Cape Tribulation and the Bloomfield Track
We are now heading on a short detour from the main game of travelling to the top of Cape York. We have backtracked from Daintree Village and crossed over the Daintree River for a few days on the Cape Tribulation Peninsular, staying at the Rainforest Village Camping ground which is about half way up the Peninsular. It is 15km from the ferry crossing with a further 25 km or so to get to Cape Trib (as the locals seem to call it). It was called Cape Tribulation by Captain Cook, because it was the prominent land feature he saw when the Endeavour ran onto a reef off of present day Cooktown……it was the start of all his ‘tribulations’. After leaving the ferry we stopped in at a lookout over the mouth of the Daintree River. You could see all the way down the coast to Cairns, albeit the mountains shrouded in cloud and haze. The mouth of the Daintree shallows out and is quite clogged these days due to sediment washing down from the farmlands. Back in the old days the river ran clear and the rainforest was down to the coastline. Great view, we had some morning tea here before heading for the campground.
Daintree Fery crossing
Daintree River estuary
The blog is a little out of sequence now as we have been having some internet issues, there is little Telstra coverage on the Peninsular, particularly at our campground where Optus seems to be ok. Telstra is patchy elsewhere as well. Apparently, there is a spot at low tide when you can go out a way and get connected. Allthego was thinking of the Peter Pan movie and the clock in the crocodile going ‘tick tok’ when thinking of going out at low tide to log on. Maybe, today you would throw your mobile to the crocodile and have Spotify play some catchy tune rather than just ‘tick tok’.
Track warnings
Emmagen Creek
Emmagen Creek crossing, looks deep, about 20 cm!
Anyway, we have given this a miss and just try to connect where possible. The weather has been forecast to be great for the next few days, clear blue skies, sunny no cloud etc. Tough stuff. So, the challenge of the Bloomfield Track has been accepted and we decided to do this as a first day exercise. This track is written up extensively and is pictured as some horror experience. The track links Cape Tribulation to Cooktown in the north via a coastal traverse through the rainforest, up and over a couple of ranges and across the Bloomfield River. It is not far to Bloomfield from Cape Trib, about 37 km of gravel and from Wujal Wujal it is all bitumen to Cooktown.
View from top of the Donovan Range.
Rainforest along the way
Cowie Beach
We are doing the Track well into the dry season and were not expecting any great issues. Signs at the start gave the necessary warnings particularly emphasizing vans and trailers were not allowed. Notwithstanding this we passed a number of vans coming the other way. Must say it didn’t look that much of an issue. The only real drama was getting through the 20cm of water across the road at Emmagen Creek, earlier in the season this can be at bonnet height. Climbing the Donovan Range involved a 1 in 5 grade and the Cowie Range a bit steeper at 1 in 3 grade. The Cowie descent was a little unnerving, seemed to be straight down! Both of these climbs had concrete caps on the high points making it quite an easy climb in low gears. If it was wet it would no doubt have been a bit more dramatic.
On the track
Bloomfield Falls
Allthego crossing the Bloomfield River downstream from the Falls. It was a big leap but he made it onto those next three rocks!
We arrived in Wujal Wujal unscathed and had a quick stopover at he Bloomfield Falls before heading off up the road towards Cooktown. Wujal Wujal is an indigenous community on the banks of the Bloomfield River. We could have returned back down the Track but decide to head back the long way along the Mulligan Highway via Lakefield and across the range to Mossman and then back across the Daintree River on the Ferry to Cape Trib.
Some unusual images appear on tree trunks.
Late afternoon on the Daintree Ferry.
Black Mountain
Briefly stopped at Black Mountain. This is a great big pile of black boulders, formed by a quite involved geological process. It is a revered indigenous place and there are many stories of people going missing among the boulders. hissing noises etc etc.
Sounds like a long way back to Cape Trib, well it was.
Daintree Village
We have been here at Daintree Village for three days overlooking the River in a very pleasant camping ground. An unpowered site so we have had to be a little frugal with power and water. Where we are located was underwater in the last big flood, the water some 8 metres above normal. The weather continues to be a bit unsettled, humid, cloudy mornings with sun appearing late morning to shine on the solar panels and get the batteries charged up. Lots of people coming and going in all styles of transport, beaten up combi wagons and trucks through to a 5th wheeler set up. Mostly Queenslanders, a few NSW and the odd Victorian number plate.
Campsite beside the Daintree River
The Daintree further upstream
View from under our awning
Countryside very green, surrounded by lush rainforest. Paddocks full of Brahman cattle, lots of newborns all surrounded by flocks of white birds, scavenging for insects and other stuff that the cattle dig up whilst browsing around the grass.
A common sight on the Daintree flood plain.
Crocodile Express tour boat
The croc tour office
Have taken the almost compulsory hour long croc spotting river cruise. The river really shallows out not far upstream from the campground and so our croc tour boat heads back downstream. We have seen 4 or 5 crocodiles from the boat, one rather large female sunning herself on a sandbank and a big four and half metre male just ‘floating’ with it’s head and back just out of the water.
