For these two mini adventures we had to do them solo as Benny wasn’t permitted, particularly within the Mount Pilot National Park near Chiltern. ​

​We may not have been able to see a waterfall along our Rawes Track walk, but we did have the opportunity to drive up to Woolshed Falls lookout. We tag-teamed in and out of the car as we ran across the carpark in slight drizzly rain to see this natural beauty.  

Located not far from where we were staying at Yackandandah is the Nine Mile Creek Historic Area and on this adventure, Cherry got to get her shoes dirty as we took her off road onto dirt roads and through a little river crossing to the start of Rawes Track. Despite the promise of a waterfall ending we were unable to make it to the waterfall, as past the river crossing the track became very overgrown and as we were in the height of snake season decided against pushing on and turned back along the way we had come. The AllTrails app said about this track, “it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring,” which offered insight into the reason for the overgrowth. It’s always fun to get out in nature however and we made the most of the walk, taking in the sights and sounds of the Victorian high country.    

​To say Benny was excited to be untethered from the lead for this 9km approx. out and back walk was an understatement. His entire demeaner changes when free to wander at his pace and sniff or eat kangaroo poo at his leisure, it’s also awesome for us as we can keep walking knowing he’ll sprint to catch up, rather than mindless waiting for him to do this dog thang before continuing; so it’s smiles all round and this trail didn’t disappoint, the trail meanders beside the creek and rural properties, and we saw many others, cycling, walking dogs, running.  

​The home of Australia’s favourite outlaw Ned Kelly, we were looking forward to soaking up the historic magic that is, Beechworth! On this adventure an intriguing bar caught my attention, and I couldn’t resist a peak; the exposed internal red brick and timber slatted ceiling created a rustic charm ambiance, and I was even more delighted to discover the bar was in fact a soda bar, specialising in Billson’s cordials and serving classic spiders, milkshakes, and sodas. I had the Elderflower soda and was hooked! George Billson developed cordial receipts with a local pharmacist in the 1870s yet sold the factory in 1914. The new owners who purchased the factory in 2018 have reinstated the brand and Billson’s has made a comeback with a Brewery, and the Soda Bar, which opened in Camp Street in 2022, and we are grateful they did. It was lovely to enjoy a drink at a venue, without it having to be either coffee or beer (although Shovel opted for the coffee). Such a fun place! Speaking of beer we couldn’t resist a visit to Bridge Road Brewers in the main street of Beechworth, brewers of our favourite beer, the Robust Porter. This was the first beer Shovel and I drank together in 2018 and whilst living in Mount Isa we would get a slab of it delivered and enjoy one together on Saturday evenings. 

Step back in time to our previous visits of Beechworth

It was the Melbourne Cup public holiday weekend in Victoria which coincided with our birthdays, and although we don’t celebrate (either event), we do like to get way and where better to spend four glorious days than in Yackandandah, nestled within the Victorian high country, a short distance from another favourite place of ours, Beechworth. We’d had the caravan park in Yackandandah booked for months and are so grateful we did; it was packed (for our first three nights) and despite the less than satisfactory amenities the location adjacent to the creek and short stroll to town made it more than perfect. The Yackandandah Star Hotel radio jingle had been reverberating as an ear worm in the lead up to our adventure into the mountains and we were elated to discover the vibe hadn’t changed since we last visited in 2018 and that the food on offer was even better than we remembered; dinning in for the four nights of our stay, indulging in the beef brisket and barramundi, most likely the best we have tasted (although I did say this about the barramundi we ate at the Threeways Roadhouse, NT). Just out of the main town centre we discovered a groovy little coffee shop, located in an old train carriage called The Guard which serves toasties and hot drinks in mugs, this place doesn’t believe in takeaway cups and we loved that; having to drink in from a mug chosen from an odd assortment, rather than get a takeaway paper cup made us slow down and enjoy the moment of being in this beautiful town. We love everything about Yackandandah!