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The Great Alpine Road High Country Victoria

Beechworth Victoria Accommodation and Holiday Information

Beechworth Accommodation and Holiday Bookings

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Location : Beechworth is located 271 km north-east of Melbourne via the Hume Freeway

 Beechworth is a thriving country gold town centrally located to the snowfields and the district's features and attractions. The town is surrounded by beautiful forests and streams that attract nature lovers from around the world. You can fossick for precious stones or flakes of gold. Or perhaps the opportunity to converse with the winemaker while sampling world-class wines. . Beechworth has over 30 buildings listed with the National Trust and, for the most part, they are substantial and often elegant buildings in excellent condition. The country around Beechworth is full of reminders of the gold rushes. Visitors have the opportunity to walk in Ned Kelly's footsteps with daily walking tours available through the historic and cultural precinct. Beechworth is not just a well-preserved old gold town, its a thriving country town, making it an ideal base from which to explore northeast Victoria.

Things to do in Beechworth

Wine and Food The Beechworth Region is renowned for localy grown produce; nuts, berrires, apples, olives and preserves are showcased in our excellent restaurants, historic pubs, cafes and food and wine retailers.Enjoy the staisfaction of picking your own fruit, berry picking is available in season. Fresh farm gate produce is also available in season.The rich mineral hills around Beechworth are home to more than two dozen vineyards. Beechworth is a region with a range of altitudes and different aspaects of topoghraphy where several grape varieties are grown. The combination of these factors allows each vineyard to produce very individual wine.

Galleries

Gardens

Discover the “Echoes of History” more information find below

The Precinct The collection of buildings that make up the precinct and the grounds surrounding them are amongst the most significant Gold Rush buildings in Victoria. They are on the registers of Heritage Victoria, the National Estate, the National Trust and the Indigo Shire Council planning scheme. Your support in their preservation is important.

Beechworth Courthouse One of the finest remaining gold-rush courthouses in Australia. Built in 1858, the courthouse served many judicial purposes until its closure in 1989. The courtroom was the scene of countless trials involving Ned Kelly, his mother Ellen, bushranger Harry Power and Elizabeth Scott. Sir Isaac Isaacs, Supreme Court Judge and Australias first native born Governor-General, began his legal career in the courthouse. The courtroom has a sound system that re-creates parts of the trials of yesteryear and the holding cells tell tales of despair, hope and humour

Beechworth Telegraph Station Opened in January 1858, this building was a key point of communication throughout the district. In 1871, the telegraph station was remodeled to become the District Survey Office of the Lands Department. In late 1999 the Department relocated within Beechworth. The office now contains exhibits of telegraph and surveying equipment. It also has a collection of recordings from Beechworth identities who give personal views on the development of their town. The Time Table provides an audio visual glimpse of the growth of Beechworth from a rocky outcrop to a bustling town. The Telegraph Station is open every day except Christmas Day from 10am to 4pm.Please note that the Telegraph Station may close on occasion to cater for group activities.

Robert Ohara Burke Memorial Museum Erected in 1857, the building changed its name in 1863 to honour the explorer Robert OHara Burke. Burke was the Police Superintendent in Beechworth from 1854-1858. It is one of the best provincial museums in Victoria. Tickets for the precinct can be obtained at the museum and it is a preferred entry point for bus groups. Within the museum is the "Strand of Time", a re-creation of Beechworth shops from the 19th century. A soundscape complements the buildings, bringing life to a fascinating replica of Beechworths early commercial centre.

Powder Magazine This building was restored by the National Trust in 1966 and is a unique addition to the precinct. It was once a storage room for gunpowder, which was house behind thick granite walls. This building is located away from the central precinct buildings.

Gold Office & Sub - Treasury Originally built as a Gold Office and Sub-Treasury in 1856, the building served as a storage area for gold found on the gold fields. The gold was then transported fortnightly to the Melbourne Treasury. In the 1880s the Sub-Treasury became the Beechworth Police Station, and it continued to operate as such until a new police station was erected nearby in the mid 1990s.

Chinese Protectors Office The Chinese population grew quickly during the gold-rush. In order to ensure harmonious relations on the goldfields, a Chinese Protectors Office was established in 1859. The Chinese protector was responsible for the collection of miners rights and business licences, and for enforcing the rules of the protectorate. it became the Mining Registration Office in 1864.

Wardens Office The Gold Warden carried out similar functions to the Chinese Protector, but within the European community. This building was erected at the same time as the Chinese Protectors Office.

Stone Lock -up Built in 1867 as a police lock-up. The building had a cell for both male and female prisoners held on remand. It is believed that Ned Kelly and his mother Ellen were both held here prior to their trials.

Police Stables Built by contractor Lewis Griffiths at a cost of 489 pounds, the Police Stables are said to have a connection with the Ned Kelly legend, in that the horses that were stabled there were used by the police in the hunt for Ned Kelly.

Police Reserve Established in the early 1850s, there were several buildings on the land including the police barracks, officers and superintendents quarters, stables and police kitchen. Only the lock-up and police stables remain, most other buildings were removed after 1958.

Timber Lock - up Presumably the timber lock-up was erected soon after the Sub-Treasury changed to the police station. It retained its original function until the new police station was built in the 1990s.

Town Hall The decision to erect a purpose built council premises on the north side of Ford Street was made late in 1857. Tenders were called, and in May 1858, the council accepted the 1,580 pound tender of Mr D M Jones. In the late 1880s it was decided to demolish the original 1858 office and erect a double storey building, retaining the hall at the rear. During the early years, the hall also served as a Court of Petty Sessions with the magistrate seated in an elaborate carved chair. Kerosene chandeliers illuminated the hall for social occasions. Local government administration was carried out in this building up to the mid 990s.

Town Hall Gardens Originally identified as a reserve for "public purposes" and later more specifically as a Market Reserve, the Town Hall Gardens were given life by Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, who sent trees and seeds from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne. They are an ideal location for picnics and many of the trees are on the National Trusts Significant Tree Register.

              Beechworth

CreditTourism Australia / Time out Australia

High Country Harvest Festival

Images Credit Tourism Australia