This is a 3 metre lady crocodile sun bathing
He is the so called dominant male in this section of the river. We have seen crocodiles before but they do have a certain captivating aura, very cold and menacing! Some river birds were also out looking around for food.
A snake neck cormorant (I think)
Blue Azure Kingfisher, slightly out of focus unfortunately…moving boats!
Some sort of water bird
Coming up from Port Douglas we again passed through Mossman. The Bakery was open, and, they had a vanilla slice! It was a traditional style but the filling was a little bland and the icing sweet, held together well and didn’t ooze out the sides too much. Still a little disappointing. Hope to get another one when we are in Cooktown in a few days time.
A Mossman vanilla slice, return to tradition.
We leave Daintree Village tomorrow and cross over the river and head for Cape Tribulation and the Bloomfield Track for a few days before returning here and heading to Cooktown on the inland road.
Mossman Gorge and Vanilla Slices
Have had a short day trip of about 20km up the coast to Mossman Gorge. This is a low level rainforest environment (as opposed to those in the Gold Coast hinterland which are highland ones) through which the Mossman River tumbles down from the highlands to the sea. When not in flood it is a tranquil flowing stream but can turn into a torrent after rain. An easy stroll along the boardwalk takes you to a couple of swimming holes among the river boulders. A few people enjoying a splash around in the shallow waters, jungle perch swimming around among them. Very green with numerous species of trees and creepers.
Boardwalk through the Gorge
Mossman River
Some little fern thingos
We were thankful for a number of rest spots along the way, Allthego found it not nearly as demanding as the Mt Bartle Frere expedition. Homealone had her usual experience of crossing a swinging bridge over a short gorge section. It was a pleasant couple of hours among the trees and beside the River. Later back in the Mossman township the River flowed beside the road along sandy banks and overhanging trees.
Mossman Gorge swing bridge
Mossman River near Mossman township
Unusual little creeper
It is, however, time for an update on the vanilla slices we have encountered since the last commentary. It is often said that when one passes into North Queensland there can be a bit of a cultural shift. In the case of vanilla slices we have certainly found this to be the case. There is a lot of sugar cane in North Queensland and the industry has a murky past when it comes to labour practices. First, it was the ‘black birding’ of South Pacific Islanders to work on the farms as arguably slave labour and after this the ‘Italian invasion’ of workers in the industry, many of who later became landowners in their own right. There is a lot of South Sea Islander and Italian cultural influence in the North that has permeated and filtered into Australian life today. All good.
Is this an Italian influence, pink icing and then south sea islanders added the coconut flakes!
Port Douglas Vanilla slice….passionfruit icing ???
A layer of cream! At least the icing is white and a chocolate swirl or two Vanilla very pale, but then maybe it is a bit French as well!
Except, it seems to have influenced vanilla slices. We came across a vanilla slice at the bakery in Home Hill with pink icing (the Italian input) dusted with desiccated coconut (the South Sea Islander influence). There was another one with a layer of cream on a milky white filling at South Mourilyan. The icing in both cases was quite sweet. To top it off in Port Douglas we got one with passionfruit icing, with a couple of seeds for good measure. None of these really measured up to expectations. But, interesting culinary variations to say the least. In Port Douglas we also came across a baker who had the ‘Best Ever French Vanilla Slice’, but the shop was shut and wouldn’t reopen till we left town a couple of days later. Knew we were coming obviously! Try them another time!
Best Ever….we will see…
So, we are now moving to Daintree Village a short 56 km hop north and the gateway to Cape Tribulation. It is now feeling like we are starting the Cape journey. We may not see a vanilla slice for 2 or 3 weeks.
Port Douglas
Port Douglas is a short 70km drive north of Cairns along the picturesque Captain Cook Highway (hasn’t been renamed yet?) and we got there in good time to scout around the caravan parks before booking in. There are a couple of parks on the road into the Port township but they resembled sardine tins with every one packed in tightly, so we retraced our steps and stayed at the Big 4 out on the highway. Nice spot, plenty of room on our site among green surrounds, and about a 10km drive into town.
Our site in the Big 4 just outside Port Douglas.
Hemingway’s Tasting Paddle
Red curry chicken wings, but washed down with a Hemingway Endeavour IPA.
Port Douglas is an interesting place, of itself there is not a lot to in the town except sit around and eat. A couple of wildlife places nearby to see if you are into crocodiles or perhaps an international tourist stopping in for a quick rainforest experience. It is though a big base for trips out to the reef for fishing, diving etc as well as day tours north for those who are without the right transport. We are only doing land things on this trip so the reef is not on our agenda, could be different next time if we get up here again in the future. So we sat around a bit and ate. The Sunday markets were an interesting collection of stalls, a lot of local stuff rather than China imports being recycled. Nice photography and art work, plenty of fruit and veg, soap and candles, woodwork etc. A couple of Taro card readers were not seeming to do much business, nor was a ‘spiritual’ advisor. What was missing were second books and CDs! No old junk either! Plenty of social distancing (sic).
