#My living experience in Victoria Australia

Dear stemmit community

In this post I am going to talking about my stay in the state of Victoria in Australia.

My Working holiday Visa in Australia began in Melbourne after a long-term flight from Europe with a stop in Emirates Arab United. It was my first time I experienced a long jetlag and a changing of season. Landing in the end of the January and my first impression about Australia were completely positive.

I spend few weeks in the city then I had chosen to move in regional Australia. According to the Australian immigration department working eighty-eight days on specified jobs on the list of government is required to obtain an extension of extra twelve months.

Relocate in the countryside was a great idea because for some months I did not speak my native language and experience better the local language. Well I was not very qualified to do jobs such as gardening, pruning, mulching, sometimes digging, picking etc. However being willing worker on organic farm has been a positive experience. I had the chance to meet and work with interesting people. In addition I discovered also locations in the state Victoria which probably I would not be able to visit just as tourist. I should say thanks to suggestions of local people.

(More chance to see local fauna in this photos it is an echidna typical from Australia)

Willing worker on organic farm (WWOOF) consists on work in exchange of meals and accomodation. Pay one-year fee for a book you have insurance and the list the owners who are part of this project. Nowadays the Australian immigration department does not allow anymore foreigners holder of Working holiday Visa to apply for the same extension I achieved when I lived in Victoria.

Moving from a farm to another around the state of Victoria I had chance to stop and visit some new places Regarding one I have already written one a post (Wilson Promontory National Park which is my favourite in Victoria).
I would mention also my quick stop in Bendigo a town on the north of Melbourne famous for its gold mines

The reason why I say that. it is because I met a local man who works on gold mining. I received great suggestions from him concerning local animals. I was worried about snakes because I travelled alone also through some parks like this one in Melbourne.

According to him, snakes only hear vibrations when we are walking. If they are far enough they will not attack you. But if you unwilling approach one of them closely you risk they bite you. That's why he said to me he dressed everytime long sleeves shirts and pants long boots. In order to avoid to be bitted by snakes when he had to walk in the area of the gold mine.
In conclusion he said to me it is very difficult to find one of them on the defined paths you usually have in the Australian parks. Following what he said to me was very useful during my stay in Australia.

My longest “wwoofing” living experience was in the Bellarine Penisula in a house surrounded by the bush, a wineyard, vegetable garden a cellar door and seaside. The closest town was approximately ten kilometers.

For someone like me who always lived in populated cities. In specific when I spent alone the friday and saturday night. The other willing worker decided to spend saturday and sunday off in Melbourne. Well to be honest the house did not have any lock, if I was in other country like mine I would not trust left any door unlocked. That's another change of my perspective.

I was impressed by what suggestive sometimes the sky was. Australia often provides beautiful views

It was very interesting spend the sunday afternoon tasting delicious local wine. It was made up by the owners of the property.

My wwoofing experience and travelling around Victoria ended in the begining of August. (winter season). I relocated again to Melbourne where I used to change some jobs around Melbourne till the end of the year.
It is told that Melbourne in one day have four seasons from April to August the weather is very unpredictable. It usually heavy rains for many days with cold wind suddenly can turn into sunny and viceversa. In particular during the winter season

A magnificient experience was find a guy with cockatoo. I met him in front of Flinder street station close to the bridge and Federation square.

In exchange of few coins he let me hold this beautiful parrot on my hand and on one of my shoulders.

Another great experience in Melbourne was to see very closely small pinguins in one of the piers of St.Kilda. It is an area situated south-eastern of Philipp Bay. They used to come over to pier after the sunset. Take photos with flash are not allowed because it hurts and scares the pinguins.

Another local animal easy to find in Melbourne is the possum He loves to live among the branches of the trees and I was allowed to take photos.

For someone who loves rock music ... Melbourne has a road dedicated to one my favorite rock band

My stay in Melbourne and the state of Victoria last untill before Christmas I will conclude my post with these picture taken before my first Christmas in Australia

Thanks for your attention hope you like it and follow me in the next posts where I will talk about further locations I have visited in Victoria.

Except Wilson Promontory National Park because I have already post previously here:

https://steemit.com/travel/@philfreetotravel/my-top-5-favorite-location-in-australia-n-3-wilson-promontory-national-park-victoria

All my photos are mine and they were taken with my camera Casio EX-Z60