Spirited Away · 2014-10-31 · Spirited Away October 31, 2014 1. 2. 3
Spirited Walhalla
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43 Escape.com.au Getaway Walhalla Spirited town steams ahead Tucked away in the narrow gullies outside of Melbourne is a former gold-mining town that refuses to lie down, writes Roderick Eime Go 2 WALHALLA Getting there Walhalla is about a two-hour drive east of Melbourne. Staying there The Star Hotel; ph (03) 5165 6262, starhotel.com.au Doing there For details on local attractions and accommodation options, see visitwalhalla.com. Tip: Don’t rely on a GPS to find Walhalla as it’s in a satellite shadow. Get a map. GOLDFIELDS GLORY: Walhalla’s Star Hotel; and (below) a steam train on the Thomson River bridge. Pictures: Roderick Eime DEEP within the mountain that cradles the former gold-mining town of Walhalla is the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine. Inside are all the leftovers of a frenzied period of mining that covered 50 years of activity until the mine, and town, shut down circa 1915. But some remnants persist in a way no one imagined. For many years, Ralph Richards was a guide in the Long Tunnel. Before every tour Ralph would check all the lights and make sure the walkways were clear of debris. Ralph swore he was often being followed by a presence and others say they saw a tall man carrying a lantern who continually evaded contact with mortal miners. Dubbed Fred, he’s generally considered a benevolent soul. Then there’s Rhoda Spetts, who walks the garden of her family cottage every November dressed in bridal gown waiting for her husband-to-be, who never returned from the war (or was killed in a mine accident, depending on whom you ask). All this interest has been enough to add an extra departure to the previously weekly Walhalla Ghost Tour. Michael Leaney, publican of the completely restored Star Hotel and Walhalla and Mountain Rivers Tourism Association president, is an unrepentant sceptic. The veracity of sightings tends to be directly proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed, he says, scoffing loudly. The hotel complete, Leaney’s new project is considerably more material. The Walhalla Goldfields Railway, a previously derelict narrow-gauge line that ran from the township to Moe in 1910, has been in constant restoration since 1993. Beginning at Thomson Station, with its impressive namesake bridge, the train makes the 20-minute, 5km trip every Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and public holiday, and daily during the summer and Easter school holidays. Beyond the mine, Star Hotel and railway, the town of just 20 permanent residents is a popular bus trip and self-drive destination. It was voted one of Victoria’s Top 5 Must Do locations in an RACV and Tourism Victoria poll. Strolling down the immaculate main street, one could easily imagine being on a movie set or period drama. It’s not uncommon to see filmmakers and location scouts , says Russell Wright, who works alongside Leaney on civic projects. Generally they are film students shooting a drama for their final assessment, but commercials and scenes from TV shows have also been filmed here. Wright has also mustered a small team of local gardeners to go on a planting spree. In just a few months he and his team have planted more than 200 magnolia, poplar, maple and birch trees and he’s now admiring their handiwork as spring brings them all to life. ‘‘We gathered sponsors at $25 a tree and each donor gets a certificate and a little dedication ceremony for a partner, parent or pet, or whoever they want,’’ he says. Walhalla escaped destruction in the recent Victorian fires, but many buildings were destroyed by fire in 1951, hence the comprehensive rebuilding over the past decade. The Star Hotel and surrounding structures are painstakingly researched and accurate reproductions of the original buildings razed in that blaze. While many visitors come by bus and are gone by sundown, a stay at the cosy hotel adds a homely dimension to your visit and a chance to make new friends, either from this world or the next. The writer was a guest of the Star Hotel. For more information on these and other great deals visit flightcentre.com.au Visit us in store. We have over 600 stores across Australia. The Airfare Experts. Every destination. Every airline. 