Sunday Markets
Yacht sailing out of the Port
4 Mile Beach from Flagstaff Hill
Did though have a look around at the scenery and views from Flagstaff Hill which looks south down 4 Mile Beach, most of the high end resorts front this beach where there is a netted swimming enclosure to hopefully protect from Box jellyfish, which are most unpleasant and lethal. The much feared Irukandji jelly fish can get through the netting but, apparently, there have only been 3 deaths worldwide from this creature in the last 100 years. November to May is peak season. I don’t know if crocs can get in but they have been seen on 4 Mile, they are around all the time.
Port Douglas Inlet
Wangetti Beach, about 20 km south of Port Douglas
Did a short trip back down the coast to Wangetti Beach. This place a little news worthy last Saturday night. Police disrupted 300 or so revelers enjoying a music concert here on the beach. They were offending COVID restrictions. Things got a little nasty with some arrests. Not much evidence of the frivolity, apart from some empty coconut shells scattered around the foreshore.
The weather has been a bit unsettled for us , cool and cloudy in the morning, fines up in the afternoon with a warm sun. Seems as though it wants to rain at times but doesn’t, maybe it is getting ready early for the wet? Hope it holds off for a month.
Off to get a vanilla slice!
Still in Cairns
Day 2 has seen us in the city again for lunch aboard the Prawn Star, very pleasant setting and the prawns and bugs were very fresh and tasty. Slight downside was the waitress kept calling Allthego “darlin,” (he knows he is one and doesn’t need to be told) which makes the hair on the back of his neck curl. She was OK though despite having peeled a few prawns in her time. Then, so has Allthego. It was then off on a drive along the northern Cairns beaches and a short stop at Palm Cove. Nice spot.
Plate of prawns and bugs , lunch for two.
All gone.
The boats bar, great painting on the wall.
Our last day in the city was devoted to a visit to the Cairns Aquarium. Very impressive presentation. Not just a lot of tanks filled with fish. It was set up as a story. The layout followed water from where it falls in the highlands of the Great Dividing Range down to the sea, through the creeks, streams and mangroves out to the Reef. Along the way the fish and land creatures in each of the environments were on display. The first fresh water fish we saw at the Aquarium was the Jungle Perch. At our Big Crystal Creek stopover we had seen a number of these in the creek, a couple of ‘experts’ had told us then they were Jungle Perch. Plenty of snakes, frogs and some juvenile salt water crocs also on display. Not a lot of writing to read and get lost in, visually informing!
Jungle Perch
Clown fish
Saw fish
Back to the van for a late lunch of ham and cheese bagels. Allthego had got these from the local Artisan Bakery near the Big 4. But they did not bake humble vanilla slices! Just some fancy lemon and ginger slices. Allthego has two vanilla slices in review and is awaiting a third to report on. Hopefully, it will be found in Port Douglas, our next stop north.
After lunch and feet up it was back into town for a cruise and dinner out on the harbour aboard the Spirit of Darwin, a big catamaran. This was an interesting experience in the COVID world. About 40% capacity and 60% of the usual price, only for Queenslanders though! The standard seafood buffet gone, allocated seating, social distancing. The three course meal was pre selected when you booked, choice of 2 entrees and 2 mains. Very tasty meal, prepared and served with style and a smile.
Spirit of Cairns at dock.
Not a great sunset, but some good city lights.
Walking the gang plank
Captain told us things were pretty tough, many boats had just been tied up until it was all over. Smaller boats couldn’t take enough customers to make it economic.
The car is through there. Somewhere!
So, we are now off north to Port Douglas for a few days.
Cairns and guess who is here!
Now in Cairns staying at the Big 4 for four nights a few km from the city centre. We are staying an extra night here, so now a day behind the schedule but who cares! Getting a bit slow as the years go by and not wanting to rush around. The worrying thing though about this Big 4 is that there is clear evidence of the existence of Big Foot in these parts. Tracks everywhere and I have seen quite a few big feet wandering around this place. So we are a bit wary at night. It seems though that if you follow the Big Feet they all lead to the same place! Yes, the ablutions block! Quite tricky.
Big 4 Cairns
Esplanade Water Park
Big Foot tracks in the caravan park. There were some big feet getting around too.
Have had a wander around the city waterfront and boat harbour, not a lot of people around and many of the boats are in dock rather than out somewhere which would be the normal. Allthego was rather keen to go on a jet ski croc spotting tour, but Homealone was not keen on doing a double with him. This was despite the fact that the jet skis go faster than the crocs! So, we agreed to have some prawns the next day aboard the Prawn Star which consists of three boats moored up beside the wharf. Settled for lunch at the Pier Hotel, plenty of social distancing going on for sure.
Allthego was keen to book one of these tours.
Not content with a 3 by 110g steaks it’s now a Chicken Parmie for lunch!
This is the boat that does prawns and the like for the lunch right on the water.
But guess who is in town? NED KELLY. Or more correctly the National Gallery has a tour of Sidney Nolan’s series of Ned Kelly paintings on the road. All 26 of them and they are here in Cairns!
Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly series at Cairns Art Gallery
Now, my readers will know that our last trip before this COVID 19 thing was down to north east Victoria for a trip around Kelly country. During that journey we dropped into the National Gallery, where the paintings normally are, to see the series. BUT they had gone off on this national tour. So we missed them and thought we would need to return to Canberra in the future to see them. No, they came to us in Cairns! So, we will need some other reason to return to Canberra and north east Victoria in the future. Not hard to find one.
