Another post with focus on an earlier drive from Mollymook Beach to Melbourne (with a few links). Feature photo is of our rear garden…kayaking at Narrawallee inlet/lake is popular with Tony and our sons when they get a chance to come and stay.
The garden in Mollymook (photo above) has been a decade+ long project – buying/planting a few things when the weather is at its peak ie. in Spring or Autumn. The climate here on the South Coast is similar to Sydney…a 2.5 hour drive from Sydney (outside of peak times like Christmas/New Year) and similar distance to Canberra, but the traffic is often lighter on our regular drives ‘home’ to Canberra. In coming years, ‘home’ might be more like Mollymook as now we’ve retired we have been staying longer, particularly when the weather is lovely.
We have four seasons but the winters aren’t as cold as Canberra and surrounds. Our neighbour has planted a banana tree and I was so surprised to see small bananas growing in mid September! They’re tiny at this stage but even so! 🍌
My feature photo on this post shows a close up of the grafted gums I planted a few years ago. The top photo also shows the kayak which Tony and our sons mostly use on Lake Narrawallee (near Mollymook). In and around Narrawallee beach and inlet is great for fishing too – we often have fish for dinner. Our neighbour (with the banana tree) goes deep sea fishing and sometimes shares his catch with us.
It’s a 5 minute walk (partly through bush) from our house in Mollymook to the main beach which can be seen below the house in photo below – not our house – unfortunately! From our house (5 min walk from Mollymook Beach shops) it takes another 5 min to the beach if walking via the shops – where you can also pick up a coffee from either ‘the deli’ or coffee cart at front of Bannister’s Pavilion hotel. There are many lovely walks (not ‘just’ beach walks) – one I enjoy is along this hilltop street (photo below) as many of the gardens are gorgeous…
This walk also leads to Rick Stein’s Mollymook restaurant, where we often go for our wedding anniversary celebration. It was gorgeous as can be seen by photo below in 2015; we were there for the Friday lunch which was a great deal. Not sure if the Friday lunch deal has resumed since Covid (last time I checked it hadn’t resumed) but all the menus are beautiful (better than what we had last year in Stein’s Padstow, UK restaurant) – just be prepared for $$$$. If mid-range prices ($$$) more what you’re looking for, think about dining at the historic Milton Hotel, The Prickly Pear (we’re dining there tonight; also in Milton is Nomah.
First photo above gives a close up of gorgeous lily type flower near where we dined (on outdoor balcony) yesterday. The middle photo are natives; the last photo look like Australian natives but are actually Protea from South Africa. Loved the proteas at the Botanical Gardens in Cape Town (another previous post if you’re a garden lover like me). Back to another love…FOOD!…
More photos from Rick Stein’s restaurant on Friday 23/8/19…menu was part of their regular Friday special lunch deal… https://www.bannisters.com.au/rick-stein/mollymook-menu/
I’ll search for a recipe for a similar green mango salad (this 1 had crispy smoked trout); I’ve done a ceviche/tuna recipe post similar to that above…if interested, search for ‘passionfruit’ at end of home page.
Our lunch at Rick Stein’s was delicious (photo above), including the dessert we shared…a panna cotta (not too sweet like some…maybe buttermilk based?) with poached pear and a praline, walnut crumble -just a small amount to give perfect crunch 😋
Here’s a recipe to start from one of many Rick Stein books that we own:
Green Papaya Salad – P170 – Rick Stein’s book “Coast to Coast” 2008…he calls this dish “one of the world’s great dishes” and if you can’t find green papaya go for green mango instead. We can usually get green mango (papaya as well), from our local fresh food markets in Canberra (Fyshwick) but it’s harder to buy during winter at the coast – clearly Rick Stein has a supplier here!
Serves One:
1 small green (under-ripe) papaya (or mango); 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or light muscovado sugar); a pinch of chopped garlic; a pinch of red bird’s eye chilli (take care… they’re hot!); 5 x 10 cm pieces of snake bean or 5 French beans (halved lengthways); a few roasted, unsalted peanuts; a pinch of chopped, dried shrimps; 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla); 1 tablespoon tamarind water (p281); 4 cherry plum tomatoes, halved; juice of 1 lime.
Another version of above recipe can be found in our Lonely Planet book – Thailand, From the Source (P173)…
Here’s a pic from our casual dinner at home in Canberra…
Other recipes we’ve cooked from this book include:
BACK TO THE COASTAL ROUTE TO MELBOURNE – 2015 (many of the places we stayed at eg Snug Cove B&B in Eden are still going strong (we recently returned)…
If interested also see last post for links on this route.
Eden – on Far South Coast of NSW…
We drove from Mollymook to Eden in half a day…stopping for lunch at a great place on the water in Narooma (recipes from their restaurant can be found in our books “South Coast Cookbook” (we have both book 1 and book 2).
