We drove from Ballarat to Horsham, which is at the top of the Grampians. It was nice to see the landscape change as we passed through the different areas - lovely farmland, olive orchards,vineyards, wheat plains and the good old Aussie bush.
We have been lucky with the rain - seem to be side stepping it!
So today we headed out of Ballarat where it had started to drizzle, and headed to the fine weather through Clunes, Maryborough; Avoca and Ararat - in the Pyrenees- a Vicorian wine region; then Stawell to Horsham. A very scenic day!
CLUNES
Called "the diamond" of the Victorian Goldfields by the locals
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| The original railways station |
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| Another step back in time - still just as it was when it sprang to life in the 1850 gold rush |
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| The whole town is a museum! |
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| Always the bank buildings were the biggest! |
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| Original stores! |
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The Town hall and the Courts
Also always impressive buildings in these gold rush towns |
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| Click to enlarge |
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| Very quaint! |
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The Mechanics Institute
All the towns have these - they were equivalent to our TAFE today.
They usually had a Library associated with them. |
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| Interesting old home design |
Interesting!
Film
Many of the external scenes and some internal scenes in the 2003 film
Ned Kelly, starring
Heath Ledger, were shot in Clunes. The Old State Bank in Fraser Street was used for the internal scenes featuring the "Euroa" bank robbery.
Clunes was once closed off to the public for the TV show
The Mole in 2001. The mission in that episode was to direct one of the contestants to pick up another contestant in a blacked-out car.
The most recent film shot in Clunes is Julius Avery's 13-minute movie
Jerrycan. Jerrycan won the 2008 Jury Prize at the 61st
Cannes Film Festival in France for short films, with its portrayal of restless teenagers in rural Victoria.
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MARYBOROUGH
AVOCA
Another quaint gold rush town
Has the widest main street we've ever seen and the smallest Bank!
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The famous pie shop -
anyone for a gourmet pie -
crocodile,kangaroo, ostrich, wild boar, camel.......? |
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Lovely median strip down the main street
Such a long way across - quote Pete
"you can have breakfast on one side, lunch in the middle and dinner on the other side!" |
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| Here's the famous Pyrenees Bakery!!! |
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| Having lunch in the middle! A pie! |
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The hotel and the bank!!!
Which is the more important building!?
Smallest bank we've seen! |
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| The old Post Office |
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| The wineries around Avoca |
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| More median strip - trees and monuments |
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| Click to enlarge |
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| The Pyrenees grace the skyline as we head from Avoca to Ararat |
ARARAT
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| A very grand Town Hall....... |
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| .....and Shire Hall |
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| Click to enlarge |
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The famous J-Ward
For the criminally insane! WAS!
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| The ominous steel doors! |
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| Click to enlarge |
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| The old section of the hospital |
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| Alexandra Gardens |
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| Click to enlarge |
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Loved the main street - grape vines grew along the length of both sides!
Very effective! and apt for a town in the Pyrenees! |
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Seppelt's Winery in Great Western - between Ararat and Stawell
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On our way to Horsham we had our first glimpse of the Grampians northern section and Mt Zero. Quite a spectacle across the wheat, sheep, and cattle territory as the sun began to set. We also discovered a big koala! at Dadswell Bridge- if this is a koala can't wait to see how big the kangaroos are!!!!
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| The Big Koala at Dadswell Bridge |
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| Mt Zero |
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