The exhibition
Kelly’s trial scene
Ned Kelly’s death mask.
Quite an impressive exhibition. The paintings were laid out in a semi historical time sequence and illustrated the Kelly story, overlaid with Nolan’s own interpretations of environment and violence taking place in apparently peaceful and calm settings. Can recommend seeing them.
More to do tomorrow, back to the van for happy hour!
On the way to Cairns
We are now away from Bowen on Highway 1 headed for Cairns. Planning to stop overnight at Big Crystal Creek NP about 45k north of Townsville. There was a fair bit of roadworks along this stretch, indeed the trip from north of Bundaberg has numerous stretches being widened and overtaking lanes built, a few bridges as well. Red lights pull you up and after a 5 minute wait off you go. The stop go people no longer have to stand beside the road and twist their poles, walkie talkies are in use and buttons are pushed that seem to change the red to green. Ladies seem to do a lot of this work, diversity and gender balance in action I suppose!
At Big Crystal Creek camping area
Big Crystal Creek
Big Crystal Creek fire place
Big Crystal Creek a great layover. No squeezy sites here plenty of air in the great outdoors. We had our first camp fire and had some pork sausages over the flames. A number of bush turkeys roamed around looking for leftovers. The creek very picturesque and only a short stroll from the campground. A little highlight was seeing some quite large jungle perch lurking around the edges of the rocks. Could have spent another night here relaxing but had to move on.
The jungle perch! Can you see them?
Frosty mango, just had to stop for Mango ice!
A local
Listening to the radio, ABC only thing we could get, there was a segment on the 100th anniversary on 2 August of a small town called El Arish, named after a battle in Egypt. Lo and behold we were a few short kilometres from the town. So pulled in to have a look. The town originated as a soldier settlement after WW1, cane farms cut by hand from the tropical jungle. Tough life. The town’s war memorial had undergone a revamp and a 2 metre wide ‘replica’ of the Australian ‘Rising Sun’ Army Badge installed. The State Governor had been up for the celebrations. Must have been an occasion, one of the town’s residents said there was quite a lot of bureaucracy involved in getting it done! What’s new! We devoured our crab roll obtained on the waterfront at Cardwell in the nearby park.
The ‘Rising Sun’ at El Arish
The Cardwell crab roll, very tasty!
The old pub
The stopover at El Arish had held us up a bit and Allthego was stretched time wise now to complete the climb of Mt Bartle Freere, Queensland tallest mountain at around 1600m or so. Apparently, you need something like 15 hrs to go up and down and camp overnight so it was going to be a bit of a challenge in the 2 hrs we had available. But he was going to give it a go! Came down smiling. Apparently, the mountain is generally shrouded in cloud and mist. Allthego wondered how did anyone know how high the mountain really was! It would remain a mystery.
Allthego Leaving on the Mt Bartle Freere walk.
Allthego returning from the Mt Bartle Freere walk.
The Mt Bartle Freere track
Mt Bartle Freere shrouded in cloud.
After the walk we charged off into Cairns to the Big 4 just out of town for a few days.
Bowen
We stopped over in Bowen for a couple of nights at a van park overlooking Queens Bay. It seems the van park mounted a campaign some time ago to hold back the ocean and has a 3m wall that drops straight onto the beach and into a metre or so of water at high tide. Either side of this wall the sea has moved inland and there is a much more sedate stroll onto the beach from the parkland. The van park is winning at the moment but it’s time will come. There is a big yellow line along the edge of the wall that stops people falling in. Park a bit squeezy space wise but clean and tidy. The owner, the NRMA, has introduced ‘surge pricing’, like Uber, and catches you out in popular times. The manager did some on the spot averaging to not make it quite so price aggressive. Allthego asked him whether that meant staying overnight would be free in slack times, a sly smile from the manager. No! Still a nasty pricing development for Nomads on the road.
The water tower murals
This was one panel of three illustrating the role of the town’s old coach builder and blacksmith.
Bowen Courthouse, seemingly one of the few old buildings left in town, maybe the others have been knocked around by cyclones over the years.
Had a pleasant day driving around town looking at the murals. Bowen is another one of those places that has them all over town on the sides of buildings, illustrating the town’s history. The two big water towers are adorned with murals also. Had some tasty Fish n Chips for lunch at the Nth Queensland Cruising Yacht Club overlooking Boat Harbour, very laid back place. Very conscious of Covid here, social distancing etc.
North Head Lighthouse, very hazy day.
Battered Spanish Mackerel
Later in the afternoon it was back to Queens Bay and a climb up to the lookout over Horseshoe Bay. Weather was a bit cloudy and hazy, Bowen was also living up to its windy reputation. So the sea surface was ruffled and the water was not showing off the translucent bluey green that Horseshoe Bay is famous for. Still a great view down from the lookout.
Horseshoe Bay from the lookout
Horseshoe Bay Beach
Now heading for Cairns with a stopover at Big Crystal Creek NP, north of Townsville, for the night.
Out of the Cave
And we have lobbed into Bowen in North Queensland.
