Unrequested by me, Phyllis had prepared the car for my journey, wiped down the exterior, vacuumed, P plates removed and filled with petrol.
There was no point setting off early when I couldn't check into my motel room until 2pm. I left home at some time after 11 and with a break for sustenance at a truck stop, (services in England. I don't know what they are called in America) I still reached Castlemaine early. I visited the nearby supermarket for supplies, and then it was near enough to check in time.
The room was nice enough, and the aside from the tiny brown floor tiles in the bathroom, it had been updated to modern and fresh.
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Not that I saw anyone use it, and not knowing if it was heated, the pool and spa did look rather good and well maintained.
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Celebrating the gold miners of Castlemaine, in the middle of a roundabout is this statue and the water wheel works, filling and pouring out water.
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I drove around a bit, becoming familiar with the town's layout. Up a steep hill was the Burke and Wills monument, they being two explorers who set off inland in the mid 1800s and perished during their attempt to travel Australia south to north.
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Erected by public subscription AD 1862.
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The views of the town below were rather good.
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I wanted to see one more thing before my late afternoon rest, and that was the Alfred Passalaqua Memorial Lookout. It was a twelve minute drive from where I was. The photo of the escarpment does not do it justice. It was quite something. I should research how it was formed, but I won't.
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I returned to the motel for my late afternoon rest, and then had my usual pre dinner drink, and realised I couldn't legally drive to get dinner, so I walked to the supermarket and bought a bachelor's handbag. Very naughty but very nice.
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Castlemaine eh? Any leads on the "Wild Colonial Boy"?
ReplyDeleteAnd how do you pronounce the "castle" bit? (I'm asking about the vowel, not the "stle".)
C - aaaah - stle
Delete"Car-stle"? Or "Mama Cass-tle?" rhyming with hassle.
DeleteI pronounce the name the same as I pronounce Newcastle, but that is not helpful. I would say Bel is close but my pronunciation is a bit shorter, more New car stle. I didn't hear a local pronounce the name, and if I did, I would take my lead from them. Their town, their history of pronunciation.
DeleteI may have seen a lad or two who could be a 'wild colonial boy'.
Beautiful photos, Andrew. Enjoy your time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. :) The name for your dinner made me laugh, especially since my husband suggested a takeout fried chicken dinner. It was naughty, for sure. lol Travel safe and enjoy!
ReplyDeletePretty countryside and I learned of "Bachelor's handbag"!!!
ReplyDeleteBurke had been the head of police in Castlemaine, so it was appropriate that this was where the first and most impressive monument had been built to honour the two explorers.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Hels, as I so often comment on your blog. Thanks.
DeleteI believe it is a lovely town. Carol and David have visited often when they were looking for a property.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice Diane, but I think they are better in the greener pastures. Open forests scare me. There is no where to hide.
DeleteLooks like an interesting and scenic trip. Truck stop.. usually called a roadhouse in the West. Some history too, places I've only read about. The Dig Tree by Sarah Murgatroyd, about Burke and Wills ill fated trip is worth reading. Thanks for showing us an attractive piece of NSW, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteBel, we may call it roadhouse too, perhaps in older days when they were more modest.
DeleteYes well Castlemaine is in Victoria, (I'm just an ignorant sandgroper)
ReplyDeleteI have forgotten which state is the sandgropers. Mine? SA?
DeleteWA. Sandgropers are the insects burrowing in Perth's sandy soils.
DeleteYou saved me from correcting you.
DeleteThanks to Google, I know know what a Batchelors Handbag is. I was expecting it to be similar to a yellow suitcase (BAOR/Cold War Sling for a box of beer)
ReplyDeleteI did provide a link with an immediate explanation. A box of beer may have been in the other hand of someone carrying a Batchelor's Handbag.
DeleteWe call them rest stops here. Looks like a lovely town. What made you travel there? Just for a change? Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeletePixie, I haven't seen much of the west of the state of Victoria, so I plan to do so, in small bites.
DeleteThoughtful Phyllis, that was good of him to do that for you. Bless him.
ReplyDeleteIt's a nice place there, views are good. We only drove through there.
I have had two of those "Bachelor's Handbags" recently, Woolies here has a new recipe or cooking method, the bags are labelled "Country Style" and the Chickens are delicious. Much of the meat ends up in ziplock baggies for later sandwiches.
ReplyDeleteYour photos of Castlemaine and surrounds are very nice. I have never been there.
Fascinating to see what other countries look like, the photos are pretty good. Enjoy the holiday, Jass and the two boys are partying away happily in your absence. 10 out of 10 for Phyllis being such a caring boy.
ReplyDeleteSuch vast vistas. Australia is a beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteWonderful views, and the working water wheel is fascinating. The area is prone to flash floods, judging by the deep water drains. Does every bachelor's handbag (love that phrase!) contain a complete roast chicken? Do they come in different sizes?
ReplyDeleteGenerally one size JB, small weight differences matched to price, and it is a full roasted fowl.
DeleteCastlemaine is very alternative
ReplyDelete