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Lake Kerferd

5.1 Kms

The Walk commences near the Golden Horseshoes Monument at the northern end of Beechworth. From here drive your car along the Old Chiltern Road until you arrive at Ingrams Rock. We suggest you park your car here and walk towards Fiddes Quarry. Some parts of the walk are quitwe steep.

1        GOLDEN HORSEHOES MONUMENT

        This monument was erected to commemorate Victoria's first parliamentary elections held in 1855. Two gold mining groups existed in Beechworth, the "Monkeys", alluvial miners, and the "Punchers", dry miners. Each group forwarded a different candidate.

On election day in September 1855, a large procession was organised by the "monkeys" and led by their candidate, Daniel Cameron, marched from the Woolshed and Reids Creek goldfields to near the site of the monument. At this point Cameron's Horse was shod with solid gold horseshoes, each weighing just over 7 ounces.

Cameron rode on to electoral victory and his ride has become legend. The Beechworth Golden Horseshoes Festival is now celebrated annually during Easter.

2        INGRAMS ROCK

        Named after James Ingram, who was a local newsagent and bookseller, and who served Beechworth for 70 years in various capacities. He was instrumental in establishing the Ovens & District Hospital, Ovens & Murray Hospital for the Aged, Mayday Hills Mental Hospital and the Beechworth Primary School.

James Ingram died in March 1928, 6 weeks short of his 100th birthday. Respected throughout the North East, he was known as Beechworth's Grand Old Man. He is buried in the Beechworth Cemetery.

3        FIDDES QUARRY                   

        Named after William Fiddes, one of the original stone masons of the area. Granite from this quarry was used in the construction of many of Beechworth's finest buildings including the Court House, Powder Magazine and Newtown Bridge.

4        THE PRECIPICE

        From the Precipice there are excellent views of Spring Creek, ( Reid's, Reedy, Reed Creek ), and the Woolshed Valley. The Woolshed Valley was once the richest goldfield in the north of Victoria.

5        DIVERSION DAM

        This dam is evidence of the efforts the miners made to divert water for mining purposes.

6        CASCADES

        The walk to the Cascades is well worth the effort. Park your car here and follow the track down. The trip takes about 30 minutes.

7        SPRING CREEK BRIDGE

        Walk down to the creek where there are sculptured rock pools, and in spring many many wildflowers, including the green flowered Correa ( Correa reflexa ) and purple flowered Chocolate lily, ( Arthroopodium strictus ) to be seen. Box leafed Wattle ( Acasia buxifolia ), and the Blakeys Red Gum ( Eucalyptus blakelyi ) are also present.

8        PLANT PIONEERS

        Lichen and moss grow abundantly on this exposed rocky slope. These plants survive the hot dry summers and catch wind blown soil, leaves and tree seeds. The seeds germinate after winter rains and those that find a foothold in the crevices before summer may grow to maturity. The roots enlarge the crevices and the rocks are gradually broken down, creating more soil in which plants may grow.

Thousands of years from now this slope may be supporting a forest.

9        ONE TREE HILL

            During the 1850's and 1860's, many trees around Beechworth were cleared to provide timber for mine shafts and for firewood. One Tree Hill takes its name from a Red Stringybark ( Eucalyptus macrorhyncha ) being the ONE and only tree that survived the miners constant need for timber.

10        NATIVE PINES                                

         The unusual cypress like trees found along most of the drive are Black Cypress Pines ( Callitris endlicheri ) which thrive among dry granite outcrops.

FOR MAPS OR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE LOCAL TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE.

A Walk from the Powder Magazine

to the Woolshed Falls, a distance of 5.5 km.

Woolshed Falls The Woolshed Falls Area has its own fascinating walk, showing the effect of sluice mining on the creek banks and surrounding area. There are very good examples of the diggers enthusiasm where they have diverted the old creek by cutting a race through solid granite, and by creating a tunnel through a solid granite cliff. The Falls themselves are worth the walk alone.   Many Deep Mine Shafts Please keep to the track as there are many deep mine shafts on each side of the track. There were nearly 8,000 miners here at the height of the rush, as this goldfield was one of the richest in Victoria. From here you can see the Precipice above, an excellent lookout giving views over the Reid's Creek Goldfields and further into Kelly Country. Crossing Reids Creek and a 100 metre stroll will bring you to the Diversion Dam, another example of the efforts made to divert water for mining purposes. The Cascades, formerly Reid's Creek Falls, are here. There is a series of steep falls allowing the creek to drop to the valley below. The Powder Magazine was built in 1859 and used to store large quantities of gun powder, which was used to blast open gold bearing alluvial and quartz deposits. The magazine was closed in 1918. It is a very unusual fort like building, and well worth a visit.

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