1300 797 849 Open 7 days and until 9pm Mon – Thurs Honolulu 4 nights from $ 259 * INCLUDES Return transfers. ADD Sunset Dinner Sail from an $87 * . Waikiki 7 nights from $ 335 * INCLUDES Return transfers. ADD Waikele Factory Outlets Tour from $38 * . Waikiki 4 nights 5-star from $ 599 * INCLUDES STAY 4, PAY 3, breakfast daily & return transfers. ADD Sunset Dinner Sail from $94 * . Hawaii Return flight from $ 899 * Fly to Hawaii and add the option that’s right for you: Budget Break Shop & Drop Book in store for the best prices and the widest choice. Luxury Stay ▼ Applies to genuine quotes from airlines and Australian registered businesses and websites for travel that originates/departs from Australia. Quote must be in writing and must be presented to us prior to booking. Fare must be available and able to be booked by the general public when you bring it to us. Fares available due to membership of a group or corporate entity or subscription to a closed group are excluded. Must be for same dates and flight class. We will beat price by $1.00 and give you a $20 voucher. For full terms and conditions see flightcentre.com.au. * Travel restrictions and conditions apply. Please ask us for further details. Prices and taxes are correct as at 1 Nov 11 and are subject to change without notice. Updates and corrections to advertised products including pricing may be found at flightcentre.com.au/ads. Prices quoted are on sale until 12 Nov 11 unless otherwise stated or sold out prior. Prices are per person and are subject to availability. Accommodation (if included) is based on twin share. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply depending on date of travel. Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes, levies, government charges and other applicable fees. Flights not included unless otherwise stated. Where flight is included, additional taxes specific to your flight routing may apply and/or may not include checked luggage (which can incur additional charges). Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge. International flight & holiday prices shown are for payments made by cash in store. Australia flights & holidays will attract a booking fee of up to $19.95 per booking in store. Advertised price includes any bonus nights. Minimum/maximum stay restrictions may apply. Hawaii Airfare: Price is per person, valid for travel 2 Feb – 31 Mar 12. Budget Break: Price based on twin share, valid 1 Feb – 31 Mar 12. Shop & Drop: Price based on twin share, valid 1 Feb – 31 Mar 12. Luxury Stay: Price based on twin share, valid 15 Feb – 31 Mar 12. FROM SYDNEY. Flight Centre Limited (ABN 25 003 377 188) trading as Flight Centre. Licence No. 2TA002719. sst_6nov_15x7_Air
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43Escape.com.au
Getaway Walhalla
Spirited town steams aheadTucked away in the narrow gullies outside of Melbourne is a former gold-mining townthat refuses to lie down, writes Roderick Eime
Go2WALHALLA
Getting thereWalhalla is about a two-hourdrive east of Melbourne.
Staying thereThe Star Hotel;ph (03) 5165 6262,starhotel.com.au
Doing thereFor details on localattractions andaccommodation options, seevisitwalhalla.com.
Tip:Don’t rely on a GPS tofindWalhalla as it’s in asatellite shadow. Get amap.
GOLDFIELDSGLORY:Walhalla’sStar Hotel; and (below) a steamtrain on the ThomsonRiver bridge.
Pictures: Roderick Eime
DEEP within the mountain thatcradles the former gold-mining townofWalhalla is the Long TunnelExtended GoldMine. Inside are all theleftovers of a frenzied period of miningthat covered 50 years of activity untilthe mine, and town, shut down circa1915. But some remnants persist in away no one imagined.
For many years, Ralph Richards wasa guide in the Long Tunnel. Beforeevery tour Ralph would check all thelights and make sure the walkwayswere clear of debris. Ralph swore hewas often being followed by a presenceand others say they saw a tall mancarrying a lantern who continuallyevaded contact with mortal miners.Dubbed Fred, he’s generallyconsidered a benevolent soul.
Then there’s Rhoda Spetts, whowalks the garden of her family cottageevery November dressed in bridalgown waiting for her husband-to-be,who never returned from the war (orwas killed in a mine accident,depending on whom you ask). All thisinterest has been enough to add anextra departure to the previouslyweeklyWalhalla Ghost Tour.
Michael Leaney, publican of thecompletely restored Star Hotel andWalhalla andMountain RiversTourism Association president, is anunrepentant sceptic. The veracity ofsightings tends to be directlyproportional to the amount of alcoholconsumed, he says, scoffing loudly.
The hotel complete, Leaney’s newproject is considerably more material.TheWalhalla Goldfields Railway, apreviously derelict narrow-gauge linethat ran from the township toMoe in1910, has been in constant restorationsince 1993.
