Published: 12.12.2025
Christmas, summer – and four kangaroos
Being in Melbourne during Christmas time initially feels simply unusual. Summer, open cafés, bustling streets. And then this moment in front of the main train station: no reindeer team, but four kangaroos pulling the Christmas sleigh.
I walked past it for one and a half days without noticing. Today I saw it – and details like these stick with you. Humorous, confident, typically Australian. Christmas in a completely different way.
Gold Rush: Wealth that has remained
The early city tour quickly made it clear why Melbourne feels the way it does. The Gold Rush made the city extremely wealthy. And this wealth was not hidden but built upon.
There are large, venerable buildings from this era everywhere. And many of these historic structures were later paired with modern skyscrapers. Old below, ultramodern above. Not sporadically, but repeatedly. This combination is so successful that it is hard to capture in photos. You have to stop, look closely, grasp the details. Only then do you understand the quality of this city.
André – between city tour and Australian Open
Our guide André brought a special perspective. Besides city tours, he has been working with players at the Australian Open for years. Every year anew. He works with international top players – all those who are not completely shielded by their own teams.
He speaks about it calmly, factually, without any self-promotion. He himself plays tennis at a normal recreational level. Exactly this down-to-earth quality made his stories credible and relatable.
The “Tapping Man” – when attention knocked
One story particularly fascinated me: that of the Tapping Man.
At a time when there were no screens, no neon signs, and no digital marketing, merchants sought ways to attract attention. The Tapping Man was part of this early idea. You stood in front of a shop window – and suddenly you heard a tap, tap, tap on the window.
You turned around. Attention was there. Right at that moment, the offer was presented. Simple, direct, effective. One of the pictures captures this scene.
For me, this is early storytelling and marketing in its purest form: first attention, then message. I especially like such stories because they show that good ideas are timeless.
Baby Change – a sign to chuckle at
Another detail that stuck with me – and that’s why I photographed it: a sign reading “Baby Change.” At first glance, it sounds like you can swap babies there. Of course, that’s not what it means, but that brief thought makes it so amusing.
The sign hangs at the corner of a tremendously large building. That very building is what I photographed – and one might wonder: Why that one? The answer is simple and historical: That’s where Australia’s first electric elevator was installed.
Melbourne vs. Sydney – friendly competition
What must also be understood: Melbourne and Sydney are in a healthy competition. Time and again the question arises: Who was faster? Who was first? Who had something first?
The first electric elevator belongs exactly in this category. This competition is not aggressive but identity-forming. It shapes both cities – to this day.
Free through the city center
A strong sign from the city: In the downtown area, trams are completely free. Anyone can use them. No tickets, no hurdles. This keeps the city open, mobile, and vibrant. An approach that goes far beyond transportation and creates real quality of life.
Education, health, and community
Very impressive is the social model:
This is not a burden, but a conscious giving back to the community when you can afford it.
Similar in healthcare: public provision for all, supplemented by private offers.
Coffee as culture
Melbourne lives coffee. So much so that Starbucks is permanently losing money here. The coffee culture is too pronounced, too demanding.
Interesting:
Markets, food, and hidden doors
The day began at an enormous market: large, structured, lively. After that, a food tour, where one thing stood out: inconspicuous outer doors behind which suddenly beautiful venues open up.
You don’t know what to expect from the outside – and that's what makes it appealing.
Melbourne does not tell its stories loudly.
Sometimes they knock softly on the window.
Sometimes they hang as a sign on a street corner.
And sometimes they simply stand there – four kangaroos in front of a train station, at Christmas time, at the other end of the world.
