Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Center

Since moving to Australia in January I was still feeling like all I knew of the Aboriginal people was from what I saw on Crocodile Dundee. After visiting the Melbourne Museum I felt a little disappointed with my trip through the Koorie Voices exhibition. They seemed to do a good job of celebrating the culture of the modern day Koorie people, rather than the history. This led me to the Koorie Heritage Trust. The trust is a non-profit organization that works to "protect, preserve and promote the living culture of Aboriginal people of south-eastern Australia." One way the do this is by opening their doors to the public, free of charge, to enter in and experience a bit of the Aboriginal culture.
The main floor of the center houses a collection of paintings by local Koorie artists as well as the retail shop with books, art and gifts.

The cultural center is filled with artwork, multi-media presentations, photographs, news articles and life-size replicas. Not only did we get a look into the history of the people, but also a representation of individuals struggles and successes.

Upstairs there is another art exhibition that was worth a visit all on its own, it has some amazing modern art by Koorie artists, not what you would traditionally think of, but fascinating. Each painting is accompanied by a plaque which explains the symbolism of the work.

The Cultural Center also offers some additional experiences for those wishing to learn more. Programs include: Koorie storytelling, tours through the Center, others along the Yarra, or through Flagstaff Gardens with an indigenous culture twist.

Name: Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Center Telephone: 03 8622 2600 Website: www.koorieheritagetrust.com Location: 295 King Street (Cnr Little Lonsdale Street) Getting There: Take the Free City Circle Tram and exit at King Street and La Trobe. Head South and the center is on the right side of King Street.		View Larger Map

Werribee Open Range Zoo

There are three zoos in Melbourne and I made it to the last one this weekend, Werribee Open Range Zoo. 

When we arrived the ticket guy immediately booked us in for the safari tour, we only had 20 minutes before it left, so first we grabbed a bite to eat at the Meerkat Bistro/Kiosk. The Kiosk sells quick take-away items like fish and chips, ready-made sandwiches and drinks. If you have a bit more time the Bistro serves fresh made to order meals, steak sandwiches, hot focaccias, pastas. They serve the full menu only during lunch hours (noon-2:30pm), during other hours there is a limited menu available.

Next it was onto the safari tour- the tour is included with your general admission, so everyone should take advantage. At the appointed time you are loaded onto the tour buses with a friendly guide/driver- no food or drinks allowed, so finish up your lunch before heading out.

The buses then take you through the "open range" including the Australian bushlands, the desert, and finally the African savannah. It's a very different way to see the animals and you really get the experience like you're on a real safari. so when you spot the animals there is a sense of excitement, like you were really lucky to see them :) But don't worry, everyone will see them!
The savannah was my favorite part of the tour. first you drive along the ridge of the savanah and are able to see the animals in the distance, then you head down a steep hill into the middlle of it, where you'll get up close and personal with the animals. In the savannah all the animals are roaming free, so you'll see giraffes, zebras and rhinos all in the same area. We loved the rhinos! The were huge and we were able to get really close. So close that one of the females started to get angry and the driver said we might have to drive off if she gets mad enough to charge (I'm sure he just said that for effect, but it was still exciting). The whole tour takes about 45 minutes and was totally worth it.

After the tour we checked out the rest of the zoo- the Pula Reserve Walking Trail. I love how this was laid out. It's set up like you are walking through an African village. So there are huts, chicken coops, trails through tall grasses, a rope bridge, stepping stones across the water. Just walking through was fun. Of course, on your walk you'll also see lots of animals. 


I loved how so many of the animals were in what looked like large, open enclosures, with glass that seemed to keep us away from them, rather than the other way around.
There are also plenty of extra tour opportunities available. You can go in one of the open-air vehicles which go off the path during the safari tour and get much closer to the animals. You can even sleep overnight in the savannah! see the website for details on these experiences.