Beginning at Thomson Station, withits impressive namesake bridge, thetrain makes the 20-minute, 5km tripeveryWednesday, Saturday, Sundayand public holiday, and daily during thesummer and Easter school holidays.
Beyond the mine, Star Hotel andrailway, the town of just 20 permanentresidents is a popular bus trip andself-drive destination. It was voted oneof Victoria’s Top 5Must Do locationsin an RACV and Tourism Victoria poll.
Strolling down the immaculatemain street, one could easily imaginebeing on a movie set or period drama.
It’s not uncommon to seefilmmakers and location scouts , saysRussell Wright, who works alongsideLeaney on civic projects. Generallythey are film students shooting adrama for their final assessment, butcommercials and scenes from TVshows have also been filmed here.
Wright has also mustered a smallteam of local gardeners to go on aplanting spree.
In just a fewmonths he and his teamhave planted more than 200magnolia,poplar, maple and birch trees and he’snow admiring their handiwork asspring brings them all to life.
‘‘We gathered sponsors at $25 atree and each donor gets a certificateand a little dedication ceremony for apartner, parent or pet, or whoever theywant,’’ he says.
Walhalla escaped destruction in therecent Victorian fires, but manybuildings were destroyed by fire in1951, hence the comprehensive
rebuilding over the past decade. TheStar Hotel and surrounding structuresare painstakingly researched andaccurate reproductions of the originalbuildings razed in that blaze.While many visitors come by bus
and are gone by sundown, a stay atthe cosy hotel adds a homelydimension to your visit and a chanceto make new friends, either from thisworld or the next.
Thewriterwasaguestof theStar Hotel.
For more information on these and other great deals visit
fl ightcentre.com.auVisit us in store.We have over 600 stores across Australia.
The Airfare Experts.Every destination. Every airline.
1300 797 849Open 7 days and until 9pm Mon – Thurs
Honolulu 4 nights
from
$259*
INCLUDES Return transfers. ADD Sunset Dinner Sail from an $87*.
Waikiki 7 nights
from
$335*
INCLUDES Return transfers. ADD Waikele Factory Outlets Tour from $38*.
Waikiki 4 nights 5-star
from
$599*
INCLUDES STAY 4, PAY 3, breakfast daily & return transfers. ADD Sunset Dinner Sail from $94*.
Hawaii Return flight
from
$899*
Fly to Hawaii and add the option that’s right for you:
Budget Break Shop & Drop
Book in store for the best prices and the widest choice.
Luxury Stay
▼Applies to genuine quotes from airlines and Australian registered businesses and websites for travel that originates/departs from Australia. Quote must be in writing and must be presented to us prior to booking. Fare must be available and able to be booked by the general public when you bring it to us. Fares available due to membership of a group or corporate entity or subscription to a closed group are excluded. Must be for same dates and flight class. We will beat price by $1.00 and give you a $20 voucher. For full terms and conditions see flightcentre.com.au. *Travel restrictions and conditions apply. Please ask us for further details. Prices and taxes are correct as at 1 Nov 11 and are subject to change without notice. Updates and corrections to advertised products including pricing may be found at flightcentre.com.au/ads. Prices quoted are on sale until 12 Nov 11 unless otherwise stated or sold out prior. Prices are per person and are subject to availability. Accommodation (if included) is based on twin share. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply depending on date of travel. Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes, levies, government charges and other applicable fees. Flights not included unless otherwise stated. Where flight is included, additional taxes specific to your flight routing may apply and/or may not include checked luggage (which can incur additional charges). Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge. International flight & holiday prices shown are for payments made by cash in store. Australia flights & holidays will attract a booking fee of up to $19.95 per booking in store. Advertised price includes any bonus nights. Minimum/maximum stay restrictions may apply. Hawaii Airfare: Price is per person, valid for travel 2 Feb – 31 Mar 12. Budget Break: Price based on twin share, valid 1 Feb – 31 Mar 12. Shop & Drop: Price based on twin share, valid 1 Feb – 31 Mar 12. Luxury Stay: Price based on twin share, valid 15 Feb – 31 Mar 12. FROM SYDNEY. Flight Centre Limited (ABN 25 003 377 188) trading as Flight Centre. Licence No. 2TA002719. sst_6nov_15x7_Air
