We decided to have a short “Australia Coffee Trip” after exhausting hectic wedding season in Bali. The idea was to escape & relax while enjoy the thing that we like the most; Coffee!
Australian coffee culture is one of the most advanced in the world and we’ve been read a lot about it. Australians care about the quality and the unique taste of the coffee, even one step ahead of Italian’s coffee. And most of all, they really enjoy coffee and everything around it! It’s a way of life, not just fuel to get you through the day.
Day 1 // Australia Coffee Trip
The Arrival
We arrived in Sydney on January 26th, 2018. With 6 hours direct flight from Bali, sure we need some caffein intake right the way before we started our day. But we didn’t get chance to grab some coffee at the airport as we rush to drive to the city and check-in to our AirB&B.
On our way we saw a small coffee house nearby, unfortunately it closed when we arrived. We explored the area a bit more and found another small coffee shop few blocks away.
Mrs Macquaries Point
Our AirB&B host told us to go to the Harbour area as there will be a party that day at The Sydney Opera House. She told us to check the Mrs Macquaries Point.
This peninsula was named in 1810 after Elizabeth, Governor Macquarie’s wife, who ordered a seat to be chiselled into the rock from which she could view the harbour. Mrs Macquaries Chair, as it’s known, is still there today. It’s located in the Domain – Yurong District but is effectively an extension of the Botanic Gardens.
We can get a clear view of the famous Sydney Opera House with the Harbour Bridge from this Peninsula.
Australia Day Celebration
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip. We have no idea at all that we arrived in Australia exactly on their Anniversary day.
Outdoor concerts, community barbecues, sports competitions, festivals and fireworks are some of the many events held in communities across Australia. In Sydney, the harbour is a focus and boat races are held, such as a ferry race and the tall ships race with massive Firework show at the end of the event.
Day 2 // Australia Coffee Trip
Artificer Coffee
We woke up quite late, and we rush to the coffee shop that I was looking for the day before. Tadaaaa, I was really happy as they were open that day.
The Artificer coffee, a small coffee bar located right in front of our AirB&B, even though it’s small shop, i knew that they serve a good quality coffee, i can see a Synesso, Mythos One & EK43 behind the bar. And surely, they do serve a good quality coffee. They also sell some selection of whole bean if you like to bring home.
It’s officially the first good tasting coffee in our Australia Coffee Trip!
Exploring CBD, We found Coffee Alchemy
No trip is complete without shopping, right? So we went to CBD area as Angen was looking for some stuff for her Yoga thingy. And while she doing window shopping. I scroll my Google Maps to find nearby hi-rated coffee shop.
Coffee Alchemy has opened Gumption, a new cafe in the historic surrounds of The Strand Arcade. Interiors are designed by Smith and Carmody. It’s a beautiful space, almost oasis like in the hustle and bustle of the CBD, with light streaming in through the glass ceiling above. It’s a small, espresso-bar like space, compared to larger cafes. Even though, two MPV Hydra were ready to serve your order in just a minute.
The cafe is located on the ground floor of The Strand; follow your nose and you’ll find it.
Bondi Beach
The sweeping white-sand crescent of Bondi is one of Australia’s most iconic beaches. Reliable waves draw surfers while, nearby, hardy locals swim in the Icebergs ocean pool year-round. Trendy, health-conscious Sydneysiders head to laid-back cafes around Hall Street, while hip backpackers frequent the area’s casual pubs. Walkers and joggers use the clifftop Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, with its dramatic scenery.
Day 3 // Australia Coffee Trip
Beer Day Out in NewTown
We met our Bali friend who works as barista & chef in Sydney, Wis, Baskara & Herry. We spend the day to chit-chat about their life in Ausy, eat sushi, pizza, as well as trying craft brewery beers in NewTown – a six-minute journey from Sydney’s Central Station.
No suburb in Sydney is packed with as much character as Newtown, a bohemian borough on the city centre’s doorstep in the eclectic inner west – a neighbourhood pack with speciality coffee, multicultural restaurants, craft breweries and street art on every available patch of concrete. The first thing that smacks visitors in the face when they get off the train in Newtown is street art.
After walk along the main street, we ended up at The University of Sydney. The main campus has been ranked in the top 10 of the world’s most beautiful universities by the British Daily Telegraph, and The Huffington Post, among others such as Oxford and Cambridge and is spread across the inner-city suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington. The main campus is home to a variety of statues, artworks, and monuments. These include the Gilgamesh Statue and the Confucius Statue.
Day 4 // Australia Coffee Trip
Single-O Coffee Roasters
Formerly known Single Origin Roasters. A bunch of café customers named them ‘Single O’ shortly after they opened and in the good Aussie tradition of shortening names, they came to use it for everything from answering phones to social media handles, so they have made it official. They opened in 2003 in Surry Hills. We tried both of their Paradox blend as well as the single origin bean, Ethiopian De-Bo. The golden liquid poured out of the LaMarzocco Linea PB has sweet & lingering taste in our mouth.
Day 5 // Australia Coffee Trip
Road Trip to Blue Mountain
The Blue Mountains is located 80 KM away from hectic metropolis of Sydney, It’s a rugged region west of Sydney in Australia’s New South Wales. Known for dramatic scenery, it encompasses steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests, waterfalls and villages dotted with guesthouses, galleries and gardens. Katoomba, a major town in the area, borders Blue Mountains National Park and its bushwalking trails. Echo Point affords views of the storied Three Sisters sandstone rock formation.
