Marysville rebuilding and on to Mansfield

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This morning we wandered around the main street of Healesville and around the area before heading north east. We drove through beautiful mountain country - I think the tall straight gumtrees are Mountain Ash and underneath prolific tree ferns.

Once we came closer to Maryville, the scenery changed to blackened trees, tree stumps and the green growth that we'd seen yesterday on the Kingslake trees. I think the Maryville fire was hotter though as fewer trees survived. Everywhere there are clearings with dead trees piled high. Driving into Maryville was a shock. I think most of the town was destroyed and the death toll was I think 73 from last year's fires. I read on Wikipedia that Google Earth shows Marysville as it was before the fires .. it was certainly a beautiful, lush mountain town.

Once again there is a lot of rebuilding - there are many vacant lots where the remains of homes have been cleared but it's good to see Marysville rising again. There is a Foodworks supermarket now built, a new swimming pool and more shops and what looked like a school, in the process of being built. The service station has new pumps and trades from a container, as does the lolly shop. I felt so sad in Marysville, but there are signs everywhere saying they'll build again so I'll be anxious to see it again in a few years.

From Maryville we drove through very pretty farmland, stopping at Alexandra for lunch .. quite a substantial town. All this area began as either goldfields or en route to goldfields so the buildings are substantial and old. This applies to Mansfield too. There is a marble monument in the main street which was erected in 1880 as a tribute to a group of constables killed by bushranger Ned Kelly.

Mansfield is at the foothills of the Great Dividing Range so is a stop for those going on to Mt. Beuller and the Victorian Alps. However, rather than being cool, we are having a hot afternoon. When we arrived, I quickly washed sheets and towels and put them on the line at about 4pm. I'm hoping they'll soon be dry. I think the nights might be a bit cooler though so doona and electric blanket are handy just in case.

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Photos

Marysville
a new supermarket and the service station