Winter Outings – RJ Hamer Arborteum

We have not really been out exploring much since we got back from Tassie, a month ago. I guess we were going a bit stir crazy, it been a month of catching up with various jobs around the house, work, social engagements and then, of course, the Exhibition. The weather had not been so brilliant all week either, grey, drab, cold, windy and wet…in a nutshell Melbourne at the tail end of Autumn. It gets to Winter and on day two, we get glorious sunshine, blue skies, light winds and mild temperatures…go figure.

We had slept in, as it was such a cold morning and did not get on the road til nearly 10am (quite late for us), we were originally planning on going to Mount Macedon, but we feared the later start would not be ideal as it gets really busy up there, so instead we stayed close to home in the Dandenong Ranges, we visited RJ Hamer Arboretum. I have been here so many times over the years to shoot, I have done natural light portraits, star trails, BBQ lunches with friends and fungi hunting.

We decided to walk a different track this day, which gave us lovely views over the valley, still filled with mist and fog and low cloud. Sadly, no fungi and not much Autumn colour left, but it was a lovely day for a walk.

We then had a lovely lunch in the Olinda Tea House, it’s funny I have not been there before (that I can remember) I had always assumed since they do Devonshire Tea and High Tea it was a very English Tea House, but far from it it is very Chinese inspired, offering Green and Dragon tea and a lovely menu. I had San Choi Boi (Most delicious I have ever had) and Moth had spiced lamb and bean shoots (also very yummy), I think we will be back to sample other items.

Even the gardens looked Oriental once you pass the carpark. Those little pagodas have tables and chairs in them, would that not be wonderful under the trees in Summer?

Such a beautiful morning to be out and about.

~ Julz