Now, Altona is in the news every other day.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/po...-lovely-altona-20100703-zuxh.html?from=age_sb
The Age said:
JULIA Gillard has done one great thing since she got in to power.... she's put Altona on the map. Who would have ever guessed that this much misunderstood suburb would one day be the home of the prime minister. Altona is going to be for Gillard what Little Rock was for Bill Clinton. Julia from Altona will run off the tongue like Sir Joh from Kingaroy or Bracksy from Williamstown. She will make Altona famous.
I always know that she will be the Prime Minister one day but didn't expect that to happen so soon.
The Age said:
But for those of us who know Altona, we knew it was so much more. I stumbled across Altona when I fell asleep on a train once. I lived four stops before it and it was such a nice day I drifted off and woke up in what I thought was the country. I looked out and saw wetlands, the beach, heavy industry and then a railway station called Seaholme. Where was I?
I had exactly the same feelings when I first took the Werribee Train to Altona 3 years ago.
The Age said:
I got off at Altona and wandered down Pier Street, which is classic old-style strip shopping. Then, at the end of the shops, there was a beach! I was an Altona convert and returned with my kids, sitting in Logan Reserve, the park by the seaside where families would gather to take advantage of the sea breeze in summer. Altona was a bit of a secret suburb, like Williamstown without the ice-creams, the crowds and Bracksy.
It happened that was a Tuesday when the weekly Flea Market was held and many stalls were set up along Pier St. This gave the atmosphere of a holiday village and I don't feel that I am in Melbourne. No wonder, investwest was reminded of Central Coast. I have always felt that Altona is a hidden gem, and misunderstood by many of those who have heard of its name.
The Age said:
But now with Julia Gillard, the new Queen of Altona, the crowds are about to turn up. It's only a matter of time before visiting stars like Clive Owen will be seen having a beer and a schnitzel at the Millers Inn. The trendsetters will follow. Sam Newman will tie up his boat on the foreshore, Paul Kelly will write a song about Pier Street, and a new TV series will be set there, featuring young emos and called something like Alt in Altona.
I actually think there are many locations in Altona suitable for filming and photography - beach, esplanade, Cherry Lake, wetlands, Altona Pier, view of the City (Eureka Tower) and mountain ranges from across the sea, Pier Street, Altona Coastal Park, Truganina Coastal Parklands, Altona Homestead, Altona Miniature Rail, the annual Altona Bayside Festival with the Grand Parade, Hobsons Bay Civic Chambers (something that look like an Eskimo Igloo) with the canon, gun and fire outside, view of the Cheetham Wetlands and Port Phillip Bay from atop the 100 Steps to Federation and Time Beacon at the Truganina Park, the 175 hectares Truganina Swamp and the Laverton Creek Bridge, Truganina Explosives Reserve, the Lower Kororoit Creek and many more!
The Age said:
When Barack Obama finally gets here, he'll have to head straight to Altona via the Tullamarine and then the West Gate Bridge. And what a schedule he'll have. First a walk around Cherry Lake to stretch those legs. Then a visit to the Altona miniature railway, but it will have to be the third Sunday of the month, because it's run by volunteers. Then Obama could take a walk along the beach, drop in on the Angling Club and meet eight Maltese guys called Joe. Finally, dinner at the Altona RSL, but stick to schedule as meals are only on between six and eight.
The Cherrry Lake is a very large lake. There is a 3.5 km walk/cycling path that encircles it that will take about one and a half hour by foot. There are 1 or 2 islands within the lake and there is a bird hide near the reeds, where you can watch the aquatic birds, ducks and swans in secret, without disturbing them. There is also a mound/hill to the north where you can climb to take in views of the entire Lake. The undulating grasslands/slopes speckled with trees on its southern shores is a very scenic area and is very suitable for picnics. Personally, I prefer Cherry Lake over Albert Park Lake because I feel it looks more natural and rustic and less touched by human adornments.
The Altona Miniature Railway is a fabulous place! I'm hooked by it although I am an adult! I can cook President Obama a nice meal if he comes to visit our PM