This Thursday, my wife and a colleague of hers is flying to Melbourne for a congress where she shall present a paper and take part in some workshops. She just asked me if I wanted something from Melbourne. Heck, that was a good question...

Any inspired ideas? My nine year old daughter has asked for a boomerang and that is fine by me but any other suggestions? Or any tips about what she should be buying for herself? What are the local specialities?

Regards,
Martin

Woodleigh Bullets!

Well Stu, that's an idea!

Wonder if there are any good hunting shops there... Must check out what hotel she is staying at...

To my knowledge there are no hunting or shooting shops in the central city area, if that's where she will be. There is Platypus Outdoors in Little Bourke St. that stocks outdoor and military type gear and clothing.

http://www.platypusoutdoors.com.au/

Fishing wise there is the Compleat Angler in Flinders Lane.

http://www.compleatangler.com.au/Default.aspx?p=Home

Non shooting wise:

Being a sci fi nut I frequent Minotaur bookshop when i'm in Melbourne:

http://www.minotaur.com.au/info.asp?pageID=11

For movies, music, digital camera gear etc there is JB Hi fi which has several stores in the middle of Melbourne.

http://www.jbhifi.com.au/index.php

There are a few shooting shops in the outer suburbs but they are a fair way from the CBD.

If you want Woodleigh bullets get a hold of 500Nitro on NitroExpress.com. He is the Woodlegh Distributer in Australia and could help her out, maybe have some sent over to the hotel if you know what you want before she arives.

Opals are big in Aus but you need to know what you are looking at.

You can get Kangaroo Carosses at the Tourist shops and the airport.

Maybe a Didgereedoo sp?

RM Williams Boots,Aussie sizes are the same as the UK.Get the Synthetic sole,lasts for years.

Driz-a-bone Coat-3/4 length.

Make sure the Boomerang is at least 400mm long,ya need a big one.

Akubra Hat.

Make sure she gets to Phillip Island to see the Fairy Penguins....Is it Penguin season??

How about one of those tanned genuine kangaroo scrotums.

A copy of "Walking them Up" by Ken Pearce, excellent read on Sambar hunting ... may need to order through the ADRF though and they probably wont get it to her on time. Also ... some Sambar hunting DVDs, sure wouldn't be many of those in Sweden! There is a gunstore (actually 2) just North of the CBD within easy walking distance ... Vic City Arms and Alcock & Pierce. May be okay for the DVDs.

Victoria Market for some Ugh boots... , VB stubbie holder... ... can't leave without a bottle of Bundaberg Rum.
Bundaberg Rum
Bundaberg Rum
Will tan your insides,
and put hair on your bum.
Could be useful in Sweden.
Cheers...
Con

Akubra hat!

Cheers, Dave.

Think you may need a export permit to get the bullets out.
RM Williams - aren't they American now?

Yes roo scrotum tobacco pouch/coin purse.

As for beer Coopers Sparkling, or if you can find it Coopers Vintage.

Should go and see the bunyips and drop bears as well

Tell her to hop into a taxi and demand to be taken to Vic Market, it has a ton of stuff in one location. She'll easily notice everything that isn't available at home in Sweden.

However let her know that if she gets any Akubras, get those from a regular hat shop, otherwise the sizes might be a bit off.

Also if she goes to Philip Island tell her to not bother stopping to look at the world record Great White Shark inside the giant worm.

Richard

quote:

Originally posted by 416SW:
Think you may need a export permit to get the bullets out.

No I do not believe this for plain bullets? You do need an export permit to export ammunition.

quote:

RM Williams - aren't they American now?

RM Williams are owned by a group of Australians including I forget his name, the ex-CEO of News Corp.

Unfortunately RM Williams has pretty much sold out to the 'metro-sexuals'. I used to buy bush shirts and moleskins from them, but try to find anything worn in the bush in those shops now.



Martin,

I want to see you out of Barbour jackets and silly little English caps. You need an Aussie Driz-a-bone oilskin horse riding coat (or you can get a 3/4 length for walking the dog), an Akubra hat, some decent leather riding boots, moleskin trousers and a leather stockmans whip (that is for your wife CRACK! Yee hah ! ).

quote:

A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition. - R. Kipling

Some good Aussie full-bodied shiraz is nice to take home as well. I recommend Barossa Valley Estates "E&E Black Pepper" Shiraz 2002 (97 points in Wine Spectator), or St Hallett "Old Block Shiraz", Peter Lehmann "Stonewell Shiraz", Henschke "Hill of Grace" or "Mount Edelstone", Rockfords "Basket Press", or Penfolds "Grange", or "RWT". Just some selections.


There you have it, red wine (as above), book suggestions on hunting sambar (hey come down here yourself one day ), and woodleigh bullets (ammunition).

NitroX, don't forget the Kies "Deerstalker" Merlot. Or the Rockfords Syrah!

Cheers, Dave.

quote:

Some good Aussie full-bodied shiraz is nice to take home as well. I recommend Barossa Valley Estates "E&E Black Pepper" Shiraz 2002 (97 points in Wine Spectator), or St Hallett "Old Block Shiraz", Peter Lehmann "Stonewell Shiraz", Henschke "Hill of Grace" or "Mount Edelstone", Rockfords "Basket Press", or Penfolds "Grange", or "RWT".