Finally, after several months of COVID-19 lockdown we have escaped Brisbane and the confines of our cave and departed for North Queensland. As have a few others it seems. We have started a trek to Cape York and ‘The ‘Tip’, will be away for about 7 weeks subject to the dreaded coronavirus.
Calliope free camp
A steady trip up to Cairns, along Highway 1, from where the trip in earnest will start. We stopped off for the night in free camps at Gympie and Calliope (near Gladstone) and then after 1000 km or so from Brisbane, the Palms Caravan Park in Sarina. The Palms was almost full and we were put on a small site overlooking a semi permanent van that had a sign out ‘beware of the dog’, it was a rather miserable looking small dog tied to a leash attached to the van. The sign was questionable, but the dog may have been hungry. Allthego did not tempt fate.
Sarina Palms Caravan Park, this local resident just sat here all day long.
Sugar Mill at Sarina.
Homealone’s 110g grilled steak special at the Sarina Hotel.
Entertained ourselves that night at the Sarina Hotel. Steaks in the bar, we were the only ones in the bar area for dinner. Social distancing was not threatened. Homealone decided to order the 110g grilled steak special, with salad and chips. An enormous plate of meat arrived, 3 steaks to the plate, you felt full looking at it! Allthego’s 300g rib filet was modest in comparison. The waitress later explained that a new Spanish chef had arrived and he was wanting to please. We bagged two of the excess steaks and had them the next night with some grilled onions and salad. Waste not want not! The dining room was not available for dinner as there was a conference in town and it had been booked out. A mob of accountants! No doubt discussing ways to make a buck from their clients out of the coronavirus.
My dear readers will know that Allthego likes to have a culinary challenge on these wanderings around the country. On this occasion we are on the lookout for the best vanilla slice sourced from bakeries in the towns along the way. Why vanilla slices? Well a week or so before we left Brisbane we had the most delightful vanilla slice from the Springfield Lakes GB artisan bakery. Here it is, a standout. The filling had a lovely creamy texture, pastry a bit on the crisp side but OK! Classic! Well done daughter Gillian! A benchmark for the journey ahead!
Springfield Lakes GB Artisan Bakery
Bakery at Rockhampton a double decker slice, different.
Childers Bakery effort.
But what makes a good vanilla slice, probably 3 things. A pastry base that is firm but not too flakey, a filling that is creamy, not too sweet, and doesn’t ooze out the sides when one bites through the pastry. And the a layer of white icing on top with a swirl of chocolate to top it off. A major failing is a filling that is a slab of yellow gelatinous custard. We had our first taste test from one of the bakeries in Childers. Not bad, icing a bit thick, filling not creamy enough. The second effort was from a bakery on the way out of Rockhampton. This was from an enterprising baker, a DOUBLE DECKER. Quite good, a little oozy, but not too sweet either. Good effort. The GB artisan bakery is still in front!
Further entrants are eagerly awaited.
Forget the Kelly Trail it is now the Baileys’ Trail and home
We have found it very difficult to visit Glenrowan, or even pass through it, without paying a visit to Baileys’ Vineyards, they are about 9 km out of town. A great place to visit. The vineyards were established in 1870 by Richard Bailey and have passed through a few hands over the years. It is now owned by the Casella Family, purveyors of the ubiquitous (but tasty for the price) Yellowtail brand. Baileys are famous for their reds, particularly their vintage port and muscat. Great big fruity full flavoured drops.
The visitor’s grounds are immaculate, surrounded by the preserved old winemaking buildings. On weekends there is a great café set up serving wood fired pizza, salads and platters. You do need to time a visit to Glenrowan to get at the pizza! One sits out on a grassy area at tables shaded by umbrellas, or in the open if it is a bit cloudy as it was on our visit. A rather tasty salami and prosciutto pizza, rocket and pear salad and a Baileys shiraz kept us occupied for a couple of hours as we reflected on the highlights of the Kelly Trail!
Allthego with Allthegang!
Big Ned
Back in town we had a short wander around the commercial centre and saw the light show about Ned’s life. Runs from 10 am to 4pm on the hour and half hour. Not bad. But not vital to see either!
Looking down into the Glenrowan Caravan Park
Views down the valley from the Caravan Park
Blackened snags
So it was back to the van park to pack up for the return journey to Brisbane the next morning. We have been able to have fires alongside the van to keep us a little warmer on the cold nights. BBQ some snags one night. Slightly blackened but love that smoky flavour an open fire adds! And a last word on those bread rolls, they were all pretty good as were the other snacks that one is tempted by at these regional bakeries.
Fast forward and we have arrived back home after stopping at what are now the regular spots of Forbes, Coonabarabran and Inglewood. A great trip through N.E. Victoria. The van is unpacked and Homealone has the washing ready to roll. But it is raining in Brisbane this afternoon, no complaints though as it is needed. More so out west, we do hope it gets there soon!
