Cheviot Tunnel revisited

We decided to revisit the Cheviot Tunnel near Yea. Naturally we couldn't go directly or via any main roads. So we went via Strath Creek and a couple of small places on the way. We thought we might be able to find our way through some of the forest along some of the dirt roads and fire trails. Somewhere along the way we couldn't go any further and decided to find a main road. Anyway as we were coming out we got a clear picture of just how well the forest and area had recovered from the Black Saturday fires.

So we got to the Cheviot Tunnel and it was interesting to see what had grown back and what hadn't. Around the Tunnel itself it didn't look as if the fire reached here at all. I got some interesting photos of the tunnel.



This one is a little out of focus but I really like it.
Those are my legs in the lights of the car.


This is our not so evil car. It looks very much like an evil face in the dark like this.


This probably needs to be cropped a little. But it is an interesting illusion that makes the trees in the background look like they are growing in a circular fashion to match the tunnel.

Easter at Maldon

Over Easter we decided to go for a trip to Maldon, just a little west of Bendigo. We started by having morning tea at Castlemaine before moving on to Maldon. They have a great park to eat in. It is right next to the information centre and so toilets are handy. We bought some hot cross buns at the market they were having, best hot cross buns I have ever had. They were made by the bakery in Trentham. Awesome.

Check out the happy faces.

This is the main street of Maldon. It is a small town but on Easter Sunday it is mostly open. They have lots of cafes and restaurants and we enjoyed a fabulous lunch at one. Unfortunately it is at the other end of town so you can't see it. It is first on the way into town heading north on the left. It has this great little statue in its garden.

After lunch we wandered around and discovered that on Easter Sunday they have go-kart races down the very big hill they have. It's probably a mountain.

Then we drove up the mountain and climbed their tower. This is Maldon from the tower.

After leaving Maldon we moved on towards Bendigo and came across the Porpupine Flat dredge. It has been left there for years but it is somehow still interesting. A lumbering hulk just rotting away.

The 2 photos below are both the same but the one on the right has been throuogh HDR and Photoshopped. It somehow makes it look quite surreal.

On the way home from there we drove there Spring Plains. I'm not sure if it is a town that is not there anymore or if it is the name of the property. Read the plaque, it is a memorial of the first powered flight of an Australian built aircraft.