched and our backs against the wall, all ready for inspection.

Again parading up and down in front of us, our sergeant again issued another command, marching us to the main cell block where “us prisoners” were divided into smaller groups and crammed and locked into dark, grim, cold, damp and mildew-covered cells, “for the night,” hoping that the guard will choose to let us out for good behavior.  The cells were empty save from the original hard narrow benches lining the walls and, in one corner, an exposed stainless-steel toilet,  just as they would have been in 1994 when they were last used.  Only the smallest of windows gave us minimal light.

In these briefest of dark moments, we had enough opportunity to realize that this was not the kind of place anyone would choose to be in (imagine having to use the toilet in front of everyone). Some cells have tissues stuck to the ceiling (prisoners would hang burning twists of toilet paper because matches were banned), explicit drawings of women, graffiti (I Hate Coper C–ts) and political slogans (such as a drawing of an Aboriginal man in chains next to the words “Our Land, Your Law”).  Thus, we were greatly relieved when we heard the sound of the key turning in the lock and opening our cell door.

The exercise yard

Once out, we were then moved to the men’s exercise yard.  This small concrete enclosure, with strips of light only coming from metal ceiling grills, also had a single toilet in the corner, with a small wall on one side to preserve any remaining modesty, plus a row of three equally exposed shower heads attached to the wall.

Mug shot of the author

After this role play, we self guided ourselves through the watch house, taking in sound points and multi-media imagery that was educational and informative. In every respect, the Watch House’s original Minimalist interior hasn’t changed in the 20 years since they were last used, the 25 cells and exercise yard being mostly left as they were.  Truly, it was a unique encounter with the justice system but was also good fun.

Grace

At the end of the tour, we took, free of charge, mug shots of ourselves holding a board with a prisoner number on.   At a mocked-up cell, you can have professional photos taken and have it available for purchase at the exit.  We then walked through the court yard towards the main building.

Jandy

City Watch House: 345 – 355 Russell St., Melbourne (Map). Tel: 03 8663 7228.  Admission: $28 (adults), $23 (concession), $15 (children, 5-15 years), $65 (family, 2 adults + 2 children), $48 (1 adult ++ 2 children) and $5 (extra child on family tickets). *Parents note – adult themes can be confronting for children.

Old Melbourne Gaol (Australia)

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The Old Melbourne Gaol

One of the highlights of our last day in Melbourne was our Old Melbourne Gaol – Crime and Justice Experience (in 2010, it won the heritage and cultural tourism category at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Hobart) which included the Watch House Experience. The Old Melbourne Gaol, consisting of a bluestone building and courtyard, is located next to the old City Police Watch House and City Courts buildings.

Exterior of the Old Melbourne Gaol

In 1957, the Old Melbourne Gaol was listed by the National Trust of Australia on its heritage register and, as of 2010, was recognized as Victoria’s oldest surviving penal establishment.  It attracts approximately 140,000 visitors per year.

Check out “Watch House Experience”

Historical plaque

It was first constructed starting in 1839 but the present Melbourne Gaol is the second on the site. Though it was used briefly during World War II (the gaol was used as a military prison for soldiers found to be absent without leave), it formally ceased operating as a prison in 1929 when the conditions were no longer deemed acceptable.

National Trust of Australia (Victoria) plaque

This is the only remaining piece of the cell blocks still standing but other remaining buildings from the prison complex, as well as the original arched jail entry gate (around the corner off of Victoria Street) are now part of the RMIT University complex.

The only penal fortress in the area and an imposing symbol of the city’s unforgiving justice system, the jail became the holding house for everyone from short-term prisoners, mentally ill lunatics to some of the colony’s most notorious and hardened criminals and serial killers.

Scaled Model of Old Melbourne Gaol

It also housed up to twenty children at a time (including those imprisoned for petty theft or vagrancy) or simply those staying with a convicted parent.

The youngest prisoner recorded was the three-year-old Michael Crimmins, who spent 6 months in the prison in 1857 for being idle and disorderly. Babies under twelve months old were allowed to be with their mothers. In 1851, the 13- and 14-year-old O’Dowd sisters were imprisoned because they had nowhere else to go.

