Across Australia - Part 6 - Mansfield, Victorian High Country

Kaya (hello) dear readers, as promised I am back with the next installment of my Across Australia series. Last time we explored the Wimmera/Mallee silos art trail, visited the amazing Stick Shed, Minyip home of the 1980s Flying Doctors TV series, and explored some of my family history. 

Today we leave Warracknabeal in the Wimmera/Mallee and travel eastward across country to Mansfield in the foothills of the Victorian High Country and the next feature stopover of our trip. Here is the map following our tracker.

The sun was coming up as we left Warracknabeal and farmers were burning stubble paddocks around Donald creating challenging glarey smokey driving conditions. However I thought it was a nice photo through the windscreen! 

We stopped briefly in Inglewood for a quick morning tea. It looked like a nice town with heritage architecture, but we couldn't stay for long as we had to be in Bendigo by mid morning to have a little problem with our caravan door fixed, which we had managed to organise through the wonderful owners of All RV & Campervans in East Bendigo. Thank you so much for your service! 

I am sure Bendigo has lots to recommend to the visitor, it certainly has many beautiful buildings, but we preferred to keep away from big centres on this trip and explore regional Victoria. In our 2 hours in Bendigo, as well as strolling the city centre, we visited the beautiful Sacred Heart Cathedral (which you can see below) which has links to Saint Mary McKillop, the Visitor Centre which was hosting an art exhibition, and had lunch in the Bridgewater Bakehouse.

After topping up on groceries, and picking up our caravan, we were back on the road again, stopping overnight at Heathcote. Another town worth a longer visit. 

A couple of birds from my husband - the Kookaburra and the Long billed Corella.

Next day we continued heading east through rolling hills, and bushland and past Puckapunyal Military Training base. 

Next stop - Seymour - which has the most amazing Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk which was opened in 2013. Under an avenue of trees 106 glass photographic panels are inscribed with the names of the 60,267 Australian service personnel and the 11 tracker dogs who served during the Vietnam War 1962-1975. Another panel is inscribed with the names of the over 500 Australians who died. As well as a helicopter and army tanks, there is a replica of the Long Tan Cross and a bottle tree (a native Australian tree) Avenue of Honour. The surrounding landscape features spotted gums representing rubber trees and native grasses representing rice paddies. It really was wonderful to see and we were glad we stopped. 

From here it was through crazy busy Yea for lunch (so many places to visit next time!) and into the lower highlands country to Mansfield, which was one of our targetted destinations.

We had pre-booked months ago a spot in the Mansfield High Country Holiday Park for the Easter weekend and were so glad we did as Mansfield was also cazy busy with people everywhere and all business open to take advantage of the holiday crowds. 

On the Saturday morning we went to the Easter markets held along a central park. Wow - over 180 stalls and thousands of people - huge! 

After a stroll through the markets, and a few purchases, we visited the Mansfield Easter Art show which attracts artists from all over Australia - stunning. 

We also went to the satirical Bald Archy Prize exhibition. The winner was a painting of Prime-Minister Albanese riding a kangaroo and flying the Australian flag. (The Archibald Prize is a prestigeous Australian annual portrature prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia). The Bald Archy is a little different! 

We had a stroll through some of the shops and visited the Visitor Information Centre for some local information. And our son bought a bushman's hat. 

Mansfield is the gateway to the Victorian high country snowfields of Mount Buller and Mount Stirling, and also is very much part of the culture of the Man From Snowy River movies, as they were filmed around here. I'll take you there in a minute. 

The memorial you see top right here is for three policemen who were killed at Stringy Bark Creek in 1878 by the infamous Ned Kelly Gang - more on them later! (there is something about Australia that make bushrangers so much a part of our cultural history)

Next day we drove down to Lake Eildon and the town of Jamieson. It was a very pretty drive through farmland with a background of mountains and trees starting their autumn colours. 

Houses at Goughs Bay were nestled around the edge of Lake Eildon which is actually a man-made dam. There are opportunities for mountain bike riding and bushwalking. 

Then continuing south along winding roads through Howqua to Jamieson. Watch out for the "wildlife high risk area" signs - in this case kangaroos and wombats - and "slippery when frosty" road signs - something new to us West Aussies. 

Everywhere seems to be busy for Easter and Jamieson was no exception. This part of Victoria is an easy weekend location for people from Victoria's capital city of Melbourne

We went for a walk around town, admiring the autumn colours which were just starting and visited the museum. Jamieson has an amazing array of exotic imported trees which do well in the lower highlands climate. They were having their autumn festival in two weeks time and the museum lady said they were hoping that more trees would have turned autumn by then. 

