Tuesday 13th January 2026
If I mentioned we went to St.Kilda today, don't run away with the idea that I am endorsing the place as somewhere great to go. I wouldn't say I was snobby, but the place is not universally fantastic. It does have its highs as well as lows. It's a bit like the way Alan Coren said he liked Sainsburys because it kept the riff raff out of Waitrose. St.Kilda keeps the riff raff out of Port Melbourne. Well, is a good three and a half mile walk from our apartment to St.Kilda along the promenade, and quite an enjoyable walk too. I ran half of it this morning, and very pleasant I must say. There is something for everyone in St.Kilda. It isn't really set up to be a resting place for the world traveller, instead it is ideal for Australian families on holiday, and there is plenty there to attract them. If you like burgers, cream cakes, funfares, family entertainment, fishing, beaches and sailing, then this could be the place for you. Just a tram ride from Melbourne City, or Skybus to the airport, great communication links indeed.
The first stop on our walk was a very smart, brand new pier casting out into Hobsons Bay with Melbourne's Skyline as a backdrop and giving access to the yacht moorings, but also to a breakwater barrage of large boulders which is the habitat to a breed of small penguins. A breeding couple were brought here in the 1970s, and now there are approximately 1400, and despite our cynicism, we actually saw one prime specimen peeping out from between the rocks. I say cynicism, because we have been on penguin hunts before, and have been disillusioned. But there he was! Where the remaining 1399 were, I can't say. Moving on from this pinnacle of success, we found a café for coffee and cream cake.
St.Kilda perhaps built its reputation from its Luna Park, from its original conception on Coney Island, New York. This one here was built in 1912 using labour from the USA. One was also built in Sydney, near the Bridge. The basis to it was the Senic Railway; a big dipper, which thanks to a restoration in 1999, still performs well today. I'm sure they applied a squirt of oil and woodworm preservatives from time to time, but its functioning existence bears testament to to great design.
A walk back via Coles completed our exercise for the day, and we were rewarded with the remains of the rubbery chicken, chips, mango and SB. There is an excellent offer on at the moment for 2 bottles of The Ned SB for 25 bucks. (Just over £6 a bottle)
Great day, but please don't go to St.Kilda on our behalf.
