We spent the final days of our country rambles in September 2012, based in a perfect cottage just 5 km out of Beechworth, in rolling green farmland. Our immaculately presented cottage, one of two "Serena Cottages", sat quietly secluded in extensive landscaped gardens. It became a welcome retreat each afternoon after enjoying Beechworth and surrounding area. We even returned to Chiltern for another visit as we enjoyed it so much before. Yackandandah, also part of the Goldfields heritage area was another destination to wander, eat, delve into many of the "old wares" shops and admire pretty cottages and gardens.

cember 2014/January 2015

We have returned to this beautiful part of Victoria for a quiet week's break after the busy times leading to Christmas 2014. ..."built upon the splendour of the early gold-rush days, Beechworth is recognised as Australia's finest historic gold-mining town." - Guide

We have enjoyed the country in Summer, the familiar places around the town and beyond and,particularly,a day spent in the Mount Buffalo NP in the Victorian Alps, remembering trips in the past and again stunned by sheer granite cliffs, outcrops and tors, tall eucalypts and gnarled snow-gums, waterfalls and breath-taking views.

Rolling country, faded yellow in the summer sun, distant "sapphire misted mountains",rows of green grapevines with next season's vintage ripening, tall eucalypts providing shade for patient cattle, charming old cottages either decrepit or "restored" reminiscent of past pioneers and the silence of the country pleasantly punctuated by bird calls ....