Name: Werribee Open Range Zoo Telephone: 03 9731 9600 Website: www.zoo.org.au/WerribeeOpenRangeZoo Admission: Adult $24.40, Child $12.10, Family $55.50 Friends of the Zoo Passes are good at all 3 zoos (Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo, and Healesville Santuary) for 12 months from the time of purchase. Location: K Road, Werribee, VIC 3030 Getting There: Catch a train from the Melbourne CBD to Werribee Startion (Werribee Line Train), then from the train station catch bus 439 (Werribee South) from Werribee station to the Zoo. Buses leave the train station once an hour (at 15 minutes past the hour). Because buses are few and far between I recommend planning your departure/arrival around the bus schedule.		View Larger Map

Abbotsford Convent

The beautiful building and grounds of the Abbotsford Convent were home to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd between 1863 and 1975. During this time they "provided shelter, food and work for thousands of vulnerable and poor women and girls. They provided a refuge for orphans, wards of the State and girls considered to be in moral danger." Since that time the convent has become home to artists, writers and health practitioners. There are spaces for rehearsals, creative work spaces for designers, a glass blowing studio, a primary school, a classical radio station, a bakery, a restaurant, as well as venues for weddings and other events.

The convent is made up of 11 historic buildings on nearly 7 hectares of beautiful grounds along a bend in the Yarra River. 

We visited the convent on the day of the Slow Food Farmers' Market, which is held the 4th Saturday of each month from 8am-1pm. The key words for the Slow Food Market are: organic, fresh, and gourmet. Here you'll find fresh produce grown by local Victorian farmers, bread, jams, free range eggs, rare meats and cheeses. Yummy!

The vendors were all very proud of their products and happy to talk to us about what they were selling or offering samples. We bought some figs to share with the kids (as they'd never had them before), a package of strawberries that were just too red and beautiful to pass up, some homemade jam and fresh feta cheese. 

Abbotsford Convent is home to many different markets and events, here are some of the monthly markets that take place:

• Supper Market: Every Friday night, November-February, 6-10pm- Quality craft, fashion and food stalls with music and entertainment
• Sunday Arts: 1st Sunday of every month in the Community Room- fine art prints, drawings, exquisite jewellery, beautiful designer clothes, paintings, photography, childrens books, organic body-care products, fun garden sculpture, ceramics, and lots more.
• Finder's Market: 1st Saturday of every month 10am-1pm- Browse stalls filled with collectables, nic-nacs, bric a brac and memorabilia.
• Shirt and Skirt Market: 3rd Saturday of every month- Home to Melbourne's emerging designers, producing quality Australian fashion and accessories in limited editions.
• Maker's Market: 3rd Saturday of every month in the Community Room- Browse, discuss and purchase the work of local artists and crafts people

After browsing the Slow Food Market, strolling through the grounds, and brunch at Lentil As Anything, we stopped by the Convent Bakery on our way out. Since we had just eaten we grabbed a sweet roll for the road, but I'll certainly have to make a trip back for lunch one day.

Name: Abbotsford Convent Website: www.abbotsfordconvent.com.au Location: 1 Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Victoria 3067 Geting There: Via public transport the best way is bus. Take the 200, 201 or 207 from Lonsdale, or the 205 from Melbourne Uni (it then heads down Lygon, Elgin and Johnston), get off at the Clarke St stop (just before you cross over the Yarra). Turn right and walk down Clarke then left onto Heliers and into the Abbotsford Convent.		View Larger Map

Queen Victoria Market

It was brought to my attention that I have failed to do a post about Queen Victoria Market! I can explain why... I live close enough to our beloved market that I am lucky enough to do lots of my shopping there. I guess it has become such a normal part of my life that I forgot it's also a tourist destination! So today I brought my camera and tried to look at the market through the eyes of a first-timer.

When most people hear "market" they think fresh produce/farmer's market, and they would be right. Queen Victoria's Fruit and Veg Precinct is amazing. The produce is fresh and delicious. I saw some of the biggest mangoes I've ever seen during the summer, literally, as big as small pineapple. Beyond its quality, the produce is also wonderfully inexpensive. Just to give you an idea, I was there today and bought Willaim Bartlett pears for $1.50/kg, white button mushrooms for $4.00/kg, and Pink Lady apples for $1.00/kg. There's also an organic section where you can find 3  certified fresh fruit stalls and an organic dry goods outlet.

One of my favorite parts of the Market is the Deli Hall. Here you will find heaps of fresh bread/bakery stalls, local and imported cheeses, dips, olives, chocolate/sweets shops, and poultry shops (where you will also find game meats like crocodile, rabbit, kangaroo). 
Within the Deli Hall you'll also find a number of take-away stalls where you can get some great eats to take to the tables outside for a quick bite or eat as you browse the rest of the market.

