Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 46 – Picnic at Hanging Rock, Crimes and Vines

Phone recepion onboard relies on signal from shore so after a couple of hours there is no signal. In the middle of the night, the phone starts pinging as reception from King Island is available for an hour. Then no reception until a few hours from Geelong. This is the Victorian coast sometime around 3am.

Across Port Phillip Bay

Arrival in Geelong at 6am.

“The way is shut.” We were the last deck called down to the cars and found the ramp closed. No staff here so we waited for a while. “It’s not a carpark, it’s a tomb!” There were repeated calls for car drivers that no ignition should occur before being asked by a ship attendant. While the ramp was still closed, one driver couldn’t help himself and had to start the car (and it wasn’t electric). Sometimes…..

Thanks to the wonders of hydraulics, we were eventually on our way….

…. past areas that were previously packed with vehicles….

…to the front of the ship….

…and onto dry land.

The Big Emu (Kawirr) Feathers sculpture at the exit from the terminal.

Geelong to Bacchus Marsh Road avoiding the peak hour run into Melbourne.

Into mountainous country where we crossed the Great Dividing Range.

Hanging Rock (Ngannelong) is a distinctive geological formation in central Victoria. The mountain is a volcanic mamelon created 6.25 million years ago by stiff magma pouring from a vent and congealing in place.

Hanging Rock was the inspiration and setting for the fictional novel Picnic at Hanging Rock (1967) dealing with the disappearance of a number of schoolgirls in the labyrinth of jumbled boulders during a visit to the site. The novel was famously adapted in the 1975 critically acclaimed film of the same name by director Peter Weir. There is a Visitor Centre at the base.

Miranda was still wandering around the boulders with this strange woman.

Their teacher was still looking for a way out too…

Crimson rosellas were active on the ground below the mountain.

Forest at the base of Hanging Rock

Kangaroo apple (Solanum) were common in the shrub layer.

Clematis vine

A circuit leads around and up to the summit amidst the trachyte rock formations.

Flowers at the bease of the rocks

Halfway up is a saddle where I chanced upon this mysterious woman again.

The countryside here is about 600 metres above sea level with Hanging Rock rising 120 metres above this plateau.

The surrounding plains

Historic graffiti near the summit

This is about as high as you can go without a very steep scramble.

A different stepped path leads down the mountain past large areas of huge craggy boulders.

The actual Hanging Rock

Steep steps lead down past large daisybush trees (Olearia)

The Daisybush attracts thousands of bees that are heard before they are seen.

An imposing cliff face with tall trees on the cooler south-east side.

Ferns grow in more sheltered sections.

We pass through a few historic towns on our way to the Hume Highway. Lancefield (above) has a very good bakery cafe and Kilmore (below).

Euroa has a fish ladder at the small weir over Seven Creeks.

Euroa is also home to Australia’s newset Big Thing – the Big Magpie. It is every bike-riders nightmare.

The metal cutout feathers are a feature of the design.

Up the Hume Highway is Glenrowan, famous for the bushranger Ned Kelly who made his last stand and was captured here in 1880 after a siege and shootout with police. Here is the Big Ned Kelly – “Ah, well, I suppose it has come to this.”

A mural captures the shootout at Glenrowan Inn (no longer standing either).

There a few old buildings from the era in town.

And I found not one, but three Neds in the main street. This Ned trying to do the Time Warp back to 1879.

A new centre and interpretive trail to significant sites in town is under construction.

Police Lockup – nearby is the final shoot out site.

Historic Main Street in Rutherglen – the main street. Check out the nice car, KH!

Rutherglen is home to a number of wineries including De Bortoli Winery.

Stainglass window in the historic building that has previously operated as Rutherglen Wines and was once owned by Seppeltsfield.

De Bortoli wines direct from the source.

Chambers Rosewood Winery and Vineyards is a family-owned Rutherglen winery established in 1858. Wine experts say their products are at the summit of fortified wines in Australia with many scoring exceptionally highly. Wine connoisseurs consider them de-vine. Sadly they were closed – this is a grape packing shed at the front of the property.