Over the top

Mount Beauty Pondage at dusk

Sunday 2nd June; Omeo

The morning was overcast and it had rained during the night and it started to rain again as I rolled up my awning - making the process quite uncomfortable. 

It was 7° in Omeo and the rain was increasing to steady. I did the heritage walk while considering my other options. I love the way that many of the buildings seem to have retained their original facades.  The Justice Precinct was closed because of renovations and appears to have been that way for a couple of years; it was a shame I couldn't explore that more closely.  However I did find out a bit about the buildings and general history.

Omeo's log gaol

For 5 years, when gold digging commenced in 1863, the closest law enforcement was Sale or Beechworth, so the diggers administered their own version of justice to the recalcitrant individuals amongst them, originally offenders were chained to a tree!  Fairly basic! From the arrival of law enforcement in 1868, lockups were constructed, including Omeo's log gaol.  

Old Omeo Court House

The Court of Petty Sessions was originally held in a marquee, with the 'Old Omeo Court House' not completed until 1861.  The first Police Magistrate and Goldfield Warden was paid 800 pounds per year and lived in the back 2 rooms of this building.  He also conducted church services and ran a library in the building - obviously he was required to be a man of many talents!

As the town population grew, the courthouse became too small.  A fire warmed the Magistrate but others were required to sit in an uncomfortable draughty space.

The 'New' Court House 1993

A new courthouse was build at a cost of just over 1400 pounds in 1892-93 and was considered to be 'a pleasing and restrained example of (architect) McDonald's work'.  The pebble dash, with pebbles from the gold diggings, was supposed to represent the Warden's role in settling mining disputes.  McDonald also designed the Omeo Post and Telegraph Office.

Waterwheel & other historic precinct buildings

Post and Telegraph Office 1891

The school house - still in use

The original school was a 3-roomed paling building which was subsequently replaced by the present locally made brick building.  The cost of education in 1866 was 1/6d per week - education was neither free nor compulsory back then.

A couple of substantial building housed banks.

The colonial bank

I then headed for the oriental diggings, open to changing my 'over the top' plans, depending on the weather which was looking miserable.

One of the tailraces

On arriving at the diggings, I saw some lovely crimson rosellas.  The diggings were quite interesting; the largest of Victoria's alluvial sluicing works - the landscape of Livingstone Creek much altered from its original.  As with goldfields in other parts of the country, Chinese (along with many other nationalities) escaped poverty in their homeland in the hope of finding their fortunes.  For Ah Fong, this was a successful endeavour.  His claim yielded some 6000oz of gold.

Sluicing requires water!  Lots of water!  And the miners dug more than 50km of ditches and channels to make tailraces to bring the water.

The Starlight Claim

Miners also dug caves and tunnels during the dryer periods - to access concentrations of alluvial gold in the clay.

I completed a circuit of the claims and paused for a moment at the creek as something in the water caught my eye.  Whether a playpus or a fish, I could not say and it did not show itself again.

A much altered landscap

 

I saw a few little brown birds on the circuit walk but certainly could not identify them.

I decided that I would travel via Mt Hotham;  the alternate road over Bogong High Plains threatens to be a worse surface and more exposed.

It seems the reason I had missed the Mount Kosciusko look out the previous day was because it's after Omeo not before it, so I duly stopped at the lookout and looked at clouds.

Snow laden snowgum leaves

I reached Dinner Plains.  It was 2 degrees with sleet turning to snow. Conditions I wouldn't bother going out in when on Ben Lomond!  So I ditched the idea of a walk to Carmichael Falls or around the alpine village and instead did a circuit drive of the village looking at the very interesting architecture - lots of corners, lots of very steep roofs, lots of interesting designs but there's got to be an enormous amount of money tied up in this village. Some buildings apparently are private residences, some are commercial, some are club; the full mixture in this extensive little community.  There are no photos because it's was so misty nothing would have photographed well.

My other reason for not lingering at Dinner Plains was an increasing desire to be over the top during the middle of the day and not as it was getting colder and potentially with more precipitation.

Lower and more gentle than my original thoughts of
And the river runs those giant hills between

It was 1 degree on the highest point of the road, and incredibly misty.  

There was snow on the vegetation, and evidence in places of earlier snowfall on the ground, but if the ski season is to open for the long weekend, much more is needed.

As I proceeded, I could only get a hint of how amazing the views might be if I were not in the middle of a dense cloud.

Lower and more gentle than my original thoughts of
And the river runs those giant hills between

The sun came out as I wound my way down the mountain side and admiring the alpine gum forests and the incredibly steep valleys.  The line ...and the river runs those giant hills between.. came to mind.  I would have loved to get a photograph but the only clear views are where it is impossible to safely stop, so i'll just have to remember the feel of the place and Banjo Patterson's epic lines.

Harrietville

To reach Harrietville, with its straight road was rather a relief. It is a very pretty town with its avenue of trees - many with the remains of Autumn colours.  It in many ways it's the equivalent on this side of the ranges of Omeo with it's range of businesses and services for those headed for the snow.

I passed a couple of signs say bushfire place of last resort which is a little scary.

I stopped at Patterson's lookout and enjoyed its wonderful view of Mt Bogong (1986m) and Mt Beauty.

Mt Bogong and Mt Beauty from Patterson's Lookout

I was in two minds about camping, partly because of the temperature the previous night, so I inquired at the caravan park. To camp, an unpowered site for my Subaru was $40, which I think a little excessive. The alternative was a an on-site cabin for $135 so I took the option of being able to be more comfortable and warm through the evening and not have to get dressed in all my winter woolies to go to the toilet in the middle of the night.

Mt Bogong from Mt Beauty

I put the somewhat tepid contents of my eski into the fridge and freezer and set off to walk the Mt Beauty Pondage Trail.  A particularly good choice!  Some lovely views were to be had.

From the Mount Beauty Pondage Trail

murals