TRAVELS WITH KINGDEANO ADVENTURES
Sometimes, the best weekends are the ones that don’ t require hours on the road. Looking for a quick escape from Melbourne, we followed a friend’ s recommendation and headed to Violet Town, a charming historic settlement just 90 minutes north of the city.
Known for its welcoming country atmosphere, fascinating history and popular monthly market, it turned out to be the perfect destination for a relaxed weekend away.
We based ourselves at Honeysuckle Caravan Village, booking a powered site that was only a short walk from the town centre. Once the van was set-up, we grabbed the lead for our dog, Twyla, and headed into town to stretch our legs and see what Violet Town had to offer.
Our first stop was the Southern Aurora Memorial Garden, a moving tribute to the victims of the Southern Aurora railway disaster of February 7 1969. The peaceful garden not only commemorates the nine lives lost in the tragic head-on collision but honours the remarkable efforts of the local community and volunteers who rushed to the scene to help.
Walking through the gardens, reading the historical information and viewing the paintings and photographs gave us a real appreciation for this important chapter in the town’ s history. It’ s a thoughtful and beautifully presented memorial that is well worth visiting.
By then, lunch was calling, and we found the perfect spot at the Ellen Frances Hotel-Motel. With outdoor seating where Twyla could join us, it was exactly what we were hoping for. We enjoyed generous country pub meals paired with an ice-cold beer while soaking up the relaxed atmosphere. Sometimes, the simplest meals become the most memorable, and this was certainly one of them.
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