ACHERON, ALEXANDRA, EILDON, TAGGERTY, THORNTON
Scroll beyond the links below for town information
Acheron, Alexandra, Eildon, Taggerty and Thornton are all within about 2 hours drive north east of Melbourne, about 25 minutes of Lake Eildon, Lake Eildon National Park and close to the Goulburn River.
Alexandra is the largest of these towns, established in the 1860’s when gold was found and with a population of over 2600 residents, has a range of accommodation options, cafes, restaurants, retail stores and many services.
The streetscape of Alexandra features buildings from the late 1800’s and the railway line reached the town in 1909 and operated until 1978. Alexandra is situated on the 134km Great Victorian Rail Trail, which follows the route of the original railway line and can be enjoyed in small parts or as a whole, on foot, bicycle or horse. The town features a walking and cycling trail through parkland called U.T. (Ultima Thule) Creek Pathway that includes several exercise stations along the way. There is also the historic Alexandra Timber Tramway and Museum which features various exhibits from the nearby logging industry. A popular attraction for families, open on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month with steam and diesel train rides available. Further info can be found here
Acheron is an area at the junction of the Acheron and Goulburn rivers and is a popular High Country fishing destination with several accommodation options. Taggerty and Thornton are nearby to Acheron and have a few stores and services amongst them and views of the surrounding mountains and the 7km long ridge that forms the Cathedral Range.
Eildon boasts a picturesque location on the western side of Lake Eildon and is one of the larger towns in the area with a population of over 700 residents. Eildon has a variety of services, accommodation and dining options and is situated along the Eildon Pondage where the Lake spillway releases water before it moves down into the Goulburn River. The Pondage has delightful picnic and BBQ areas and walking tracks all around the shoreline, is regularly stocked with trout and is open for fishing year round. Water levels depend on releases from the lake above the Pondage and some very large trout have been caught here. There are several fishing areas along the Goulburn River, signposted and with good access from parking areas and tracks beside bridges and day visitor picnic areas.
Lake Eildon, constructed in the 1950’s for irrigating a large area of Northern Victoria, is a popular High Country destination for water sports and with over 500km of shoreline, you can always find somewhere to enjoy the serenity. Houseboats are an enjoyable way of touring this enormous lake, as are smaller boats and personal watercraft, all allowing you to access the variety of bays and river arms that feed into the lake. Water skiing, fishing and swimming are all popular activities, while Lake Eildon National Park has 8 campgrounds and many bush walks to enjoy.
Acheron, Alexandra, Eildon, Taggerty and Thornton offer year round events and festivals, including Targa High Country in Spring. Targa High Country sees over 150 rally cars tackle challenging tarmac stages on classic mountain roads around Lake Eildon, Mansfield and Mt Buller. There’s also fishing and boating events and festivals, along with scenic touring routes to explore.
Follow this link for more detailed information on Lake Eildon National Park
Follow this link for more detailed information on the Great Victorian Rail Trail
Enjoy the video below from the team at ‘North South’, cycling between Eildon and Jamieson, a classic road through the High Country that is also part of Targa High Country, with views across Lake Eildon and often with little traffic.
