More Kyneton (Castlemaine, Daylesford, Bendigo)

May 29th
Still having great weather.  To Malmsbury this morning and walked through the Botanic Gardens and looked at the viaduct.  Supposedly the first and still the finest example of keystone construction in Australia. 

Malmsbury - viaduct

Then to Castlemaine and stopped in to walk through the Forest Creek diggings and complete the self guided tour.  Of course I also had to solve the rock maze!!

Rock maze

 

This poor miner lost his head

After a drive around Castlemaine we headed for Daylesford.  We weren't looking for chocolate but came upon the "Chocolate Mill" and the best chocolate coated licorice ever (and I consider myself an expert)!!  The building is made of hay bales rendered with a mixture of soil and lime.  The beginnings of this business and the structure of the building was very interesting. 

Chocolate Mill

Then to Daylesford, a great little town of restaurants, cafes, boutiques and galleries and alongside Hepburn Springs which seemed to be a place of spa accommodation and mineral baths.  We went in search of the springs, found them, and had a drink from the hand pump.  Were really surprised because it was carbonated??  I must have been living under a rock as I did not realize that natural mineral water came out of the ground effervescent.   Thought they put the bubbles in when it was bottled.  Felt bizarre drinking soda water out of the ground!! 

Hand pumps at Hepburn Springs

By this time it was getting late, but we followed signs to 'The Blowhole' (another gold diggings site).  Getting dark by this stage so after a quick walk and look around we headed back to Kyneton.

May 30th
Woke up this morning to drizzle and it developed into steady showers as the day went on. Went to Bendigo today.  Walked the CBD as soon as we arrived, looking at the historic buildings and fantastic architecture.  Came across 'The Conservatory', full of chrysanthemums and some beautiful gardens.  Were wondering about the smell and noise coming from the gardens, however eventually worked out it was bats!!

 

 

Inside the Conservatory

The Conservatory

 

The Bats

Spent an hour in the 'Golden Dragon' museum which tells the story of the Chinese and their experiences and influences on the goldfields and then went out to Bendigo Pottery for lunch.  Beautiful pottery and great antiques for sale, a shame we have no room for purchases!

One of the original kilns at Bendigo Pottery

Decided to make our way back to Kyneton via Heathcote.  Stopped in at Lake Eppalock (another man-made lake) to check out the Victoria Speed Boat Club.  Big compound and a lot of on-site vans on the bank of an enormous lake.

Watching the news tonight we are beginning to realize how fortunate we have been.  April and May have been unusually dry and warm in Victoria!  Big front expected tomorrow night for the beginning of winter and 50 - 100 ml of rain expected over the next few days.