GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!

Hi there. My name is Ally. I am here doing our first van-life tour, at Walhalla, approximately 45 minutes outside of Moe.

Let me just say that this is so cool talking to all our subscribers and letting them hear all about our crazy adventures.  I will tell you more about me and our Van-life choices in another blog. For now, let me tell you about Walhalla.

When we arrived at the car park and got out it was as though we were literally stepping back in time when gold was on everyone's lips and the prospect of making it rich. Walhalla is one of Victoria's best-kept secrets as it is unique, and diverse with an unparalleled beauty, the perfect place to take the family for a day trip, go on a romantic weekend away or like us, as a start to new adventures. 

This historic 19th-century town remains active, a working town so carefully preserved by the local community. This picturesque gold mining town is set on a steep mountain valley with extraordinary views around every corner. It comes as no surprise that they filmed The Ice Road 2 Movie here.

Walhalla is home to only 20 permanent residents today, with some of the old homes being listed for sale. In 1994 part of the Walhalla Goldfields Railway line was carefully fixed giving way to tours through the old gold mining routes. You can explore Walhalla on foot or by mountain bike. 

In addition are the highlights of the Long Tunnelled mine and ghost tours adding to the stunning views in the calm, tranquil surroundings.

If you want to stay longer at Wallhalla, there are many scenic campgrounds and bed and breakfast and the Star Hotel. Please do not wait! This adventure is a cheap and exciting place and the residents are warm and welcoming and rely on its visitors.

For a brief history of Walhalla. It was 1862 and the gold fields of Ballarat and Bendigo were slowly dying out, so convict Ned Stringer and a few other prospectors went looking for gold further afield. They found signs of gold from a creek flowing into the Thompson River. Stringer registered the claim in his name but his fortune was short-lived, dying of tuberculosis later that year. This creek became known as Stringers Creek in his memory. Despite the town’s remote location deep in a valley, the word of gold was enough to attract more prospectors and that is when John Hinchcliffe discovered a quartz reef in the hill just above the creek, which he named Cohen's Reef. The mine yielded 55 tonnes of gold, worth over USD 2.5 billion in today’s currency.

I hope that this blog inspires our followers and some new followers to join us on this Van life adventure.

Thank You and Safe Travels!
Ally

Nickally Van Life

www.nickallyvanlife.net