Alexandra Self Guided Town Tour
Start at Alexandra Visitor Information Centre located at Rotary Park, in Grant Street. Walk around the grounds to see the Sound Stage and the Truck Memorial.
Map of Walk
Turn left (north) from the front of the Visitor Information Centre and follow main road (Grant Street) past the Police Station to Green Street. Turn right into Green Street. On your left is the Alexandra Football Club and the showgrounds. Follow Green Street as it becomes William Street. At the end turn right into Station Street. Immediately left is the carpark for the start of the Great Victorian Rail Trail.
The old Alexandra Station also marks the start of the once busy railway line to Tallarook and Melbourne with the main line at Cathkin going to Mansfield. This is now the Alexandra Timber Tramway and Museum, which is open to the public on the second Sunday of each month and staffed by volunteers. Train rides around the track are only available on these days. Feel free to wander around the grounds.
In the area also is a shed manned by the Eildon and District Wood Workers Guild. This operates each Tuesday and visitors are welcome.
Just past the Timber Tramway and Museum turn left into Lamont Street and follow the bitumen as it veers left. On your left is the racecourse and later the golf club, which share common grounds. The road now turns to gravel and at its end is the Alexandra Hot Rod Speedway. Soon after the start of the gravel, turn right into Lethbridge Street. On the right are the remains of the largest timber mill in Victoria and formally one of the biggest employers in the town. Follow the road around back to Station Street and turn right and then immediately left into Vickery Street.
The basketball courts on your left are used as an emergency heliport. The cricket oval and heliport were used extensively during the 2009 bushfires for the fire fighting helicopters. Today the oval is used for more peaceful sporting activities and a public toilet and free shower is available.
On your left is the Leckie Park Reserve. It was named after John Leckie of the Pioneer Leckie Family - a well known identity and Shire President. Turn left into Paynes Avenue where there are a number of areas of interest:
- Bowling club
- War memorials
- Dove Cottage
- Walk bridge over the UT Creek
On the opposite corner is the Alexandra Shire Hall, built before Federation (hence the motif on the front has the Emu and Kangaroo reversed). Opposite the Town Hall is a mural above one of the shops. It depicts an early gold mining scene reminiscent of times gone by.
Behind the Library is a 2012 Red Gate replica of the historic gate that separated two early pastoral runs and marked the historic centre of Alexandra. Many businesses over the years have had the name Red Gate incorporated into their title. The small area behind the library has been converted into a mini park with seats and a small garden.
Continue along Perkins Street where the historic CWA building is located on your left and the current Shire Offices on your right.
Further along Perkins Street on your left are the swimming pool and tennis courts.
Continue to the end of Perkins Street and turn right into Station Street. Travel past the Hardware Megastore to the intersection of Station Street and the Goulburn Valley Highway. Turn left and immediately right into Wattle Street. Turn right into Cooper Street (second street on the right) and the new Hospital is immediately on your left. At the top of the Cooper Street hill (corner with Myrtle Streets) is the former red brick Hospital on the left. At the rear is a Medical clinic.
Continue over the hill past Myrtle and Villeneuve Streets and turn left down Webster Street. Continue for 300 m and turn left to the 'Lucky Mine' lookout. A bush walk in the Alexandra Bushland Reserve can be started here.
Return to Webster Street and turn left, and continue to the bitumen road (Mount Pleasant Road). Turn right towards the town. On your left after 1 km is the entrance to McKenzie Reserve, which is a good place for a walk to look for birds and wildflowers (in season) or just to get some exercise.
Travel back down Grant Street to the main shopping centre. Many shops have changed hands over the years and been renovated in some way. The first is the supermarket which was originally Courtney's Holden agency and garage. The four hotels - whilst modernised internally - have remained much the same externally throughout the 20th century.
At the end of the first section of shops is Alexandra's main intersection. Turn left to travel to the Alexandra Motel, Alexandra Secondary College, and Melbourne. Turn right to travel past the old Butter Factory to Thornton, Eildon and Jamieson or continue ahead to the Visitor Information Centre, Yea, Seymour, Mansfield, Melbourne or Sydney.
Location
36 Grant Street, Alexandra 3714 Map
Web Links
→ Self Guided Tour Brochure (PDF)
