Vic – Central & North

Full Steam Ahead

Victorian Goldfields Railway J549 heads out of Maldon towards Muckleford

Restored Memories

Victorian Goldfields Railway J549 heads out of Maldon towards Muckleford

Maldon Memories

A Victorian Goldfields Railway passenger train prepares to head off to Castlemaine

Letting Off Steam

In 2014, as J549 came back into service, it was named after the late Brian Frewin to commemorate Brian's efforts in the restoration

Rust & Restoration

Maldon trainyard relics

Maldon Station

A step back in time on the Victorian Goldfields Railway

On Track

Victorian Goldfields Railway J549 approaches the quaint Muckleford station, en route to Castlemaine

Muckleford Station

Midpoint of the Maldon-Castlemaine historic line

Xanthous Tones

Autumn colours on Lake Joanna, Castlemaine. The lake was created using prison labour in 1879 over nine months. In 2011, the shore was reinforced with rock and new trees, such as this one, were planted around the edges.

Winton Drylands

Once an artificial lake, Lake Mokoan has been shut off from river flows and is being restored as a natural wetland for birdlife and land recreation activities.

Sunset Lines

Red smoke haze intensifies an Autumn sunset near Benalla

Dry Earth

Preparing for a new crop during a dry year, with haze from nearby fire-control burns filling the sky

Archerton Bush

Walking trail near the historic Kelly Gang shootout site

Kelly Tree Monument

A plaque resembling Ned Kelly's helmet armour was placed in 2001 on a prominent tree near the famous gunfight site. The sign is inscribed with the names of the 3 police officers killed in 1878. The original 'Kelly Tree', marked by a stray bullet, was felled by loggers in 1908.

Kelly Gang Gunfight Site

This patch of bush at Stringybark Creek was where Ned Kelly, his brother Dan, and two others ambushed a police camp on 26 October 1878. In the melee that ensued, 3 of the 4 police were killed, with one escaping and hiding in a wombat hole overnight, before heading home and raising the alarm. From that point on, the outlaw group were known as 'The Kelly Gang' and it would be 20 months before they were caught.

Pitfall

150 years on and signs of the gold mining era remain