BONNIE DOON, GOUGHS BAY, HOWQUA, JAMIESON, KEVINGTON, WOODS POINT
Scroll beyond the links below for town information
These High Country towns are between a 2 to 3 hour drive north east of Melbourne, depending on the route taken, and vary from lakeside holiday villages to historic gold mining towns deep in the mountains. Bonnie Doon is on the northern end of Lake Eildon and is spread across 3 different areas with the main retail, services and some residential areas being up near the Maroondah Highway. The rest of the residential and holiday accommodation runs along a 10km stretch of the western side of the Brankeet Arm of Lake Eildon, south of the highway.
Gold was discovered in the 1850’s not far from where Bonnie Doon would become established in the 1860’s. In the 1950’s the original township of Bonnie Doon was moved to higher ground in order to make way for the construction of Lake Eildon. This town was also used as the holiday destination in the movie, ‘The Castle’ and the holiday house featured in the movie is still a holiday house today. The 134km long Great Victorian Rail Trail passes through Bonnie Doon, over the large expanse of the lake via the old railway bridge.
Goughs Bay is on the eastern side of Lake Eildon and has a variety of accommodation options and a store. This lakeside village is in a beautiful cove and has lakeside paths with a well designed exercise station and BBQ/picnic areas. Along the Delatite River, not far from Goughs Bay, are popular fishing spots and free camp grounds. There are numerous lakeside camp grounds in the area called The Pines (Delatite Plantation), along the Delatite Arm of Lake Eildon, which can be accessed just before entering Goughs Bay. These camp grounds are scattered along around 25kms of foreshore and are generally easily accessed with 2WD vehicles.
Howqua is a small settlement along the banks of the Howqua Inlet on the eastern side of Lake Eildon, where the Howqua River flows into the lake. Howqua has a good range of accommodation, easy access to the lake and close proximity to the historic towns of Jamieson, Kevington and Woods Point to the south.
The lakeside towns of Bonnie Doon, Goughs Bay and Howqua are renowned water sport destinations, with boating, fishing, water skiing and jet skiing all popular activities. Accommodation varies from caravan/tourist parks and holiday houses to luxury houseboats. Camping areas can also be found in many locations around the 500km of shoreline. There’s a perfect mix of lake views with stunning mountain backdrops from all these towns and lakeside areas and in Winter, some of these views include snow-capped peaks.
Jamieson is a small, yet wonderful, historic town where the Jamieson and Goulburn Rivers meet and then flow down into Lake Eildon. This town has researched, preserved and are proud of their history and today, we can uncover the past on the Self Guided Heritage Walk to 25 different locations. The community have also chosen 28 trees for their historical and botanical significance and created a Significant Trees Self Guided Walk which is a highlight of a visit in Autumn. Some of the trees were planted in the 1860’s.
Jamieson was established in 1861 and was a supply town for the goldfields of the Upper Goulburn Valley. Back in the early days there was a population of up to 4000 but today it is much quieter with around 100 residents calling this tranquil High Country town home. Surrounded by mountains, with 2 rivers and close to Lake Eildon to the north and more history to the south at Kevington and Woods Point, Jamieson is a delightful base for visitors. Accommodation options range from quaint cottages, a caravan park and country pub to larger holiday houses in the nearby farmland.
Between Jamieson and Kevington and through to Woods Point the road closely follows the Goulburn River for many kilometres and about 10 well maintained, free campgrounds have been established in riverside locations. These large campgrounds have toilets and space for caravans. Jamieson is the last opportunity for fuel if heading south to Woods Point and beyond.
Kevington is 10km south of Jamieson and most people travelling through the area will know the town for its old pub, the *Kevington Hotel, that sits right next to the road and has done since 1862. Once known as Macs Creek, the Kevington township was on top of the hill opposite the pub and became a busy place being on the route in and out of the goldfields of the Upper Goulburn Valley. The pub was originally known as Garrett’s Beerhouse, when it opened, as it was run by John and Mary Garrett and remained in the family until 1957. There’s a camping ground next to the pub, alongside the Goulburn River. Fees apply, contact 03 5777 0543 for details.
Woods Point is about 50kms south of Kevington and has history back to the 1860’s when gold was first discovered in nearby creeks. Back then, the town had suburbs spread across the hillsides and narrow valley floor and contained over 30 hotels, several shops, banks, breweries, churches and 2 newspapers. The road from Jamieson to Woods Point is winding and travels through a mountain valley, so mobile phone coverage is generally not available. The majority of the road south of Kevington, to Woods Point is a well maintained gravel road, climbing up to 1082m elevation and accessible by 2WD. Along the road there are many historic markers with informative signage detailing the history of a location.
Today, one pub and a general store remains open and Scott Reserve is a popular campground along the Goulburn River. Possibly the most photographed petrol station in Australia is in Woods Point. It was built not long after the 1939 bushfire that burnt most of the town and large areas of Victoria. It closed in 2009 and is a tiny old shack that remains roadside but is a real step back in time and a treat to see such a relic preserved for us to enjoy. The Argus Newspaper of Monday 16 January, 1939, reported that on Black Friday, January 13, 143 out of the 150 houses in Woods Point were destroyed. Residents sheltered in mine shafts and the river to survive the inferno.
These picturesque towns 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, Jamieson, Mansfield and Mt Buller. There’s also fishing and boating events and festivals, along with scenic touring routes to explore.
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.
