Boys special: 16 July 2006
The Postcards boys take you to check out their favourite spots. Lawrence tours the CUB factory and relaxes at the Chuan Spa, Dermott goes off-road and then takes a stab at life-drawing, and Glen gets his hands dirty on Warrook Cattle farm.
CUB Tour
This week, Lawrence is only too happy to experience the pride, spirit and tradition of one of the world's great brewers – Carlton and United Beverages. The Carlton Brewhouse and Brewery Tour presents the age old art of brewing in an innovative and entertaining way. Showcasing the home of Fosters and other famous brands, the Brewhouse is purpose built and equipped with interactive displays. The tour has a lot of fascinating information for the amateur brewer as well as the beer aficionado. For instance; what do beer and breaky have in common? The yeast extract used in vegemite comes from the brewery after it's been used in beer which means it puts a rose in every cheek twice.
The Brewhouse is the starting point for a tour of Abbotsford Brewery. Escorted by CUB guides, visitors experience the modern face of brewing. Follow the beer making process from raw materials, through the unique filtration and fermentation process to one of Australia's fastest bottling plants, running at over 1.5 million bottles a day. When you've worked up a thirst, it's back to the Brewhouse for a complimentary tasting of the famous CUB draught beers.
Brewery tours run twice daily on weekdays, however bookings are essential.
Corner Nelson and Thompson streets Abbotsford
Ph 03 9420 6800
Off-road riding
When Dermott Brereton says yes to his latest challenge he doesn't realise it involves a bush and a bike – but once told he can't wait to get started. Dermott accepts the challenge to go off-road riding at Mt Disappointment under the guidance of Peter McDonald. Peter runs the Honda Australia Rider Training School and has 30 years experience. The school is a not-for-profit division of Honda MPE and conducts training for all levels of motorcyclists, from beginner through to advanced.
Honda is very much about protecting the environment and by following their professional advice you can tear around, without tearing up, the bush. Honda Australia Rider Training is available seven days a week and is based in Tullamarine and Kilsyth. Prices start at $60 for a weekly practice session. Mt Disappointment is about an hour's drive from Melbourne.
Ph 03 9335 2766
www.hartridertraining.com.au
Chuan Spa
Lawrence takes some time out from the stress of his everyday life at the new $4.5 million Chuan Spa at the Langham Hotel. Located on the exclusive south bank of the Yarra River, Langham Hotel Melbourne boasts the most enviable waterside location in the city.
Chuan Spa was designed as a sanctuary for contemplation and renewal, as well as to provide guests and members with a state of the art health club and pool. Chuan Spa's unique services include Chuan Balancing – a massage that incorporates acupressure techniques – and Chuan Stone therapy, designed to unwind the body and balance the Yin and Yang energies through the use of hot and cold ying stones. A twin deep geisha bath and private relaxation area will give couples, friends and family the special experiences of sharing the pleasures of Chuan Spa.
1 Southgate Avenue, Southbank
Ph 03 8696 8184
www.chuanspa.com
Warrook Cattle Farm
Café swilling city-boy Glen finally gets the chance to do some real work at the Warrook Cattle Farm. Here you can be an Aussie farmer for a day – experience real country living, a working farm, how to handle animals, how a farming family lives, and enjoy a home-cooked lunch or afternoon tea in the historic homestead.
Visitors are welcomed into the historic home to enjoy old fashioned hospitality before going around the farm for a daily hands-on tour at 1pm, where you can see the wombats and wander through the fauna park among the kangaroos and water birds.
Warrook has been open to the public for the past 15 years and is renowned as the premier working farm to which visits can be made. Visitors are invited to come and experience real country living on a working cattle and sheep farm.
The farm consists of mainly sheep and Murray Grey cattle, for which Warrook is famous. Ask inside the restaurant or shop for a guided tour around the farm.
4150 South Gippsland Highway Monomeith
Ph 03 5997 1321
www.warrook.com.au
Life Drawing
Dermott feels it's time to get in touch with his creative side and contacts the Centre of Adult Education (CAE) to assist him. CAE Arts provides creative and innovative approaches to learning, allowing students to freely express, challenge and reinvent.
The CAE has a range of courses in visual arts, performing arts and writing and publishing as well as allied activities that all offer strong creative opportunities to the Melbourne community. After careful consideration, Dermott decides to take part in a life drawing class with master teacher Vin Ryan. When talking art, Vin believes it can be different things to different people. In Vin's class, students learn some basic principles of anatomy and composition – Dermott does his best.
Well and truly bitten by the art bug, Dermott finds himself wandering through the National Gallery of Victoria. Of particular interest to Dermott is the exhibition of chairs, some designed by Frank Gehry who designed the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. The National Gallery of Victoria is open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Sunday. For art class information log on to the CAE website.
Centre for Adult Education
253 Flinders Lane Melbourne
Ph 03 9652 0611
www.cae.edu.au
National Gallery of Victoria
180 St Kilda Road Melbourne
Ph 03 8662 1555
www.ngv.vic.gov.au
