G’day Sport
From Swampy Plains Creek to the Sydney Opera House, Maxine Ashford went on an Aussie road trip in search of sights, sounds and rugby
So when you add in the very attractive incentives of a British and Irish Lions ruby tour plus a road trip in a prototype model from Land Rover, the temptation was simply too much to turn down. My trip followed the route of the Lions
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on their three-test campaign in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, although there were plenty of detours along the way, complete with some excellent new finds. Having been fortunate enough to visit
Australia on several occasions, I didn’t feel duty-bound to take the usual sight-seeing route to visit the country’s iconic statements, but went in search of lesser-known treats and there was an abundance of them. My stay in Brisbane was very short and was arranged purely for the first test match, although my views of the city improved ten- fold. Previous experiences led me to form the
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allabies, wombats, magnificent coastlines and an opera house – all attractions synonymous with Australia.
opinion that it was a bit of a concrete jungle that lacked real character or soul. But on this particular visit, I witnessed it’s softer and more genteel side, with pleasant walks on the south side of the river. Te weather can make or break any holiday and I was blessed with unusually warm and sunny days despite it being the winter Down Under and with the Lions securing a vital win in that all-important first test the sea of red shirts were singing, dancing and partying late into the Brisbane night, so with spirits sky-high it was destination-Melbourne down south. Melbourne has often been likened to the UK – it has a similar climate, plenty of green parks, a beautiful river weaving its way through the heart of the city and some stunning coastlines just a short drive away. Having completed the Great Ocean Road to the famous 12 Apostles rock formations in the past, I ventured further in land and discovered Hanging Rock about 90 minutes north of the city. It never fails to amaze me just how vast Australia is and a short climb to the top of the
rock formation reinforces those thoughts with a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view. Fresh air, open spaces and a friendly welcome at every stop makes it nigh on impossible not to fall in love with the country – even if it has become somewhat fine-obsessed. One friend was actually penalised for not attaching a parking ticket to their windscreen in a free car park – and we say our law is a farce! Melbourne is viewed as the sporting capital of Australia with major influences in the Australian Football League, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the venue for the Australian tennis open. But we were there for one far more important game – that second test against the Wallabies. Tere is nothing more dangerous than a wounded animal – it will fight with every last breath and that’s exactly what happened with the Lions losing by one point to set the series at one apiece and Sydney the focal point for the decider. My route to Sydney involved driving a prototype of the new Range Rover Sport and
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