Jamieson has a rich history - a legacy of the 1850s gold rush - and many historic buildings. 

Below from top left clockwise you can see st Johns Catholic church who were having their Easter Sunday service, St Peter's Anglican church where there was an art fair, the Jamieson museum, and along the bottom some autumn colour.

And we had our picnic lunch in a lovely park along the Jamieson River.

Some more birds from my husband - clockwise from top left - Eastern Rosella, adult Crimson Rosella (back view!), immature Crimson Rosella, female Superb Blue Wren, Purple Backed Wren, and the introduced male Blackbird. 

On Monday we booked a Craig's Hut Tour with Steve from High Country Scenic Tours. If you have seen the Man From Snowy River movies you will know Craig's Hut in the high country. To visit the hut had been on my son's must visit movie location list for years  (he loves going to movie locations), and we were finally going to see it. 

Steve picked us up from the caravan park in his 4-Wheel Drive. We were rugged up as it was cold and had rained during the night. Steve was a great guide and had lots of background information about the movie as he lived here when it was filmed and a number of locals were used in the movie. 

The 1982 Man From Snowy River movie was inspired by the iconic poem by Australian poet AB Banjo Paterson, and stared Tom Burlinson (Jim Craig), Sigrid Thornton (Jessica Harrison), Kirk Douglas (two parts - Harrison and his brother Spur), Jack Thompson (Clancy of the Overflow - another Banjo Paterson poem), David Bradshaw (Banjo Paterson). 

First up we went to the location used in the movie for the Harrison homestead - now private property, named Harrison's View. The sign on the fence is very cleverly done, as it fits over the view if you stand in the right spot. The rearing horse is a lazer cut on the property.

Then it was up into the high country towards Mt Buller and Mt Stirling. 

Below is Howqua Gap hut where we stopped for morning tea. There are lots of walk and horse trails up here and you can make use of the huts. 

Then still further upwards to Mt Buller and Mt Stirling. Unfortunately it was completely fogged out and we couldn't see the mangnificent mountain views.

The sign on the left below is on top of Mt Stirling. That was all we could see - hardly "clear view". The trees you see are Alpine Ash. 

And finally via a steep rocky track to Craig's Hut - it was certainly atmospheric with the thick fog - but unfortunately we could see none of the sweeping views you see in the movie. Yes, we were a little dissapointed. And I am sure Steve was too especially knowing how excited our son was to visit, but you can't do anything about the weather. This was the third hut built on the site, the other 2 burnt down. The hut is unfurnished. 

Steve told us that he brought a full Chamber Orchestra (minus piano) from Brigham Young University, Utah USA to the hut to play the Man From Snowy River movie theme. I have shared the link here. I defy anyone (well any Australian anyway) not to be moved by this piece of music written by Bruce Rowland. It is a truly iconic piece of Australian music, and I get a lump in my throat every time I hear it. In the film clip you can see the views we would have seen on a clear day, if it wasn't for the fog. Enjoy. 

The basis of the Man From Snowy River movie came from the poem by iconic Australian poet AB "Banjo" Paterson first published on 26 April 1890 -  The Institute of Australian Culture.  

The poem tells the story of the Man From Snowy River who single handedly rounded up a mob of wild horses, and brought back the colt from Old Regret. Below is the first verse of the ballad -

There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around
That the colt from Old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses — he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.

Banjo also wrote the lyrics to the song Waltzing Matilda in 1895.

I just found this interesting little video - The Man From Snowy River - 10 Facts You Didn't Know - 

A few facts from the movie - 

They used trail horses, not brumbies.

The mountain men in the movie were locals, and told to come dressed just as they were. Absolutely authentic. 

Jim Craig's ride down the hill was done in several takes and then melded together. The original rider broke his leg on the first run, and a young local guy stepped in to do the ride for the movie, and went on to do other movies. 

Below is Razorback Hut where we had lunch. The hut was used until recently by local mountain country cattlemen during their annual cattle drives. Today it is a populatr spot for horse-riders, hikers and four wheel drivers. 

Many thanks to Steve from High Country Scenie Tours for a wonderful day - despite the fog. I highly recommend a tour with Steve. He also will do private transfers for you up to the ski fields in the season so you don't have to get snow chains etc for your car. 

More information - 

Australian National Film & Sound Archives - Man From Snowy River movie 

Man From Snowy River poem - The Institute of Australian Culture.

Mountain Huts Australia

High Country Scenic Tours

Thank you so much for stopping by. Have you seen the Man From Snowy River movie? Did you enjoy it? We have watched it many times. 

I hope you have enjoyed the tour today through Seymour and Mansfield. Next time we head back up to the Murray River. 

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

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