Sunday, April 26, 2026

Castlemaine 2

In the morning I looked for a place to sit and have brunch. The former Post Office was impressive. 


I visited the tourist information centre, within a former market place building. There were quite a number of volunteers, but I did not need help. These, well I don't know what to call them, but there were quite a number of them, all very impressive.


I've no idea what this is, perhaps related to mining. 

The old station was demolished and the station clock sent to Melbourne for disposal. It was rescued by locals. The face says, Christian Lange, 99 Strand, London. 



A memorial to a long forgotten politician.

I discovered Saffs Cafe and ate brunch there, with a very welcome cup of coffee. Don't sit near the doorway at the rear of the cafe. The timber floor bounced, as I did, every time someone walked past.

On the outskirts of town was what was called a 'direction marker'.  There weren't any directions to the marker. I saw a car parked on the gravel road I was driving along and a single sign that did not point to the marker but there was a track leading into the bushland. Along the uphill path I walked for few minutes and came to this structure, built for whatever reason, then a simple rotunda.

There were two of these very odd concrete benches. 

This must be the signal marker, although there wasn't a sign indicating anything. I will guess that at some point the hill was cleared of trees so that the marker was visible from wherever. 

Next, two old aunties chatting on a bench. 

20 comments:

  1. Nothing like going out for a cup of coffee.

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  2. Impressive building. I love these old one with the history. Quite a few here. You inspire me to remember to photograph stuffs.
    XO
    WWW

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  3. If I ever go to Saffs Cafe I shall try to remember about the bouncing floor. I rather like the "Twiggy Shelter".

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  4. That bench doesn't look very comfortable.

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  5. Good to see. Bit of a worry having your coffee with a bouncing floor, as long as it didn't collapse. I like information centers, always interesting to me. We visited one at Gilgandra in NSW, we ask what was south of the town, the man said, 'I don't know I've never been out of Gilgandra' and he was an aged person.

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    1. I've experienced it before Margaret. I should have known better.

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  6. I love that clock. It would look great in my snug!

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    1. I reckon it would JayCee.

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    2. PS: just found this regarding that white thingy ...
      DSC_0233 Thompson's Foundry diving chamber, Market Building, 44 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine, Victoria
      This diving bell was used to recover $5 million of gold ingots from the 'Niagara' which struck a German mine when just over 4 hours out of Auckland NZ on June 19th 1940 and sank in c. 130m of water.

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    3. Oh darn Jaycee. You have rolled right in and stole my thunder!

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    4. Thanks to both of you. I thought it looked to be diving related but I couldn't work out the connection to gold mining. Is it US$5 million or Australian/New Zealand £5 million? It is a lot of very valuable gold.

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  7. Looks like you have been out exploring

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  8. I like that concrete bench and the structure

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  9. The old Post Office looks lovely, with fine displays. I'd give that clock house room.

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  10. That branch arch looks like a boy scout project. Interesting to know what it's about.

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    1. It does Boud. I thought of a song line, "I want to live in a wigwam". Maybe Cat Stevens.

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  11. I meant to say I really enjoy your history notes about the places you get out to.

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  12. That definitely looks like a marker, but rather uninspired one! The branch structure is similar to ones I've seen on Hampstead Heath. I think people just build them for fun.

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  13. Great photos! I'm glad the clock was saved; this reminds me of how we got a beloved historic sign picked up by The American Sign Museum. :) That bench looks like a torture device. lol Travel safe!

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