5 October 2024 - Wangaratta to Shepparton (via Glenrowan, Goorambat, Devenish & Dookie)

Up betimes to tackle the Bullawah Cultural Trail along the Ovens River (or Torryong) at Wang. 

A view of the Ovens River (Torryong) along the Bullawah Cultural Trail.

The Trail provides an insight into the local Indigenous people, the Pangerang. The trail is 2.4km long and has around 15 stations, each with Indigenous sculptures and symbols, along with explanatory panels.

Additional information about the Murray Cod (Mundgee)

The Pangerang people believed that the platypus (Mullinmurr) was the result of a black duck mating with a water rat.

A black duck and a water rat in a canoe discussing whether it would be a good idea to mate.

A striking similarity between the creation story of the Pangerang and Judeo- Christianity

This sign constitutes irrefutable evidence that the Murray River (or Tongala) is truly "mighty"!

An Australian White Ibis  - commonly known disparagingly as a "Bin Chicken" due to their fondness for scavenging on the contents of rubbish bins.

     The Grand Central Hotel, Wangaratta 

Leaving Wang mid-morning we made our way to Glenrowan - the town in which Ned Kelly and the infamous 'Kelly Gang" were finally apprehended/incinerated at the Glenrowan Inn.

The actual site of the former Glenrowan Inn - accommodation not now as good as it once was!

It would be difficult to overstate the extent to which the town of Glenrowan now relies on the story of Ned Kelly and "the siege of the Glenrowan Inn" for its economic well-being. Indeed, even we succumbed to the temptations of the "KELLYLAND ANIMATRONIC THEATRE AND MUSEUM" which boasts an "animatronic re-enactment" of Ned Kelly's Last Stand.

     Edward 'Ned' Kelly - larger than life!

The Ned Kelly Discovery Hub at Glenrowan

The "animatronic'" Ned Kelly explaining what went wrong.

Despite Glenrowan's emphasis (and dependence) on Ned Kelly there is still room for a "providore" or two.

"Glenrowan Providore"  - just another Milk Bar...

Intending to make our way to Dookie (for no particular reason) we discovered that there was something called "The Silo Art Trail" 

(Or possibly, more accurately, "The Granary Graffiti Groove") so we followed it to Goorambat

Silo Art (or Granary Graffiti) at Goorambat

Goorambat is not just famous for its Silo Art. It is also a hidden source of very good advice about how to play brass instruments.

     Good sensible advice in Goorambat

And the local hotel seems to be popular with owners of vintage cars.

We then followed the "groove" to Devenish where the Silo Art has a strong military influence. 

Next, to Dookie where the local hotel was "Closed for a private function". Apparently a private house rather than a public house! 

Dookie was also playing host to the annual "Dookie Military Vehicle Rally". The Tadpole narrowly avoided colliding with a man in military uniform riding a military motorcycle with sidecar. In the circumstances we thought it best to go straight to Shepparton (more commonly shortened to "Shep"). So we did.