Three Great Days Out In
MELBOURNE WITH KIDS By Jessica Palmer
Whether you’re a visitor or a local on a stay-cation, a city break in Melbourne is hard to beat. Here are three great days out in Melbourne with kids!
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ake Flight at Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondolas Before Hitting Up The Beaches on the Mornington Peninsula
’Hello!’’ my kids yelled out in unison to the passing gondola. ‘’Hello!’’ came the excited echo back from a waving and smiling little girl as we passed each other high up in the air. They sat down and waited for the next one. The gentle breeze tickling my face through the bars of the gondola was divine, a breath of fresh on a scorching Melbourne day. I closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. But only for a brief second, as the views were exceptional and I didn’t want to miss it. From the highest point of the Arthurs Seat Eagle Gondola ride, the views stretch from Port Phillip Bay and The Mornington Peninsula across to Melbourne City and beyond. The serenity was broken by my kids once again, this time yelling, ‘’Mum, look there’s a kangaroo!’’ I shifted my gaze away from the view to peer down and sure enough, bounding below in the state forest were three kangaroos. After six or so massive leaps of the kangaroo kind, they stopped to graze. Despite seeing many kangaroos in my lifetime, I never tire of seeing them in their natural environment. Seems my kids are still enthralled too. The kangaroos had moved on by the time we made the return trip, but we were lucky enough to
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spot not one, but two Wedge Tailed Eagles soaring the skies, and countless other birds flittering about. Arthurs Seat Eagle is a Swiss-made aerial gondola system which is supported by cables from above. Each gondola holds up to 8 people and the flight takes around 15 minutes for a one-way trip. The gondolas are all-inclusive and cater to the disabled, elderly, frail and young children. It is wheelchair and pram friendly with a combination of enclosed and open cabins.
Make the most of your day! Board the gondolas at the base station and enjoy the stunning 15-minute ‘’flight’’ up to the summit station. The kids can participate in an ‘’I Spy’’ game, but only if you remember to grab your free map with a checklist at the kiosk before you board. Disembark at the summit station and enjoy morning tea at the Eagle Cafe. Delicious food is their specialty with pies, salads, sandwiches and wraps, as well as ice creams and sweet treats. Walk 10-minutes over to the Enchanted Adventure Garden, where the kids can have fun ziplining, tree surfing, tube sliding and escaping a maze. Alternatively, a more wallet friendly option is to pack your own picnic and stroll along the walking tracks to Seawinds Garden. After your tribe is suitably worn out, take the leisurely ride back down to the base station, enjoying the views one last time.
Top: The iconic bright coloured bathing boxes on Melbourne’s beaches. Photo: Jessica Palmer.
