Autumn Gold

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DAY 1 - Monday 28 April

Travelling west from Sydney, our first break is at the top of Victoria Pass where we can contemplate the westward journey of many gold seekers. Morning tea at historic Hartley then on through Lithgow and Capertee to the 1851 gold town of Sofala. Time to soak up some of the history before lunch and our departure to Hill End – once one of the largest towns in Australia, and a well preserved gold mining town. Plenty to see and do in Hill End before heading for our overnight stay at Bathurst – Australia’s oldest inland settlement (overnight Explorers Motel)

DAY 2 - Tuesday 29 April

Gold was the cornerstone of the boom period of Bathurst buildings and it is well worth a town tour before heading off towards Lambing Flat (Young), our next gold town. Time to visit the classified historic village of Carcoar en route – with its English deciduous trees and outlaw connections with Young. A visit to Lambing Flat Historical Museum to view the “Roll Up” flag is a must before we travel to Adelong to walk among the ruins of the Ritchie Gold Battery, the site of a gold reef discovered in 1857. Much of this attractive town is also classified by the National Trust. We then travel along Adelong Creek to Batlow and our overnight stop of Tumbarumba (overnight Tumbarumba Motel)

DAY 3 - Wednesday 30 April

Gold was discovered in Batlow and Tumbarumba around 1853 and, as elsewhere, Chinese miners flocked to the area. The historic Paddys River dam was built by Chinese miners, and we will visit this on our way into Victoria. We will follow the Murray Valley Highway, spending time at Yackandandah, another historic gold mining town, before reaching our overnight destination of Beechworth (next two nights at Carriage Motor Inn)

DAY 4 - Thursday 01 May

Beechworth is probably Victoria’s best preserved gold mining town and it also has some of the best autumn colours of any town in Australia (except Bright!). Lots of history and places to visit in Beechworth including the El Dorado dredge – the largest built in the southern hemisphere.

DAY 5 - Friday 02 May

Our destination today is Castlemaine, a supply centre for the Mount Alexander Diggings. En route to this historic town we will spend time in and around Bendigo, as well as visiting the gold towns of Nagambie, Graytown and Heathcote (overnight Castle Motel, Castlemaine)

DAY 6 - Saturday 03 May

Maldon was second only to Bendigo in richness of reef mining and an early morning visit to this delightful historic town will reward us all. This area abounds in early buildings and historic gold towns. We will travel south visiting the Swiss-Italian stone houses around Yandoit and Andersons four-storeyed bluestone flour mill (1861) near Smeaton. From here we will visit Clunes (site of Victoria’s first gold discovery), Creswick and then on to Ballarat where we stay at Sovereign Hill and enjoy the “Blood on the Cross” dinner/show (overnight Sovereign Hill Lodge)

DAY 7 - Sunday 04 May

A lazy start from Ballarat will find us travelling east through Daylesford, Kyneton, the Goulburn Valley and Strathbogie Ranges. We cross an arm of Lake Eildon on our way to our overnight stay at Mansfield – a town established in the gold rush era of the 1860’s, but most notable for its three policemen shot dead by the Kelly gang.

DAY 8 - Monday 05 May

We are heading for the Ovens Valley Goldfields today – stopping at Powers Lookout (mentor of Ned Kelly) for morning tea and continuing down into the King River Valley. Lunch at Milawa at Brown Bros Winery and then we follow the Ovens River through Myrtleford and on to our destination – Bright (next two nights at High Country Motor Inn)

DAY 9 - Tuesday 06 May

A day of relaxing and enjoying the colours of this delightful town. Time to explore the historic aspects at Wandiligong and the Buckland area.

DAY 10 - Wednesday 07 May

Continuing along the Ovens River today we follow the 1860 gold seekers through Harrietville and Mt Hotham on their way to the remote Omeo diggings. A spectacular drive for us but no doubt torturous in the 1860’s. We’ll stop for lunch at the site of Mama Johnson’s shanty grog shop before heading down the mountain to Omeo, stopping for afternoon tea and a walk in the Oriental Claims area (overnight at Golden Age Hotel)

DAY 11 - Thursday 08 May

Our destination today is the goldfields of the Snowy Mountains. To access this area we will travel through the remote area between Benambra and Corryong then on to Khancoban and Cabramurra. This was Australia’s highest altitude gold fields and the difficulties of winning gold would have taken its toll on the miners and their families. Time to explore this area including 3 Mile Dam – originally built by Chinese miners – as well as the relics, buildings, graves, and environmental damage which is left as a legacy of this period (overnight Adaminaby Country Inn)

DAY 12 - Friday 09 May

Over 15,000 people passed through Cooma in 1859 on the way to the Kiandra diggings. Our road from Adaminaby follows this old route and we then continue through Numeralla and on to the gold towns of Captains Flat, Majors Creek and Araluen. Our overnight stay is in the historic town of Braidwood (overnight Cedar Lodge Motel/Colonial Motel, Braidwood)

DAY 13 - Saturday 10 May

Includes travel, twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities, all meals and comprehensive notes.