Benalla, North-East Victoria

On By Coral WaightIn Australia, Victoria

After the long drive from Melbourne and the checking out of the wheat silos, I decided to leave the exploration of Benalla to the morning.  I came out of my motel on the edge of town early to discover an almost solid wall of fog. Still, intrepid traveller that I am, I headed in and I’m glad I did. I don’t know why I’ve never been here before but I have to say, it’s a lovely town, built around Lake Benalla.

Looking through the fog towards Benalla’s renowned Art Gallery.

Boardwalks and paths lead along the edge of the lake and through bush on the other side.

After taking photos in the fog for about an hour and feeling as if the tips of my fingers were about to fall off from the cold, I adjourned to the bakery to thaw out with breakfast and hot coffee. In that short time, the fog had lifted leaving bright sunshine.

Roundabout at the centre of town.

Benalla is known as the regional street art capital of Australia. Every year, Benalla Rural City hosts the Benalla Street Art Wall Festival. The Festival brings together leading international and local artists to create new murals to adorn the streets of Benalla and its rural townships.

These are some of my favourites, though they’re all fabulous.

I think this is my favourite.
This looks exactly like an old sepia photo. Isn’t it brilliant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This reminds me of dreams I used to have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Public toilet block
My kinda woman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benalla is two hours north of Melbourne (or three if you live in the south-east and have to use the Monash Freeway, otherwise known as the Monash car park, to get through the city, but mustn’t complain) and an hour south  of the border at Albury. It’s really worth stopping for a look.

24 thoughts on “Benalla, North-East Victoria”

  5. maristravels

    Even through the fog I can sense it’s charm. As for the artwork, fantastic, especially the one like the old photograph.

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  6. I love your travels around Oz telling me about little townships, parks, pop up paintings and other ephemera. You would have a field day roaming around the UK. There’s so much history, and we’ll soon be open again although you’ll have to keep your distance, provided you are brave enough to take a long flight!

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    1. I’m so pleased you’re enjoying it, Richard. It’s a good time to wander around and explore your own turf. I’ve roamed around England twice in the last decade and absolutely loved it. And will definitely be back. The more you see, the more you want to see, if you know what I mean. I’d love to have a good wander around Ireland. Cheers.

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  9. Thanks for the tour – Benalla looks such an interesting place. I love the old sepia lookalike wall mural – it really could be an old photograph if you didn’t know better! Hope you are coping ok with the new lockdown in Melbourne 😦 It must be especially hard after one has got used to some freedoms recently. Fingers crossed we’re doing ok in the west but one mustn’t become complacent and we’re just grateful to be able to go out and about relatively normally at present (with social distancing still in place). Take care 🙂

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  10. Yes, the new lockdown was rather a shock, Rosemary, after just getting used to a bit of freedom. It’s very weird and a touch intimidating having the city enclosed by a ring of police. You can’t go anywhere without getting fined. And so I’m going to riffle through older photos and see what I can find. Thanks for your thoughts.

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  14. Thanks so much, Johnny. It’s my number one hobby, too, though there hasn’t been much of it lately. Still, it’s good to explore your own territory that often gets neglected at other times. I hope you’re surviving the lockdowns I keep reading about in the UK. We, in Victoria, are having a break at the moment, thank goodness. Cheers, Coral.

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