Day 25 30.10. 18 Haddon

We've decided to stay put another night. So we are having a cycling day and heading to the botanical gardens . We've ridden 30+kms today and walked a few more.
We rode on part of the Ballarat to Skipton rail trail . ⬇

Stopped to watch the sheep ⬆

 Victory arch ⬆

Avenue of honour⬆

There is a big art show on all over Ballarat.This represents lava flowing⬆& a volcano ⬇

 Black swans by lake Wendouree⬆

         Avenue of Prime Minister busts⬆

 Our 1st Prime Minister, 1901.

Julia Gillard got the prettiest spot.⬆

 This was one of my favorite displays⬆

             Horse Chestnut flowers ⬆
We finally left the gardens and I spied a trout farm ⬇but it wasn't open to the public.

Then it was on to the tram museum .

I got to drive the tram 😉 ⬆

Coloured glass panel on a tram.

We moved on to the prisoners of war memorial.

Names of all who were captured.

Then we rode on to the Olympic precinct.

Rowing events were held in Ballarat during the Melbourne Olympics in 1956.

 More art sculptures ↕

 Made from broken waste glass⬆

 Ballarat high school ⬆looked impressive .

             War memorial in Haddon ⬆

Finished another busy day with a delicious dinner outdoors watching the sun go down.
It was very chilly last night and the electric blanket got a good workout. I think it might again tonight.

Day 24 29.10. 18 Haddon, Ballarat, Victoria 177km

Today we start the slow trek home.
Morning tea stop in Ballarat at a park outside the Eureka center.

       Delicious baby cake from yesterday.

 

Navy battle cannons at the Eureka memorial. 

                Eureka flags at the center .

The more people working together made this display into an electronic chorus. It was beautiful despite the silly photo .

We decided not to go to Sovereign Hill as it was $45 each and we didn't really have enough time to do it justice. Instead we went to the gold museum  and spent a couple of hours there.

  The view in the gold rush days ⬆
                    and the view today ⬇

          19th century entertainment ⬆

Good thing we don't have to wear that many layers any more!

             Modeling a Victorian bonnet.

                                         ↕

Women wore mourning jewelry made from gold, sometimes with a photo of their deceased loved ones.

English migrants to the gold fields brought cricket to the colonies. ⬆

                  Mayoral chain ⬆

Gas lights used on the tricycles ⬆
We wandered through part of the town, looking at the old buildings .

We are camped beside the Smythes creek in Haddon, a small town about 20 kms south  west of Ballarat. Reception is not great but the surroundings make up for that.