… to sea …

… and then to Melbourne. A day at sea provides time to rest and relax. Our only scheduled activity was a free mid-afternoon wine tasting, which we were able to share with our friend, Alan. The wines were interesting, particularly a Three Blind Moose cabernet. Our first sea day was also our first formal night; we met our tablemates, Terri and Lyn, Nancy and Lynn, and David and Victoria (yes, like the Beckhams). The Aussie Boys were the entertainment; we had met them on the World Cruise at a party thrown by our friends, Lee and Troy.

We sprang out of bed early in Melbourne the next morning to be ready for our 8:30 am departure for Ballarat and Sovereign Hill. We stopped on the way at the Ballarat Wildlife Park. We were greeted by a hillside of kangaroos, all waiting to be fed by curious tourists. Many had joeys still nursing in their pouches.

  

Next was feeding time for the Tasmanian devils – who crunched through several live mice. Their jaws are incredibly powerful, and can cut through a cow’s leg with a single bite. My favorite animal was the warm and wooly wombat. This curious creature, weighing about 70 or 80 pounds, is nocturnal; he had been awakened by the keeper and snuggled sleepily while he was carried around. Of course no visit would be complete without a koala!

 

Hands washed thoroughly, we re-boarded our bus for the town of Ballarat, in the heart of Australia’s gold mining region. The Australian gold rush was slightly after the California gold rush, starting in 1852. Several huge nuggets were found, and towns sprang up overnight to accommodate the would-be miners. Ballarat’s streets are lined with charming Victorian frame houses, festooned with lacy gingerbread trim.

 

Our next stop was the Williamsburg-like recreated town of Sovereign Hill. Authentic buildings were moved to the site and additional structures built to simulate a gold-rush era mining town. A wheelwright built wheels, a tinsmith formed gold pans – and frying pans, a smelter poured a bar of gold, and various stores, bakeries and hotels were open for business. We had a delicious sausage roll and apricot tart for lunch.

  

Schoolchildren who visit are soon decked out in era-correct clothing and sit in the schoolhouse doing lessons.

 

There was also livestock – horses, sheep, ducks, handsome turkeys.

   

After strolling through town, we ventured into the Gold Museum to see some of the largest gold nuggets in the world. One is Goldasaurus, found nearby and unveiled in 2003. From 1851 to 1916 the mines in the Ballarat area produced nearly $14 billion worth of gold.

 

Back in Melbourne an hour and a half later, it was time to board the ship and have dinner. We spent the rest of the evening in the ship’s Thermal Suite, soaking in the pool and napping on the ceramic lounges…. zzzzzzzz…..