One of my favorites is Colour of Earth (shop 97-98), which specializes in all-natural pizzas. They make a variety of Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian pizzas, as well as full gluten, meaty pizzas :)
I spoke with their chef, who told me they've started grinding their own specialty flours to make the pizza bases, including: pumpkin, beetroot, polenta, wholemeal and white. They make so many different flavours you're sure to find one that suits your taste buds; from a simple margherita to a spicy satay or asparagus pizza. Delicious!

There's also a food court in the market with plenty of options to satisfy your hunger (my favorite in the food court is the butter chicken from Drums).

Adjacent to the Deli Hall is the Meat Hall. Here is where you find all types of meats; pork, beef, lamb, with every cut to suit your needs. The Meat Hall also home to ten fishmongers, offering whole fish, fillets and crustaceans. Even if your just touring the market, don't skip a walk through the Meat Hall. It's quite a sight to see the butchers shouting their specials down the aisle, luring customers to their stalls.

Finally we come to the general merchandise stalls. When I pulled out my camera to capture this section of the market I was at a loss. There is such a variety of goods sold here that I could not choose just one photo to illustrate the diversity of market stalls. Instead, let me give you an idea of the many things you'll find.
Clothing- children's, women's, men's, leather coats, wool and cashmere jackets, shoes, accessories
Sheepskin- australia is known for their sheepskin and you'll find all types here: rugs, seat covers, fake UGGs (I've done my research and the UGGs you find at the market are true sheepskin, but are not the REAL UGG brand)
Home decor- artwork, sculpture, photo frames, gifts, fabrics, pillow covers
Souvenirs- boomerangs, photos, didgeridoo
Toys- stuffed animals, children's books, dolls

Trips the market are not complete without a stop at one of the Doughnut Vans. The Spanish Doughnut Van (located in the upper market past the Fruits and Veg) sell hot, crispy Spanish-style churros. My personal favorite is The American Doughnut Kitchen has been making hot delicious, jam-filled doughnuts right in their van since 1950. The queue can be quite long on weekends, but totally worth it in my opinion.

TAKE NOTE OF THE HOURS:

Monday- Closed; Tuesday- 6am to 2pm; Wednesday- Closed; Thursday- 6am to 2pm; Friday- 6am to 5pm (General Merchandise to 4pm); Saturday- 6am to 3pm; Sunday- 9am to 4pm

Name: Queen Victoria Market Telephone: 03 9320 5822  Website: www.qvm.com.au/qvm Location: corner of Queen and Elizabeth Streets, Melbourne Getting There: Take the City Circle Tram and exit at La Trobe and Elizabeth Street, then head north

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Eureka Skydeck

Head up 88 stories to the highest viewing platform in the Southern Hemisphere!

It's pretty touristy but you really can't beat the view up there.

There are floor to ceiling windows around the whole floor so you can really see every bit of Melbourne. Dotted around the space they have fixed scopes you can look through to see key buildings and landmarks and of course there's a snack kiosk in case you get hungry.
The EDGE experience is also available, where you enter a glass box which is then moved out from the building (so you can look down below you through the glass) be aware that it does cost extra. Apparently a lot of people have been confused about that. It costs nearly as much as your ticket up and from what I hear it's not any better view, I think it's more for the thrill of looking down and seeing the ground 300 meters below you.

Name: Eureka Skydeck Telephone: 03 9693 8888 Website: www.eurekaskydeck.com.au Admission: Adult $16.50, Child $9.00, Family $39.00 Location: Riverside Quay, Southbank Getting There: Take any tram along Swanston/St. Kilda and exit at Flinders St. Head east from there along the river and just head toward the really tall building :) You can't really miss it!		View Larger Map

Phillip Island

Where to start? There are lots of things to do on Phillip Island. We did it in one day, we hired a car and drove down in the morning and then left after the Penguin Parade, however there is more than enough to keep you busy for two days, so consider staying overnight on the island. That being said I'll tell about the things we did, and give some other info on the attractions we missed.
Our first stop was Woolamai Beach- I was so sad we only brought bathing suits for the kids, because it was a really fun swimming/surfing beach. Next time, we'll bring suits and boogie boards. There were lifeguards keeping watch over the swimmers, that always makes me feel a little safer.

From Woolamai Beach Carpark there are two walking trails. The first is a two hour walk heading up to the highest point on the island, Cape Woolamai. The is also a one hour walk along the beach to the Colonnades, a "natural attraction featuring columns of basalt and is best seen at low tide".  No dogs are allowed on either path. Check here for more walking paths on the island.
Along the main road there is also Surf Beach (original name, right?) which I'm sure is also an awesome beach.

