When the Cage Doors Open

By Eric (Discover English Teacher)

Melbourne is a wonderful city, with many different things to do and places to go.  Well, normally it is.  At the moment Melbourne does not actually exist, it has been broken into five million separate bedrooms.  A series of isolated, lonely cages.  But it will only be for six weeks (fingers crossed until they turn white).  And in six weeks time the gates of the cages will be thrown open and we can run out into Spring.  The sky will be lighter, the air warmer and a faint hint of hope will be carried on the gentle breeze.

Then there will be things to do and places to see. 

My favourite place to be during the Spring is the Collingwood Children’s Farm.  It is a wonderful secret, nestled just outside the heart of Melbourne on the banks of the Yarra.  Only a 10 minute bus ride from the CBD, you are suddenly in a working farm and you could be in the middle of the bush.

Your student card will entitle you to concession admission ($5) and you can roam the countryside and still be home for dinner.  You can pat the horses and feed the goats.  You can rub your hands through the thick wool of the sheep and marvel at the glorious crowing of the roosters.  If you’re lucky, you might even get to help milk the cows.

I remember my first visit to the farm.  It was a long time ago; I was perhaps four or five years old.  It was my first time in the ‘country’ and it was a thrilling and alien world.  The pigs particularly drew my attention.  They were huge things, much larger than a five year old boy, their hair was sharp and bristly, their eyes so very much like human eyes.

One of the pigs came right over to me and we locked eyes.  It was at least a head taller then me and I was scared.  I looked at it, it looked at me.

Then suddenly, the pig flared its nostrils and sneezed – ACHOO! – all over me.  I was covered in pig snot, dripping like an extra in a horror movie.  It was disgusting.  So gross.  It was in my hair, all over my clothes, even in my shoes.

Now I eat bacon whenever I can.

But I still love visiting the children’s farm, and I still love patting the pigs.

So, in the Springtime, when we are finally free to enjoy this wonderful city go to the Collingwood Children’s Farm and see a completely different side of Melbourne.  I’ll see you there.

Also, right next to the Farm is the Abbotsford Convent Arts Precinct, but that will have to be another blog post.