Sundowner Magazine: Spring/Summer 2020

48 HOURS IN
MELBOURNE
DAY 1
09.00
It may seem contrary to arrive in Melbourne and then immediately leave
the city, but there’s just so much to see and do in the surrounding areas,
starting with a trip to the Yarra Valley. Whether you’re travelling with
children or sans enfants, time spent at Healesville Sanctuary is never
wasted. Home to every Australian native animal you can imagine, it’s the
place to go if you want see koalas and wombats and dingos, oh my!
A constant contender for the world’s most livable city,
Melbourne has it all. It’s known as the cultural hub of
Australia as well as the country’s sporting capital. Got 48
hours there as part of a tailor-made Australian holiday?
Let city resident Nikki Stefanoff show you around
12.00
Once you’ve finished with the animals, it’s time to start with the wines.
Wineries in the Yarra Valley are as plentiful as the grapes within them
so, as there isn’t enough time to visit all of them, you’ll need to hit the
highlights. For fans of sparkling tipples, head to Domaine Chandon.
Established by Moët & Chandon in 1986, this is a place where French
traditions still thrive, albeit with an Aussie twist. TarraWarra Estate is
next on the list. As famous for its contemporary art gallery as it is for the
wines, which are meticulously grown, handpicked, vinified, and aged
on the estate. On to Yering Station – a destination winery complete with
architect-designed restaurant and bar, historic cellar door, art space, local
produce store, and stunning grounds. Oh, and wine. Lots of wine.
16.00
On the way to Melbourne, the designated driver should set the sat nav for
the beachside suburb of St Kilda, a special part of Melbourne where the
old and new collide. Art deco architecture sits alongside contemporary
apartments as well as the Palais Theatre and Luna Park – city stalwarts,
which have pulled in the crowds for more than 100 years. St Kilda’s
always buzzing foreshore and ocean views make it unlike any other
Melbourne suburb, particularly in summer when locals and visitors alike
can sink a beer over a late lunch of fish and chips and watch the world
skate, scoot, ride, walk, or run by along the water’s edge.
18.00
It’s worth sticking around St Kilda at sunset to see the small, cute, furry
local penguin (eudyptula minor) make the nightly pilgrimage across the
beach back to their nests. Much like Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade (which
can be seen nightly and is two hours outside of Melbourne), these penguins
are present all year round and can be spotted waddling from the sea to their
St Kilda burrows once the sun goes down. Before calling it a night,
St Kilda’s Supernormal Canteen is the only place to head for dinner –
their lobster rolls are spoken about with hushed reverence.
18 | SPRING/SUMMER 2020