Next stop was the Koala Conservation Centre, so cool! There is a nice gift shop and Visitors Center where you can learn about the koalas before going out to see them. There are a few different paths, The Koala Boardwalk, Woodlands Path and one other that I forget the name :) The Koala Boardwalk is a raised platform that allows you to the walk high up in the gum trees where some of the koalas are resting right at eye level. We got some great views of the adorable little guys.

We were even lucky enough to see a few with their eyes open. Since they sleep 18-20 hours a day, that is pretty exciting.

Don't skip the woodlands walks because you're likely to see some cute little wallabies jumping around and even an echidna if you're lucky.



Another destination is the Churchill Island Heritage Farm. We didn't have time to make it there, but it looked like a lot of fun. Here's what the website says about it:

Experience a piece of Victoria's heritage on this historic island, where you can enjoy a relaxing stroll through the fragrant cottage gardens and lawns. Coastline walks offer magnificent views of Phillip Island and Western Port, while the restored farmhouse and cottages provide a glimpse into the past lives of early Australian settlers and past farming practices.

It was about 2:30pm and by this point int he day we were STARVING! We headed over to the town of Cowes to grab lunch. Bad idea at 2:30pm because most places were closed till dinner. We finally found Gulliver's Cafe and restaurant and grabbed some fish and chips. It was fine, but I was so hungry that anything would have tasted great, so I wouldn't be a very good critic. The town itself was unimpressive, though it did have a lovely bayside beach and nice tree lined main street.

I asked someone once what these trees are called but I cannot, for the life of me, remember. So if you know, please leave me a comment and tell me! I love them!

We didn't go to the Phillip Island Wildlife Park, but I would highly recommend it because you'll have a chance to hand feed the kangaroos, and we all know how much I love that! They also have bats, dingoes, wombats and heaps of other animals.

Next on our list was a visit to The Nobbies, which is a free center and walk along the cliffs just past the Penguin parade entrance. It's the perfect thing to do for a couple hours before you go see the penguins.
The center has lots of great information on the marine life found around Phillip Island, including some cool interactive displays. But the highlight of the Nobbies is the view. Head out onto the boardwalk to the bright green hillside cliffs that drop into the ocean.

Check out all the interesting rock formations at the base of the cliffs, including the blowhole. Wait for a big wave to come into this cave and as it crashes at the back water comes spraying out the mouth of the cave.

On a clear day they say you can see fur seals off the shore, but we didn't see a single one.We did, however, see some of the adorable fairy penguins high up on the hills, poking their heads out of their burrows.

Since you cannot take photos at the Penguin Parade I felt very lucky to get a picture of these little guys.

After a long and fun-filled day we headed over to the Penguin Parade, the culmination of any Phillip Island trip. In case you don't know, here's an explanation of the Penguin Parade:

The Penguin Parade is Australia’s most popular wildlife attraction and home to the largest Little Penguin colony in the world.
Every sunset, the hundreds to over a thousand wild Little Penguins emerge from the sea and march across the beach to their sand dune burrows.
The Little Penguin is the world’s smallest (and cutest) penguin and the Penguin Parade is the best place to experience this completely natural phenomenon. Courtesy of Phillip Island Nature Parks

Don't get your hopes up for seeing "thousands" of penguins, but they are cute and it was amazing to see them heading home after a day out fishing. We upgraded our ticket to the Penguins Plus, based on the recommendation of a friend and I second that advice. Then general viewing area is out on the main beach, but the Penguins Plus section is over on an isolated corner of the beach where 50% of the penguins pass by on their way up the hill, and you can follow them down the boardwalk and watch the find their way home.

Name: Phillip Island
Location: an hour and a half south of Melbourne
Website: www.penguins.org.au and www.visitphillipisland.com
Admission: A 3-park pass get you into Churchill Island, the Koala Conservation Center, and the Penguin Parade. Child $18.00, Adult $36.00, Family $90.00
The Nobbies is Free.

Luna Park

For my son's birthday we went to down to Luna Park for some fun! 

It's right by the beach in St. Kilda, so very easy to get there. If you're going to plan on purchasing the unlimited ride tickets, plan on staying a while. However, it's also kind of fun to just do one ride on your way to the beach (just be sure your kids understand that you are only doing one ride). According to my kids all the ride were a lot of fun and there was plenty to keep them busy. 

