Sat, 8th August, 2015 Spring Plains State Forest bush camp, Argyle (sightseeing)

Warmer night. 11 degrees in the van at 8am with the sun shining.

Jon rang – not having much fun with his starter motor in the boat.

Clouds coming over as we head off to explore the area. 10.30am 12.1 degrees outside.

Drove north and up Mount Ida. Parked (elevation 430m) then walked the rest of the climb to the towers.

Another survey mark.

Great view over Heathcote.

Wandered along the ridge further to the summit (450m elevation). Very rocky.

Better view from here where there is a clearing in the trees. Looking over the box-ironbark woodlands then Heathcote and around to Lake Eppalock.

The rest of the 360 degree view was great but we had to peer through the trees.

Walking back I got another couple of shots in the opposite direction. Lots of area that was covered in miners searching for gold. They got it all too!!

Walking back down the road another great view. That might be Mount Camel.

Check out the two different leaves on this eucalypt tree. Round at the bottom then thinning out as the tree gets taller.

Back down to the main road past another winery looking back up to Mt Ida and the towers.

Back into Heathcote then we turned off towards Mia Mia and Redesdale. Found where Jon’s boat trailer was made.

Fozzie rang to find Jon as he had called around to help him with his starter motor. We gave him his number and said that that the new one he got didn’t fit and he has to wait for another one.

We are following part of the Burke & Wills Expedition route which the road from Redesdale to Heathcote follows till the route turns north to go up through Lake Eppalock to Knowsley. We turned off onto Burke & Wills Road to look for a monument. It is a memorial to the flight by John Robertson Duigan in 1910. He flew for 7 metres in an aeroplane built by himself and his brother, Reginald, on their father’s property at Spring Plains Station nearby. It was the first Australian built aeroplane to be successfully flown. The plane is now in the Melbourne Museum.

Back to the main road and into Mia Mia. Found the Mia Mia Inn, which was built by Henry Farrell in 1848 was the first inn built along the track from Kyneton to the Murray River. The hotel closed in 1918 and most of the building has been demolished except for some of the bluestone wall which incorporated the former doorway to the bar.

Further along the road we crossed the Campaspe River which Major Mitchell had named earlier in his travels. The impressive Redesdale Bridge was built in 1867 and opened on 23^rd Jan, 1868. It is a short distance downstream from where Major Mitchell made his crossing in 1836. The bridge was opened by Mrs Morris, the wife of the councillor. Many notable residents attended the event – a banquet and ball were held on the bridge to celebrate the occasion. The bridge was supplied by Langlands & Co, an engineering company in Melbourne.

Across the other side we got out to see if there was any information – no, but I had my brochure at least. Looking down on the Campaspe River.

Into Redesdale where we stopped for a toilet break and found another monument stating Major Mitchell passed by here.

Went into the Rural Café that states its beginnings from 1867 though there was only one photo in the window of the shop being a butcher in the 1940s. The local paper ‘Bridge Connection’ had an article about the Café that we read while enjoying pizza and chips. Chatted with Jamie, one of the owners, who is from Leicestershire, England and he said they have been very busy. His girlfriend and her parents are the other owners and they have plans to expand. Good on them and I was pleased to hear they were doing so well as I wonder how all these little shops cope. There is an art gallery next door.

Turned towards Lake Eppalock where there are a few caravan parks which are full of permanent vans with big ski boats in their carports. Turned off to a boat ramp but it is obviously not used now, especially as the water is so low.

Further around is a new wider boat ramp with nicer picnic areas.

We drove around and watched the racing boat do a few runs.

Just skimming along the water though when he hit a wave it got the wobbles up. He got it right up on its rear a couple of times. My poor old camera though can still get the shot.

Further around we found the spillway. The dam construction started 9^th June, 1960 impounding the waters of the Campaspe River. It was opened on 17^th April, 1964. Further rehabilitation work was carried out in 1999.

Back to Knowsley then down the main highway to Heathcote.

Back to the van to get the fire going for camp oven roast dinner. It is still only 12.2 degrees. Texted Pete & Penny to see if they are calling in on their way to Maldon. David and Helen are already there but Penny wasn’t heading off till Monday so we will miss them. We will keep in touch and hopefully catch up somewhere again.

Lovely dinner.

Watched a movie with Robson Green, “Extreme Fishing” fame, in it. It was very good too.