Sovereign Hill, Gold rush experience

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Today we went to Ballarat and Sovereign Hill, a recreated 1851 to 1864 gold rush town and mine. There were guides in costume and a whole class of school kids with teacher in period costume "experiencing" how life would have been at that time. They were there for a week's time. The town was very well thought out and the "gold pour" demonstration was interesting. The "gold pour" showed how the smelted gold was poured into ingot form and cooled in water for immediate handling. The ingot weighed 3 kilograms, worth $85,000 NZ. We had lunch at the "New York Bakery". The restaurant was one that had been operating in Ballarat at the gold rush time. Then we traveled back to our hotel and had our last dinner in Melourne at the hotel buffet. Then we packed and prepared for early morning departure to Alice Springs.

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Photos

Josie
We see this sign on the way home from Ballart

Comments

[sara brown]

Dana has bad news
Dear Marty and John. I am sure there must be a better way to communicate with you, and I think you said there was a phone number. Anyway, I am starting with this way, and maybe you will call us. Dana's CT scan came back. He has cancer all through his liver and lungs. It is not operable. He has been told he has 3-6 months to live. We are walking around in shock, and alternating between joking about stuff to sobbing our eyes out. Planning a trip to Disneyland, as that seems to be the thing terminal patients often do. Dana is holding up great. I am a wreck. This sucks. Love, Sara