We went whale watching with https://www.catbalou.com.au/ . We didn’t do the lunch cruise…we find they’re usually overpriced/ordinary food but we enjoyed the day and saw whales and so many dolphins frolicking beside the boat…
In Eden we stayed at Snug Cove B&B…. http://snugcove.com.au/ (recommended)…
The Killer Whale Museum http://killerwhalemuseum.com.au/ is one of the most fascinating small museums we’ve ever visited. Highlighting history of the whaling industry in the 1800s – sad but informative. One whale was trained by whalers to shepherd the others into the cove. Here’s a few photos…a much more tranquil place now…
Photos below…Tony taking in the sea views from our B&B balcony; me reminiscing about times with my Scottish/Australian grandfather who was a fisherman on Sydney harbour in the 1920s-1960s (previous posts/photos show their house on harbour in Balmain).
From Eden we travelled onto Lakes Entrance and stayed 1 night. It was a standard/modern (but dated) hotel so we wouldn’t recommend it. The next day we continued onto our next stop Phillip Island, Victoria. Along the way we stopped at this historic lighthouse (photos below). There’s also a small museum near this lighthouse.
From here we travelled onto Phillip Island…mostly to see the penguins but we also stayed at a memorable guesthouse/B&B called Holmwood Guesthouse. Here are a few photos from that guesthouse…strange thing was that even though it was early December, the weather changed from being hot one day to very cold the next. It was warm and welcoming on our arrival with the fireplace blazing away…
It was particularly cosy at the guesthouse after rugging up to see the famous penguin parade https://www.visitphillipisland.com/listing/penguin-parade/
A couple of photos from the Net…photography by tourists isn’t permitted…
While in Phillip Island it’s well worth visiting the main nature reserve where many sea birds can be seen nesting – all just stunning! Here are some photos from the boardwalk which is about 500+ m long…
When we left Phillip Island we took a drive around to Apollo Bay…a pretty part of Victoria with green hills meeting the sea…
Also so many places to explore…forest walks; beachside picnics/strolls as well as small museums like the Telegraph Station…
If feeling energetic, while in Apollo Bay think about doing the walk up to the hilltop lookout called Mariners’ Lookout. I hear there’s a small carpark part of the way up…might be worth doing mid week when not too busy? Here’s a pic from Net…
Other interesting things to do in this region include spotting koalas in the wild – you don’t always need to go to wildlife parks to see them. Also picnics in beautiful places…the name of this small town is Campbell…
From this point the Victorian coastline becomes spectacular in parts, for example, along the Great Ocean Road. There’s lots of information available about the Great Ocean road/route (there are also a range of guided or self-guided coastal walks) – some spend days or even weeks exploring this beautiful coastline, but after a few wonderful short walks, we continued onto Melbourne as we also had a wedding to attend there.
Some of our photos from the Great Ocean Road below…the day was beautiful and we often stopped for short walks along the way. There is a hike you can do over a number of days – worth choosing either Spring or Autumn, maybe even winter but would recommend avoiding the day long hike in summer.
So it was a lovely, slow trip to Melbourne (a week), with various scenic/interesting/tasty stops along the way.
In Melbourne on this 2015 trip we stayed at a B&B in Carlton (169 Drummond Street) which was incredible value for money (photo below) as Carlton is only a very short tram ride to the CBD, as well as many cafes and restaurants (mainly Italian) a short stroll away. We had the largest room (with ensuite) on the top floor – recommended…if it still exists post pandemic?
When we lived in Melbourne in 1986 Lygon St Carlton was very touristy (it still is in parts) but there are also some great places…we just took the recommendations of the B&B owner – and we were impressed.
Over the last few trips we’ve used Lonely Planet’s “Food Trails” book to help us with planning some food related destinations in Melbourne as well (photos below)…
Treasury on Collins bar/hotel (photos below):
On our very recent visit we went more upmarket for a week at https://treasuryoncollins.com.au/ – we stayed in a loft style apartment with small kitchen & lounge downstairs; bedroom + ensuite upstairs…it was an upgrade! Drinks/snacks were also included from 5 pm on the attractive Mezzanine level.
We found the restoration/renovation of this historic building so interesting and if you’re a guest, on request there is a short tour that can be done with management.
If you’re not staying, think about just a drink at their gorgeous/vibrant bar. We preferred it mid-week when not as crowded and noisy but younger crowd at the end of the week…of course depends on what you’re looking for! For us it was just soaking in the history and elegant ambiance of the place.
More things to do in Melbourne (see last post on Melbourne too):
Federation Square…
Not far from Federation Square is the National Gallery of Victoria… https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/ we saw the Terracotta Warrior exhibition and the contemporary Chinese artist, Cai Guo-Qiang’s exhibition…both were fascinating (photo below).
Before visiting the National Gallery of Victoria we strolled along the Yarra River near the inner city (photo below). We’ve strolled along this river in better weather, but on this visit it wasn’t cold and the grey skies do add to the uniqueness of Melbourne…a certain moodiness at times with the sun breaking through at unpredictable times.