The seige at Glenrowan
We have been to Glenrowan before and have had a short wander around the siege sites. Previously we have been more interested in Bailey’s Vineyards! This time we have done the siege sites in a little more detail and taken a bit longer. Glenrowan is a short diversion off the Hume Highway and there is a great little camping ground to enjoy. So we have spent three nights here. Most people only seem to spend one! They head off the next morning. Maybe we drove them off! On the way down from Mansfield we enjoyed some buns from the local Mansfield Artisan bakery. Not bad but on the small side, we had some nice ham and salad on them. We are tempted to think that the Glenrowan rolls have been the best so far, closely followed by Inglewood and Homealone’s brother Stuart’s effort!
An old swing bridge at Eldorado
Mansfield buns, artisan types, but they were small! Rather tasty.
Anyway the interesting thing about Glenrowan and the surrounding Kelly sites at Greta and in the Woolshed Valley is that there is little if anything left of the actual buildings and locations. They have all been swallowed up in the passing parade! So one can wander around the siege site, guided by the information boards and actually have to imagine what it looked and felt like 140 years ago.
We had a more or less full day driving up the Woolshed Valley from Eldorado to Beechworth. We had previously seen the Woolshed Falls, which are at the top of the Valley, when we stayed at Beechworth earlier in the journey. The Woolshed Valley broadly follows the course of Reid’s Creek, cant really remember but it is something like a 40 km drive along a gravel road. In this area something like 6-7,000 people lived during the mid 1800s, searching for gold. It was one of the richest alluvial gold fields in Victoria. Today, people still pan for gold in the creek bed and don’t waste their time!
Panning for gold in Reid’s creek in the Woolshed Valley
The site of long gone Sebastapol, several thousand people lived in this area. Steve Hart and Aaron Sherritt lived in these parts. The Kelly Caves and lookout are in the hills in the background.
Road through the Woolshed Valley
Maybe, Allthego will come back here and try it. Homealone is not greatly interested in this idea! The physical evidence of all this human activity has gone, swallowed up by the regenerating bush and more recent human endeavours on the land. It is in the Woolshed Valley that the other non Kelly members of the Gang, Joe Byrne and Steve Hart, grew up. It is also where Joe Byrne shot a life long friend Aaron Sherritt who had turned into a protected police informant. Where he was shot in the Woolshed Valley is not far from Beechworth.
Joe Byrne shoots Aaron Sherritt
Police positions across a creek, hotel site is in the middle background.
Site of the hotel in which the Gang holed up and held hostages.
The shooting of Sherritt was the genesis of the Glenrowan siege. He was shot by Byrne and Ned’s brother Dan to create an event that was designed to enrage the authorities and cause them to send a train load of police and aboriginal police trackers from Melbourne to Beechworth to chase down the Gang. Beechworth is north of Glenrowan and Ned pulled up a section of the rail track north of the Glenrowan station to derail the train and cause numerous casualties. Ned had a dream of then demanding a separate state in NE Victoria for the oppressed population.
Ned attacks!
Site where Ned was captured
The plan didn’t work for all sorts of reasons. My readers can pursue the detail elsewhere if they like! What did happen though was that the train was flagged down before reaching Glenrowan, the police alerted to the plot and the hotel where Ned and the boys, together with lots of hostages where holed up, was laid siege. The shootout went on all night. In the end Joe Byrne, Steve Hart and Dan Kelly were killed. Ned survived and, as we have already heard, was ultimately taken to Old Melbourne Gaol tried, sentenced and hung on 11 November 1880.
Kelly memorial stone at Greta cemetery
Greta cemetery
To finish off our Kelly journey we took the short drive out to Greta to the cemetery where various members of the wider Kelly family, including his mother Ellen, Dan and some sisters are buried in unmarked graves. Steve Hart is also buried in an unmarked grave. Ned was reburied here, also in an unmarked grave, in 2013 after having been exhumed from his grave in the Old Melbourne Gaol. HIs mother Ellen died in 1923 at the age of 93, a long hard life. Needless to say you can’t find them! Unless you have inside knowledge! There is a memorial headstone at the cemetery entrance acknowledging their presence.
Back at Glenrowan we prepared for some time at Baileys for lunch and for the start of the trip back to Brisbane the next day.
Stringybark Creek and Mansfield
Moving on from Powers Lookout we made it into Mansfield and set up camp. The weather forecast for the coming days was not great so we decided to head off for Stringybark Creek the next day. It is not far from Mansfield and it was there in October 1878 that the Kelly gang really got into the thick of it. The gang had gone bush some time earlier to escape the attention of the police who had commenced an intensive operation to bring them to justice after the ‘murder attempt’ on Constable Fitzpatrick at the Kelly Homestead.
The campground, no neighbours!
The Stringybark Creek site
The road into the Stringybark Creek site
They had established themselves in the Wombat ranges up behind Greta. It was a secluded spot and they had cleared 20 acres to grow ‘stuff’, particularly beet and barley to make whiskey. They also indulged in some gold mining in the creeks. How the police couldn’t find them is a mystery to us today. Anyway, the police set up a camp at Stringybark Creek about a mile away from the unbeknown secluded Kelly camp. The Gang investigated this ‘intrusion’ and confronted the police at their campsite. The result was the murder of three policemen, one escaped to report the incident. Ned was later to claim that it was self defense, the police had come to ‘get’ the gang, no survivors. The murders resulted in a public outrage and the Victorian government changed the law to declare the gang outlaws, meaning that they could be shot at sight, no questions asked!
