DIGGING FOR GOLD: Nocturne Castlemaine+Chewton
The memorial cairn celebrating the discovery of gold at this place in 1852
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For about a month now we have been house-sitting in Chewton in the midlands of Victoria – the locality includes Castlemaine and Bendigo with Daylesford and Ballarat just down the road.
The region is famous for gold that was discovered in 1851 – with three months 30,000 diggers were working the alluvial gold fields. While initially a tent city very quickly buildings for every purpose where built many of which still stand today – although, some could be considered barely standing… Just up the street is The Red Hill Hotel that was built in 1854, the Chewton Town Hall in 1858 and the local post office was first opened in 1857.
By the end of the 1800s underground mining and dredging became the preferred methods to extract the precious metal. Companies that could undertake the industrial, technical and financial backing required replaced the independent digger. Populations shrunk and the architectural legacy of the boom times remained.
We have been out doing some night photography work to extend our Nocturne project further. Our nocturne photographs follow our usual methodology although we have added in the Day/Night duo image concept explored in the recent Nocturne Armidale project.
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Castlemaine: Downes Road industrial scene
We have found that the Castlemaine and Chewton are thriving creative and cultural communities bolstered by artists, academics, writers and adventurers who have moved to this region. You can be surprised who lives around the corner…
Chewton Post Office
The Chewton Community & Senior Citizens Centre.
At the gate is an amazing life-sized sculpture of Alice Dennis by sculptor Richard Yates.
Pyrenees Highway and moon rise, Chewton
Elevation of the Old Castlemaine Jail…
The 9.35pm to Melbourne leaves the Castlemaine Station…
Castlemaine station detail… Poster says “When it’s hot – Trains slow down”. It was 41 degrees C max today – the train was running late. It was still 34 degrees when the train left the platform.
St Mary’s Church with shadows
TOTAL FIRE BAN TODAY – Chewton CFA, Mount Street.
You know when you hit the 50kph zone coming into Chewton when you pass the Shell servo …
Just down the side of Mo’s Antiques Chewton
Castlemaine Post Office – Telstra telephones… who uses them now…?
The Old Castlemaine Jail…
Castlemaine Town Hall – lights all out 9.30pm.
Phone Box DUO at the Chewton Post Office
You could almost write a novel about this Chewton scene…
Antique, antique shop Castlemaine
Castlemaine Midland Hotel just over the road from the station. The lights are out —- Is anybody home…?
The Chewton Town Hall…
Castlemaine Presbyterian Church
Opposite the Red Hill Hotel DUO
Under the veranda of the Red Hill Hotel
Cooper+Spowart – on the nocturne street, Chewton
wotwedid 
Great night shots. Gee, you’re almost locals now!
jamesmmcardle
February 15, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Thanks James …. Almost ‘local’…. uncanny places…
Cooper+Spowart
February 15, 2017 at 3:48 pm
Your stealing my photos…translates as, “I love ’em!”
Jeff
February 15, 2017 at 9:27 pm
Thanks Jeff … Yes, there’s some great subjects out there in the dark…..
Cooper+Spowart
February 15, 2017 at 9:51 pm