Cape Schanck, Victoria

Victoria, Australia is a beautiful place; Cape Schanck, the southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula, is no exception. Reflecting upon this, it seems I have been to not one, but two of the southernmost parts of Victoria (see: Wilson's Promontory). My friend James so kindly offered to drive down after discussing what I had and had not seen during my travels one evening. We went to his parent's farm and then to Cape Schanck. His parents treated me to a delicious vegan lunch and then we explored the farm. There is something charming about land and homes passed down through families; it seems to define childhood in a very special way and there's something incredibly natural about growing up on a farm. It was fun to get a bit of a tour and see all of the animals (which I loved to pieces, note the tiny kittens and the goats)!

The day was a bit overcast, but we had a nice time wandering about the cape and I enjoyed visiting a place in Australia that meant so much to someone else as opposed to visiting places in Australia that I sought out on my own or with other study abroad students/backpackers. The rocks and pools of water were most certainly my favourite, so tempting to jump in and swim around; however, it was quite chilly as it was winter in Victoria and it was easy to resist.

Overall, it was a very serene experience, especially in comparison to the night or morning beforehand. On my way back to Box Hill South from the city, I fell asleep on the Nightrider, the lovely bus that runs from 1:30am-4:30am. I will never fall asleep on public transportation again. I woke up in Belgrave, which is quite a distance away from my suburb; however, the bus turned around a bit and stopped at tram stop 75 (whereas, I live around tram stop 66). It was a bit unsettling because I realized that I was in a place where I had no one to call to ask for a ride home or help. I just had to deal with it and of all the situations to have to deal with, it really pales in comparison. I found a cab and arrived home much later than I anticipated seeing that I left the city around 1am and promptly added this to my 'small lessons learned abroad' list. The trip to Cape Schanck was a refreshing trip away from the city center. I never needed a 'break' from Melbourne, but after that night, it was nice to sit in a car, explore the more rural parts of Victoria, and catch up with a friend.

Built in 1859 & the second lighthouse in Victoria.