One of the top jockey in Melbourne - Craig Williams
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Sandown Racecourse
We were very luck to have visited the Sandown Racecourse as a VIP under the NMIT umbrella. Sandown Racecourse is one of the four Victoria Metropolitan racecourse in Victoria state. The other three are Flemington Racecourse, Caulfield Racecourse and Mooney Valley Racecourse. Besides the four metropolitan racecourse, there are 41 country racecourses in Victoria state too.
We as the student were given the privilege to visit many of the restricted area in the racecourse during a raceday. For example : the jockey room, the quarantine barn and at the back of the starting gate. All those restricted area which I've mentioned are not open to pubilc and even the owner of the horse were not allowed in some of the area. So we are pretty much of a VVIP......hahaha. Too bad, some of the area were not allow to take picture. Below are some of the pictures taken at the back of the starting gate.
We as the student were given the privilege to visit many of the restricted area in the racecourse during a raceday. For example : the jockey room, the quarantine barn and at the back of the starting gate. All those restricted area which I've mentioned are not open to pubilc and even the owner of the horse were not allowed in some of the area. So we are pretty much of a VVIP......hahaha. Too bad, some of the area were not allow to take picture. Below are some of the pictures taken at the back of the starting gate.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Northern Lodge
This is Northern Lodge, the place where I spent most of my time studying (caring for horses, learn horse riding, plan horse training program, horse nutrition, etc). Besides the Epping campus where I have mentioned before, all the students who are taking the equine courses will have to come to Northern Lodge on their practical hands-on-horses (Equine means horse - just some interpretation on the terms I've used incase some of you might not understand.....hahaha).
Northern Lodge is a stud farm and is located 22 kilometers north of Epping campus. It's NMIT's major equine teaching, demonstration facility and operating stud farm (stud farm is a place where they breed horses).
The main entrance to Northern Lodge Stud Farm
This is a feedroom. Besides feeding horses with hay, we also feed horses with other supplement such as mixtures of corns, oats, barley, etc. We called it "Hard Feed".
This is a stable complex which equipped with 24 stalls to accommodate broodmares and foals. In Northern Lodge there are 2 stallions (male horse for breeding), 37 broodmares (female horse for breeding), 11 geldings (male horse that has been castrated) and quite a number of yearlings (a young horse between 1 to 2 years old). The yearlings will be sold at the Yearling Sales to generate some income for Northern Lodge. The Yearling Sales is a sales organized by the bloodstock agents for the stud farms to sell their young horses age between 1 to 2 years old in a auction form. It is held quite a number of times in a year in different parts of Australia (eg : Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and Magic Million Sale).
This is our classroom.
This is a mechanical horse room. We use it to learn our balancing and stamina.
This is called a Gooseneck Float. It is use to transport horses from one place to another.
This is a Walker. This walking machine is use to exercising the yearlings.
This is a horse weighing machine. The lady on the left wearing a blue cap is one of our teacher. Her name is Leanne Quinlan and she is very experience in mares and yearlings. (mares is older female horses).
Well, that's me...!
Northern Lodge is a stud farm and is located 22 kilometers north of Epping campus. It's NMIT's major equine teaching, demonstration facility and operating stud farm (stud farm is a place where they breed horses).
The main entrance to Northern Lodge Stud Farm
This is a barn. Barn is a place where they keep hay (hay is a kind of grass where we use to feed the horses).
This is a feedroom. Besides feeding horses with hay, we also feed horses with other supplement such as mixtures of corns, oats, barley, etc. We called it "Hard Feed".
This is a stable complex which equipped with 24 stalls to accommodate broodmares and foals. In Northern Lodge there are 2 stallions (male horse for breeding), 37 broodmares (female horse for breeding), 11 geldings (male horse that has been castrated) and quite a number of yearlings (a young horse between 1 to 2 years old). The yearlings will be sold at the Yearling Sales to generate some income for Northern Lodge. The Yearling Sales is a sales organized by the bloodstock agents for the stud farms to sell their young horses age between 1 to 2 years old in a auction form. It is held quite a number of times in a year in different parts of Australia (eg : Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and Magic Million Sale).
