Keith is nutty about Docklands
29 Mar 2011
Keith Winestein is a bit of a Docklands nut.
“Working in Docklands has had a huge impact on my life,” the visiting Englishman said last month.
Keith was sent to Australia in 2005 to consult for VicUrban on the now defunct Onboard Docklands community intranet.
His short stay living and working in Docklands made a huge impression on him. So much so that, when he returned to the UK he moved into (you guessed it) Docklands London.
His work here in “stakeholder relations” built many lasting friendships – so much so that he couldn’t wait to get back here, which he achieved last month.
“The key difference is in the number of people in Docklands,” he said. “I am walking around and hardly recognising anyone.”
“I am experiencing mixed emotions being back here in Docklands. There are lots of familiar things and also lots of things existing which were just being talked about when I left five years ago.”
“I was amazed to see the Blow Hole surrounded by buildings. It’s almost sheltered from the wind now.”
“Everything seems smaller than I remember it. I guess it’s because of these massive buildings which have sprouted up all over the place.”
“And to think there is a supermarket and a post office. Wow. I used to have to walk over to the CBD for these services.”
Keith said another contrast with London Docklands was the affordability of Melbourne Docklands.
“In London you have to pay huge amounts of money to get the equivalent quality of what you have here,” he said.
“And we don’t get the wide open vistas and magnificent sunsets that you have here.”
This lover-of all-things-Docklands’ flying visit was only for three weeks. But he hopes to return again, hopefully, on a permanent basis.
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