Page 16 - JCH_2020_Fresher_Guide

I am feeling... CHILL, BUT GROOVY
A funky, laid-back evening out with friends beats a hard night of partying any day in my book. Try one of
these little outings when the mood strikes:
A Lygon St expedition: Lygon St (15 min walk
from JCH) has a snazzy, but low-key night-time vibe.
Catch an indie flick at Nova Cinema ($9 for students on
Wednesday nights), before grabbing an ice cream at
Pidapipó or a hot choccy at Heartattack and Vine. Then
pop over to Readings, possibly the best bookshop in
the world, for a browse. If you’re in the mood, head to
the Green Man’s Arms for a quick night cap. Everything
stays open ‘til around 11pm most nights.
Moonlight Cinema: On a balmy summer evening,
what could be better than a big-screen movie under
the stars? Moonlight Cinema is set up for summer
down at the Botanic Gardens with movies running
every night until the end of March. $20 a ticket. Choc
tops, popcorn & other snacks available there.
A quaint gig at a cool bar: Did you know that Mel-
bourne is officially the live music capital of the world? Of
course there’s all the big, flashy, wildly expensive concerts,
but the best gigs to be found in Melbourne, in my humble
opinion, are those intimate, more chilled out shows that
you kind of just stumble upon at a random bar. The ones
you walk out of dazed, not because you’ve had one too
many, but because you can’t believe how bloody good
that was. Pubs that offer up just that kind of thing? Some
Velvet Morning in Clifton Hill; 40 min tram/bus ride, 10 min
uber. The Old Bar on Johnston St; 25 min walk. The Drunk-
en Poet in West Melbourne; 15 min tram ride. The Curtin
on Lygon St; 15 min tram ride, 25 min walk. There are so
many more out there though, so stumble away!
I am feeling... LIKE I NEED SOME PEACE & QUIET
College is brilliant, but it can get pretty overwhelming at times. I like to
have a few places up my sleeve to go to when I need to escape and just
be quiet for a bit. If you’re ever feeling stressed or a bit low, or even if
you’re perfectly happy, give one of these a go:
Australian Native Garden in Royal Park: Just a few minutes
away from JCH is a really lovely park space with lots of native trees and
plants, open grass spaces, and a pond. I walk there quite often and read
a book on one of the benches. Feeling a little more sociable? Take a
group there with a picnic and a frisbee for a splendid arvo out!
Rathdowne St: A lovely little neighbourhood tucked away from it all.
Sometimes I like to spend a long morning there, with or without uni work to do. There’s a community library
I stop in at often, plus a string of quality cafés, a brilliant second hand bookstore called Alice’s Bookshop, and
of course Curtain Square at the heart of it all, which is the local park. I love to do my readings propped up
against a tree there. It’s just a 20 minute stroll from college, which is rather lovely in and of itself, passing by
the cemetery and weaving through the backstreets of Carlton.
16
I am feeling... NATURE-HUNGRY
I understand this one like nothing else, let me tell you. Especially if you’re from the country, the sea of concrete
and glass you suddenly find yourself in when you move to Melbourne can feel pretty oppressive. Fortunately,
there are beautiful natural spaces hidden all around if you know where to look!
Royal Botanic Gardens: You can get absolutely lost in these
incredible gardens, in the best way possible! There are so many
different sections – from rainforest to grassland to lakeside –
with winding paths linking them all up. The path along the fringe
of the gardens next to the Yarra is a beautiful walk too. 40 min
from college by tram plus walking.
Merri Creek & Yarra Bend: Borrow the college bike and
head up along the left side of Princes Park, before turning right
just before you hit the bowls club. You’re now on the Capital City Trail, which is a ginormous circuit bike path
around Melbourne. Keep riding along it until you see the sign for Merri Creek, then turn left. Ride, ride, ride, until
you come to a road, then turn left again. You’ll curve round, cross a bridge, and then slip down under it. You’re
now on the Merri Creek Trail! A beautiful riverside ride that gives you a taste of the bush right in the heart of the
city. I highly recommend exploring the area. It’s one of my favourite getaways.
The Dandenongs: If you really need to get out into the wilderness,
Tarzan style, then the Dandenongs is probably your best bet. It’s a
beautiful mountain range to the east of Melbourne with heaps of stunning
hikes through temperate rainforest. Set aside a good two hours to get
there by public transport; you’ll need to catch a train from Flinders St
Station towards Lilydale or Belgrave, and then a bus into the range itself. A
solid day out.
I am feeling... CURIOUS
Let’s be real, this is the miscellaneous category.
A Sydney Rd adventure: Sydney Rd is thrift shop central.
Pop in to a few of the smaller op-shops earlier on in the street, but
save most of your energy for the star of the show: Savers. It’s a
thrift shop on steroids, a giant warehouse full of spunky, second-
hand dresses, jumpers, suit jackets… you name it. Very, very
cheap, and even cheaper on a Sunday, when students get 20% off
everything. No joke, you can spend hours in there. To top off your
day of savvy spending, grab a very well-priced coffee and pastry at
the fabulous Green Refectory.
Go to the footy: Especially if you’re an international student, I cannot
recommend this highly enough. Aussie rules footy, a quintessential part of
Australian life, has its heart in Melbourne, and there’s nothing quite like feeling
the buzz of the crowd first-hand when a game is tight. The women’s season
runs first, through ‘til early April. Matches are FREE (!) and really high quality,
so get around that. The men’s season then starts in mid-March, with tickets
going for around $20 per match. For anyone looking for a team, Geelong Cats
are the obvious choice.
17