Bendigo

We have enjoyed a day off the bike especially with the weather being so nice. After a leisurely breakfast we ubered to the other side of Bendigo to visit a motorcycle accessory store. AMX Bendigo is part of a large chain and most branches are quite big so there is a good opportunity to compare and try on items for several suppliers. Our next trip (watch this space) will be a different style of trip so different gear is needed.

So suitably lightened of $$ we ubered back to the hotel to try on our new kit.

We then walked a few hundred metres to a tourist tram line which has survived and risen from the ashes of the public tram system which was scrapped many years ago. There is a dedicated group of enthusiasts who have lovingly restored the carriages.

The tourist line is not long but stops at points of interest along the way and you can hop on and off as you please.

Bendigo is a gold mining town and in it’s day was the most prosperous town in Australia as evidenced by some very impressive buildings which have survived and have been restored beautifully.

We alighted from the tram at the site of the Central Deborah Gold Mine and signed up for a tour. The mine is no longer in use but has been transformed into a tourist attraction with the draw card of being an underground tour. Robyn wasn’t too keen at first but we qualified for the oap discount so couldn’t say no really.

( I’m smiling but I’m really gritting my teeth - not sure about going underground- R.)

Our guide ushered us into a little room for a safety briefing, then on with hard hats before being guided into a lift for a 60 metre (yep 60m) descent. Through a series of tunnels we experienced the conditions the miners endured, at least we saw it, the reality would have been very different for those men. Their health was destroyed, especially in the early days and life expectancy was not high.

The mines in this area are very deep, as I said we were at 60m, the actual depth of the mine bottomed out at 422 metres!

There are many mines still in operation in the area and are up 1.5km deep. Whew.

So back on the tram and home.

After a bit of a rest we walked 200m to a pub/bistro for dinner. A wind storm blew in and it was really strong a gusty, I hope it settles before tomorrow.

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