Take a trip back in time

HISTORY buffs can take a journey through time with a self-guided tour around Beechworth Public Cemetery (circa 1856) as one of many fascinating activities in the Beechworth Heritage Festival. The all-new festival is ramping up to be an exciting action-packed weekend celebration of the town’s diverse heritage and culture kicking off for the first time next weekend. Beechworth Public Cemetery Trust chair Rosemary Barnett said early settlers to Beechworth came from all walks of life and culturally different backgrounds. Among those buried at the historic cemetery include those with Scottish. Celtic, Chinese, Irish and Welsh history. Historic graves on the self-guided tour are the Gammon children, James Ingram, the Pyle family, Robert Murdoch, the Fidders family, Patrick Brady, the Bowman family, and the Chinese Burning Towers. Others are four catholic nuns who were integral in establishing schooling in Beechworth. To undertake the tour people can go online by searching ‘Beechworth Cemetery Chronicle’ at https://map.chronicle.rip/beechworth-cemetery for the map and details while other walks can be taken around the cemetery too. With the festival celebrating First Nations, Chinese and Celtic history, and heritage trades, a Chinese water carriage with its original barrel used by the Chinese to sell fresh water to miners on the Ovens goldfields will be on display outside the Chinese Protectors Office. Inside the historic building will be many Chinese artefacts on display. Festival committee member Lorraine Lucas said a recital with music from the era will be played on the Town Hall’s historic organ while the Beechworth Singers will sing Celtic songs there too. “There are a number of heritage trades demonstrators and stalls and we have Celtic and Irish music and dancing, pipe bands and brass bands with the festival’s activities mainly centred in the Police Paddocks while some activities will be held around town,” she said. Among activities around the town will be mark-making in the Anglican Christ Church where reports from the 168-year-old Ovens and Murray Advertiser will be mapped to show how relationships made in Beechworth through art and ideas shaped Australia’s post-Federation identity. Visitors can explore the historic Beechworth Asylum on a fascinating 90-minute guided walk through history with Asylum Ghost Tours while Beechworth Honey will step back in time and uncover the history of the Australian beekeeping industry. Attendees can also see the solid gold horseshoes made for the 2001 Beechworth Golden Horseshoes Festival at Beechworth Gold. A horse was shod to lead the parade commemorating Danial Cameron’s legendary ride in 1855, when he stood as the gold miners’ candidate for the Legislative Assembly representing the Ovens Electorate, and a horse shoeing has continued for the festival. Wine buffs can take a tour of Haldon Estate's historic grounds and garden while learning about the history of the Beechworth Wine Region dating back to the mid-19th century. Heritage trades in the Police Paddocks will stretch from weaving and spinning, leather carving, hand-made toys, making Didgeridoos, blacksmithing hand making silver jewellery with traditional Celtic patterns and soap and candle making to everything in between. For more information about the festival’s exciting program from November 10 to 12 visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/beechworthhertitagefestival.

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