A drive in the country
I have been getting a little stir crazy staying at home with this cold and just my mum and the tennis on tv for company.
So I resolved to take a drive somewhere and headed out north along the Calder Highway with the country town of Castlemaine as my destination.
The day like the previous 3 started off cold and cloudy. I decided that it would be no worse out in the countryside than at home so left the house just after 10 am. Within 30 mins of leaving the sky began to clear and by the time I saw the sign for the turnoff to Hanging Rock National Park it had become a gorgeous day full of warm sunshine and blue sky.
Hanging Rock is the vestige of an ancient volcano, most of it eroded away leaving a solid caldera "plug" of unusual rock formations. It was so nice to be walking outside in the Australian bush again, the smells of native leaves, grass and flowers. As I claimed to the summit I was accompanied by constant and varied birdsong. .Gorgeous blue wrens, gold finches, cockatoos and rosellas darted amongst the trees in the surrounding forest.
View from Hanging Rock
Hanging Rock peeking through the trees
Although not a high summit at all, it is still high enough to enjoy wonderful views of the typically Australian country landscape. I was reminded how much I love this unique country. The summer fields below and the forest shaped by the ancient eucalyptus trees. It is equal to what I have back in France.
After Hanging Rock I continued on to Castlemaine, an historical gold mining town from the 1850/60s gold rushes. The town felt very run down, stores have become mostly cheap discount shops. I bought some very disappointing fish and chips for lunch and then left.
I decided to go as far as Bendigo. Another city built on the back of the gold boom. Bendigo was far more prosperous then Castlemain with impressive public building projects and wealth also from the surrounding pastoral holdings. I wandered Bendigo's streets lined with her grand Victorian architecture and passed by the huge neo gothic Anglican cathedral. I need to return another time and spend a night here to really get a feel for this city.
Bendigo Courthouse in Victorian Neo Classical style
The drive home was easy. I think there must still be many people on summer holidays. I spoke to Titi in the phone. He is back in France where everything is frozen under a chilly layer of frost. He will join me here in Melbourne on Friday.