Highlights
Take a guided tour through the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine
Walktrough the historic township
Train ride along Walhalla Goldfields Railway
Discover Heritage sites
Walhalla Corner Store & Museum.
The Old Post Office
Historic Fire Station
Walhalla Cemetery
Accommodation, dinner & breakfast at the beautiful Walhalla Hotel.
Inclusions
Return Rosa coach trip from Melbourne to Walhalla
Fully guided by a Sisterhood hostess
Accommodation, (single or twin share) dinner and breakfast at the Walhalla Star Hotel
Entrance into the long tunnel gold mine
Goldfields Railway train Walhalla to Thomson return
2 course lunch in a regional hotel on the second day.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Saturday 10 February 2024
Melbourne to Walhalla
Meet your Sisterhood hostess and driver on the corner of Lonsdale St and Spencer St for an 8.30am departure to Walhalla, stopping for a tea break along the way (own expense). The gold mining heritage is the main attraction, but the beautiful bush landscapes around town also offer interesting things to see in Walhalla. Arrive in Walhalla at 11.30am, and stroll around the township prior to lunch at the Wally Pub. The old gold mining town, once a bustling hub of riches, feels sleepy today but is a wonderful destination for visitors. After lunch we'll visit the Long Tunnell Extended mine for a guided tour.To really understand the gold mining days, we'll head underground to see what the miners saw for those long hours while they toiled away in cold and dark conditions, to be followed by more local exploring in the afternoon. Just taking a stroll down the main street is one of the best ways to see Walhalla. There are enough original (or restored) heritage buildings here to give you a wonderful sense of the Gold Rush era, when thousands of people lived in the community. Check into the Walhalla Star hotel for accommodation, dinner and breakfast.
Day 2 - Sunday 11 February 2024
Walhalla to Melbourne.
Following breakfast in the hotel there will be some free time in the town befpre we ride on a small section of the Walhalla Goldfields Railway, starting at the Walhalla station, travelling downhill over half a dozen bridges, through the valley surrounded by eucalyptus, and over a fast flowing river into Thomson. The train turns around and heads back up th hill. The scenery is stunning and, along with the heritage, makes the trip worthwhile. You’ll also be able to have a good chat with the volunteers who run it. Before leaving town we'll visit the cemetary. It’s often said that you can learn a lot from cemeteries, seeing how people died and at what age. The Walhalla Cemetery is no exception. More than 1100 people were buried here and, looking at the headstones, you can see that it wasn’t an easy life being a miner here. On our way back to Melbourne, we'll stop for lunch break (own expense) and arrive back in Melbourne at 6.00pm.