Sailors Gully & The Welsh Village Walk, Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park - May 2020

Zeal Bridge

I decided to head up to Castlemaine today and head back out to the old Welsh Village to have another poke around. Last time I'd been up here it was on a very hot day and I'd spent a nice couple of hours soaking in the Expedition Pass Reservoir. This morning I was looking at -1˚ as I drove through Chewton, arriving at the Pennyweight Flat Children's Cemetery just before the sun showed itself... luckily I'd come prepared with shorts and a long sleeve shirt! Jumping out of the ute I grabbed the camera, however instead of shouldering my pack I headed into the historic cemetery to check things out. This old cemetery dates way back to the mid 1800's and it provided a very poignant start to the days walk.

Looking down towards Pennyweight Flat first thing this morning.

Pennyweight Flat Children's Cemetery.

The historic cemetery is well worth checking out.

The bone aching cold eventually forced me out of the cemetery and back to the ute, grabbing my pack and pulling on my gaiters, gloves and cap gave me a fraction more warmth although it was only when I started walking that I started to feel comfortable. Leaving the ute at the Pennyweight Flat Children's Cemetery Carpark I dropped down Colles Road past the frosty paddocks, to arrive at the historic (everything is historic up here) Zeal Bridge. Built in 1889 Zeal Bridge is the last remaining example of this type of Stone-Iron-Timber bridge apparently, and is named after an early politician who represented Castlemaine.

Alright...time to start walking:)

Have I mentioned that it was pretty chilly this morning?

Pennyweight Flat

Zeal Bridge

After checking out Zeal Bridge I turned left along Farran Street and after a couple of minutes picked up the Goldfields Track heading out across the Forest Creek Flats. The sun was still to make it's appearance at this stage so the only things I was sharing the frosty flats with this morning was a large mob of Roos, although they were fairly disinterested in me. With a small pine plantation visible on the north side of Forest Creek the Goldfields Track dropped down to cross the creek, thankfully there were a few stepping stones here as Forest Creek was actually flowing on this visit, not a regular occurrence I'm guessing. Goldfields Track (which was the track I was following for awhile) now started a fairly convoluted route as I zigged and zagged my way over towards the historic Garfield Water Wheel. There was some good news now though, yes the sun had come up taking an edge off the cold. The other good news is that unlike most of the other tracks that criss cross this place the Goldfields Track is well marked, so it's not hard to follow.

Heading out of town along Farran Street.

The only things around this morning apart from me were the Roos.

The Goldfields Track passes by this pine forest - looks like a good stealth campsite!

One of the legacies of the mining history is all the Gorse.

Following Goldfields Track early this morning.

Soon after passing by the old Manchester Reef Mine I arrived at the Garfield Water Wheel. While some people know about the water wheel what most people miss out on are the other relics scattered around the bush, there is what looks like an old stack rusting away as well as what looks like the foundations of an old gold stamping plant. The main attraction here though is the stone remains of the old Garfield Water Wheel, this 22 metre water wheel was largest in Australia when it was commissioned back in 1887 and it is a pretty impressive structure out here in the bush.

Manchester Reef

There are a lot of open mineshaft around here - this one is at Manchester Reef.

Suns up:)

An old stack near the Garfield Wheel.

I'm guessing that this is the base of an old stamping plant.

The Garfield Wheel.

Leaving the Garfield Water Wheel the Goldfields Track climbs a bit into an old water race which it follows for about thirty seconds before climbing another old 4wd track to follow the top of a spur. All was going well with my day as ambled along the top of the ridge in the weak morning sun, lost in my reverie. Yes, maybe all was going too well as I managed to jag to the left instead of the right and suddenly I was off my planned route. Now I could of back tracked to pick up my planned walk again - but where is the fun in that? So instead, after checking out my map, I did a little off piste action as I made my way back towards my planned route. My little off piste excursion had the added benefit of finding another substantial un-named and un-mapped mine. After exploring the mine a bit I continued on, eventually finding myself in familiar territory as I crossed Sailors Gully and climbed up through a huge open cut quarry and over Nimrod Hill, through country that has been heavily scarred by mining.

