Beechworth loop Walk
Beechworth has a rich history. It is Victoria’s best-preserved gold mining town, and 32 of its buildings are listed by the National Trust. You’ll see a number of these on this walk.
The walk begins at the home of Beechworth Honey and takes you through the streets of Beechworth, past the old jail gold office and courthouse. It continues along pretty nature trails with a side trip to the local cemetery.
Along the way
Once off the main street the route leads along native forest trails, passing rock pools and the cascades of Spring Creek. The surrounding gorge was once a hideout for members of the Kelly Gang and considering its beauty and the dense bushland, it’s little wonder they were attracted there.
Midway along the trail you’ll see an old sandstone powder magazine, once a storage hold for black powder used for blasting on the goldfields. Near to the magazine is a dilapidated old miners hut and outhouse which seem to be slowly being taken back by the bush.
Leaving the nature trail and heading back into town look out for the Golden Horseshoe monument. During the first election campaign in 1855, one candidate, Daniel Cameron, rode into town on a horse shod with shoes made of solid gold. The extravagance of this event is still commemorated today with the annual Golden Horseshoe Festival.
Turn left just after the monument to take the side path to the cemetery. The gold rush brought people of various denominations to this town and many of them are buried here, 'strangers’ among them.
The walk ends in town where there is plenty of other history to explore including the courthouse and telegraph office as well as the gold office where, at the height of the goldrush, up to 14000 ounces (almost 100 kilos) of gold was stored each fortnight.
Gold was first discovered in Beechworth in 1852 and by 1857 more than 20,000 people lived in this once tiny town. Many of the churches, banks, schools, shops and hotels built at the time remain, along with the town jail which is now a tourist attraction.