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Victoria (Western Region) |
| Hamilton | |
| Built on lava flows which date back some 4.5 million years, Hamilton is the wool capital of the world. One of the biggest attractions is the Big Wool-bales which houses a comprehensive history of the district's wool producing heritage. Many of the city's grand buildings and fine homes are a direct result of the wealth and prosperity of the wool industry. | |
| Three
highways converge at HAMILTON, where you can see the Grampians from
the edge of the main street. It’s a civilized little city whose main
claim to fame is that it’s the “Wool Capital of the World”. The only
reason you’re likely to be here is if you’re a traveller passing
through, en route from the Goldfields to South Australia, or from the
mountains to the coast. There’s plenty to distract you, however, and the
Hamilton District Tourist Office on Lonsdale Street (daily
9am–5pm; free tel 1800/246 056) – a friendly and helpful place that
will also book accommodation – will do its best to persuade you to stay
for a while.
The most worthwhile of the town’s five museums and galleries is the Hamilton Art Gallery, on Brown Street (Mon–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat 10am–noon & 2–5pm, Sun 2–5pm; $3 donation), one of the finest provincial art galleries in the state. Its collection of eighteenth-century watercolours of English pastoral scenes by Paul Sandby is the largest outside the Royal Collections in Britain; among other gems are ninety engravings by William Hogarth and several pieces of eighteenth-century English furniture. The influence of the rich, local Ansett family (of airline fame) is obvious; many of the excellent contemporary paintings were acquired through the Ansett Hamilton Art Awards, sponsored by Ansett transport. Also in the town centre, but of marginal interest, is the Hamilton History Centre (2–5pm; closed Sat; $1), located in the Mechanics Institute Building at 43 Gray St. East of town, on the Ballarat Road, is the Sir Reginald Ansett Transport Museum (daily 10am–4pm; $2), charting the history of the Ansett flight network which began here, while inside the Five Big Woolbales (actually a rather ugly concrete structure in the shape of woolbales) on Coleraine Road a small exhibition tells you about the wool industry of the Western district; shearing demonstrations can be arranged (tel 03/5571 2810). There’s also some refreshing greenery in the town centre: the Botanical Gardens are on the corner of French and Thompson streets, just one block from Gray Street, the main thoroughfare, while the banks of the Grange Burn are home to the eastern barred bandicoot, the only known population in mainland Australia. Grange Burn flows into man-made Lake Hamilton, which has a safe, sandy swimming beach and is filled with trout. Hamilton also has one of Victoria's best regional galleries and the Botanic Gardens are a nature lover's delight. Within an easy drive of Hamilton are the extinct volcanoes of Mt Eccles, Mt Napier and Mt Rouse. Their landscape is awe inspiring, as are the myriad of caves and lava blisters in the area. At Hamilton you'll find the only surviving Victorian colony of the rare Eastern Barred Bandicoot , a small furry marsupial with rabbit like ears. Around Hamilton |
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| Hamilton
is situated on the fringe of an extensive volcanic plain that runs across
western Victoria and into South Australia. Mount Napier (439m) to
the south and Mount Rouse at Penshurst to the east were the sources of
most of the lava flow covering the Hamilton area. Byaduk Caves Road, going
towards MacArthur, has a very good view of Mount Napier, directly ahead as
you drive. Lava flows are still clearly visible here, with black wattle
trees flourishing on many of them. The Byaduk Caves are actually
fern-filled lava tubes; three of the twelve are easy enough to get into,
but the others require the use of ropes. As you explore, watch out for
stinging nettles and rough terrain, with frothy textured lava rocks
scattered around, porous and covered in moss.
COLERAINE, 35km west of Hamilton on the Glenelg Highway, is picturesquely sited in the Wannon River Valley, between two tablelands. The Points Aboretum here (open 24hr; free) is the nation’s official eucalypt collection, and has the largest number of species in the world. Platypus Park in Wannon, 35km northwest of Hamilton, uses its pleasant cabins and restaurant as an overnight stop on their tours between Melbourne and Adelaide. You can also just drop in and participate in one of their day tours to the Grampians, Port Fairy, the Glenelg River and other destinations in the area (tel 03/5570 8277). At CASTERTON, 29km further west on the Glenelg River, is the 1843 Warrock Homestead (daily 10am–5pm; $5), one of the most interesting in the country: more than thirty buildings are still used by the descendants of the original settlers and are open to visitors. From here it’s less than an hour’s drive to South Australia and the Coonawarra wine region. Practicalities |
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| If
you want to stay, there’s a wide variety of accommodation. Nearby
is the luxurious Grange Burn Motor Inn at 142 Ballarat Rd. The
relaxed Grand Central Hotel at 141 Gray St is a good place both to
eat and sleep: breakfast is included in the price of the motel-style
rooms, there’s an unpretentious bistro, and bands play here at
weekends.
The pleasant Gilly’s Coffee Shop & Grill, 106 Gray St, is open both day and evening. The top eating spot is The Hamilton Strand, at 56 Thompson St (BYO; Mon–Sat 9am until late), where at the front coffee, cakes and light snacks are served, while “serious” dining goes on in the rooms behind. The menu features dishes like Cajun chicken, seared kangaroo or Thai fish curry; the wine list has lots of wines from the Pyrenees region in Victoria. Events |
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