This is the ‘spot’ where one of the police was found
The Kelly tree, not the original tree which had a bullet mark. But a later commemorative of the event!
A re enactment of the discovery of one of the police a few days after the shootout.
From this time on the Gang engaged in a running battle with the police and authorities. In December of 1878 they staged the robbery of the National Bank at Euroa, near Benalla. This was designed to try to draw sympathy for the perceived injustices of their treatment for the Stringybark murders, based around the idea it was self defence. From Euroa, the Gang moved on to the robbery at Jerilderie, where we started our journey a few weeks back.
At the site at Stringybark Creek, where the shootout is generally considered to have taken place is a memorial area to the policemen. There is some conjecture whether this is the actual site and we encountered a group from Beechworth (the volunteers at the various sites there) on a bus tour with a guide who said the site was actually further up the creek, and he had the evidence to prove it! And he was going to reveal and publish it in the next day or so. Talk about being on the spot! The site though is very tastefully done and reflective of both the Police and the Kelly Gang’s positions.
One of the policeman’s graves, the other two are very similar.
The memorial in the main street of Mansfield
Back in Mansfield we had a quick look at the cemetery to see the graves of the police and the big monument in the main street that was erected to commemorate their deaths. Mansfield is an odd sort of place. It seems to be a little soulless, everything is focussed on the snow ski industry. It is the gateway to the Mt Buller ski resort, about 45 km away. A post card of the town could not be bought anywhere, plenty of Mt Buller and the snow. Being out of season we had the camping ground almost to ourselves. Our last day was holed up in the van as the weather was a bit inclement. Homealone enjoyed the time to catch up on some craft!
We have now headed off to Glenrowan and the siege!
Heading to Mansfield
We left Beechworth, but first stopped by the Beechworth Bakery to pick up some bread rolls for our next taste test along the road to Mansfield. We chose to head back towards Wangaratta and then, when almost there headed south across country to Milawa. Milawa is at the bottom of the King Valley. It’s favourite son is the Brown Bros Vineyards. No relation. Second comes the Milawa Cheese Factory where we stopped off to pick up some local product for happy hour. Some rather tasty soft bries and blues. There were also some goat cheese specialities which Allthego thought were pretty good. Homealone is not though a devotee, so we abstained on this occasion.
King Valley countryside
Moving on up the valley we were amazed at how green the countryside was, sheep up to their armpits in the grass. At the end of the valley is Whitfield a small village surrounded by grape vines. Dal Zotto sounded like a particularly interesting vineyard. Old style Italian varieties and an onsite traditional trattoria open for lunch, unfortunately not when we were passing by. Homealone suggested we could have actually stopped and stayed overnight at Whitfield if the trattoria had been open (it was early in the week). A place to come back to it seems.
Leaving Whitfield the road heads up into the High Country with views of the Australian Alps to the east. The road twists and turns ever upwards. We are passed by streams of motor bikes weaving their way through the corners. It is a favourite biker’s route over the mountains down into Mansfield and then on to Melbourne. The numerous bikes encountered were explained by it being a few days before the annual Phillip Island motor bike races.
Before reaching Mansfield we come to Power’s Lookout. This is a short diversion from the main road out to a point that overlooks the King Valley. Clear views up and down the valley. It was here that the bushranger Harry Power holed up in caves and could observe movements up and down the valley, particularly police out searching for him. He had been transported from England in 1840 for stealing a bridle and saddle. Harry was a ‘gentlemen’ bushranger who never harmed his victims, just relieved them of valuables and normally their horses so that he could not be pursued.
Harry spent 30 years of his life in various prisons. He fits into our Kelly story though because young Ned at the age of about 15 was ‘apprenticed’ to Harry, who taught him the tricks of the trade, minding the horses during the robberies. Ned assisted Harry in a number of his robberies. Harry was eventually captured by the police in a hideout not far from the lookout. Harry thought that Ned had ‘dobbed’ on him, but he hadn’t. It was one of Ned’s uncles. He was released from prison in 1885 and died in 1891 at the age of 72, seemingly from drowning in the Murray River while fishing.
Allthego wandered out to the lookout, a slightly involved climb up and down some steel ladders to reach the KIng Valley overlook. Spectacular views. Homealone prepared that bread roll lunch!
Beechworth bakery rolls. Not bad, but small!
After devouring the rolls, which were quite firm and tasty (ham always helps) we headed back to the main road and on into Mansfield. It is getting quite difficult to distinguish each new lot of rolls from ones we have had before, but we will continue the effort.
Beechworth and the Kellys
Beechworth is where a number of the incidents involving Ned and his family played out in the local courthouse and in the resulting gaol sentences. It is also where there was a turning point in Ned’s life where he was no longer committing somewhat minor offences and then being hounded by the police. He made what seems to be a conscious decision to ‘take the attack up to the police’ and seek retribution for the oppression of his family and the common folk by what he saw as the local ‘aristocracy’ and authorities.
