U3A Ballarat Hikers

 U3A Hike No. 148 Hike Report by Ian Gordon’s walk for the fifth week of the month was ‘one out of the box’. Not only was it a perfect sunny Autumn day , but a different environment to the usual.   Ten walkers met at Ballarat Railway Station and caught a bus to Melbourne Southern Cross Station, where we met another two walkers. We then proceeded to a nearby tram stop and travelled out to Richmond via Swan Street. As we passed Bendigo Street, we learnt that Ken ‘grew up’ in this area many years ago (who’d have thought?), although as far as I’m aware, he didn’t meet anyone on the tram, or the walk, that he knew from his earlier days.   It was only a short walk from the tram stop to our start on the Main Yarra Trail where we paused to admire the Yarra and its picturesque surrounds. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live so close to this beautiful riverine environment, if only we could afford it? Certainly, many people have found a way, with quite a lot of high-rise apartments abut

 U3A Hike No. 147 Report by Gordon This walk report is brought to you by Blowhole, Shepherds and Flat, makers of Stee Pills the miracle product that makes you want to climb ev’ry mountain and ford every stream! All the leaves were brown and the sky was grey, we went for a walk on a winter’s day, and by the time we had crossed Sailors Creek and completed our first Stee Pill of the day we were warm enough to shed a layer of clothing. (Why rely on expensive and polluting central heating when you could use Stee Pills?) After further Stee Pills along the Excelsior Ridge Track, we were delighted to observe the Elevated Plains and Mt Franklin across Breakneck Gorge. (Did you know that 97% of Australian Psychiatrists recommend Stee Pills for combatting depressions and elevating mood?) Features of this portion of the track were bee hives, artisanal no trespassing signs and a palatial country property that was spread out in the valley below us thanks to a Stee Pill.  The walk along Newstead

  U3A Hike No. 146 Hike Report by Chris Twenty-four hikers gathered at the Garfield Water Wheel site for the walk around the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park.   The massive stone supports dating from 1887, are evidence of the largest waterwheel constructed in Victoria. Water was directed along races and a wooden flume for many kilometres to power the stamping battery.   After inspecting the remains of the waterwheel, we walked carefully along the partially concrete lined water race, avoiding Dirty Dick’s trail below. There were many mine shafts throughout the area both shallow and much deeper, as well as signs of puddling and sluicing and many other indications of prospecting.   We dodged a large golden orb spider in its web and saw spectacular sheer excavations from later slate mining (The distinctive Castlemaine Slate) . We explored many substantial stone ruins of the Welsh Village on the hillsides dating from the 1850’s. Some elderly fruit and peppercorn trees still remai