The Aberfeldy Historic area, above the Thomson Dam, hides significant gold rush sites. This is a great place for a 2, or 3, day getaway, to explore tiny villages and visit old cemeteries. You can also see great scenery, enjoy riverside camping and experience 4-wheel driving. All this and more on an easy drive from Melbourne.
The gold mining area extends along the river valleys from Walhalla in the south to Jamieson in the north. Miners worked throughout the area, which included many townships no longer visible. These include The Springs, Store Point, Toombon, Blue Jacket, Red Jacket, Jericho, Gaffneys Creek and Matlock. Small settlements still remain at Aberfeldy and Woods Point.
Recently we explored the Jordan River Valley with Rudi Paoletti. Rudi has worked hard over many years to discover old tracks and relics of the mining history. Rudi’s group, West Gippsland Inc has worked tirelessly to provide track details for the Aberfeldy Historic Area. The group worked with Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. So we were in good hands for our weekend’s adventure.
We began on Walhalla Road at Cast Iron Point where we took in the magnificent view over Lake Thomson. Rudi first led us to the sites of Kitty Cane’s Hotel and her gravesite.
Kitty Cane was a well-known identity in the area and was well-liked by all the miners. After her death, they carried her body up the hill above the hotel and buried her there.
We moved onto Aberfeldy, which features a handful of buildings, wide scenic views and a cemetery. The cemetery sits on top of the hill and was established early in the 1860s. Gilbert Jones, who first discovered gold in the Jordan Valley is buried here. Many of the pioneer miners are also buried here.
The Jordan Valley
But it was now time to leave the Walhalla Road and go down into the Jordan Valley. Rudi pointed out the main features here. There were the remains of a hotel site at Violet Town, a huge, eroded hole at Blue Jacket, the result of sluicing activity by miners. We saw the remains of many features in Red Jacket – a church, hotel, post office and cemetery. The first burial was in late 1860 with many pioneering families also buried here. The cemetery is on the side of a hill, with an upwards scramble to reach it.
Further on along the track, we reached Jericho cemetery which also includes the gravesites of the original pioneers. Thomas Gaffney, after whom Gaffneys Creek is named, is buried here.
Also at Jericho, the diversion tunnel is another interesting feature. It is thought to have been an attempt to divert floodwaters away from the township.
A Chinese memorial and serene pool under the spread of a giant tree served as our last stop in the Jordan Valley. We had travelled only 30-odd kilometres but it had taken us all day. There is lots to find in the bush here.
Visit our You Tube channel Adventure Travel Australia to see Hills of Gold the video of this adventure, plus more information about the Aberfeldy Historic Area.
And find the track notes for this adventure ‘Donnellys Creek’ in Make Trax 4WD Victoria Atlas.