Tiny Towns of Gippsland
An ongoing photo essay, this will highlight some of the delightful little towns of the region.
Click on thumbnails for larger image.
|
Heyfield This is my place of birth and the town in which I lived for the first decade of my life. These days, Heyfield is known as "The Gateway to the High Country". Back in the 60's it was simply "home". Population 1,600, the main industry is a timber mill and the town is surrounded by fertile farmlands. |
||
 |
|
|
|
|
It's always interesting going back to the place of one's birth and finding that, thirty five years later, not much has changed. On a bright and sunny Sunday afternoon, there was barely a soul to be seen and not much was open. The most amazing change though, was to find the old Memorial Hall has been modernised and spruced up with the most incredible lavender and purple paint job. |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
||
|
Walhalla A photo essay of the small towns of Gippsland wouldn't be complete if it didn't include Walhalla. The town was settled in the mid 1800's, during the Australian goldrush. Gold was mined here for many years under very difficult circumstances, as the town is built in a steep, narrow valley in the Strzlecki Ranges. The town virtually died when the gold ran out but is now being brought back to life by a group of dedicated residents. Electricity was connected to the town in 1998, the last place in Australia to be added to the grid. Aside from the old genuinely old buildings and authentic gold mining remains, one of the main attractions is the very historic cemetery. Walhalla is situated about 50kms north of Moe. |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
We visited Walhalla on a quiet, overcast Friday afternoon during the winter school holidays. From a photography perspective, it's a difficult place to shoot due to the steep valley setting. It's best photographed on a bright overcast day when shadows are minimal. Be prepared for walking on rough terrain and up fairly steep tracks. |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Erica and Rawson These two little towns form the gateway to the Baw Baw national park, and the snowfields. The historical and pretty township of Erica is located 32 kms north of Moe; Rawson, which was built to house the workers on the Thompson River dam project, is a further 3 kms on. |
||
 |
We visited this region on a beautiful autumn afternoon. There is much to see here, including the Thompson River dam and some very good places to stop for a meal. The burgers and pies at the Erica General store are outstanding. |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
Meeniyan A pretty little town situated 150 kms south east of Melbourne, Meeniyan has a country charm all of it's own. The main street is filled with interesting antique and craft shops, which sit side by side with gourmet cafes and restaurants. |
||
 |
We lunched in Meeniyan on a sunny autumn Sunday, then wandered around the shopping area taking photos. One could easily spend a whole afternoon browsing in the lovely shops. |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Yarragon The tiny village of Yarragon is situated on the Princes Highway in West Gippsland. The village is renowned for it's beautiful galleries, antique and speciality gift stores, gourmet food shops and local craft outlets. It's a great place to stop and have a browse!
|
||
 |
We visited Yarragon one evening when the shops were closed. This accounts for the lack of traffic and people. The photos were all taken in a one hour period as we strolled around the town. |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