This is our classroom.
This is a mechanical horse room. We use it to learn our balancing and stamina.
This is called a Gooseneck Float. It is use to transport horses from one place to another.
This is a Walker. This walking machine is use to exercising the yearlings.
This is a horse weighing machine. The lady on the left wearing a blue cap is one of our teacher. Her name is Leanne Quinlan and she is very experience in mares and yearlings. (mares is older female horses).Below is the Menage. A place where we learn our basic horse riding.
Well, that's me...! Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Foods
Melbourne is the food capital of Australia and is known for delicious food at great prices. There are hundreds of cafes and restaurants in Melbourne. The most common price range between A$7.50 to A$15.00 per meal per person excluding drinks. (That’s pretty expensive to me because I’ve budget to follow). Well, ladies luck is with me and I’ve managed to find one which is quite cheap and it’s just cost me A$4.40 for a small one which is enough for me at the Preston Market.
There are so many types of foods available to choose from. They have foods from Mediterranean, Belgium, Italy, France, Middle East, Lebanon, Turkey, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thai, Malaysia and Singapore just to name a few.
Besides those specialty foods from other countries, the majority local food operators usually sell bakery and pizza. They have various types of breads and pizza available to choose from. They have sandwiches, breads with salads, breads with hams, breads with cheese, barbeque pizza, Hawaii pizza and so on.
There are fast food outlets too in Melbourne. The two most notable fast food outlets are Red Rooster (quite similar to KFC mostly chickens) and Subway (quite similar to McD have a variety of burgers). You hardly see McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken except in certain area like shopping center.
There are so many types of foods available to choose from. They have foods from Mediterranean, Belgium, Italy, France, Middle East, Lebanon, Turkey, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thai, Malaysia and Singapore just to name a few.
Besides those specialty foods from other countries, the majority local food operators usually sell bakery and pizza. They have various types of breads and pizza available to choose from. They have sandwiches, breads with salads, breads with hams, breads with cheese, barbeque pizza, Hawaii pizza and so on.
There are fast food outlets too in Melbourne. The two most notable fast food outlets are Red Rooster (quite similar to KFC mostly chickens) and Subway (quite similar to McD have a variety of burgers). You hardly see McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken except in certain area like shopping center.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
My New Accommodation
Hey guys..! This is the place where I’ll be staying for the next 6 months or maybe longer. Why I said maybe longer, is because during the 2nd semester of my course I’ll be posted to one of the race course on an attachment with a trainer and I’ve no idea which race course. So, we’ll see how things go.
The front of the house and there is no gate at all..!
This is a lane located beside the house (see picture on top - just on the right) towards the back yard and also towards another room, just two steps of stair. And it's where I'll be staying.
It's a big room. A heater at one side of the wall and it'll be very useful during winter.
Once you step into the room you saw a small kitchen equipped with a stove plus oven for cooking, a kitchen cupboard, a sink and a fridge.
A attached bathroom and a sliding door towards the back yard.
This is the back yard. There is a washing machine on the left side of the picture. After investing some money and sweat, this is how it's look like......
A single mattress with a pillow, a small table and a midback cushion.
I'll be doing my homework here.
My little kitchen is now full with foods and kitchen utensils.
I've bought a small cupboard, a gament rack and a fan as well.
It’s kind of cozy and free. You have your own privacy and the landlord won’t disturb you unless you didn’t pay them the “RENTAL”. Well, my landlord is a lady who is married with one very cute little girl which is two years old. This reminds me of my little son who is in Malaysia. This couple is very kind and helpful too. I’m quite comfortable with this place at the moment.
The front of the house and there is no gate at all..!
This is a lane located beside the house (see picture on top - just on the right) towards the back yard and also towards another room, just two steps of stair. And it's where I'll be staying.
It's a big room. A heater at one side of the wall and it'll be very useful during winter.
Once you step into the room you saw a small kitchen equipped with a stove plus oven for cooking, a kitchen cupboard, a sink and a fridge.
A attached bathroom and a sliding door towards the back yard.
