Thursday, February 27
This morning began with a lecture by our Melbourne Site Coordinator about Contemporary Australia.
We then walked through parts of Melbourne and then took a tram to Queen Victoria Market. On our way we went through the Block Arcade and the Royal Arcade which are famous boutique shopping centers.
Walking toward the Block Arcade 
Inside the Block Arcade 
Inside the Royal Arcade 
Inside the Block Arcade 
Inside the Block Arcade 
The clock in the Block Arcade 
Old scale in the Block Arcade 
Hopetoun Tearooms
Queen Victoria Market was busy as we strolled through. The market has been around for over 100 years. It is the largest of Melbourne’s many markets from the 1800s. Some people stayed for lunch.
We chose to walk back and stopped in the Melbourne Central shopping mall and also got a bite to eat. In the mall was a free library. In the Little Library you could sit in there and read, borrow a book or bring in a book to share.
The Little Library 
The roof in Melbourne Central 
The shopping center was 5 levels!
As we were walking we also passed by the State Library Victoria. We didn’t stop and go through it but we enjoyed watching the school children sitting out in front and the pigeons! Tomorrow we would visit this beautiful library.
This afternoon we left on our motorcoach for Phillip Island where we will see the Blue Penguins. It was several hours to get there. We stopped part way at Maru Fauna Park, used the restrooms and walked through to see the animals.
Wallaby 
Koala talk 
Feeding a Wallaby 
Green Tree Frog 
Kookaburra 
Albino Kangaroo 
Mama and Baby Kangaroo
Our next stop was for dinner at Mario’s Bayside Bistro in San Remo, a family business.
When we arrived at Phillip Island, we were met by a guide who gave us a tour around the Little Blue Penguin habitat and the water.
Cape Barren Goose 
Wallabies hanging out on Phillip Island. 
Little Blue Penguin in its burrow 
Little Blue Penguin in its burrow 
Phillip Island Visitor Center 
Inside the Visitor Center 
Inside the Visitor Center 
Little Blue penguins, the smallest of all the species 
The Tasman Sea 
The Tasman Sea
When it was time for the Little Blue penguins to come ashore from the ocean and parade past us, we were in a viewing stand. This kept us from bothering the penguins as they waddled ashore. No photography was allowed so that the penguin’s eyes would not be hurt by the flash or the camera sensors trying to focus. We were fortunate that there were many penguins parading by us to reach their burrows and they were chattering away. It was our evening highlight!
Some of the members of our group were not looking forward to the long drive to see some penguins come up out of the ocean but they changed their mind after witnessing this phenomenon of nature!
Below is a picture of a postcard we purchased and it is of a few of the Blue Penguins coming out of the ocean!