Edward “Ned” Kelly, an Australian outlaw, gang leader and convicted police murderer, was one of the last bushrangers and, by far, the most famous. He is best known for wearing a suit of bulletproof armor during his final shootout with the police.

During its operation as a prison from 1842 to 1924, it held and executed (a total of 135 people were executed by hanging) some of Australia’s most notorious criminals, including bushranger Ned Kelly (executed November 11, 1880) and serial killer Frederick Bailey Deeming (executed May 23, 1892).

Frederick Bailey Deeming Exhibit. An English-born Australian gasfitter and murderer, Deeming was convicted and executed for the murder of a woman in Melbourne, Australia. He is also remembered today because he was suspected, by some, of being the notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper.

Along with co-accused Julian Cross and David Gedge, Elizabeth Scott became the first woman to be hanged in Victoria (November 11, 1863).  The last person to be executed was Angus Murray on April 14, 1924, the same year the gaol was closed.

Emma Williams Exhibit. Hanged on November 4, 1895, aged twenty-seven, the anguished Emma drowned her baby son, on August 1895, because he was a “nuisance” and cried when she had clients (she was a prostitute).

The three-storey Old Melbourne Gaol, reopened as a public museum (under the management of the National Trust of Australia, Victoria) On March 2,1972, displays information and various  memorabilia of the prisoners (including death masks, an iron mask and a pair of leather gloves designed to prevent inmates from practicing self-abuse) and staff.

Death masks. A likeness (typically in wax or plaster cast) of a person’s face after their death, usually made by taking a cast or impression from the corpse.

At one time the museum displayed what was believed, at the time, to be Ned Kelly’s skull, before it was stolen from its glass cabinet in 1978; as well as the pencil used by wrongly convicted Colin Campbell Ross to write a letter protesting his innocence (which he threw over the prison walls), before being executed.

Death Mask of Ned Kelly

Throughout the three floors, we explored a number of cells with displays of various bits of historical information regarding the prison and its inmates on display.

The Lashing Triangle. In the 1800s, the most common form of punishment was the lash where prisoners received 25 lashes for minor infringements and 50 for more serious crimes. They were tied to this 3-beamed triangle (known as being “married to the three sisters”) and dealt the blows which would often strip the flesh from a man’s back. Many became seriously ill or died as a result.

In addition to information, it also includes memorabilia. Notably, it still includes Ned Kelly’s death mask, pistol and replica of his suit of armor.

Locks

While inside the jail, we also took time to look at their gross (some have hairs sticking out of them) and fascinating collection of death masks, plaster casts made from the executed prisoners as part of the phrenological study of hanged felons.

Basilio Bondietti Exhibit. He was executed on December 11, 1876 for the murder of his mate, Carlo Cormisto, at Sandy Creek, near Seymour.

Fatta Chand Exhibit. This 24 year old Indian man was executed on April 27, 1891 for murdering his Hindu partner Juggo Moll near Healesville last November 1890.

Notable for me is the mask of Filipi (Felipe?) Castillo, a Filipino migrant (Filipinos settled in Australia as early as the 1880s). Born in Manila in 1869, he was sentenced to death on September 16, 1889 for the theft and murder of Annie Thornton.

Filipi Castillo Exhibit

The hangman’s beam, which claimed some 133 lives, has a rope dangling eerily above the trap door. You even can try on replicas of Ned Kelly’s famous armor suit, which makes for a fun photo opp.

Replicas of Ned Kelly’s famous armor suit for children to wear

Old Melbourne Gaol: 377 Russell Street (between Victoria Street and La Trobe Street), Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Open daily (closed Christmas Day and Good Friday), 9.30 AM to 5 PM (Last entry suggested at 3:30 PM). Tel: 03 9656 9889 (Mondays – Friday). E-mail: bookings@nattrust.com.au. Website: www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au. Admission: $28 (adults), $23 (concession), $15 (children, 5-15 years), $65 (family, 2 adults + 2 children), $48 (1 adult ++ 2 children) and $5 (extra child on family tickets). A Virtual Reality headset is available for mobility challenged visitors courtesy of the State Trustees Australia Foundation. Note: the old entrance archway sits on the university campus, so please be respectful of the students that may be in class.

