Around Castlemaine

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The Midland

Essential to any Victorian town of note, a hotel by the Rail Station

 

Built in 1879,  to offer a place for travellers to stay

Another Victorian must have, a Botanical Garden.  This is the oldest public garden in Victoria

 Now Victorian only on the outside, the interior was renovated in the 1930's in the Art Deco Style. There was a tradition in England for railways to build hotels close to their major city stations.  Those built by the Midland Railway were often named The Midland

The original 'Castlemaine Coffee Pot'  was renamed as a nod to it's inspiration the iconic Art Deco Midland Hotel in Morecambe England

Mount Alexander an early name for Castlemaine and now the name of the Shire

 
Vineyard North East Slope of Mt. Alexander

But we were not here for the wine, rather in search of Koala in what I came to learn was the ill-fated Mt Alexander Koala Park Reserve

                No sign of the elusive koala

There were two attempts to settle Koala here, they escaped the 'koala proof fence', got sick or starved, in 2009 admitting defeat the fences came down

This really was the last place to look for them But the view from the top is worth the climb

Lavendula  Swiss-Italian Farm

Originally farmed by Swiss-Italians who emigrated to Australia in the 1850's

One hundred and thirty years later, new owners planted European style gardens to frame and meander around the original stone buildings.  Herb and vegetable gardens were established to supply La Trattoria cafe, lavender was planted to provide the materials needed for farm made body lotions, creams, essential oils and a variety of other products

"Lavender is planted as crop art: in winter it's trimmed and sculptural; at Christmas the lavender is in flower and is harvest by hand with sickles through the heat of January.  Bunches are hung to dry under every veranda"  

 

The fields along with the gardens,  were looking glorious following a brief shower the previous day

Alfresco lunch in the ash grove consisted of salad, lavender scones, with clotted cream & berry jam washed down with lavender lemonade, all delicious

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Flowering Artichoke and Pollinator                    

We got here just in time, the knives were out

           Creativity, driftwood, plants, voila!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's March 7th, we had been here just over 3 months and Castlemaine, the town which kept on giving, had one more treat in store. The Commonwealth Games baton was to be run right past the end of our street.   Our first clue was the massed junior school students on the corner of Bull and Barton Streets all wearing their obligatory 'safe sun hats'

 
On the other corner the junior high students, too 'cool' perhaps for 'safe sun hats'.  I hope they Slip, Slap Slopped the sunscreen

Our Paths would cross again.  Two days later when we boarded the ferry we found the baton was also aboard and sailing to Tasmania

Castlemaine had been perfect, we loved our little house.   There was plenty for us to do both in town and within a short drive until Tony was fit enough to tackle longer more strenuous excursions.  Jason next door owns a bicycle shop, when he learned Tony had been an avid cyclist all his life, he gave him the use of a good bike and an introduction to B.U.G.S, the local Bicycle User Group.   As the temperatures soared locals were worried about the people from the frozen North,  although the low humidity made the heat more bearable than lower Summer temperatures at home

The nearest city is Bendigo which along with Melbourne we visited often, Ballarat only once.  We went up the Murray River to the Port of Echuca.  Our first longer trip was along the Great Ocean Road followed by a camping trip to Philip Island and Wilson's Promontory

Many thanks to Brian and Shirley who hinted that Narooma might not have enough to keep us occupied for 3 months, to Kurt who insisted that Castlemaine did and to Susie, owner of 'our' cottage., who took a chance on a long term rental.   It is now 2019 and we still reminisce fondly of Castlemaine our Australian home
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