Search results for "castlemaine"
Expedition Pass Reservoir (Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park)
The cool waters of Expedition Pass Reservoir are a great place for a swim with family or friends on a hot summer day. Bring a picnic or a fishing rod or launch a canoe and go for a paddle. Fishing is possible all year round for holders of a Victorian recreational fishing licence. The surrounding forest, which was almost completely cleared during the goldrush, has regenerated significantly, making it a great spot for bushwalking and birdwatching. Visitor Tips: There is a small car park on Golden Point Road, but this fills up quickly on warm weekends and school or public holidays. Care should be taken along the busy road. For your own safety, do not park on the roadside. Why not park at the Monster Meeting Site or the Welsh St carpark (near Welsh Village and Nimrod Reef Mine) and walk or cycle to the reservoir from there? Dogs may be walked on a lead along the Forest Creek Trail (walk 7, red posts) between Castlemaine and Expedition Pass but are not permitted in the reservoir itself. There are no facilities, including bins so please take your rubbish home for recycling or disposal. Mobile phone coverage is unreliable. Take care in and near the water. The water may be cold, with deep holes away from the shore, shallow areas and submerged objects. Jumping in is not recommended and rope swings are prohibited. Serious injuries can occur. Always actively supervise children near water. Help us prevent bank erosion by not sitting on the tree roots and taking care when entering the water or launching a canoe. Expedition Pass Reservoir is in the North Central fire district. On Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating days the Park will be closed for public safety. Do not enter the Park. If you are already in the Park, leave the night before or as early as possible in the morning. Bushfire safety is a personal responsibility. Check the Fire Danger Rating and for days of Total Fire Ban at www.emergency.vic.gov.au, on the VicEmergency smartphone app or call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
Pennyweight Flat Cemetery (Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park)
Explore the harsh reality of the goldrush at the Pennyweight Flat Cemetery, located on a hill overlooking the Forest Creek goldfield where 30,000 diggers once lived and worked. Victoria’s most intact and evocative gold rush cemetery contains the marked graves of children and adults, including Chinese migrants, who died in the early days of the rush. Park in the gravel carpark on Colles Rd which is suitable for large vehicles including caravans, motorhomes and coaches. Visitor information and a picnic table are provided. There are no bins, so please take your rubbish home for recycling or disposal. Alternatively, park at the Garfield Water Wheel and visit the cemetery on the Pennyweight Flat Cemetery Walk (walk 4), passing gold mining relics and an old homestead along the way. Grade 3, 6.5km loop, 2-2.5hrs. Mountain bikes permitted. Well-marked gravel and earth tracks. Short section on bitumen. Gentle hills, uneven ground. Some bushwalking experience recommended. Wear sturdy footwear and bring drinking water. Visitor Tips: there is usually mobile phone reception at the cemetery itself, but it is unreliable on the Pennyweight Flat Cemetery Walk. Before you leave home, download the Heritage Notes for the walk from the park webpage and the Castlemaine Diggings Northern Walks map from Avenza Maps. The Castlemaine Diggings is a heavily mined landscape which contains a variety of ongoing hazards, including uneven and unstable ground, mineshafts, open cuts, quarries, and mine tailings. For your own safety, please stay on mapped tracks, supervise children, comply with local signs and do not climb over or around barriers, fences or on the ruins. Do not park or rest under or near large trees. Trees and branches may fall at any time and swing away from the tree. Please do not touch the graves or disturb the ground. All plants, animals, historical and archaeological sites and geographic features are protected by law. Prospecting is prohibited. Pennyweight Flat Cemetery is in the North Central fire district. On Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating days the Park will be closed for public safety. Do not enter the Park. If you are already in the Park, leave the night before or as early as possible in the morning. Bushfire safety is a personal responsibility. Check the Fire Danger Rating and for days of Total Fire Ban at www.emergency.vic.gov.au, on the VicEmergency smartphone app or call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
Garfield Water Wheel (Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park)
