On Thursday we set off to see Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. We had always intended to visit this historic settlement when we lived in Adelaide, but we were always in a hurry to get to Melbourne or to get back to Adelaide. Ballarat is on the highway from Melbourne to Adelaide.
We stopped for our morning coffee at Dalesford, an historic town full of Melbourne 'trendies' with money in their pockets. A very prosperous town.
Mind you the picture below of the usual street with verandahs overhead did not yield many prospective customers. Too early in the morning?
Some very historic and picturesque buildings on the very wide street.
The Victa motor mowers. I think from the length of grass in some suburbs of Melbourne and Canberra, there must be a ban on using the Victa mowers.
Sovereign Hill represents conditions on Ballarat's early goldfields, ranging from tents, to huts, to shops, more well to do houses, mines, machinery and associated industries. There are also costumed staff who portray some of the behaviours and attitudes of the 1850's. A fascinating look at a piece of history.
The temperature was about 28 degrees and was very warm, due to the sun reflecting on the white surfaces, unpainted wooden buildings and unpaved roads. I would not like to visit Sovereign Hill in very hot weather.
Panning for gold. Apparently there is still some flecks of gold in this waterway.
A piece of history from the van Dam family. This instrument lathe once belonged to Rudolf and Walter's father (Cor), who brought it out from Holland in 1953. It is very old as it belonged to Cor's grandfather who used it in Holland. The family donated it to Sovereign Hill.
Little wooden houses, very basic with an open fire for cooking, and a couple of stretchers for beds. The flag acted as an identification of the resident in the house, rather like a street number. The Chinese quarters were so much more sophisticated with their wood burning stoves, which included an inbuilt wok, use of a wide range of meats and vegetables, dishes and beds.
A little snooze is a must for a wagon driver.
A small group of school children going for a walk with their teacher. Sovereign Hill caters for school children on study trips. They stay in accommodation on site and attend demonstration school lessons in the old school buildings. Period clothes are provided for them and their teachers and helpers. A very memorable history lesson.
Walking down the main street. Some of the buildings have restaurants in them. We ate a very tasty lunch in the Old Bakery.
This man was making gold mining pans for sale. All sizes!
Looking through the trees at some houses that are more substantial.
Connie and I resting in the very elegant front garden of a smart house.
A carriage awaiting the horse.
Six draught horses being brought through the town by one very experienced horse woman.
Sovereign Hill is definitely a place to visit if coming to Melbourne. We were very impressed.
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