Top Suburbs in Melbourne

Would you buy a book that listed Melbourne's BEST suburbs as Abbotsford, Braybrook, Brunswick, Brunswick east, Carrum, Chelsea, Coburg, Collingwood, Cremorne, Flemington, Footscray, Frankston, Geelong, Kensington, Maidstone, Mordialloc, Seaford, Seddon, West Footscray, Yarraville?

Written by real estate expert Peter Koulizos, The Property Professor's Top Australian Suburbs tells investors which suburbs across Australia have the best capital growth potential over the next 20 years.

The book outlines each suburb's types and styles of housing, and local and state government plans for improving the suburb and surrounding areas.

Westgate Punt & Bike Ride

It was a beautiful sunny Melbourne day on Saturday, so my son and I went for a bike ride that included a trip on the Westgate Punt across the Yarra River.

Our ride started in Westgate Park on the north of the West Gate Bridge. Its not the most peaceful park given the noise coming from the West Gate Freeway as we rode through the park, under the mighty bridge, and along the Yarra River back towards the city. Onto Lorimer Street and past Pier 35 marina complex and the Port of Melbourne tower and education centre.

We did a U turn and rode back to the small pier where the punt was waiting patiently at the end of Lorimer Street. Kids under 10 ride free so it was $6 dollars return for me and our bikes (bargain) which also included a couple of very good maps.

If you didn't know, a punt is basically a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow, a ferry of sorts. I had it in the back of my mind that the punt service had stopped operating, but Alex who now runs the weekend service explained it was only the weekday service that had stopped.

Its a short trip of maybe 5 minutes to the Spotswood side of the Yarra close to the front of Scienceworks Museum. We then rode down the Hobson Bay Coastal trail, past people fishing, walkers and other cyclist to the memorial in Burgoyne Park. Hot and thirsty called for a pit stop, so we rode up North Road to a milk bar (corner Douglas Pde) run by the friendliest ladies you will ever meet.

We sat in Newport Park (opposite) and polished off our icy poles and drinks before jumping back on our bikes for the return journey to the punt. When we got there, the punt was on the other side so I called Alex on his mobile and he said he would be over in 15 minutes. We continued riding down to the West Gate Bridge memorial dedicated to the men who died when the bridge collapsed during construction in 1970.

Then back to the punt for the journey home after a marvellous day and ride.

Politically Correct & Inauguration

I am not sure if it is politically correct to blog ones own blog, but on this historic day of inauguration, the first 'African-American' president Barack Obama, that is what I am doing.

I am using this page to announce I have decided MELBURB will be my daily blog about my favourite subject, what else of course but MELBOURNE. I have considered blogging about Melbourne for years, but for one reason or another not done it or not blogged regular enough.

Now, with a little motivation and encouragement from friends I will have my say.

I was a little surprised this morning to find I had more than one blog, in fact I had many. Over the years, it appears I have grabbed a domain name, or on the spark of an idea created a new blog but then forgotten about it.

Embarrassing as it is, here is the list associated with Melbourne..

• Melburb (this one)
• Melbourne Blogspot
• Melburbia (back of Melburb)
• 3000Melbourne
• KOZ & KOZ IT (why? beKOZ)
• MOblog (Mobile Phone Blog)

There's more! For various other web sites we publish, there are blogs attached to them.

So, heres what I have decided to do.. delete and re-point them all to MELBURB. Oh bugger, I just found out I have melburb.com and .com.au

In the past, for the most-part I have not expressed my personal opinions on Melbourne matters but its time I felt I did. There is just too much happening to not vent my spleen.

I hope you enjoy my blog, even when you don't agree with my views.

Mr Melbourne!