The Three Sisters are an unusual rock formation in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, on the north escarpment of the Jamison Valley. They are located close to the town of Katoomba and are one of the Blue Mountains’ best known sites, towering above the Jamison Valley. Their names are Meehni (922 m), Wimlah (918 m), and Gunnedoo (906 m).
From nearby Echo Point, a bushwalking trail leads to the Three Sisters and down to the valley floor via more than 800 well-maintained steel and stone steps called “the Giant Stairway”. Then a 1.5-hour walk on The Federal Pass trail leads to the base of Katoomba Falls and the Katoomba Scenic Railway. Walkers who don’t wish to climb back to the top can take the Scenic Railway back to the plateau for a fee.
Day 6 // Australia Coffee Trip
Welcome to Melbourne
With streets built around a grid system, the coastal capital of Victoria is both easy to navigate and full of surprises. The city is known for being both scenic and cosmopolitan, with a thriving arts scene and diverse, dynamic inhabitants. Its charms may be more subtle than those of its flashy northern sister, Sydney, but Melbourne is a city that rewards inquisitive travelers. Not to mention the Coffee scene. Melbourne has the world’s best coffee culture. From innovative coffee beverages, the exotic flavors of complementary foods, through to the power of the communal table, the Melbourne scene is so much more than just premium Flat Whites.
Day 7 // Australia Coffee Trip
Brother Baba Budan by Seven Seed Coffee Roasters
Located at 359 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, just a block away from where we stayed. Named after the legendary merchant Baba Budan who smuggled seven coffee seeds out of Yemen, a rebilous sprirt lives in this shop too. Opened circa 2003, BBB has a small number of seats, not including those on the ceiling and a loyal following of Melbournians and out-of-towners. It was Mark & Bridget’s first venture into the city, with Seven Seeds opening a few years later, Brother has become a destination for those wanting a flavour of Melbourne coffee.
Brother serves Seven Seeds Espresso Blend for milk based coffees, plus single origins for espresso & batch brew filters. There’s also plenty of coffee to take home – 250g & 1kg bags. We bought few bags of their Espresso blend, and become a big fan of their coffees. Occasionally we asked our friend to bought us some if they travel back from Melbourne to Bali.
Axil Coffee Roasters at SXL
The store located at 121 Exhibition St, Melbourne. Right inside of the busy Southern Cross Lane arcade. Axil Coffee Roasters is the work of David Makin, two time Australian Barista Champion and his wife, experienced roaster and barista, Zoe Delany. Working with a number of cafes in Melbourne, they work towards a high level of training and support. Axil is offering the best quality specialty coffee combined with the highest level of barista training in Australia. They have worked towards sourcing coffee beans direct from farms all over the world. Offering a seasonal espresso blend as well as an array of single origin coffees.
Luna Park at St Kilda
Luna Park Melbourne is a historic amusement park located on the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria. It opened on 13 December 1912, with a formal opening a week later, and has been operating almost continuously ever since. It become an iconic amusement park in St Kilda,
Brighton Bathing Boxes
You’ve probably seen a lot photos of the Brighton Bathing Boxes on your Instagram feed, 82 distinctive multi-coloured beach huts lining the foreshore of one of Melbourne’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, located on the Esplanade in Middle Brighton, between Wellington Street and Dendy Street. They’re one of the most photographed spots in the city. They were built more than 100 years ago when Australians were a little more modest and were used by women for privacy when changing into their swimwear.
With clear white sandy beach along the coast and bright golden sunlight, it reminds me of Bali in term of lighting characteristic.
Day 8 // Australia Coffee Trip
St Ali Coffee Roaster
Mark Dundon (the Co-owner of Seven Seeds) opened St Ali in 2005 and began roasting coffee to supply the cafe and a handful of retail customers. He sold it all in 2008 to Salvatore Malatesta, who has since positioned St Ali as the flagship of his growing cafe empire. In a converted warehouse in the back streets of South Melbourne is St Ali’s headquarters. Surrounded by a laneway covered in graffiti, St Ali is quintessentially Melbourne in design, coffee and fare. The other well known cafes under the St Ali brand are Sensory Lab, Auction Rooms and Clement. They also open a St Ali in Jakarta now in collaboration with Common Ground Roasters.
World-class baristas will look after all your brewing needs with espresso, single origin, cold drip filter, and syphon all on offer. The expert team knows everything to serve for your needs. St Ali isn’t just a coffee lover’s heaven. The kitchen turns out fabulous fare that more than matches the quality of the beverages on offer. They also serve a carefully crafted bite to eat from the kitchen of Head Chef, Dani Valenti.
The Engagement Shot at St. Kilda
While we travel and enjoyed our trip in Melbourne, we also do a short engagement shot of our friend, Cindy & Ryan. Indonesian chef couple whose live & opens their own restaurant in Perth. We do the shot inside the South Melbourne Market & St Kilda Pier, something that represent their daily life.
Day 9 & 10 // Australia Coffee Trip
Road Trip to Dandenong Range
Few days before we leave Australia, we drive further east to Dandenong, escaping the crowd of the city. It’s undocumented trip, as we were just relax and chill in our hill top stay overlooking a scenic forested area filled with birds offers multi-use trails, picnic areas & a playground.
Day 11 // Australia Coffee Trip
The Last Day in Melbourne
On the last day in Australia, we spend the day to explore the surrounding area of King Street & Flinder street. Not forget to get some stuff for our friends and family in Bali.