How to Get There: For bus, use the Old Melbourne Gaol stop directly in front of the compound. For the City Tram, you can use either the RMIT University stop or the Russell Street stop off of the No. 30 & 35 tram. There is no on-site parking available but paid street parking is offered along La Trobe Street.

Melbourne Chinatown (Australia)

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Melbourne Chinatown

Melbourne’s Chinatown, an ethnic enclave in the Central Business District (CBD), is centered at the eastern end of Little Bourke Street and extends between the corners of Swanston and Spring Streets.

Little Bourke Street

Established in the 1850s during the Victorian gold rush, it consists of numerous laneways, alleys and arcades and is still home to many Chinese restaurants, a number of Asian grocery stores, Chinese medicine and herbalist centers, cultural venues and places of worship. Today, Little Bourke Street is a bustling collection of Asian restaurants and cafes mingled with an eclectic mix of Chinese run businesses, car parks and building sites.

Another entrance arch to Chinatown. The building on the left houses the Da Fu Peking Duck Restaurant

There are also bookstores, fashion boutiques and other retail outlets in arcades such as the Village Center, The Target Centre and Paramount Plaza. A number of nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings, often with recently designed Chinoiserie facades, also still stand. Some of the older clan societies, political societies and Chinese churches are still operational.

The author with grandson Kyle

Here are some interesting trivia regarding Melbourne’s Chinatown:

  • Chinatown is the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the Western World
  • It is the oldest Chinatown in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • Its Chinese Museum is home to Dai Loong and the Millennium Dragon, the largest Chinese dragonin the world.
  • In the 1880s, Tom Roberts, one of the leading figures of Australian Impressionism, created sketches of life in Little Bourke Street.
  • Fergus Hume‘s The Mystery of a Hansom Cab(1886), one of the most famous mystery crime novels of the Victorian era, is based largely on the author’s observations of life in Little Bourke Street, including the Chinese Quarter.
  • Little Bourke Street is featured prominently in Charles Bradley‘s 1891 crime novel The Belgrave Place.
  • Elinor Mordaunt‘s 1919 novel The Ginger Jar, set in Little Bourke Street,  is about a love affair between a Chinese Australian hawker and a European woman.
  • A pivotal scene of the 1911 silent film The Double Event, directed by  J. Lincoln, takes place in Melbourne’s Chinatown.
  • The 1997 Hong Kong action film Nice Guy, starring Jackie Chan, is set in Melbourne, with several scenes shot in Chinatown.

Playing an important role in establishing the culture of Chinese immigrants in Australia, Melbourne’s Chinatown is a major tourist attraction known for its architectural heritage, annual festivals and cuisines of Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Indian, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Korean origins.

One of Chinatown’s 5 arches

Chinatown’s 5 key arches, which clearly announce the entrance to Chinatown, are an important statement of the City of Melbourne’s commitment to Chinatown.  They have been restored to their former glory with added modern touches including red neon lighting on the columns.

Chinese Museum

The Chinese Museum  or Museum of Chinese Australian History, housed in a 4-storey building built by the Cohen Bros in 1890 and used as a warehouse for the manufacture of furniture, is a history museum  established in 1985 and refurbished in 2010.  It presents the history of Australians of Chinese ancestry and, since 2010, its ground floor has also acted as a visitor centre for Melbourne’s Chinatown.

A pair of fu dogs at the museum entrance

Its extensive collection of Chinese clothing and textiles, photographs, documents and artifacts reflects the social fabric and activities of the Chinese community in Australia from the 1850s.  The museum also has a temporary exhibition space in which local and international artists can present work that engages with the Chinese culture.

Statue of Dr. Sun Yat Sen

Outside the Museum’s entrance is a memorial statue of Dr Sun Yat-sen, unveiled in 2011 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China. The traditional Chinese New Year Lion Dance has always ended at this spot, but will now end with a blessing of the statue.

