Started the day today with a nice cooked brekky on the beach, took me right back to being a kid camping by the beach. The Great Ocean Road was calling so I hit the road as soon as I could. The Great Ocean Road was absolutely gorgeous. I seriously underestimated how long it would take me to drive this leg of the trip. It felt like every 2 minutes I was pulling over to look at yet another incredible rock formation off the coast. The way the cliffs have been eroded by the waves and wind make for a spectacular coastline. This is one part of Australia everyone should try and see in their lifetime. Its relatively easy to asses being so close to Melbourne. Take your time and really experience it. There is so much to see. I plan on coming back here over my time in Melbourne to really take in the rest of the sites.
I was challenged to get a nude shot somewhere along the Great Ocean Road and do you think I managed to? Stupid question - of course I did.
I arrived in Melbourne quite late, far later than I had expected. Sorry again mate. My mate Evan and I went out for dinner straight away and somehow got onto the topic of my tour with the waiter. Let’s say young Ben is going to get his skin checked as he has never had it checked before. I told him I’d be back to check. We drank wine, laughed, and caught up. Its as it should be when mates catch up. Distance and time doesn’t affect a thing.
I ventured to Cairns from Melbourne to host FNQ Magazine’s 5th Birthday. The theme for the evening was QUEEN of the NIGHT with performances by Paulini, Alfie Arcuri, Luke Antony and dancers: Reece and James. What an amazing and talented group of performers. The night went fantastically and we managed to raise a decent amount of money for the Melanoma Institute Australia. Although I wasn’t there to strip I had to ham it up and let the crowd know I was a male stripper here to take time out of male stripping duties to host this wonderful event and raise money for MIA. All in all, a seriously successful night. A big thank you and shout out to Jay from FNQ Magazine for the opportunity to host this incredible event. I had an amazing time, met some extraordinary people and can’t wait to do it again. Jay is a very generous person, extremely selfless, and always puts others first. Thank you for supporting this cause, a cause that is dear to my heart. You so quickly took me on board and helped me raise awareness and funds for this very worthy charity.
Ps don’t worry I gave the crowd some butt wiggles and a tear away pants reveal.
I returned to Melbourne after this amazing weekend and enjoyed a few days of catch ups with mates, an awesome shoot with a very talented photographer and a great night of healthy debates, questionable salmon cooking and delicious Central Otago Pinot Noir - all of whom agreed that this region supplied the best Pinot Noir in the world. Thank you Mel and Evan for a wicked night. I also caught up with Brad, Amanda, Bobbie, Pat and Eddie on Melbourne Cup Day down at their local RSL. There’s something about when Brad and I get together. We act so silly and find it very hard not to laugh the entire time. He is a dear friend and someone who really believes in what I am doing. I am grateful for their support and can’t wait for next weekends Pop-up Tattoo Day! The proceeds of which are being donated to the Melanoma Institute Australia.
My shoot with Stano was fantastic. He has such a creative mind and a real gift for finding art in less obvious places. I met Stano at a friends wedding and since then I have followed his work through Instagram - go ahead and hit up his page (@stano_murin_photgraphy). I am always fascinated with what he achieves and I feel very honoured and lucky to have had the opportunity to work with him. A bathtub in the middle of his garden was my favourite location, and I am still buzzing from how much fun I had along side Stano. Evan and I returned the next night for dinner where Stano spoiled us with his cooking. I am coming back for the Chocolate Mousse. We watched old music videos and talked about the evolution of art in pop culture. Thanks for having us Stano, can’t wait to catch up again.
Convincing people to get their skin checked is as important as the fund raising in my eyes. The more people I can convince to get their skin checked the better. We should be telling everyone we know to book a check. Often these checks are free, and this cancer is proven to be preventable. During my time in Melbourne I was introduced to a great woman who was interested in what I was doing. I told her my story and she told me she had lost a friend to Melanoma only 18 months earlier. She was 32 years old and was given less than 6 months to live. All I could think was that could have been my oldest friend in the world, a girl who is like a sister to me; the reason why I am doing this. No one should die from Melanoma.
So here I am on a plane to Uluru. I am taking a short break from my tour to catch up with someone very special. Roger needed a break to so instead of driving to Uluru, I opted for a flight. Evan is taking care of him in Brighton while I am away. Cheers Mav.