Beechworth

[MANDYL]

We travelled to Beechworth on Saturday to attend the beer fest in Beechworth. What a great historical little town. Population ± 3500 people. When we got there the festival was up and running and all the seats outside were taken. We sat in the pub/ barn area so did not see much of the dancing going on outside. There were about 150 people and apparently it was there first beer festival so next year they will make sure there is enough seats outside. The people were great and very friendly. My husband joined the beer club !! We left him there and my daughter and I went on an expedition into town. Has anyone heard about the bank hotel? Amazing place. The name speaks for itself. Old bank they have touched up and kept most of it how it was in the 1800 and turned it into a hotel. At the gold shop you can buy yourself a tiny little bit of gold for $150. We stayed at a B & B - great place had a good brekkie and went home on Sunday and to what a shocker with the rugby !! We visit the info centre in town to see what's happening around us and we try to visit one of the places once a month. It is a great adventure and we are so enjoying it.

[Blossom]

Is dit nie lekker om al die nuwe dinge te ontdek nie? Het jy toe 'n stukkie goud gekoop? Seun en ek was ook nou die dag by so 'n Duitse dorpie, die atmosfeer was fantasties en die kos hemels. Mens het elke naweek iets anders om te doen, ne?

Ek is so bly jy geniet Oz en jy klink so positief.

Hou so aan en vertel nog van jou ervarings......ek hou daarvan.

Groete,

Kannidood.

PS. Sal maar nie oor die rugby praat nie. Wonder wat gaan die Bokke doen?

Edited October 8, 2007 by Kannidood

[MANDYL]

KD kyk ek kan jou nie vertel hoe geniet ek dit nie hoor ! Volgende jaar beplan ons baie LSD want wil eventually kus toe trek. My man het nogal aan my genoem dat hy hoor Adelaide is 'n lekker plek om te bly. Miskien klop ek nog aan jou deur vir koffie....Ek het gou lunch tyd die koerant gekoop om te se van die "day light saving" en die klomp suur wallaby ondersteuners in die koerant hulle het 6 mense geinterview en net een se die bokke gaan dit vat !!

[Snooze]

KD kyk ek kan jou nie vertel hoe geniet ek dit nie hoor ! Volgende jaar beplan ons baie LSD want wil eventually kus toe trek. My man het nogal aan my genoem dat hy hoor Adelaide is 'n lekker plek om te bly. Miskien klop ek nog aan jou deur vir koffie....Ek het gou lunch tyd die koerant gekoop om te se van die "day light saving" en die klomp suur wallaby ondersteuners in die koerant hulle het 6 mense geinterview en net een se die bokke gaan dit vat !!

Hi

Interesting reading. I'm german speaking South african gathering the info to head over to aus, so obviously very interested in these posts. Where are all these "german" towns in Aus? In what state, near what bigger cities? Heard adelaide has quite a german population, but hope Brisbane might also have the odd little germanic town one can visit occasionally:-) Just to get some good Bratwurst!

[MANDYL]

Hi

Interesting reading. I'm german speaking South african gathering the info to head over to aus, so obviously very interested in these posts. Where are all these "german" towns in Aus? In what state, near what bigger cities? Heard adelaide has quite a german population, but hope Brisbane might also have the odd little germanic town one can visit occasionally:-) Just to get some good Bratwurst!

Snooze not sure but we pop in at our local travel info and get all the pamphlets of what's happening in and around the valley where we stay and that is how we got to Beechworth.

[chester]

Hi Prospective travellers,

Just a little further in the area is a lovely town called Bright. The town is the Gateway to the Snow fields Mount Hotham. The Owen river/stream runs through the area, there is a park with the oldest cedar trees that I have ever seen. The change of seasons really is beautiful here with it's shower of Autumn leaves, calendar & postcard stuff. We bought freshly smoked rainbow trout from a trout farm just otherside of Bright. You can picnic on the river bank and then go for a swim. Cosy cafes everywhere and lots of accom. You need snow chains if you want to head up to Mount Hotham in the winter and also look out for black ice lower down. The whole area is lovely well worth a visit.

Edited February 6, 2008 by chester

[Bob]

Snooze!

Sud Australien hat das altesten Deutschen dorf in Australien . . . . . Hahndorf.

Started in 1839 by German settlers to South Australia.

When Australia was started in 1788, the King of Britain was also a prince in Germany . . . the "Elector" of Hannover.

Lots of German settlers went to various parts of the old British Empire . . . . . America, Canada, Australia, South Africa . . . as a result of this connection.

You had to be British to settle without restriction in Australia, all other nationalities requiring special permission to settle. German settlers could settle easily because of the connection that the King had in both Britain and the province of Hannover in Germany . . . . they were seen as being "British".

South Australia was started as a free colony of landed gentry . . . . no convicts . . . especially for Non-Conformists (anyone not Church of England).

Waves of German Lutherans came in response of hearing of this new colony based on Christian ideals in the late 1830s and 1840s.

It was only from 1914 with the onset of the First World War and the subsequent Second World War that caused anymosity between the German settlers and the majority of Australian settlers, being of British descent.

My wife is a direct descendant on both sides of her family from these Lutheran settlers from Germany, although she speaks no German nowadays.

You will feel very "at home" . . . . "Zu hause" . . . in South Australia if you have German ancestry.