Dunolly
Maryborough,
Victoria, Australia
Talbot
| Carisbrook
| Dunolly
| Bealiba
| Moliagul
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Dunolly Maryborough,
Victoria, Australia |
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DUNOLLY Situated amidst attractive bushland, 23 km north of Maryborough, Dunolly is a small town of 750 people which began as a gold mining town with a population of 45 000. Its historic main street still retains some attractive old buildings from its boom days. The area is now given over principally to farming though gold mining is still popular in the area. Re-live the gold rush fever of the 1850's using modern prospecting methods by hiring a gold detector or pan whilst enjoying the wonderful landscape that surrounds Dunolly. More gold nuggets were found in and around Dunolly than anywhere else in the world. A replica of the Welcome Stranger (worlds largest alluvial nugget) can be found at the Dunolly Museum, whilst a monument stands at the site of the 'big find' of the 1860's at Moliagul. The 'Hand of Faith' nugget was found at Kingower, 30 kms north of Dunolly in 1980. It weighed 875 troy ounces and was found using a metal detector. Locals will regale you with stories of smaller but numerous finds of recent days. Today, Dunolly is a town with quiet charm, beautiful historic buildings remain and you can appreciate the history over a relaxing glass of wine at the sidewalk cafe or a cup of coffee at one of the tea rooms. |
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Things to see in Dunolly |
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Dunolly
Cycle Tracks Website: www.imagelink.net.au/Cycle
Located in the
Central Victorian goldfields, the Dunolly Cycle Tracks are a series of
signed forest roads and tracks varying in length between 14 to 47
kilometres. The area is rich in box ironbark fauna and flora,
fascinating goldfields history and wonderful cycling conditions. Routes
pass through the old gold towns of Dunolly, Tarnagulla, Bealiba,
Waanyarra, Betley and Goldsborough. Attractions include quiet roads and
tracks, a supermarket, pubs, cafe, caravan parks, motel, B&B and
friendly locals.
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Historic
Buildings - Broadway Broadway in Dunolly is a step back in time, buildings from the 1800s line the street. A walk along its tree lined paths will take in the post office (1890), the old Bendigo Hotel with Cobb & Co stables (at the rear of Daly's General Store), the Royal Hotel (first erected in 1856 but rebuilt in 1894), Railway Hotel (built in 1858 as the Criterion Hotel), the old London Chartered Bank (1857) - a two-storey classical revival building with Roman arches on the ground floor. It was here that the 66-kg 'Welcome Stranger Nugget' (see entry on Moliagul) was weighed and sold in 1869. It is now a private residence. |
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Goldfields
Historical Museum The Goldfields Historical and Arts Museum (1862) 77 Broadway Dunolly Displays include a replica of the 'Welcome Stranger' gold nugget found 14 km north at Moliagul in 1869, the Welcome Stranger Anvil Monument upon which the nugget was cut, a 4-million-year-old fossilised wombat jaw and relics of early European settlement. Open Saturday and Sunday 1.30 - 4.30 or by appointment Ph (03) 5468 1405 |
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St
John's Anglican Church Corner Thompson and Barkly Street. A freestone structure erected between 1866 and1869 (the pipe organ was installed in 1879). A little further down Barkly Street is St John's Hall (1857) which was later used as the first common school. |
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Presbyterian Church Hardy Street Now the RSL Hall (1864) |
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Mary's Corner Hardy and Market Street A Gothic Revival structure built of granite between 1869 and 1871. |
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Vicarage and Old Post Office Market Street Former Anglican vicarage, a single-storey building with steep roofs and decorative gables, erected in 1864-65. It is now a private residence. At Market and Thompson Streets is the old post and telegraph office (1872). |
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| Masonic
Lodge Bourke St At the end of Bourke Street is the town's first courthouse (1858) which soon became, and remains, a masonic lodge (1858). |
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| Chauncy
House
(1859), Havelock Street Chauncy’s Cottage (1859) – This pretty brick and stone cottage has changed little since Phillip Chauncy lived there in the period 1860-1866. Chauncy held the position of Land Surveyor in charge of the Dunolly Survey District, which covered a vast area, extending to the Murray River. A three-minute walk from the cottage took Chauncy to his important work at the Land Survey Office from where all village and parish lands in this huge district were surveyed and sold. During his time at the cottage, Chauncy added four rooms of brick and stone, and built stables and outhouses. He has recorded that those six years at Dunolly were amongst the happiest days of his life. Today, the cottage is a private residence. |
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Hospital Havelock Street Phone: (03) 54 681 000 The foundation stone was laid in 1859 and the first wing opened in 1869. |
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Courthouse Corner Bull and Market Street Phone: (03) 5468 1205 The imposing Classical courthouse consisting of a large central section with symmetrical side-wings was built as the town hall in 1862. It changed its function in 1887. It contains photographs and artefacts relating to the courthouse and the old goldfields. It can be viewed but by appointment only. Next door to the courthouse, on the police station property, is the town's original brick lock-up (1859). Opposite is James Bell's mansion (1869). |
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Church Tweedale Street The Methodist (now Uniting) Church and Sunday school hall (1863). |
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| Laanecoorie
Reservoir About 12 km east of Dunolly along the road to Eddington Built in 1889, this was one of Victoria's first reservoirs. It is a popular spot for picnicking, swimming, boating, sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, fishing, waterskiing, bushwalking, a playground and camping. |
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| Bealiba Bealiba is located 21 km north-west of Dunolly. |
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| Contact: Central Goldfields Visitor Information Centre Phone: (03) 5460 4511 or toll free 1800 356 511 Fax: (03) 5460 5188 Email: visitorinfo@iinet.net.au
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Last updated: 13 May 07