56 mins; 57km each way
Just north of Traralgon, stop in at Tyers Park, where you can take the 400m stroll (10 minutes one way) to the craggy Petersons Lookout for dizzying views over Tyers River Gorge toward the Latrobe Valley.
Onwards to Walhalla. Set in a deep valley and surrounded by plunging hills, this picture-perfect town is the place time forgot. Lovingly preserved from its once-upon-a-time gold mining era, the drive in on dirt roads is no accident - it’s a respectful nod to its heritage and gives a delightful oldsy feel.
Feed your wanderlust with Insta-ready buildings and streetscapes, ablaze with a heady mix of colours in autumn - crimson, burnt orange and golden peach.
Take in the Old Mountain Brass Band Rotunda (cue contented sigh), Corner Store, Fire Station and Post Office & Museum. Above the town sits the unique cliff-top Walhalla Cemetery, with more than 1,000 graves testament to the hardship of the past. Even the local cricket oval is not without its quirks - the top of the hill was lopped off in an effort to create level ground.
THINGS TO DO
- Take the Self-Guided Town Walk and wander the main street and shopfronts.
- The Walhalla Goldfields Railway runs on select days between Walhalla and Thomson stations. The restful journey takes you through the surrounding forest, alongside the cheerfully ambling Stringers Creek, over trestle bridges and the impressive Thomson River Bridge.
- Take an underground adventure on a guided tour through the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine. Learn about the mining methods and see the quartz reef that put Walhalla on the world’s stock markets.
- Hear the ghoulish tales and some of the town’s most harrowing stories while standing on the very soil on which they occurred on a Walhalla Ghost Tour.
