It's been a while since the last time I covered the city in Australia for this $10 series. But no worries, this week we're going back to the down under. Specifically, we're going back to the state of Victoria.
So, after we covered Melbourne last year, today we're going to talk about a city located in the southwest of Victoria's capital city.
The city expert, Audrey of See Geelong will take us to the city and tell us the local hack to spend your $10 USD in Geelong.
A Great Place to Get Closer to Boomerang and Kangaroo in Australia
Australia is known as an expensive country to visit (and live). So when I was asked “What are the things to do in Geelong for 10 US dollars?”, my first thought was “Not much”.
But then I realized I was wrong.
$10 USD is equal to about $14.50 AUD. And that is enough to buy you an amazing cultural experience, sweet treats and to even encounter some Aussie wildlife.
Entrance to Narana.
Learning the Aboriginal Culture at Narana Cultural Centre
Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre is the perfect place for anyone interested in learning about Aboriginal Culture and the heritage of our land and its First People. It's a not-for-profit organization and entry into the facility is free, which is great for people traveling on a budget.
Narana is a welcoming and relaxed place with cultural educators, visitor programs, a cultural art gallery and a café that serves traditional foods. It's an education and tourism-focused destination for people from all walks of life.
Visitors can learn about Connection to Country, Dreaming Stories, spirituality and even how to throw a boomerang! Boomerang hire costs $3.00 AUD which is affordable for just about anyone. Throwing a boomerang is a must-do activity for any visitor to Australia. It's a whole lot of fun although I still can't get one of these things to come back to me!
Visitors will find scattered throughout the facility wonderful examples of Aboriginal rock art. Aboriginal rock paintings were used to tell important cultural stories and acted as a traditional type of map.
Narana wall mural.
Narana also has one of the largest collections of Indigenous Art in the state of Victoria. The gallery is committed to supporting Indigenous artists and the artworks on display are available for purchase. Each piece comes with a certificate of authenticity and includes an explanation of the story behind the paintings and the artist.
Stopping By the Garden to Pat the Kangaroos
After visiting the gallery take a wander outside. Narana has a beautiful bush-land garden that encompasses more than four acres. Entry into the garden is free and visitors can wander around at their own leisure.
Here you'll find local birdlife and animals including Swamp Wallabies, Emus and Eastern Grey Kangaroos. A highlight of any visit is the chance to pat ‘Jo' a friendly kangaroo who was born and raised on the property.
Jo the kangaroo.
Once you've finished exploring the garden head back inside to the café. Where you can relax by the open fire with a hot coffee or tea and wattleseed scones with whipped lemon myrtle cream. Yummee!
Audrey is the principal blogger behind See Geelong. Originally from Geelong, she's a self-proclaimed book lover and breakfast nut who's usually craving for coffee.