Marvel at the stone foundations of the Garfield Water Wheel, which was one of the largest water wheels in the world, and learn about the spiritual connection between water and the Dja Dja Wurrung People. Enjoy a short family-friendly walk around the former mine and surrounding bushland on the Garfield Mine Walk (walk 1, 500m circuit, 15mins) and Garfield Bush Walk (walk 2, 400m circuit, 10mins). Both are Grade 2 and follow gravel and earth tracks with gentle hills. Look out for interpretive signs around the wheel and trailhead and download the Heritage Notes from the park webpage to dig deeper into the features you can explore. Dogs are permitted but must be kept on a lead at all times. There are no bins at the picnic area, so please take your rubbish home for recycling or disposal. Visitor Tips: the access road is unsealed but suitable for 2WD vehicles including coaches. Garfield can also be accessed by foot or bike via the Leanganook section of the Goldfields Track (stop LT04). Discover even more of the area's mining history on one of the longer self-guided loop walks that lead to the Monster Meeting Site (walk 3), Pennyweight Flat Cemetery (walk 4), Quartz Hill (walk 5) and the Welsh Village and Nimrod Reef Mine (walk 6). All start from the Garfield trailhead and are Grade 3 walks ranging between 3-6.5km on gravel and earth tracks with gentle to moderate hills. The Castlemaine Diggings is a heavily mined landscape which contains a variety of ongoing hazards, including uneven and unstable ground, mineshafts, open cuts, quarries, and mine tailings. For your own safety, please stay on mapped tracks, supervise children, comply with local signs and do not climb over or around barriers, fences or on the ruins. Trees and branches may fall at any time and swing away from the tree. Please do not touch the ruins, climb on the foundations of the water wheel or disturb the ground. All plants, animals, historical and archaeological sites and geographic features are protected by law. The Garfield Water Wheel is in the North Central fire district. On Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating days the Park will be closed for public safety. Do not enter the Park. If you are already in the Park, leave the night before or as early as possible in the morning. Bushfire safety is a personal responsibility. Check the Fire Danger Rating and for days of Total Fire Ban at www.emergency.vic.gov.au, on the VicEmergency smartphone app or call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
Chokem Flat Camping Area (Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park)
The peaceful Chokem Flat camping area is located on the banks of Fryers Creek just off Campbells Creek - Fryers Road, and a short detour off the Goldfields Track (DD21). It offers a convenient central base from which to explore the Goldfields, including the nearby Red Hill mining landscape. The unpowered campground is ideal for large groups and popular with prospectors. It has picnic tables and a central fireplace. It is suitable for caravans and campervans. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a lead and under control at all times. No fees or bookings are required. The maximum stay is 42 days. Visitor Tips: there are no toilets. Human waste should not be buried within 100m of water courses, so portable chemical toilets are recommended. The nearest chemical dump point is located on Bridge St, Harcourt, beside the swimming pool. No bins are provided, so please take your rubbish home for recycling or disposal. Please camp at least 20m from riverbanks and other waterways. Prospecting is prohibited at the campground but is permitted nearby. To find out where you can prospect, download the Castlemaine Prospecting Map. Firewood collection is prohibited, so please bring your own from outside the park, or use a gas or electric camping stove or barbecue instead. Fires are only permitted within the fireplaces provided and may already be in use. Please ensure that: a three-metre area is cleared of anything flammable around your campfire; that you have at least 10 litres of water available for immediate use; and that an adult is in attendance at all times (awake, within 50m and with a clear line of sight). No fires may be lit on a day of Total Fire Ban, including campfires, solid and fuel barbecues and ovens. Built in and portable gas or electric barbecues may be used provided that they meet the conditions above. Chokem Flat is in the North Central fire district. On Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating days the Park will be closed for public safety. Do not enter the Park. If you are already in the Park, leave the night before or as early as possible in the morning. Bushfire safety is a personal responsibility. Check the Fire Danger Rating and for days of Total Fire Ban at www.emergency.vic.gov.au, on the VicEmergency smartphone app or call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.