My only complaint was the Circus of Screams attraction. We saw that the line was kind of long so we asked the lady at the front how long she thought it would be and she said about 20 minutes. Nearly an hour and a half later we made it to the front (you go through in groups of 8, each taking about 10 minutes). So take a look at the line, if there are more than 20 people, you'll be there for a while and it's really not worth it. Even my 7 year old thought it was predictable and not very scary. Just a lot of black lights and stuff hanging from the ceiling. 
And if you get hungry, no worries, there's plenty of amusement park food!

Name: Luna Park Location: 18 Lower Esplanade, St Kilda (right by the beach) Telephone: 03 9525 5033 Website: http://www.lunapark.com.au/ Admission: Single Ride tickets- Toddlers $3.50, Children $6.50, Adults $8.50  unlimited ride passes- Toddlers $12.95, Children $29.95, Adults $39.95, Family $122.95	View Larger Map

Healesville Sanctuary

My trip to Healsville Sanctuary led to my first up close and personal kangaroo encounter. This is a rite of passage for a foreigner and my experience did not disappoint. We arrived at the zoo at 11am and they were doing a kangaroo feeding at 11:30, so we made it just in time. NOTE- they only do the feedings once a day, so don't miss it. There were a lot of people around for the feeding, but most got their fill after a few minutes and we were essentially the last ones left with the kangaroos and the keeper. The big males couldn't be bothered to come over and have a snack, but the small females were more than happy to let us pet and snuggle them.

The were all fun to watch, even the big boys over in the corner that pretty much kept to themselves.

The zoo is much less commercialized than Melbourne zoo. The grounds are all kept very natural with dirt paths leading you between the animals. In between the enclosures you can even find lots of large birds and a wallaby if you're lucky. There is a shop with souvenirs near the main entrance and there are a number of places to grab a bite to eat. A few kiosks with snacks and ready-made sandwiches are tucked away among the trees and there is also a yummy bistro if you'd rather have some freshly made hot food (chips, pizza, foccacias, pies, as well as a rotating menu of restaurant style items.)
Back to the animals. The sanctuary mainly houses Australian bush animals: emus, platypus (is there a plural form of platypus?), koalas, Tasmanian devils, various reptiles, dingoes.

Many of the animals have been brought in because they were sick or injured. These animals are treated at the Australian Wildlife Health Center (located on the Sanctuary grounds and available to tour) then some are released into the wild, others who are not fit to be released will stay at the zoo.
There are lots of chances to "Meet the Keeper," in which the keeper will talk to you about the animals and answer any questions. During the kangaroo presentation the allow you to feed the animals and during the reptile presentation you will be allowed to pet a snake or two, but get there a few minutes early, otherwise you can't see anything. The Birds of Prey presentation is pretty amazing, don't miss that one. The keepers bring out lots of different birds and demonstrate their hunting habits as they swoop over the audience. Get there early for this one too, the close the gates and won't let you in late.

Getting there was my only problem with the zoo. If you have a car, skip ahead because you won't have any problem. If you want to take public transport, plan on 2 1/2 hours each way from the city. You'll take the Lilydale line all the way to the last stop. From there you take the 685 or 686 bus to the Sanctuary (the bus leaves right from the train station, though you might have to wait a bit for the next bus). NOTE- be sure you find out when the buses come by the Sanctuary for your return trip home. We were finished at the zoo at 4pm and had to wait for the next bus till 5:30!

Name: Healesville Sanctuary
Location: Badger Creek Road, Healesville
Telephone: 1300 ZOOSVIC
Website: www.zoo.org.au/HealesvilleSanctuary
Admission: Adults $24.40, Children $12.10, Family (2 adults, 2 children) $55.50
Friends of the Zoos Passes also available, see website.

Melbourne Aquarium

I just can't get enough of those cute little penguins! Checked out the Melbourne Aquarium and I could hardly pull myself away from the penguins. 

