U3A Ballarat Hikers

 U3A Huke No 408. Hike Report by Sharon Moss Our first winter hike this year delivered all that Ballarat is sadly known for: wet, wet & more wet. Eleven hardy or maybe crazy hikers met at the Buninyong Cemetery. We visited the grave of Jessie McIntosh, a 4-year-old girl who went missing in 1867. She had wandered from her home on the outskirts of Buninyong, with her body found 4 days later near Durham Lead, despite having been seen by several witnesses. This was a tragic situation, as it was not long after three children were lost in Daylesford, their bodies found several months later. A brief car shuffle & we were underway. Beanies, scarves, gloves, coats & overpants was the dress code for today, with none of the usual wardrobe adjustments required! We wandered along well-maintained roads through the bush with the occasional climbs to help keep us warm. Not a lot to report in terms of flora & fauna. Several kangaroos were spotted in a paddock & lovely pops of pi...