Reminds me a little of London weather but not as cold. In fact in the evening it was much milder than Canberra in July and we enjoyed strolling and (and eating!) around the inner city.
“Flavours of Melbourne” (coffee table book in our hotel) is a series of food related books on Australia’s major cities. I have seen the Sydney edition, but this was the first time I’ve browsed through this one. It’s great but I wouldn’t buy it as already it’s becoming outdated and a few places we searched out have closed down or changed names…even after a few years. However, we did find a few really interesting places recommended, including a Danish restaurant and a Chinese restaurant.
Queen Victoria Markets... https://qvm.com.au/
Melbourne is very multicultural (and generally harmonious) …we loved the colour and variety of the Queen Victoria Markets…
The trams are fabulous in Melbourne…
Photo above…if you’re a first-time tourist in Melbourne, the free historic tram is a great way to view/get around the inner city. The regular tram service into most parts of Melbourne is excellent too…we used it a lot when we lived in South Yarra, an inner-city suburb in 1984…
It’s similar to those red tourist buses but so much better. The commentary is clear and interesting and there are regular stops at fascinating places such as the Old Treasury Building… https://www.oldtreasurybuilding.org.au/
OLD TREASURY BUILDING – Exhibitions…
Wayward Women? Was my favourite exhibition at the OTB...a few interesting exhibits and information boards below:
The exhibition mostly describes things as they were for women in 1800s Melbourne, Victoria…often difficult, especially if you weren’t lucky enough to be born into some money or privilege. However, the exhibition is in no way bleak, plus it encourages a sense of purpose and optimism as the women’s stories in this exhibition are often inspiring…
There is also an Indigenous perspective throughout all the exhibitions at the OTB…
In the same building there is also an excellent Gold Rush exhibition as well as another that focuses on how World War I affected the people of Victoria.
If you have time after these exhibitions, take a stroll (just around the corner from the Old Treasury Building) to the Fitzroy Gardens…a beautiful place to take a picnic lunch too…
A recipe focus (at end of each post) is in the middle of this post as well – “Green Mango Salad”.
We’re travelling through Southern QLD at the moment so here’s a lovely Spring salad recipe I found in a Gourmet Traveller magazine (2017) on our B&B coffee table…reminded me of a simple salad we had recently at a restaurant. It was a simple salad with asparagus; fine lemon rind; butter sauce topped with toasted/crushed hazelnuts.
So the following recipe could be simplified to taste and/or if time is tight?…
SPRING SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS AND BROAD BEANS
• 1 bunch baby leeks (about 10), trimmed and washed
• 510 gm asparagus, trimmed, ends peeled, halved diagonally (3 bunches)
• 130 gm podded broad beans (about 450gm unpodded)
• 40 gm podded peas (about 120gm unpodded) (1/4 cup)
• 8 zucchini flowers, trimmed, stamens removed
• 1 tbsp tarragon leaves
• 1 cup (loosely packed) baby pea tendrils
• 150 gm goat’s curd
• Finely grated lemon rind, to serve
Herb vinaigrette
• 3/4 cup (loosely packed) finely chopped young flat-leaf parsley
• 3/4 cup (firmly packed) finely chopped mint
• 150 ml mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ garlic clove, crushed
• Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
Method:
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add leeks and boil for 1 minute, then add asparagus and boil for 1 minute, then add broad beans, peas and zucchini flowers, and boil for a further 2 minutes. Drain well, refresh in iced water, drain again, spread on a clean tea towel and pat dry (the leeks in particular can hold a lot of water, which will dilute the dressing). Transfer to a bowl.
For herb dressing, whisk ingredients in a bowl, season to taste, then add half to the vegetables and toss to combine.
Arrange vegetables on a platter. Spoon on goat’s curd, scatter with tarragon, pea tendrils and lemon rind, season to taste and serve with remaining dressing.
Here’s the intro (from Gourmet Traveller) to various broad bean recipes which I enjoyed reading:
“Nothing says spring like vibrant green broad beans...
Fred’s chef Danielle Alvarez likes to briefly blanch the beans to preserve their crunch while Dave Pynt of Singapore’s Burnt Ends cooks them over coals with some rosemary before adding them to salad…
“Any mix of raw and blanched vegetables will work well with this dressing. If you’re using fresh spring baby vegetables, you won’t need to blanch them.”…
“Broad beans do need a quick blanch for the best texture and flavour, but the outer skin on smaller ones don’t need to be double peeled. Goat’s curd is always a welcome addition to salads; we used Meredith’s Dairy goat’s curd in this recipe.” (The recipe above)
I love Meredith Dairy products, particularly their natural yoghurts (also available at Fyshwick or Harris Farm markets in Canberra). I haven’t seen it in the main supermarkets. I keep meaning to make my own natural yoghurt again (I remember it being easy…I used a large thermos) but I haven’t got around to it in recent years, even though I recently bought a book called “Yoghurt”!! Not enough hours in the day!…like my late Mum often said.
Train inspired travel 