Wow, doesn't time and the world (cup) move on?! Last you knew, I was in Melbourne, now you find me in the Grampians of Victoria, having spent three days in Ballarat on the way.
I enjoyed Ballarat, a proper town with history, a community, real life going on around you. But strangely very poor wifi reception in the YHA! It's a tiny place of four rooms in a single building hosted by the Sovereign Hill Comfort Inn. I think the actual building is fairly old. It's a bit of a hike from the station - uphill as you might guess - but then very convenient for some of the major touristy things one of them being Sovereign Hill.
Sovereign Hill is a reconstruction of Ballarat in the 1850s following the discovery of gold. There's a small village of shops, hotels, two mines, a stream for gold-panning, horse carriage ride, school houses and simply lots to see and get involved in. All the staff are in costume, signs are written as of old even if they do confirm that "...contemporary forms of credit are accepted". There were school groups there on a Friday enjoying all that was on offer. Even the opportunity to sit in a class in one of the school houses. Put your hand up, stand to speak, be polite and so on. I saw one class learning how to form their letters to write properly. It would be interesting to know how much of that they keep. I thoroughly enjoyed it all, even the slightly too realistic sound effects on the Red Hill mine tour.
Not far away is the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka which is frustratingly abbreviated to M.A.D.E - where's the last bloody full stop? It's a new museum dedicated to Australian democracy but on the site of the Eureka Stockade which arguably had a profound impact on the development of workers' rights. It was good to learn more about various aspects of Australian history. However, I have to question yet again whether people who design these places actually do a usability check themselves. For example, the central information display area is 'interactive' in that you prod a big screen to read up on different things represented in the picture. Fair enough, you get to read what you want. But only you get to do that. If someone else is interested in that particular display they have to wait until you've finished or read over your shoulder, at your speed the things that you are looking at etc. It's alright when the place is quiet, which it was for my visit but I can't think that a school group say, would be able to get the best out of all the information that is available. Apart from the history section, there were also thought provoking sections on how change happens. Again, I was a bit flummoxed by some of the 'interactive' things. One encouraged you to stand on footprints to see what happens when one person acts and then asks you to look at what happens when people act together. But how you did that through the display was lost to me. A face recognition thing decided I was male which then made the following discourse a little confusing.
I did also visit the Art Gallery of Ballarat, the oldest and largest regional art gallery in Australia. I'm presuming they mean town-based rather than state level because the Art Gallery of NSW seems a lot bigger to me. It was quite good but did contain a lot of dreary landscape pictures which seem quite common. And the cafe had free wifi!
And then on to Halls Gap in the Grampians. This was always going to be a bit of a journey and it ended up involving the downhill version of the hike to the station, followed by three buses. Not quite as horrendous as it might sound as the buses are meant to link up. So, the last driver waited for the second bus to turn up even though it was late and no-one had called to let him know. All for only two passengers but we both appreciated it. He even dropped me right opposite the hostel rather than go on to the bus stop which actually wasn't that far away.
The hostel is an Eco Lodge, with all sorts of environmental attributes, including its own chickens (chooks). I went for a walk to discover the 'town' and went down the road to Brambuk as that was the nearest tourist information centre while the old one is being redeveloped. Pretty quickly I decided that this is a lovely place. Beautiful scenery, wildlife and chances to do some walking. There are kangaroos everywhere too! Over dinner I worked out what walk I would do today.
Then the weather went a bit nasty, so Plan B swung into action. This involved a shorter, more local walk. Off I went, in the rain. It was easy enough to find the path and follow the signs. The weather even started to ease a little. I found Clematis Falls and they were fine. I went on, towards something called Chatauqua Peak, promising an excellent view out over the area. The path wandered upwards until I finally reached the 'rocky' bit that the guide had promised. It was also pissing down by now, so it felt very British and Lake District like. Although not quite so cold. There is something different to being caught in the rain when it's not freezing cold at the same time. I did well, clambering over rocks, avoiding large puddles, admiring the views, generally making progress. That is until right near the summit where I simply could not get up the last bit on my own in the rain. There was this slab of stone which looked too smooth with a tricky corner at the top, possibly with a cliff on the other side. Ah well, I did my best but I didn't feel the need to test the rescue services. I turned and made my way down, which was occasionally even more challenging than the upward journey. It was still raining.
My return to Halls Gap was going to be via somewhere called Bullaces Glen which was very pretty and reminiscent of Scotland. Still on the way down I realised I could do a mini diversion to some rock pools called Venus Baths. Again, an extremely picturesque spot but by now I really was pondering my safety. I wasn't up on the hill anymore but the wind was blowing up a storm, and the trees were really thrashing about. It was still raining and at quite an angle. The decision not to do the Plan A walk for the day had definitely been the right one. Through the botanic gardens (I didn't stop) and to the shops to find somewhere dry for lunch.
At the Black Panther cafe I ordered a pizza and coffee. I wouldn't normally have a cooked lunch but felt I earned it and perhaps should after my exertions. They were not extreme but I was very wet and slightly cold. The pizza was really good, the best I've had in ages. Good thick base with plenty of topping. Almost like you might make for yourself. Not this measured out, two bits of this, half of one of those jobs. And not too expensive at all.
It seems that the weather has turned generally with reports of blizzards and snow elsewhere in Victoria, so I'll wait until the morning before I make any plans for the day. It might have to be the local zoo! In the meantime, come on Socceroos!
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