Over the summer of 2006/2007 a friend and I decided to head to Melbourne to work and play. Neither of us had been before, and our three months was an incredible time of adventures, partying, and of course working hard; before having to head back to the crushing reality of university. I fell in love with this city; blown away by the shopping, the architecture, the wonderful people and of course, the abundant food! Everyday was something new: exploring suburbs like Richmond, having a pot of Coopers at cheeky alleyway bars and seeing films in the Botanical gardens. I found the city to be a mixture of the finest that Europe has to offer, but one that is quintessentially Australian.
However, my favourite Melbourne secret was one that was introduced to me by my friend Emelia. Geelong-born and Melbourne- bred she had many tricks up her sleeve and knows the gems of the city like the back of her hand. As many people do in Melbourne she uses a bike to get from A to B. Noticing that I constantly admired her gorgeous bicycle she offered to borrow her flatmate's bike and take me on a surprise ride around the city. I was thrilled: what a glorious way to see Melbourne!
So the next Saturday our day began early, and would end with a few well-deserved Coopers. We started at Emelia's quaint flat in North Melbourne, rode past Melbourne Zoo where we could hear the lions roaring, through the 'burbs and alongside the banks of the Merri Creek river. It was magic: I had my hair flying out behind me, sun streaming on my face: riding the streets of Melbourne pretending to be Brigitte Bardot. Eventually we arrived at our destination: CERES. A community-run, sustainable society CERES is hidden away in the back of East Brunswick and includes a nursery, café and educational facilities.
As it was a Saturday the organic market was bustling with a mixture of young and old, all thoroughly enjoying themselves. The produce was glorious and we bought fruit to munch on as we wandered the stalls. I tried fair-trade coffee and home-made pastries. I chatted with stall owners and members of the CERES whanau (family) who were eager to share their stories with Emelia and I. Even after the market ended at one we explored the ‘Bicycle Recycle Shed’, shared some afternoon tea at the café and chilled out in the Energy garden. In the afternoon sun we lazily cycled back to the city, where we shared a few drinks and contemplated the day.
In an age of the internet, supermarkets and instant gratification I was profoundly struck by the sense of community, and the years of aroha (love), respect and patience that had gone into the creation of this place. Exploring CERES was indeed but one of many amazing Melbourne experiences that I had, but one that was definitely unique. I finally felt like a real part of the city. CERES is my thus my hidden Melbourne gem, yet is only a bike ride away for anyone who wishes to explore.
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