Goldfields Track

I discovered this old mine on my short off piste ramble.

Nimrod Hill - this area has been well and truly altered by man.

Nimrod Hill features a large open cut mine.

Following what was now a rough foot track I dropped into Golden Gully, I was now in the old Welsh Village and it was time for morning smoko. Sitting down here under the pine trees in the sun, whilst imaging what the scene was like 150 years ago life was pretty good - certainly a lot better than it would of been living here and trying to scratch a living out of the dirt I reckon. Suitably fortified I explored a little around the ruins of the Welsh Village, if anyone ever decides to follow me down here then it's worth heading down Golden Gully for a few minutes, skirt around a substantial stone wall and you get to what appears to be the site of the main village (well, judging by the number of ruins scattered up the slope - although that's another Feral Fact™).

The Welsh Village 

The Welsh Village

The Welsh Village

The Welsh Village

The Welsh Village

Time for smoko.

The Welsh Village. The square edges indicate that this was a European Mine. The Chinese miners rounded off the corners so that the devils had nowhere to hide.

After exploring the old village for awhile I grabbed my pack and set off back to towards the ute. The go now was to head up Golden Gully on an old 4wd track before following a series of 4wd tracks to make my way across to a place called Quartz Hill. To cut a long story short there was a lot of left, right, left action on tracks that generally had no signposting and whose names were different in my notes and on my map. Still after keeping a close eye on things I did successfully arrive at a signpost, coincidently on the spot that I'd been aiming for, Quartz Hill.

I was now following a labyrinth of old 4wd tracks back towards Castlemaine.

Tobys Track - maybe.

At one stage I found some markers - I just didn't know where they were going.

Arriving at Quartz Hill all was relatively clear again.

Turning down the Quartz Hill Track all was pretty good in my world again as I shuffled along under blue skies and a weak sun. I was now making my way towards the outskirts of Castlemaine and as I dropped down Quartz Hill Track I started to see more signs of civilisation again as I shuffled my way west. Quartz Hill Track is a gravel road and it made for very pleasant walking this morning, with no traffic and easy, gently descending walking. Arriving at the fairly major Colles Road again I turned left and shuffled the last ten minutes back to the Pennyweight Flat Children's Cemetery and my ute. Colles Road is a little busier than the other roads that I'd been following and I had a couple of vehicles rattle past me, although thankfully there was a good verge to walk and the vehicles all slowed down to a reasonable speed so I wasn't eating too much dust. Arriving back at the deserted car park I was once again happy to find the ute un-molested, the scene now a little brighter and the temperatures a lot warmer than it had been when I set off first thing this morning.

Quartz Hill

Quartz Hill

Quartz Hill Track

Quartz Hill Track - I'm not sure what the cairn represents.

The Dirt.
According to my GPS I walked 11.2 kilometres and climbed 327 metres on this medium grade stroll. There are a lot of tracks up here and most of them are un signposted so it pays to keep an eye on your map and notes - that said if you do find yourself off your notes there is generally a track nearby to get you back on track and off piste walking is pretty good for the most part...which brings me to my next point - there are a lot of un fenced mine shafts scattered through these hills so it pays too be very careful if heading off piste. Mr Chapman, Mr Tempest and Mr Thomas have all published notes for this area, I was using Mr Tempest's notes this morning out of his Victoria's Goldfields Walks although I was playing pretty fast and loose with the notes at times. The Old Welsh Village is a fascinating spot to poke around for awhile and would make a nice spot for lunch.

Relevant Posts.
Expedition Pass & The Welsh Village Walk, Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park, 2019.

Castlemaine Gold Walk, Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park, 2018.

Colles Road was a little busier.

Arriving back at the Pennyweight Flat Children's Cemetery - things were a little warmer now.