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xenithBy my reckoning, if I leave at 7.30 and it takes half an hour to walk over to the cemetery and half an hour back, then I'll still have plenty of time for breakfast and I can leave for the bus at 9.
Spot the flaw in this plan.
No, it's not that it's still dark this early. (The photos are showing dark on this monitor. They show fine on my home computer so I forget that they are actually dark. I hope that hasn't been a problem.)
Nor that there is still frost on the ground.
No, I forgot to allow time to find things. Fortuantely, these turn out to be easy to find.
CHINESE CEREMONIAL BURNING TOWERS
"The savage Buckland riots of 1857 drove many Chinese to the Beechworth goldfields. By 1860 when these towers were built over 5000 Chinese were mining gold here. During burials paper tokens were burnt here and small offerings of pork and wind made to sustain the departing spirit accompanied by the ashes of burning paper prayers. Exploding fire crackers scared devils away. The turbulent gold years have gone but mortal remains of 2000 Chinese lie peacefully here in multiple graves."
Behind the actual towers is an altar.
It's interesting how the cemetery has been treated from a tourist point of view. There's a brochure which shows the location of any graves of interesting, including a couple of American civil war veterans and a Waterloo veteran, although none of the unmarked graves are included.
On the actual spot, if it's near the path, there's a sign. If it's off the path, as in the case of the war veterans, there's a little arrow pointing the way. I dutifully took photos of all the ones I walked past, but I won't include them here.
Although that's the Gammon children's grave.
Of course this takes longer than what I planned, so I walk quickly back to the hotel and just have enough time for a breakfast. Fortunately, I packed my bag before I left so I do a quick check of the room and then leave.
One last photo. I am a little sad to be leaving but there are more adventures ahead. Hopefully!
The drive to Wangarrata seems to take forever, especially as the bus doesn't take the most direct route.
That's Everton, I think
A bunch of galahs :)
Milawa
I am supposed to be catching the bus to Seymour at 10 am, and that time seems to be approaching faster than the town.
Oxley
It's only a couple of minutes to 10, so finally I do the sensible thing and talk to the bus driver. "Don't worry," he says, "they know you're coming."
As it turns out, we arrive just after 10, but the coach to Seymour arrives after us. Ha. There are two other people catching it too, except I'm not going to Seymour quite yet.
Instead I get off at Benalla.
I have a slight problem now. Unlike the other places where I knew I'd be going and I'd checked out before arriving, I don’t know what's here and where.
I'm also wondering after walking a few blocks if there was any point in stopping here.
Bank! Information place that way!
The lake is obviously a focal point of the town
That's some weird waterside sculpture-play area
The information centre is in the local museum. But they don't allow photos. ... Unless there are signs up specifying otherwise, I always ask. Most people say "Sure" as if it is odd to even ask. Some people, especially in the larger places, say "Sure, except (these bits)". These bits usually involve art, old books or aboriginal displays, which is fair. Some say "No flash photography" (as they did at the Burke Museum) which is also fair. "No photos at all" is unusual, outside of the National Trust. Bah.
There's a decent old bike display in here, which would have been more interesting if I hadn't been in a hurry, a nice-looking fashion display of silk dresses, some Kelly memorabilia of course including the cummerbund and that door, and a room for Weary Dunlop.
Back outside with a map, there is one spot I want to visit but first, as I've Given In, a detour to the courthouse.
Effectively the local courthouse for the Kelly family, there were a number of appearances by them. Probably the most interesting was in 1877 when Ned was charged with being drunk and disorderly and riding a horse on the footpath. Not so much for the charge, but on the way to court, he escaped and ran into the bookmaker's shop across the road.
Where he was tackled by four of policeman, one of whom Lonigan grabbed him by the balls, at which point he is supposed to have said "Well Lonigan, I never shot a man yet, but if I ever do, so help me God, you will be the first!" Of course, Longigan was the first to fall in the shootout at Stringybark Creek.
Benalla also was where the police were based during the hunt for the gang, at the Commercial Hotel, of which I did not get a photo. Uh uh. OK but it was just luck, right.
Finally, because if you're going to Give In, you might as well go all the way...
The marker and stone are recent. 1990s, I believe. A night burial, in an unmarked grave in an unconsecrated part of a cemetery. You can see what the intent was.
I did grumble a little at the process of finding it. Compared to the signposting and leaflets at Beechworth, it's harder to find things here. This grave in particular.
Or so I thought until I turned around.
Back to the train station now to catch the next coach.
With one quick stop along the way.
Anything I say will be copied from other sites, so I'll link instead.
I get back to the train station just as the coach to Seymour pulls in. I don't realise this, because it's a different company to the one that ran the others I've used. Fortunately, I ask the driver where he's going or I might have had a long walk.
Finally, we arrive in Seymour and it's onto the express train to Melbourne. My seat has been double booked with another woman's, but she takes a seat on the other side of the train, with more leg room, that no one claims. An older woman sits next to me and asks me what the seat number on her ticket is. Next I know, I am in conversation with both of them. I have become one of those people who initiate conversations with complete strangers. Uh. I retreat to my magazine to put a stop to this.
Spencer Street Southern Cross station. I'll avoid any mention of any police special trains that might have left from here at any point in the past.
From here, it is an easy matter to find a metropolitan train out to my brother's place. Actually out to about 20 minutus walk from him places, or more, because my overnight bag is incredibly heavy, I have no idea where the street is, my legs are worn out and it even rains for a few seconds. (Yes, rain, I did see some!)
Eventually I get there. The thing about walking is if you just keep doing it, one step after the other, you will get where you're going. He's not there, of course, as he had a "small accident" involving his bike the day before and he's in hospital :(
Which is probably a good thing, as I am Very Tired and my feet are Very Sore and I have sniffles. On the positive side, I can go to bed and SLEEP IN.
