More Forest tracks etc

Today we investigated some tracks in the Stanley State Forest which is very close to Yack. Despite the map we had from the Information Office which included photos of relevant junctions we still managed to make a few wrong turns. Kohns or Cohns Track was recommended and we think that’s what we took and not Gravel Pit Track but after a while it became obvious only mountain bikes had been down it for a while. There were lots of branches to be moved and we decided eventually to return the way we’d come.

Extra work put into a Strainer Post

Plenty of humps and bumps.

Getting a bit gnarly around here.

Time for a U-turn

There were many signs to campsites and we went in to look at Campsite 7.

Driving in to Camp 7

Mountainbike riders hurtle down the hill and leap this hole…. or don’t!

There was a series of little caves around the campsite.

Walking the log

What kind of king doesn’t know how to sit on a throne?

Somewhere off Number One Road we came across some old gold mine workings.

Sluice at the old diggings site.

Remnants of a gold rush.

Pipe coming down the hill to the sluice.

We went back along the road to Beechwood to get a photo of the leaking tap mailbox then found the community owned Service Station and the Art Centre before going back to the main street for some food supplies.

Community owned Service Station and Fodder Store.

Art Centre in old railway sheds.

Yackadandah School

Sculpture in the main street.

Critter outside the Art Centre

Owl Sculpture

Beautiful artwork made from lids.

Close up of the lids.

 

These mailboxes are artistic too.

A Big Drip mailbox

Tractor mailbox

We intend to leave Yack tomorrow heading towards Bright.

Yackadandah and Beechworth

It was a day for doing laundry but there are only two machines in the Caravan Park and no Laundrette in Yack so we decided to go to Beechworth and check out things there. Apart from the Laundrette we saw:

Beechworth Jail

Great looking structure

Jail perimeter wall

Imposing gates

Sturdy lock

Bike Hire shop – a great way to escape through the jail wall.

Inspired by Ned?

Would you hire a solicitor working out of a jail?

Yeah! I can simply walk out.

Beechworth Council Chambers

Not quite sure why they needed such a big tap, maybe to clean up prisoners?

The temptation to play on this had to be resisted.

The builing on the right replaced the original.

Billson’s Brewery

Cordial range – we chose Raspberry with Vinegar and Mint Julep.

Alex in the old barbers’ cahir.

Old Barbershop cabinet, you can get your hair cut there now.

Gleaming vats

Old bottles

Special line.

When the ceiling was removed names of past workers were revealed.

Getting into an old school desk is easy, getting out not so.

The Carriage Museum

The museum belongs to the National Trust, they need a new group to maintain the past maintenance volunteers.

Hearse

Purportedly Morgan the Bushranger’s saddle.

The school bus.

Reminds me of the Amish carriages.

Pick it up there horsey.

The town is a collection of lovely old buildings from the school at one end to the Jail at the other and I’m sure they extend way back beyond the main street.

At night we went back to the Star Hotel hoping that a Jam Session would eventuate and we were lucky. It was fantastic seeing people wandering in with their instruments, there was a double bass, sax, guitars, banjo, tambourine, Irish tin whistle, bongos and another drum and a couple of fiddles as well as the pub’s piano. One young guy went from guitar to banjo to piano, equally adept on each of them. I counted eleven different musicians. I only saw one person with a folder of music or songs but one person would start to play something and then others would simply join in. It was a great night out.

No one felt confident enough to play this is front of everyone.

One end of the bar was the musicians stage.