The penguins are the first attraction as you enter the aquarium, we arrived right as they were feeding them, which was fun to see. They are like a bunch of little kids, waddling around on their tiny little legs :)
The aquarium is set up in a one-way loop. After the penguins you head to the Weird & Wonderful section, which is just that: a lot of weird looking sea creatures. For example,

whatever this is.
Next you'll take the escalator up to the river to reef exhibit. The top floor of this exhibit (which housed freshwater river/lake fish) was not my favorite part of the aquarium. Freshwater fish tend to be a bit colorless and boring to me. The top floor does house the rock pools where you can touch a starfish, shark egg and sponge, which is a highlight, especially for kids. Down the ramp you'll find the jellies and learn all sorts of interesting facts about them. From here you can head toward the sharks but don't miss the coral reef exhibit, which is also on this level. In this tank there are some of the beautiful reef dwellers, including: a sea turtle, huge eel, and heaps of amazing and colorful fish. 

The final section of the aquarium is the Oceanarium, which include the sharks and monstrous rays. The rays were amazing, but for all the hype about he sharks I thought they were a bit underwhelming (though I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting). I can imagine though if you had kids with you (mine were at camp this day) they would find the oceanarium mesmerizing. 

My overall impression of the aquarium was mixed. It was definitely worth the trip. That being said, it costs more than the Melbourne zoo, which is an all day trip and the aquarium we breezed through in about 2 hours. So I guess I expected more. There were no seals or dolphins, which I have seen at some other aquariums. The penguin enclosure was probably the most fun, and since it was at the beginning, things just got less exciting as you continued. 

Name: Melbourne Aquarium Location: Corner King and Flinders Streets, along the Yarra River Telephone: 03 9923 5999 Website: www.melbourneaquarium.com.au Admission: Adult $32.50, Child $18.50, Concession $21.00, Family $87.50

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Shrine of Remembrance

While the kids were at school the other day I hopped on the tram and headed down to the Shrine of Remembrance. You can see the Shrine as you drive down St. Kilda Rd (just south of Federation Square).

"The Shrine of Remembrance was built between July 1928 and November 1934 in remembrance of the 114,000 men and women of Victoria who served and those who died in the Great War of 1914-1918 - 89,100 of them served overseas and 19,000 did not return."

It was a really lovely experience, somber and meditative.

Each medal on this wall represented 100 people who served and 16 people who died serving their country.
They have a few different exhibitions in the visitor's center and then it's a nice walk through the Shrine and up to the balcony where you get a nice view of the gardens and the cityscape.

Be aware however that it's a pretty quick trip through the Shrine. You may want to pair this outing with a stroll through the Botanic Gardens across the street.


Name: Shrine of Remembrance
Location: Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra (across from the Royal Botanic Gardens)
Telephone: 613 9661 8100
Website: www.shrine.org.au
Admission: Free (however, they welcome donations)

Footy game- We just love the footy!

So this post is probably more relevant to non-Aussies, because if you are Australian you undoubtedly no a whole lot more about footy than I do! We went to our first game today and it was so much fun! It was Geelong vs. Hawthorne, we kind of arbitrarily chose to cheer for Geelong because: a) we've been to Geelong and b) their colors are white and blue which were the same colors as both my high school and university. 

Ten of the sixteen AFL teams are located in and around Melbourne, so they really love their footy here. Each weekend, late March through August, you can see people moving around the city in their team colors, scarves and hats. Melbourne has two AFL stadiums, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (East Melbourne) and Etihad Stadium (Docklands). The game we went to was at the MCG, which is the largest stadium in Australia and home to the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Sorry, I forgot my camera, so these pics are just from my iphone.

The game itself was one of the more entertaining sports that I have seen. I loved that there were no time-outs, no real stopping the game (even for injuries). The concept is simple: Kick the ball through the goal. Between the two highest posts you score a goal (6 points), between one of the smaller posts you score a behind (1 point).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e1/Goalposts.jpg

Then there are lots of other rules that you'll pickup as you continue to watch. In my case you'll wonder what's going on and ask a lot of questions. Here are a few of the rules hat will help you make bit more sense of this Australian game:

1) A player may run with the ball but it must be bounced or touched on the ground at least once every 15 metres.

2) The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a foot, clenched fist or open-hand tap but it cannot be thrown under any circumstances.

3) Opposition players may bump or tackle the player to obtain the ball

4) If a player takes possession of the ball that has travelled more than 15 metres from another player's kick, by way of a catch, it is claimed as a mark and that player may then have a free kick (I noticed this was one of the best ways to score a goal).

So there's your quick run-down, it's a really fun sport to watch and if you want to assimilate into Aussie culture, you should probably go to a game and at least have an idea of what all the fuss is about :)