Hangin' in Stawell

With the car in the shop for service, I found myself having to spend the day in Stawell. We are lucky to have a recommended and reputable mechanic in Stawell where we took our car for an oil change and a tune-up. Stawell is 26 km from Halls Gap and is where I do most of our shopping. It also has a fabulous library that Aiden and I visit weekly.

With about three hours to kill, I spent my time wondering around Main Street. With a population of approximately 7000, a magnificent mountain view, and a unique gold heritage, Stawell is the picturesque service centre to the Grampians. For a small town, Stawell has a lot going for it and generally you can find most anything you might need. It has specialty kitchen stores, quaint cafes, a couple of supermarkets, and plenty of shops of all sorts.

Right along the main street is the historical town hall, with its animated clock and Westminster Chimes. They have a beautiful sound to them. Next to the Town hall is the Holy Trinity Church of England (1872) and behind that is the St Matthew's United Church, built in 1868.

But the town’s greatest claim to international fame is the annual Easter Stawell Gift - the world’s richest and one of the most enduring professional footraces in the world. Professional sprinters come from across the globe to contest huge prize money in the 130-yard (118.9m) dash and thousands of people flock to the town to watch and gamble on the race. It is Australia's best-known, richest and oldest professional foot-race, drawing up to 20 000 spectators each year. We will be avoiding Stawell this Easter.

Stawell is also renowned for it Leisure complex. The complex has an indoor heated pool, outdoor pool with water slides, climbing wall, indoor cricket, and a number of sport courts. This is all hearsay as we have yet to visit it but it is on our list.

At the end of Main Street is Big Hill. At the top you are captivated by 360 degree views of the surrounding country landscape. Situated under the hill is the longest working gold mine in Victoria. Gold was discovered in 1853 and continues to be mined.

By 1:30 pm the car was done and I wandered back to the auto shop to get it. It received a clean bill of health and we should be set until we return in the fall. It was a relaxing and enjoyable day just hanging out in Stawell.