U3A Ballarat Hikers

 U3A Hike No 280 Hike Report by Jan  As is our custom, whenever there is a fifth Thursday in the month we head off to do a walk in Melbourne somewhere. Fourteen of us met at the Ballarat Railway station  just after 8 am  and caught a train to Footscray station where we jumped off and got on a tram out the front of the Footscray Market. This took us to stop 48, close-ish to Highpoint Shopping Centre, where we walked along busy Cordite Avenue/Canning Street to the official beginning of our hike along the  Maribyrnong River Trail .  But first was the all important stop for toilets and morning tea in the Canning Reserve BBQ rotunda. As we walked along the paved river trail we noticed the huge area that the Defence Department occupies on the opposite bank. Apparently it is now little used. The Riverview Tea Gardens which were built in 1909 and included sports grounds, tennis courts, a dance hall, bird aviaries, a native animal enclosure, kiosks and statues. Sadly, a replica of the White Lad

 U3A Hike No 279 Hike Report by Lyn The day was overcast and hazy as our group set out from the Berringa Recreation Reserve and started walking back towards Ballarat. Soon we stopped and marvelled in awe as Andrew waved a $50 note in the air, then a $5 note apparently picked up from amongst the roadside litter. However we were not fooled and Andrew returned the notes to his pocket and we continued on.  Our first mine we came across was the Birthday Tunnel mine set high up the steep sided gully. Since our last visit in February 2021, the mining relics consisting of brickwork and a rusting boiler were still evident but a new addition in the form of a modern looking living transportable container was within close proximity. Not wanting to hang around for too long we then descended the steep sided gully concentrating on our foot placement as it would have been very easy to slip on the downward leaning grasses, although we took time out to look at the impressive mullock heap.  With expert n