Gold Rush Town

Spent a great day at Sovereign Hill, at Ballarat, 90 minutes from Melbourne.  A re-creation of the gold rush here, began in 1851. They've really done it up well...original equipment and machinery. A main street the way it would have been...minus the smells and violence. Demonstrations of blacksmithing, wheel making, gold pouring, candle making, soap making, forging, shooting, horse drawn carriage...you name it.  Actors dressed in period costume...as if they live here...just like they used to.    All the shows were done with good info and humour;  always something going on in the streets...'medical emergency', newlywed arguments, troopers marching down Main Street.

And of course the trip down into the mine, where they discovered the 'Welcome Nugget'.  Welcome, as the gold finds were starting to slow down.  It was the largest nugget (69 kg!) ever found in the world...and still the second largest.

Crazy temperature dropped almost 20 degrees overnight. First time we were sweaters during the day. Forecast to warm again tomorrow.Read more