In 1871 when Ned was 16 years old he was sentenced to three years gaol for receiving a stolen house, the character who actually stole it only got 18 months. Ned served this time in Pentridge Gaol in Melbourne. He had earlier served 5 months in Beechworth Gaol for assaulting and later ‘insulting’ a travelling hawker and his wife by giving them some bull’s testicles as part of a prank.
Ned’s brothers served time in Beechworth for various offences, Jim got 5 years for stealing cattle. His mother Ellen was also sentenced to three years hard labour for the ‘attempted’ murder of Alexander Fitzpatrick, a police officer, in 1878. She had hit him on the head with a pan when Fitzpatrick attempted to arrest Dan Kelly for horse stealing at their house without a warrant. Fitzpatrick alleged that Ned had shot him. After being held at Beechworth she served out the sentence at the Old Melbourne Gaol. She was in that gaol when Ned was hung there in November 1880 after the Glenrowan siege. It was reported that she was allowed to visit him and told him to ‘die like a Kelly’. It was in the two years between 1878 and 1880 that Ned set about seeking retribution and revenge for all the injustices that he felt he and his family had suffered. More to follow.
Beechworth prison
Beechworth courthouse
Noose and trapdoor
We went on a tour of the 1864 Beechworth Gaol. Quite an eye opener. It only closed in 2004. Very basic place indeed. Prisoner’s cells were only fitted with flushing toilets in 1994. Saw Ned’s cell and also his mothers, who had a new born baby at the time. The cell his mother had was different to the others as it was for females who had young children and who chose to take them to gaol with them. It had a back door opening into a yard. There were 8 hangings at the gaol. Ned was taken to Beechworth after the Glenrowan siege for sentencing, if he had been sentenced there he would have been hung in Beechworth. Apparently, our guide told us, it was thought by the authorities that it would be unlikely a jury would convict Ned in Beechworth (because of his followers and general support of town folk) so he was sent to Melbourne for trial.
The Kelly gang and a friend
Ned’s mother’s original cell No 10, modernised!
Ned’s cell, No 30
There are many mid 18 century stone buildings in the historic precinct of the town that have been faithfully restored. It is an interesting town, much to see which we have left for another time. Trees were starting to leaf up with the onset of spring, would look great in autumn! It is now off to Mansfield.
Back south to Beechworth
We headed back south down the Hume Hwy to Wodonga where we took the road into the foothills of the Great Dividing Range to Beechworth. Along the Hume we stopped for morning tea at a rest stop with a small painted water tank, these things are catching on! Some indigenous scenes of a camp fire and the surrounding countryside. It is very green down in these parts, at least compared to the country further north in NSW and Queensland where it is so dry.
In Beechworth we have located ourselves in a great camping ground just out of the town centre beside Lake Sambell. Excellent grassy sites, plenty of room and we are able to have a fire, albeit in a drum which spoils the ambience a bit. The days are warm and sunny but in the early hours of the morning it is chilly, getting down to around 4 or 5 dgs and a blanket is needed to supplement the doona and rug.
2000 ounces or 57 kg of gold was won from the alluvial sediments in this pool of water at the foot of the Woolshed Falls between 1918-1920.
Lake Sambell
Beechworth is an old gold mining centre, gold having been found nearby in 1852. Much of the town is in a sort of physical time warp, the old buildings and street scape is well preserved. Some nice old time shops living beside more modern enterprises such as cafes and restaurants. The local cemetery has an interesting collection of historic graves, including some locals who emigrated to Victoria after fighting in the US-Mexican War and the Civil War. There is also the common occurrence of children, days and months old, who died of diseases in the 1800s that are today easily curable. The cemetery is also the final resting place of over 2000 Chinese who came to work on the goldfields, there is a partially restored temple with 2 chimneys that was used for the burial ceremonies, the burning of messages and other sacrificial items and the letting off of firecrackers to ward away devils.
In our meanderings through the gravestones we stumbled over one John Watt. He was the publican at Wooragee, not far from Beechworth. He had emigrated from Morayshire in Scotland. His claim to fame it seems is that he was shot by bushrangers who tried to rob the hotel on 15 October 1982. He was 39 and died 9 days (sic) later on 25 October 1982. Two of the bushrangers were later hung for the murder in the Beechworth Gaol, which we are going to visit later in our stay here at Beechworth. This John Watt would not be an unfortunate past member of the Watt clan in Brisbane?
John Watt’s grave
Chinese Chimneys
The town has an excellent bakery, full of goodies. Have stopped in for lunch at Bilsons an old brewery that diversified into soft drinks and cordials years ago and has now also come back to making craft beers and gin. They have a gin that is golden in colour, it contains some honey and turmeric that gives the colour. It is supposed to be reflective of Beechworth’s golden past. A rather tasty refreshing drop with a dose of tonic and ice to wash down a slow cooked beef ragu pie and salad.
Bilson’s heritage brewery and modern day cafe
Beef Ragu pie and golden gin
There is also a local honey shop with numerous honeys sourced from all sorts of different tree flowers. We tasted away for some time before selecting some samples to take home, we are getting to the end of our supplies in the cupboard. The Kellys were familiar faces around Beechworth, particularly in the courthouse and gaol! But more of that next time!
Allthegobro 