A very short walk from our hotel is the Weerona lake, a pretty little lake with leafy shady trees along the waters edge and little bouys that demarcate the rowing lanes. It’s wonderful that our ancestors had the foresight to save a part of a town for a park or other similar public works. Modern statemen might learn a lesson or two and not sell every bit of land for a tiny bit of profit.
At the southern edge of the lake is a cafe/restaurant called the Broadwalk, which has absolute water front views, and appears to have a monopoly of the views. At 8am, the sun was low and the view from the deck is absolutely beguiling. Birds and ducks were gliding above the surface of the lake, where their wing tips would gently touch the water surface with every flap. The trees would wave softly with the morning breeze, which bring a mild chill to our faces. Every man, woman and dog appeared to have dressed up in their yoga pants as they all power walked passed our table.
The prices at the Broadwalk was insane. Most dishes were close to 30 dollars, and a bowl of granola is 20. We studied the menu for a while, and decided to share a vegan big breakfast at 28 dollars. The plate of food was delicious and a decently sized portion, but I do feel like we paid 5 dollars of ‘lake view’ tax, which on a fine Sunday morning, I was happy to oblige.
The historic ‘Talking Tram of Bendigo’ was our next activity. At 10 dollars per adult, it’s an affordable way to see Bendigo, get out from the sun and hear some mildly interesting pre-recorded commentary. I love historical trains and trams, and this one is as charming as any I’ve been before. Ruby screamed with delight and couldn’t contain her excitement as the wheels of the wooden tram began to churn. The noise and sometimes violent shaking of the old tram actually gave the ride a sense of occasion, and gave you a prolapsed disc.
Seeing the ‘Boom Era’ buildings lining the Pall Mall in a historical tram is magical. In the sense that we were instantly transported back in time. The tram is very tall and you are above most of the cars, so all you see were the pretty Victorian facades and the stately gardens, and none of the grunge of modern life. The most impressive part of Bendigo is arguably the cathedral, which is the 3rd largest in Australia, and feels even bigger on the hills. Apparently the church was only completed in the 1970s, after 100 years of building works.
The tramline is book-ended by the Joss house, which is an old Chinese temple on the northern end and the Central Deborah Gold Mine in the south, which you can descend into a real historical gold mine. Unfortunately kids under 3s are not allowed, so we will have to return in 6 months time.
The last activity of the morning before we drove onto Echuca was the Long Gully Splash Park. It is a small free suburban public water park that has hundreds of water sprouts from every angle blasting water at you at random time intervals. It’s surprisingly trilling even for an adult, as you never know when or from which direction you might be blasted by a cold icy jet. I got the shock of my life when a jet of water shot between my legs, and promptly drenched my crotch. Which is a good lesson for you, my dear reader, to always wear togs in a water park.
Up next: Echuca, the town of the paddlesteamers.
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