Gold Digging

We headed east in the footsteps of gold prospector Ned Stringer in search of the remnants of Victoria's richest gold mine and a nice weekend in the hills. Walhalla's population is a little down on the gold rush days, there were over 5,000 then now it's about 8. Still a few of the buildings remain and we stayed in one of them. The old Mill cottage. Once we had got over the initial shock of discovering very little had been done to Mill Cottage since the gold ran out in 1911 and survived the first night's sleep we revived our spirits with a nice morning in the sun on the balcony feeding the parrots. It's a good thing we were blessed with bright winter sun because it made the trip to the dunny in the garden more pleasant and took the edge off the unheated outside bathroom (yes, it was another trip booked by Will). Walhalla proved entertaing with an informative tour of the long tunnel extended gold mine, a great railway trip down the stringer's creek gorge and Ron's 4WD tour, which was particularly enjoyed by Will and largely tolerated by Thea - after driving through the Thomson River Thea was quite persistent in making sure Ron had specifically confirmed there would be no further river crossings. After all that there was nothing for it but to take a walk to the Wally Lodge Hotel (pub) for a pie, pint and a bit of mixing with the locals. Although with its plus points by day the accommodation revealed its most serious drawbacks at night. There was something about every creak, groan and bump of a 150 year cottage in a village that prides itself on its ghost tours that was just a little unsettling. It's amazing how you can hold onto a wee when faced with a night hike to the dunny!