Monday, June 29, 2009

Mullum Mullum Eastlink Trail at Deep Creek Road, Mitcham.Leads west to Quarry Road near Donvale, east to Ringwood, south to Scoresby.

All traffic noise is gone after about 5 miutes walk from Deep Creek Road west towards Quarry Road, as the Eastlink Tollway road is under ground.

Steep trail in places here... fast cyclists are a danger too around sharp bends.

Mullum Mullum Creek park , North end of Eastlink walking and bicycle traill and historic Schwerkholt cottage Mitcham, Melbourne, Vic.

Schwerkolt Cottage - explore the original pioneer stone cottage. Enjoy a park like setting beside Mullum Mullum Creek, with barbecue facilities, a children's playground and creekside walking path and bike trail, Eastlink Trail. Found just south of Deep Creek Road and the Eastern Freeway junction, Mitcham.

Eastlink Trail and marker km and roads Quarry Road and Deep Creek Road. Steep trail in places in this section.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Historic pioneer farm house Mount Waverley - Scoresby, built 1841 and trees planted 1874.

This old farm house was built in 1841 on part of a large tract of land including the modern suburbs of Melbourne: Wantirna, Bayswater, Ferntree Gully, Upwey, Selby, Emerald, Upper Beaconsfield, Lysterfield and Rowville, established for farming by Rev. James Clow in 1838... the first permanent settlemnt in the Port Phillip District had only begun in 1835.

In 1874 the huge Bunya Pines were planted at the front of the Chesterfield Homestead.

This farm and house was called Chesterfield Park by a new owner in 1859.

Some roughly hewn wood carvings of animals and people are around the farm too.

It is now a farm in suburban Melbourne! It is open to the public and demonstrates working sheep dogs, hand feeding lambs, and whip cracking, cows being milked and cream being made ...all this within about 100 meters of the Eastlink Toll road.

[sheep can be seen on the green paddock near the Tollway close to a factory, in the last photo]

Inga King sculpture "Red Rings" west side of Eastlink Toll road, north of Ferntree Gully Road, Mount Waverley,Vic.

"Red Rings" are made of painted steel rings 2.5 meters in diameter. Note far right, bicycle on Eastlink Trail, west of Toll road, Mt Waverley. Melways ref p 72 C9.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Clifton Hugh's Dunmoochin - now an artists retreat near Cottles Bridge, Arthur's Creek, Strathewen, Diamond Creek.

The Dunmoochin Foundation artists retreat is about 43 KM north east of Melbourne, Victoria. This was set up by Clifton Pugh before his death in 1990 to provide residencies at his heavily treed bush property for artists, writers, sculptors and conservationists. It was not affected by Black Saturday bush fires which raged as close as 12 km away but left a big impression on the artists in residence who all left the area well before.

It is not easy to find at 105 Barreenong Road, down a gravel track labelled Fire Access Only. This "road" is off the Strathewan / Arthurs Creek, Whittlesea Road is off the Kinglake - Heidelberg road. See www.whereis.com and maps.google.com.au