Walhalla

Walhalla Historic Township was one of Australia's richest towns, and home to more than 4,000 people following the discovery of gold in the area in 1863. Ed Stringer first found gold in a fast-flowing creek, but it was the discovery of Cohen's Reef, which was almost 3 kilometres long, that put Walhalla on the map.

Walhalla's Long Tunnel Mine operated between 1865 and 1914 and was Victoria's most profitable single mine. Life in Walhalla was tough, with miners forced to endure fires, flood and disease. But the lure of gold made this mountain outpost a vibrant place with 15 hotels, 40 shops, two breweries, seven churches, a school with over 500 students, and its own newspaper.

Today the residents number is fewer than 20. During most of the twentieth century Walhalla was virtually frozen in time; electricity was only connected in 1998. After nearly becoming a ghost town, many of its buildings and services have been lovingly restored to offer historic attractions and a range of accommodation, tours, shops and eateries for the comforts of today's traveller. The nearby towns of Rawson and Erica also have a host of accommodation on offer.