In the hills above Chiltern sits the regional centre of Beechworth.
It’s also another former gold rush, but one that’s become a real tourist town in recent years. And why not, when it’s full of grand Victorian era architecture and connected to key figures in Australian history, which we’ll explore next.
20km south-east of Rutherglen is the small town of Chiltern. It’s half the population of Rutherglen, but just a quaint.
Like Rutherglen, the beautiful buildings came courtesy of the Gold Rush in the 1860s. Like this old Bank of New South Wales.
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
There was even a bit of Chinese history in the town.
You know you’re in country Australia when you see sights like these.
Stubbies and thongs may represent the Australia of the past, but I think a cup of coffee (with a bit of coffee art) represents the Australia of the present.
Our first stop was the town of Rutherglen. An hour out of Albury and close to the Murray River, it’s a quaint North-East Victorian town with lots of lovely architecture.
The second picture is of our bed and breakfast – that allows dogs! So Bridie was happy.
An early morning walk took me to the paddock around the back of the B&B, where I encountered some ladies having their breakfast.
Rutherglen is famous for its wines, and we sampled a few (Pfeiffer, Andersons and Cofield are just three). The wines (both sweet and table) were delicious, and since all the wineries are generally small operators, we even got to talk to some of the wine makers. And for those contemplating a road trip with their furry friends, many cellar doors even allow dogs.
We’re starting a new journey today. Last December, we took a road-trip from Sydney to Central Victoria and back.
Our first leg took us through the town of Gundagai, with its quaint old buildings and brand-spanking-new pavements.
It was a chance for everyone to stretch their legs, including our old beagle, Bridie. Note the sign in the park – we’re definitely not in the city anymore!
There were a few monuments in town. We didn’t see the famous dog and tucker box statue as it was out of town, but we did stumble past Dad, Dave, Mum and Mabel, along the road to Gundagai.
But the monument that was most touching was the tribute to two Wiradjuri men, Yarri and Jacky Jacky, who saved the township during the 1852 flood.
A few more sculptures that caught my eye. This one is very Art Deco.
You certainly can’t miss this 5-storey rock arch. Might look natural from a distance, but it’s all hand-made.
And it’s all over as we’ve made it to the Icebergs Pool and Bondi Beach.
Thanks for walking with me.
Static and Silence 