One building of architectural and historical significance in Chinatown is the 2-storey Chinese Mission Church.  Built in 1872 by the Wesleyan Methodists, it is known today as the Chinese Parish Office of the Uniting Church.  This Gothic-style church has simple pointed arch windows and slate roof by architects Crouch and Wilson, and is an early example of polychromatic brickwork incorporating diaper work to the facade and polychromatic voussoirs to the windows.

Chinese Mission Church

Chinatown: Little Bourke St., Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Tel: +61 474 043 600.

Chinese Museum:  22 Cohen Place, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9662 2888

Chinese Mission Church: 196 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne City, Victoria, Australia

 

Royal Parliamentary House (Melbourne, Australia)

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Parliament House

It was our last whole day in Melbourne and, after an early breakfast, we checked out of our Airbnb apartment at Empire Apartments by 10 AM and consigned our luggage at a storage facility nearby.  We still had a full day for touring so we decided to complete what remained in our bucket list of places to see in the city.  We opted to first visit Parliament House, getting there by tram.

The meeting place of the Parliament of Victoria (one of the parliaments of the Australian states and territories), Parliament House is located on  the edge of the central city grid, its grand colonnaded front dominating the vista up Bourke Street. Designed by John Knight and Peter Kerr , its construction, commenced on December 1855, was done in stages (owing to its vast size and cost).

L-R: the author, Jandy, Grace and Kyle

The first stage, consisting of the two chambers (one for the Victorian Legislative Assembly and a smaller more ornate chamber for the Victorian Legislative Council), was officially opened, to great acclaim, on November 25, 1856 with the first session of the Victorian Government in the new chambers. With various sections completed over the following decades, it has never been completed with the planned dome one of the most well known unbuilt features of Melbourne.

In 1858, construction of the Library and eastern wing began and was completed in 1860. Freestone from Bacchus Marsh was chosen for the exterior but this decayed rapidly and, within a few years, large parts had to be replaced with stone from Tasmania. Upon completion of the library, the two legislative chambers were joined at the rear, resulting in a `U-shaped’ building. For 18 years, no further construction took place. Circa 1877, the first set of electrical bells, used to call members to divisions, were installed

In 1879, the Great Hall (used for formal receptions and banquets, it was renamed Queen’s Hall in 1887) and vestibule were completed. The vestibule, a formal entry to Parliament House, was completed up to the base of the proposed dome. However, for another decade, the grand front steps were not to be completed. In 1888, imported Minton were laid on the tiled floor of the Vestibule, spelling out “Where no Counsel is the People Fall; but in the Multitude of Counsellors there is Safety” (a quote from Proverbs 11:14).

In 1889, the grand classical colonnaded front of the building, using suitable sandstone from Mt Difficult in the Grampians National Park (where a quarry was opened up) as well as the grand front entry stairs was completed. In 1890, the final interior decoration was completed and, over the next year, final elements like the ornate wrought-iron fence around the grounds and the elaborate cast-iron lamps and the bronze lions of the entry stairs were completed.

There was no free tour as Parliament House was closed that day, it being a holiday (Melbourne Cup Day)

The last major additions, the refreshment rooms occupying the northeast corner, were paid for by the Federal Government after the Federal Parliament relocated to Canberra in 1927. The exterior, completed in 1929, followed the 1877 design.

Between 1901 and 1927, when Melbourne was the temporary national capital (the new capital city envisaged in the Australian Constitution did not yet exist and there were long delays in finding a site and commencing construction), it served as the first home of the Commonwealth of Australia‘s Federal Government and the meeting place of the Parliament of Australia. During these years the Victorian Parliament met in the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton.

Check out “Royal Exhibition Building“

Plaque commemorating the centennial of the First Seating of the Federal Parliament of Australia (May 10, 2001)

Some of the major events of the early federal period that took place in this building include:

In 1928, the building resumed its original use as the Victorian Parliament chambers. In 1982, the building is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and, from 2005–2006, it celebrated its 150th anniversary.