This is the back yard. There is a washing machine on the left side of the picture. After investing some money and sweat, this is how it's look like......
A single mattress with a pillow, a small table and a midback cushion.
I'll be doing my homework here.
My little kitchen is now full with foods and kitchen utensils. 
I've bought a small cupboard, a gament rack and a fan as well.
It’s kind of cozy and free. You have your own privacy and the landlord won’t disturb you unless you didn’t pay them the “RENTAL”. Well, my landlord is a lady who is married with one very cute little girl which is two years old. This reminds me of my little son who is in Malaysia. This couple is very kind and helpful too. I’m quite comfortable with this place at the moment. Tuesday, February 10, 2009
My Campus @ Epping, Melbourne
This is my campus at Epping (NMIT Epping Campus). It’s about 13kms from my current place (Bell Street, Preston) and it’s about 22kms north of Melbourne Central. According to the offer letter from the NMIT International Office, my course was supposed to commence on 9th February 2009. But, when I visited my campus at Epping, the program coordinator officer Mr. Phil Jones told me that my course actually starts on the 23rd February 2009.But there is an International Student Orientation which was held on 6th February 2009 and it’s meant for international students only. Guess what, I missed the first half of the orientation because I thought it was held at my campus (Epping). But somehow it was held at Preston and I wasted my time travelling here and there. However, there is another important orientation which will be held at different campuses according to the specific course and commencing date. So, my orientation at my campus is on the 20th February 2009.
I have had a very good conversation with Phil during my visit to Epping campus. He’s really helpful and he briefs me on the course timetable and the career opportunities involved after my graduation. My course starts on the 23rd February 2009. The course is actually separated into two semesters. During the first semester, it’s mainly on theory and basic horse handling. On the second semester, it will be an attachment to trainer. You will apply the theory into real practice. I’ll be attending school four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday). The time will be from 9am till 5pm. Well, I’m looking forward into it.
Banks
Commonwealth Bank
NAB Bank
ANZ Bank
Westpac Bank In Preston, you can find quite a number of banks and the most notable one is Westpac Bank, because they are the only bank which operates on Saturday and in-terms of service they are one of the best. I’ve open 3 accounts at Westpac Bank. Why 3 accounts? Well, the banking system in Australia is a little bit different. For an overseas student like me, we need a bank account to safekeeping our money. To keep your money safe with interest and have access of the ATM then, you need a main account (Westpac eSaver Account) for you to keep your money with interest but there is no ATM service for this account. Then you need another account which can let you withdraw money whenever you needed (Westpac Choice Student Account). And since you are doing a lot of withdrawal with this account so, they don’t provide interest for this account. However, you can transfer money from your eSaver to Choice account online. The 3rd one is the fix deposit account (Term Deposit Account). They provide short term and long term fix deposit account. Well, I manage to get a 4.200% interest rate for a period of 4 months and that’s pretty high.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Melbourne Special
Preston City Hall
Preston Market - Most of the items that sold in the wet market are meat (beef, mutton and pork) and all types of cheese. You hardly find any fish or vegetables. The only place will be the supermarket.
Preston Post Office
Mail Box
A Church at Preston
One of the major supermarket in Melbourne - SafeWay. It's similar to Giant in M'sia. The only difference is they are in a smaller scale while Giant is a hypermarket
Melbourne police car
Taxi
A Jumbo Truck where you can't find in M'sia
A very common electronic wheel chair for the disable
Surprise that fuel price here are cheaper than in M'sia. Oh...my god!!
One of the street in Preston. You hardly see any people on the street because most of them drive.
Surprisingly, you can find such a grand chinese restaurant in Preston - Gold Leaf Chinese Restaurant. Because there are a lot of immigrant from China
A normal advertisement board....wait until you see the content. You definitely can't find one in M'sia but it's very common in Melbourne and even in TV
No wonder there are so many cars on the road than people. It's dxxx cheap. If not mistaken, a brand new Mitsubishi Storm cost less than A$40k. Guess what....I saw my dream car Mazda CX-9 in Preston. I wonder what's the price is.....but the price in M'sia cost more than RM290k!!!
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