Spot the flaw in this plan.
No, it's not that it's still dark this early. (The photos are showing dark on this monitor. They show fine on my home computer so I forget that they are actually dark. I hope that hasn't been a problem.)
Nor that there is still frost on the ground.
No, I forgot to allow time to find things. Fortuantely, these turn out to be easy to find.
CHINESE CEREMONIAL BURNING TOWERS
"The savage Buckland riots of 1857 drove many Chinese to the Beechworth goldfields. By 1860 when these towers were built over 5000 Chinese were mining gold here. During burials paper tokens were burnt here and small offerings of pork and wind made to sustain the departing spirit accompanied by the ashes of burning paper prayers. Exploding fire crackers scared devils away. The turbulent gold years have gone but mortal remains of 2000 Chinese lie peacefully here in multiple graves."
Behind the actual towers is an altar.
It's interesting how the cemetery has been treated from a tourist point of view. There's a brochure which shows the location of any graves of interesting, including a couple of American civil war veterans and a Waterloo veteran, although none of the unmarked graves are included.
On the actual spot, if it's near the path, there's a sign. If it's off the path, as in the case of the war veterans, there's a little arrow pointing the way. I dutifully took photos of all the ones I walked past, but I won't include them here.
Although that's the Gammon children's grave.
Of course this takes longer than what I planned, so I walk quickly back to the hotel and just have enough time for a breakfast. Fortunately, I packed my bag before I left so I do a quick check of the room and then leave.
One last photo. I am a little sad to be leaving but there are more adventures ahead. Hopefully!
The drive to Wangarrata seems to take forever, especially as the bus doesn't take the most direct route.
That's Everton, I think
A bunch of galahs :)
Milawa
I am supposed to be catching the bus to Seymour at 10 am, and that time seems to be approaching faster than the town.
Oxley
It's only a couple of minutes to 10, so finally I do the sensible thing and talk to the bus driver. "Don't worry," he says, "they know you're coming."
As it turns out, we arrive just after 10, but the coach to Seymour arrives after us. Ha. There are two other people catching it too, except I'm not going to Seymour quite yet.
Instead I get off at Benalla.
I have a slight problem now. Unlike the other places where I knew I'd be going and I'd checked out before arriving, I don’t know what's here and where.
I'm also wondering after walking a few blocks if there was any point in stopping here.
Bank! Information place that way!
The lake is obviously a focal point of the town
That's some weird waterside sculpture-play area
The information centre is in the local museum. But they don't allow photos. ... Unless there are signs up specifying otherwise, I always ask. Most people say "Sure" as if it is odd to even ask. Some people, especially in the larger places, say "Sure, except (these bits)". These bits usually involve art, old books or aboriginal displays, which is fair. Some say "No flash photography" (as they did at the Burke Museum) which is also fair. "No photos at all" is unusual, outside of the National Trust. Bah.
There's a decent old bike display in here, which would have been more interesting if I hadn't been in a hurry, a nice-looking fashion display of silk dresses, some Kelly memorabilia of course including the cummerbund and that door, and a room for Weary Dunlop.
Back outside with a map, there is one spot I want to visit but first, as I've Given In, a detour to the courthouse.
Effectively the local courthouse for the Kelly family, there were a number of appearances by them. Probably the most interesting was in 1877 when Ned was charged with being drunk and disorderly and riding a horse on the footpath. Not so much for the charge, but on the way to court, he escaped and ran into the bookmaker's shop across the road.
Where he was tackled by four of policeman, one of whom Lonigan grabbed him by the balls, at which point he is supposed to have said "Well Lonigan, I never shot a man yet, but if I ever do, so help me God, you will be the first!" Of course, Longigan was the first to fall in the shootout at Stringybark Creek.
Benalla also was where the police were based during the hunt for the gang, at the Commercial Hotel, of which I did not get a photo. Uh uh. OK but it was just luck, right.
Finally, because if you're going to Give In, you might as well go all the way...
The marker and stone are recent. 1990s, I believe. A night burial, in an unmarked grave in an unconsecrated part of a cemetery. You can see what the intent was.
I did grumble a little at the process of finding it. Compared to the signposting and leaflets at Beechworth, it's harder to find things here. This grave in particular.
Or so I thought until I turned around.
Back to the train station now to catch the next coach.
With one quick stop along the way.
Anything I say will be copied from other sites, so I'll link instead.
I get back to the train station just as the coach to Seymour pulls in. I don't realise this, because it's a different company to the one that ran the others I've used. Fortunately, I ask the driver where he's going or I might have had a long walk.
Finally, we arrive in Seymour and it's onto the express train to Melbourne. My seat has been double booked with another woman's, but she takes a seat on the other side of the train, with more leg room, that no one claims. An older woman sits next to me and asks me what the seat number on her ticket is. Next I know, I am in conversation with both of them. I have become one of those people who initiate conversations with complete strangers. Uh. I retreat to my magazine to put a stop to this.
From here, it is an easy matter to find a metropolitan train out to my brother's place. Actually out to about 20 minutus walk from him places, or more, because my overnight bag is incredibly heavy, I have no idea where the street is, my legs are worn out and it even rains for a few seconds. (Yes, rain, I did see some!)
Eventually I get there. The thing about walking is if you just keep doing it, one step after the other, you will get where you're going. He's not there, of course, as he had a "small accident" involving his bike the day before and he's in hospital :(
Which is probably a good thing, as I am Very Tired and my feet are Very Sore and I have sniffles. On the positive side, I can go to bed and SLEEP IN.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-29 04:30 am (UTC)No, don't ask that. That's what caused the problem!