St Arnaud 26 Oct 2012

Set out in the morning with the idea of bypassing Bendigo, however our GPS had other ideas and had us winding through an increasingly complex labyrinth of new housing. It then spat us out on the other side of Bendigo and took us cross country through a series of farming villages. This ended up an enjoyable drive, as we saw lots of little country towns that we wouldn't normally visit. You can see they are slowing dying, with boarded up shops and real estate prices that would just cover the stamp duty in Newtown! Stopped at St Arnaud for the night next to the Sportsman Club. This is a small town with many fine buildings left over from the gold rush – a real contrast to the other towns we saw today. It has a nice park that was regarded 100 years ago as one of the best botanical gardens outside of Melbourne. Unfortunately over the years the council sliced off areas for a church, a house and a bowling club, leaving the remains a ghostly reminder of former glory. Reminds you of what is happening at Barangaroo at the moment!