Yes all of the above i second, geez Nitro you have me licking my lips over that lot...or also she might think about one of our glorious fortifieds in a muscat,tokay or a port. Cambells,Baileys etc
And Marterius i absolutely back up the Queen Victoria Market idea as the fellas have already said..i just had my yank mate out here and he got a `roo scrotum,hat,placemats,roads signs (of roos for the kids)in fact all sorts of stuff of a good quality and tell her it is a must to go to the digeridoo stall and ask for ..wait for it..Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie A.K.A. as Joey he`s an Aboriginal elder that on request will demo one of the many digi`s he has. I gave him a ten buck sling and he played for 1/2 an hour...the sounds that man can play are incredible..sounds that will linger in her memory for years,in fact i was talking to my Yank mates missus on the ph this morning and she has a cd by Joey which she plays 3 to 4 times a day while she is on the computer.He is so good that its almost mandatory to stop by his stall and while i`m doing this i just whacked my copy on the player too.....Now you cant get any more Aussie than this.

quote:

Make sure the Boomerang is at least 400mm long,ya need a big one.

Make sure it comes back as well.....otherwise its just a stick

Thanks everyone, great suggestions! I think the idea about the Queen Victoria Market is very good, and a book on Sambar hunting if she can find that.

Actually, we have a good selection of Australian wines available here in Sweden, they are popular here.

As to Woodleigh, on a second thoguht I don't want to ask her to bring anything gun-related on the plane since she is not into shooting and reloading herself...

Regards,
Martin

There is always the stand-by aussie favourite - the blow-up sheep...

No good trying to get a photo of any australian sporting trophies either - nearly all of them are out of the country at present.....

Marterius,

How busy is your schedule?

There is a shooting range 40-50 minutes away just before Geelong. (Little River) It would be a great way to AR members from around Melbourne.

The range is open Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays

Marterius

I an in Melbourne (work in the CBD) and would be happy to help if theres anything I do. I will PM some contact details.

Fergus

Fergus,
Thanks a lot, you have a PM.

Safari_hunter,
Thanks to you as well, but I am not coming over myself, just my wife who is not much into shooting herself.

Muzza,
I am glad to say that neither she nor I would have any use for those artificial implements...

Regards,
Martin

Why blow up when you can have the real thing eh Muzz

The sad thing with this photo, gryphon, is that the guy looks just like a friend of mine who farms just north of Gympie in Qld.....

Marterius - suggest your wife visits the Melbourne Zoo - she can get there on a tram ( can you still do that melbournians ? ). She will then be able to see a good selection of genuine Aussie wildlife different to that she sees on the streets - those marsupials are pretty cool , and lots of the rare species she wont see anywhere outside a zoo unless she goes off into the deepest darkest outback.

She may even get to see a real dinosaur - there may be a display of a winning rugby or league team - its almost pre historic since either of them won an international game now .....

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon1:

The worry is that sheep looks like a wether, ie a neutered male. So this fellow is a bit queer as well.

Now I have left the wife at the airport, so she is in her way. She is very grateful for your suggestions and help, and so am I, so thanks a lot everyone!

Regards,
Martin

quote:

Originally posted by Marterius:
Now I have left the wife at the airport, so she is on her way.

Now, beer and pizza every night until she gets back! WOOHOOO!!

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon1:

The worry is that sheep looks like a wether, ie a neutered male. So this fellow is a bit queer as well.

You DO know your sheep Nitro!
Reminds me of the fella in court that had been found guilty of horse rooting...and when the magistrate on finding him guilty and asking "now tell me mr Mc$^%&*an was it a mare,gelding or stallion that you rooted" old Mr Mac indignantly yelled out "it was a mare your worship i`m not a F%$#@&g poofta"

quote:

Originally posted by Avatar:

quote:

Originally posted by Marterius:
Now I have left the wife at the airport, so she is on her way.

Now, beer and pizza every night until she gets back! WOOHOOO!!

Well, perhaps something in the line of that. I promised my daughter we will go to McDonalds when I pic her up at school tomorrow!

Regards,
Martin

Its probably wishfull thinking , but is it possible that Swedish Maccas isnt as hideously horrible as the shite they serve up in Oz and NZ?

quote:

Originally posted by muzza:
Its probably wishfull thinking , but is it possible that Swedish Maccas isnt as hideously horrible as the shite they serve up in Oz and NZ?

At least it is not politically correct to go to McDonalds and that is reason enough if you want to rise your kid to become a good citizen!

Regards,
Martin

Now that it's mentioned...might as well tell your wife to go to McDonald's--the one with the underground drive thru--which isn't too far from Vic Market. Maybe underground McD's are common somewhere, but that one in Melb is the only one I've ever seen.

Richard

Update--Just had a phone call from Fergus,he's met this great Swedish girl and been taking her out to dinner every night since she hit Oz.She's talking about leaving her deadbeat husband,he spends all day on the internet...LOL

quote:

Originally posted by Easy_Rollins:
Update--Just had a phone call from Fergus,he's met this great Swedish girl and been taking her out to dinner every night since she hit Oz.She's talking about leaving her deadbeat husband,he spends all day on the internet...LOL

I suppose it could have been my wife's colleague, but in that case, Fergus have been too long in the bush, because my wife's colleague is a man...

Really, my wife is very grateful for all your suggestions. She went twice to Victoria Market, and she really liked the fresh fruits she could buy there. She also went to the Zoo and was particularly thrilled by the wombats. Sunday was spent on a wine-testing bus-trip, which was a great success. She brought home a couple of book on Australian wildlife for the family at large and for me two military biographies: "A doctor's war" by Rowley Richards and "A bastard of a place" by Peter Brune. A boomerang for our daughter of course, and a mouse-pad for my computer with Aboriginal art - I use it right now.

She sends her regards to all of you and so do I!

Martin

Well I did visit Sweden in 2003 and can say with some sincerity that Swedish girls are hot Dont tell my wife though - she’s got no sense of humour on this kind of stuff

Fergus

quote:

She also went to the Zoo and was particularly thrilled by the wombats.

Every time I go to Aussie I am amazed at the number of wombats I see , too.......

I only have to go to the Caravan Parks and dole office to find Kiwis here.