Driving around Aus - Quirky Melbourne
March 5th 2008 21:23
We all know Melbourne is famous for its theatres and coffee culture, but I thought it would be good to explore the slightly more bizarre and quirky side that the city has to offer. What better way that to start off with Bernard’s Magic Shop – the oldest magic shop in Australia, operating since 1937. It is located at 211 Elizabeth St, Melbourne, VIC 3000 and boasts selling anything from fake dog poo to history books on magic. Looks well worth checking out for all you buddy Harry Potters out there!
All that magic would certainly stir up a thirst so what better way to quench that than at the 'Croft Institute'. The website describes this place as follows:
May be well worth checking out! Just make sure you keep your kidneys well clear of the wait staff - you know the Urban Legends that circulate!
Keeping in line with this thinking the next place on the agenda really grabbed my attention. Wunderkammer, or 'The Wonder Chamber', is a place that will drench the enquiring mind.
How does that get the taste buds flowing?! They have a few sections to their shop, each boasting a bizarre and needless to say, interesting collection of items. Ephemera houses a small perfume collection of smells such as breast milk, sex and swamp water. The Natural History section is home to afascinating read, entitled NERVOUS ATMOSPHERES:
PARASCIENTIFIC THEORIES OF THE MIND & HYPNOSIS DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA
by Jonathan Marshall, Ph.D. . If this interests you I would highly recommend taking the time to read the article! Next is the Instrument Collection. They have the normal lab instruments, as well as a rare collection of unique pieces - it would be quite an eye-opener to step back into that world!
Next is the Insect Collection. For me, personally, I hate seeing insects pinned to boards - it gives me the chills. However, there are very many rare beauties out there and this collection certainly has some interesting ones. The Fossil Section boasts 'woolly mammoth hairs and fossil poo' amongst many other items. This collection is said to change often, however no time is spared in giving a detailed description of the pieces on show. The Medical Section is a vast collection of antique medical items, including 'a pair of rare wax anatomical models from the Dresden Hygiene Museum'. I think a visit here would make any would-be patients feel more at ease about their next hospital visit! And last, but not least, is the maps and prints section. Now this room shows a picture of some rather demonic looking handing x-rays... let`s just say with this place, anything looks possible!
There seem to be a few good bizarre restaurants in Melbourne. Take for example heinz meanz beanz mexican restaurant, which boasts to have every dish incorporated heinz baked beans (I would say stay away from dessert!), or Mojo Weird Pizza`s which offers, amongst other things, dessert pizza`s! However, the most bizarre looked to be 'Witches in Britches' theme restauarant. You are invited into their castle for dinner and a show, the current one entitled 'Desperate Housewitches'. They look as though they put a lot of effort into these shows, the costumes very appealing and feature music from the likes of Prince, Good Charlotte, Cher and Michael Buble. The website offers a great opportunity to browse what they have on offer.
I`m sure there are many more interesting, if not slightly weird things to do in Melbourne. Hopefully this is enough to get you to explore the 'other' side this majestic place has to offer.
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All that magic would certainly stir up a thirst so what better way to quench that than at the 'Croft Institute'. The website describes this place as follows:
The Croft Institute is hidden up a series of laneways, on a site that was previously vacant for some two decades.
Set over three floors, The Croft Institute houses a laboratory on the ground floor. A hospital themed waiting are and bathrooms on the middle lever and a 1930`s styled gymnasium on the top floor.
The bars name The Croft Institute is a not-so-serious play on the pseudo-scientific consumer Institutes used to advertise not-so-scientific consumer products, Croft also being the name of the alleyway where it's situated.
Set over three floors, The Croft Institute houses a laboratory on the ground floor. A hospital themed waiting are and bathrooms on the middle lever and a 1930`s styled gymnasium on the top floor.
The bars name The Croft Institute is a not-so-serious play on the pseudo-scientific consumer Institutes used to advertise not-so-scientific consumer products, Croft also being the name of the alleyway where it's situated.
May be well worth checking out! Just make sure you keep your kidneys well clear of the wait staff - you know the Urban Legends that circulate!
Keeping in line with this thinking the next place on the agenda really grabbed my attention. Wunderkammer, or 'The Wonder Chamber', is a place that will drench the enquiring mind.
This Wunderkammer is both a museum and a retail store. The shop specialises in science and natural history. In the collection are antique botanical prints, anatomical models, specimens preserved in vintage glass canisters, fossils, medical instruments, beetles and butterflies in hand blown specimen domes: the scope of Wunderkammer is as broad as the scope of human scientific enquiry.
How does that get the taste buds flowing?! They have a few sections to their shop, each boasting a bizarre and needless to say, interesting collection of items. Ephemera houses a small perfume collection of smells such as breast milk, sex and swamp water. The Natural History section is home to afascinating read, entitled NERVOUS ATMOSPHERES:
PARASCIENTIFIC THEORIES OF THE MIND & HYPNOSIS DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA
by Jonathan Marshall, Ph.D. . If this interests you I would highly recommend taking the time to read the article! Next is the Instrument Collection. They have the normal lab instruments, as well as a rare collection of unique pieces - it would be quite an eye-opener to step back into that world!
Next is the Insect Collection. For me, personally, I hate seeing insects pinned to boards - it gives me the chills. However, there are very many rare beauties out there and this collection certainly has some interesting ones. The Fossil Section boasts 'woolly mammoth hairs and fossil poo' amongst many other items. This collection is said to change often, however no time is spared in giving a detailed description of the pieces on show. The Medical Section is a vast collection of antique medical items, including 'a pair of rare wax anatomical models from the Dresden Hygiene Museum'. I think a visit here would make any would-be patients feel more at ease about their next hospital visit! And last, but not least, is the maps and prints section. Now this room shows a picture of some rather demonic looking handing x-rays... let`s just say with this place, anything looks possible!
There seem to be a few good bizarre restaurants in Melbourne. Take for example heinz meanz beanz mexican restaurant, which boasts to have every dish incorporated heinz baked beans (I would say stay away from dessert!), or Mojo Weird Pizza`s which offers, amongst other things, dessert pizza`s! However, the most bizarre looked to be 'Witches in Britches' theme restauarant. You are invited into their castle for dinner and a show, the current one entitled 'Desperate Housewitches'. They look as though they put a lot of effort into these shows, the costumes very appealing and feature music from the likes of Prince, Good Charlotte, Cher and Michael Buble. The website offers a great opportunity to browse what they have on offer.
I`m sure there are many more interesting, if not slightly weird things to do in Melbourne. Hopefully this is enough to get you to explore the 'other' side this majestic place has to offer.
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Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
The cruiser I came to Australia on, docked in Melbourne for an afternoon. I went ashore briefly and didn;t see much of anything, except for a pet shop with pink mice.
Since then - and some 30 years later - I have never been back to Melbourne ... and one could say, I have never been really been to Melbourne at all and be right.
I was delighted to read about all these off-the-track places and have noted them for when I do visit Melbourne.
Those sidewalk cafe's and Greek culture appeals very much, as well.
Thanks for sharing.
Lilla ...
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
I look forward to going there too... I can`t wait and really look forward to sipping a coffee in one of those gorgeous cafe`s along the river.
Sigh.. so much world to see!
Ash