Left Hamilton heading for Ballarat 180kms NE. Our main reason for going to Ballarat was to collect mail. We stayed 20kms outside of Ballarat at a place called Lake Burrumbeet. Not the best caravan in that it didn’t cater for tourists at all and was full of permanents. However we did have a grassed site and other than the permanent sites the park was maintained fairly well. Unfortunately Lake Burrumbeet is a very dry lake. It covers an area of approx. 2400 hectares. It began drying out in 1997 and became completely dry in 2004. Predictions for the lake are dire with a decreasing rainfall and no forecast inflows. It is very sad to see this is a result of the drought. In its day this would have a fantastic area to visit and there is evidence of some nice camping sites and picnic areas and of course the caravan park would have been in its prime. This is only one of many lakes such as this that we have come across in SA/Vic. Ballarat has stage 3 water restrictions meaning they can now water their gardens (drippers only and no lawns) twice a week. This has been reduced from no outside watering at all.
Ballarat is a town with a lot of history. It is the home of the Eureka Stockade - “the 'Eureka Stockade', is a key event in the development of Australian democracy and Australian identity, with some people arguing that ‘Australian democracy was born at Eureka’. In addition, the principles of mateship, seen to be adapted by the gold diggers, and the term ‘digger’ was later adopted by the ANZAC soldiers in World War I. The rebellion came about because the goldfield workers (known as 'diggers') opposed the government miners' licences. The licences were a simple way for the government to tax the diggers. Licence fees had to be paid regardless of whether a digger's claim resulted in any gold. Less successful diggers found it difficult to pay their licence fees”.
There are some lovely old buildings in the town centre and the main street Sturt Street contains the Sturt Street Gardens. The gardens are on the median strip of Sturt Street and contain significant statues, bandstands, memorials and trees (see pics). The Avenue of Honour stretches for 22kms and a tree has been planted for each soldier who enlisted as a resident of the urban area of Ballarat. 3,771 trees have been planted. Its a nice old town and reminds me of a ‘mini Melbourne’.
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