From 2016 to 2018, a $40 million two-storey office building, for MPs’ use, was constructed in the gardens of Parliament House. To specifically reduce its impact on Parliament House and other nearby buildings, the new building is embedded into the landscape.  

Royal Parliamentary House: Spring Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia. Open Mondays to Fridays, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM.  Admission: Adult: 15AUD, Child: Free

The Great Ocean Road Adventure Tour: The Gibson Steps (Australia)

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View from The Gibson Steps

Loch Ard Gorge was supposed to be the last item in our Great Ocean Adventure Tour itinerary but our Bunyip Tour guide/driver Jake Smithers said that, as we still had time, we were in for another treat to explore – The Gibson Steps.  From Loch Ard Gorge, it was just a short 5.1-km. (8-min.) drive to the Gibson Steps, another area of cliffs.

The Gibson Steps

For travelers heading west along the Great Ocean Road, the cliffs are actually the first sightseeing stop-off in Port Campbell National Park, a 1-km. (2-min.) drive from The Twelve Apostles. Set along the glorious stretch of Great Ocean Road, the Gibson Steps refers to the staircase, leading down the 70-m. high vertical cliffs, to the lush stretch of beach below.

The boardwalk leading to The Gibson Steps

Like most of the Great Ocean Road’s attractions, the Gibson Steps has a fascinating history dating back hundreds of years as it was originally thought that the steps were cut out by the Kirrae Whurrong people, a local tribe who called the area home.

However, it was only in 1869 that the steps got their full use and their name as local settler and pioneer Hugh Gibson, who built nearby Glenample Homestead, as well as fishermen and other seafaring workers, regularly used the 86 steep steps, carved into the face of the cliff, to access the beach and the water below.

The beach below

Gibson is most famous for his role in the Loch Ard shipwreck as Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael, the two shipwreck survivors, regained their strength at his homestead.

Check out “The Great Ocean Road Adventure Tour: Loch Ard Gorge”

From the viewing platform at the top of the steps, we marveled at the natural scenery on offer – Gog and Magog, the nicknames given to the two jutting giant limestone rock stacks rising up out of the Indian Ocean (or Southern Ocean according to Australian geographers). Spectacular natural wonders like the Twelve Apostles (however, they are not considered part of the Twelve Apostles), they were also sculpted by weather conditions.

Check out “The Great Ocean Road Adventure Tour: The Twelve Apostles”

Gog (or Magog?)

The beach at the bottom of the Gibson Steps is popular for recreational fishing (Australian salmon, sweep, trevally, gummy shark, etc.) at an exclusion zone east of the steps towards Princetown (Clifton Beach).  However, despite the popularity of fishing, swimming here is highly unadvised, as the ferocious reefs and rip holes make for incredibly choppy waves.

The disappointing sign…..

Jandy and I wanted to make my way down to the beach via the steps to view the stacks in a different perspective but, halfway down, the path was barred as the area has been subjected to widespread storm and flood damage and will remain temporarily closed until required safety works are completed.

Our visit to The Gibson Steps marked the end of our Great Ocean Road Adventure Tour and  we were in for a long nearly 3-hour (226.9-km.) drive, via Princes Highway/A1 and M1, back to Melbourne. An hour (74.5 kms.) out of Gibson Steps, we made a short stopover, for dinner, at the Noodle Canteen in Colac before continuing on our way back to Melbourne. 

Noodle Canteen (Colac)

The Gibson Steps: Port Campbell National Park, Victoria, Australia. Tel: 1300 137 255. E-mail: pcvic@corangamite.vic.gov.au.

For those bringing their cars, park at the 12 Apostles and walk to Gibson Steps via a 1.1-km. gravel path section of the Great Ocean Walk which departs from the back of the kiosk at the 12 Apostles and safely underpasses the Great Ocean Road near the Gibson Steps viewing platform and beach access.  Coordinates:  38°40′06″S 143°06′43″E.

Noodle Canteen: 243 Murray St., Colac, Victoria 3250, Australia.  Tel: +61 3 5231 2807.