Oceania had been on my travel list though I was not entirely sure what version of it I would encounter. It turned out to be Australia and New Zealand. 

Australia—where landscapes shift dramatically from coast to coast, cities each have their own vibe, and nature operates next level—is the only country that is also a continent. Besides the geography, what stood out most for me was the range of offerings: Gastronomy. Museums. Art. Music. Architecture. Wildlife. Vastness. 

It was the “Triple A Experience”  of Art, Awe and Architecture!

I flew in and out through Perth—enough just to pass through, not enough to know. What I did encounter on my transit however was a piece of my island home, Jamaica—JamaicaBlue coffee.

Tasmania and Brune Island on the other hand,  stole a part of my heart in ways I have written about separately. What remained of this Australian story unfolded through Sydney and Melbourne.

Sydney

Sydney is built around one of the world’s most beautiful natural harbours decorated with crisscrossing ferries, the Harbour Bridge that stretches confidently across the water, and a captivating  skyline including the Opera House—the central piece of my Sydney visit.

Perched on Bennelong Point, surrounded almost entirely by water, the Opera House is one of those architectural wonders I’ve  long admired, especially when it’s lit up for New Year’s Eve. Seeing it in person was different—bigger, more textured, more alive. Its sail-like shells against the surrounding water gives the entire structure a sense of movement.

There were no operas showing while I was there, which initially felt like a missed opportunity. But as the arts gods would have it, Jeff Goldblum was performing jazz for the first time in Australia, in Sydney, with a 50+ orchestra, for only two nights—and wait for it—those exact nights aligned with my stay in Sydney.

There I was, inside the iconic Sydney Opera House.

And it was jazz!

The show itself was spectacular. 

The acoustics inside the Opera House? Phenomenal.

In my post about Tasmania I shared that: Aussies rock!  This is how Aussie kindness showed up in Sydney:

Less than 48 hours before my trip, a friend had connected me to her friend in Sydney. I expected perhaps a quick conversation and a few recommendations. Instead, I got that and more.

Not only did she suggest places to visit, but we met for lunch. Conversation flowed so effortlessly you would think we had known each other for years. Turns out she is Kenyan and has lived in Sydney for nearly 30 years.

And yes — I am now up to my second new friend in Australia. [I chronicled the first friendship-making experience here.]

At her recommendation, I visited the Queen Victoria Building.

A stunning Romanesque architectural gem that feels more like an art boutique than a shopping centre. Ornate details. Stained glass. Elegant arches. And as if the architectural beauty alone was not enough, a pianist ignited  the space with music adding yet another layer of artistic expression.

At St. Mary’s Cathedral, I sat for a while.

To listen as the organ was being played. 

To quietly pray.

To simply be still.

Nearby, Hyde Park offered breathing room in the middle of the city with water moving through the Greek-mythology inspired Archibald Memorial Fountain.  

Then there was Kings Cross neighbourhood. Once known for its nightlife and bohemian spirit, I could see that its edgier past is softening  with cafés, leafy streets, and beautiful old buildings now spread throughout the neighborhood. 

For places I could not fully explore, I learned from a distance aboard the hop-on-hop-off bus, listening to snippets of history while passing landmarks like Sydney Tower and Central Station’s clock tower — affectionately known as “the working man’s watch.” 

And then there was El Alamein Fountain in Fitzroy Garden which is one of Sydney’s most iconic fountains.

It looks almost like a giant dandelion or burst of water suspended in air. It was designed in the 1960s as a memorial to Australian soldiers who fought in the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt during World War II.

Melbourne

For Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles were my choice of must do things. 

The Great Ocean Road drive was breathtaking — dramatic cliffs, what seemed like endless coastline, and amazing  views. And to think that it was hewed out of cliffside terrain by returning soldiers after World War I. 

Built between 1919 and 1932, it was originally conceived as a memorial to those who died in the war—and remains the world’s largest war memorial.

What makes it even more striking is that it was constructed by hand, cut into rock and dense coastal landscape under difficult conditions, with sections completed by the very veterans it was meant to honour.

One stop was the Memorial Arch which marks the official start of the Great Ocean Road. It carries the words honoring the returned servicemen who worked on the road’s construction. Cars pass beneath it as a quiet reminder that this scenic route is also a war memorial.

One lookout point, Cape Patton, stood out because the road lifts above high above the coastline.

Another stop was at Maits Rest—the quiet rainforest in the Otway Ranges. We walked along a boardwalk that winds through dense ancient forest, where tree ferns stretch upward and massive myrtle beech trees with trunks so massive I fitted inside them. 

We also passed through sections like Kennett River, known for koala sightings in the eucalyptus tree. Kennett River stood out because it bears my uncle’s name (though a different spelling) and I did see koalas lazing in eucalyptus trees! 

Earlier in the trip the driver also took us to the Anglesea Golf Club. It’s famous for its resident population of kangaroos—often seen casually grazing across the fairways as though they own the place. Humans coexisting with the wild.

The journey toward the Twelve Apostles felt like an unfolding tale of nature’s contradictions. On one hand, the breathtaking beauty it created — wave after wave, century after century of erosion sculpting towering limestone formations that rise dramatically from the Southern Ocean. And on the other, the quiet reminder that the very forces that created them — wind, salt, and relentless waves — continue to reshape them. Some stand weather-worn. Others have already disappeared into the sea.

The Apostles are no longer twelve. Those that remain feel like the final punctuation marks of that tale still being written by the coast.

Standing there was a reminder of nature’s power and that its beauty, too, can erode.

Architecture

Finally, the architecture in Australia repeatedly caught my attention. Buildings of different periods and styles existing side by side — historic facades meeting contemporary design.

One building covered in a vertical garden particularly stayed with me. Living architecture. I could not help thinking how much I would have loved to use some of these buildings as muse for my interior design studies.

Australia did not disappoint. What it offered in museums, art, music, and architecture, it matched with exceptional food and unforgettable experiences.

But perhaps the greatest gift of the journey was the unexpected friendships I formed along the way.

Thank you Australia!

2026 All Rights Reserved

Like what you see? To never miss a post click HERE👈 to subscribe & follow the blog. There’s more HERE👈 and on Spillwords, the Writers Club, Facebook & Bluesky.

💡 Only WordPress.com members can hit the “Like” button, but everyone’s welcome to share their thoughts in the comments. Thanks!

In creative solidarity, Dee